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

Rich, warm tone with sustainEven strip joints with no gaps

Price Ranges

Budget300 – 800 MAD(~$30 – $80)

Decorative or student grade, basic construction

Mid-range800 – 2500 MAD(~$80 – $250)

Playable quality, good wood, decent tone

Premium2500 – 6000 MAD(~$250 – $600)

Professional quality, rosewood, excellent resonance

Luxury6000 – 15000 MAD(~$600 – $1500)

Master luthier, exceptional woods, concert quality