Other · Fes, Tetouan
Oud (Stringed Instrument)
Pear-shaped fretless stringed instrument with a short, bent neck and a rounded back made from strips of wood. The ancestor of the European lute.
History & Cultural Context
The oud is one of the oldest stringed instruments in the world and central to Andalusi, Arab, and Moroccan classical music traditions. Moroccan ouds follow the Maghrebi style with four courses of paired strings. Fes and Tetouan are traditional production centers.
Materials
- Walnut, rosewood, or maple stripsBent wood strips forming the bowl
- Spruce or cedar soundboardFront face providing tonal resonance
- Nylon or gut stringsPaired courses of strings
Production Techniques
- Strip-bending and assemblyTraditional
Thin wood strips steamed and bent over a mold, then glued
Production Notes
Body (bowl) built from thin strips of walnut, rosewood, or maple bent and glued over a mold. Soundboard is spruce or cedar. Tuning pegs are friction-fit wooden pegs. A quality oud takes 2–6 weeks to build.
Quality Indicators
Quality
Price Ranges
Decorative or student grade, basic construction
Playable quality, good wood, decent tone
Professional quality, rosewood, excellent resonance
Master luthier, exceptional woods, concert quality