musifying

Why would a oud buzz?

There are many possible reasons. In this post I will list the reasons that I have encountered in the past, and try to give enough information to help you identify why your oud is buzzing.

Fixing the problem is a different story. Some repairs are fairly easy and require no special tools or experience. Others, especially the ones related to the fingerboard, require expertise and/or special tools and, therefore, might require the attention of an instrument repair person. I will try to give enough information for you to make an informed decision about whether you should attempt to do the repair or whether you should hire a repair person to do it.

1- String Buzz

There are several different ways in which strings cause a buzz. These should be eliminated before any further attempts to diagnose and repair the buzz. Common reasons for strings buzzing include

• String excess on the bridge. Once a string is installed, and if there is excess string sticking out on the bridge side, especially if that excess string is touching the face), buzz may occur. Clip the excess string. Tools required, scissors. Expertise required: Ability to operate scissors safely.
• String excess on peg. This buzz is often faint, and comes from the peg box. Repaired by clipping the excess string.
• Wrong string used. Make sure you’re using the correct string for each pitch.
• Defective strings. In this case, another common symptom is that fingered pitches are not in unison even if they are in unison when they’re open.

2- Fingerboard buzz

Possible reasons for a fingerboard buzz are

• If the fingerboard has grooves, cracks, bumps, or other surface imperfections, buzz could occur when you finger the string on or just before (pitch just below) the surface imperfection. Unless you know what you’re doing, and have the right tools, I would give this repair to a oud, violin, or guitar repair person. All of them should have the tools and expertise to fix this one.
• Oil and grime on fingerboard. Once cleaned using rubbing alcohol with and a soft cotton cloth, the buzz disappear.  Do not use harsh chemical cleaners. You should also get in the habit of wiping the fingerboard and strings with a soft cotton cloth after playing. Also important: make sure your hands (at least your left hand) are clean before playing.
• Fingerboard has just been installed and it wasn’t shaped properly (it’s thickness or angle are not good). Take it back to the person who installed it. Better still, take it to someone else who could do a better job.
• Tuning the strings far lower than the oud was designed for (a major second or minor third). For example, a Turkish oud tuned to the very old oud tuning of B, G flat, D flat, A flat etc.. Most Turkish ouds can withstand current Arabic tuning (CGDAFC), but not lower than that. To fix this problem, you usually have to tune the oud higher, unless you want to make major changes to the oud (plain fingerboard, change the nut, redo the bridge, or any combination of the two).
• Fingerboard coming loose and needs to be glued again. Unless you know what you’re doing, and have the right tools I would give this repair to a oud, violin, or guitar repair person. All of them should have the tools and expertise to fix this one.
• If you’ve just installed a new nut, the nut could be too low. This buzz occurs on open strings and disappears when you finger the strings.

3- Buzz originating inside the bowl

Possible reasons

• Dirt inside the bowl. To fix this, get the dirt out, by carefully holding the oud in the air, face down, and trying to get the dirt to come out through the openings in the rosette. Do not use vacuum cleaners, do not drop the oud or shake vigorously.
• Loose braces (studs). This one requires opening taking the rosette out, locating the loose brace and gluing it. You should give this repair to a oud repair person unless you know how to take the rosette out, how work on the inside of the face of the oud without removing it, and how to locate and glue the loose studs.
• Cracks, rib separation, or separation at the seams. Expertise required for this one as well.

4- Ornaments, rosette, and pickguard

These are fairly easy to fix. Here’s what you need to look for.

• Loose ornaments on the face or the peg tips. These are fairly easy to repair. Make sure to use hide glue. Make sure not to use too much glue. Make sure not to use too much weight to fasten the ornament while the glue is drying. Make sure to wipe off excess glue before fastening.
• Loose rosette. This one is fairly easy to fix too. Make sure to use hide glue. Make sure not to use too much glue. Make sure not to use too much weight to fasten the ornament while the glue is drying. Make sure to wipe off excess glue before fastening.
• Loose pickguard. Another easy one. Make sure to use hide glue. Make sure not to use too much glue. Make sure not to use too much weight to fasten the ornament while the glue is drying. Make sure to wipe off excess glue before fastening.

5- Badly fitted Pegs

Visual inspection should reveal when a peg is loose on one side and it’s shape is not complimentary to the shapes of the peg holes. One possibility is that when you restrung the oud, you used a peg that was in different holes. Make sure every peg goes back to where they were. If that doesn’t solve the problem you need to reream the holes and reshave the peg. This can be problematic in that you may make the peg holes too big, and it also requires sharp tools (reamer and shaver). Unless you’re good with these things, give this job to a violin or oud repairer.

6- Bridge coming loose

Before the peg separates, the stress on it from the tightened strings pulls it toward the nut. As a result, the action gets lower (the strings become closer to the fingerboard) and buzzing may occur. When that happens, loosen all strings (to eliminate pull on the bridge) and take the oud to a oud repair person. This repair, although it may seem simple, can be very problematic. Either the bridge has to be reglued, or it has to be removed completely, cleaned up and then reseated and glued. Both require expertise, and tools to fasten the bridge as the glue dries. You could damage the oud if you do it wrong, or (at best) you will not fix the problem.

That’s all I have encountered over the years. If you have encountered other reasons, please share them with us.