Oud Strings

MusiCaravan oud strings are made to exact specifications in collaboration with oud virtuoso Üstad Necati Çelik [pronounced “Nejatee Chelik”], and we do supply him with these strings. (Necati is considered by many to be the foremost classical oud player in Turkey today.

These strings compare very favorably to Pyramids. The trebles are true and even, and the bass strings last many months without going out of tune with themselves. When I change strings, it is because they are literally wearing out, or have lost too much brilliance to perform with an ensemble---not because they are going out of tune. The only other strings I can say that of are the Pyramids, and they cost a lot more.

Two Different Sets

There are two different sets. One has a label bearing Necati Çelik’s name and is designed for the tuning that he prefers, from bass to treble: B (or C#), F#, b, e, a, d'. This tuning is preferred by most Turkish classical musicians today because of its increased range and versatility when transposition is necessary.

Necati Set

Piano 1^st d’ (Top) 3^rd e 5^th F# (or A)
Tunings: 2^nd a 4^th b 6^th B (or C#)

MusiCaravan Set

The other set is called the MusiCaravan set, and is for the tuning E, A, b, e, a, d. This is a very common traditional tuning, and is often considered the “standard” tuning in the United States. It is widely used by Armenian musicians.

Piano 1^st d’ (Top) 3^rd e 5^th A
Tunings: 2^nd a 4^th b 6^th E

The sets are identical except for the two bass strings. The two treble courses are high quality non-rectified nylon. The cost of either set is $15 US.

Shipping for strings is $5 US for any size order, including PVF trebles (see below).*

*Important: Our Shopping Cart will not charge extra shipping for multiples of one item. However, due to technical limitations, it will mistakenly add $5 shipping for each different item. If this happens in your order, please ignore the extra shipping charge, and we will immediately refund the additional amount to you via PayPal when we process the order! Thank you!

PVF Treble Strings

I find (as does Necati, and also maker Mustafa Çopcuoglu Üsta whom we also supply) that the modern ouds, with their powerful lower range, sound more evenly with PVF trebles.

PVF material is heavier and stronger than nylon. Accordingly, the PVF trebles are a bit thinner than the nylons of equivalent tuning. We find for most ouds that 0.52 mm for the first course and 0.62 for the second course is ideal for the PVF. (For nylon, that would be a bit too thin, giving a weak sound, and so the nylons are about 10% heavier.

Because the PVF trebles outlast the wound strings through several changes, MusiCaravan sells them separately. A set of trebles (a pair of firsts and a pair of second courses) sells for $13.

*Important: Our Shopping Cart will not charge extra shipping for multiples of one item. However, due to technical limitations, it will mistakenly add $5 shipping for each different item. If this happens in your order, please ignore the extra shipping charge, and we will immediately refund the additional amount to you via PayPal when we process the order! Thank you!

At this time MusiCaravan only makes strings for Turkish ouds, and not for Arabic. Arabic ouds come in many different sizes, and utilize various tunings, though the intervals between strings are generally close to the Turkish. Arabic tunings are nearly always one step below the Turkish, but because the scales (string lengths) of those ouds are also generally longer, many musicians find that the strings we provide work fine.