This listing is for my Oud guitar conversion starting with a beautiful brand new Ibanez GA20-AM 3/4 size classical guitar, in glossy finish, and with a solid spruce top.

The Oud is a primary instrument of Arabic and Middle-Eastern music and actually the forerunner of the European lute and eventually the guitar. The fretless design and paired nylon and wrapped nylon strings, combined with a playing style based more on runs of notes in different maqams (similar to scales/modes) rather than chords to create an overall tonality. Modern ouds are normally 10 to 12 strings in 5 or 6 paired courses, from low to high as on a guitar, but with somewhat different spacing between strings. You can use a guitar pick, the traditional Oud plectrum called a risha (included), or fingerpicking. There are lots of YouTubes of tuning, basic instruction, and more advanced play to watch and learn from. Get some basic skills down and find someone to add some hand percussion, and a whole new musical world opens up.

Because genuine Arabic ouds (mostly made in the Middle East and Arabic countries) are more expensive than the far more mass-produced guitar, I've experimented with ways to get the oud sound and playability experience out of a modified guitar, and the result works very well. I've taken a brand new 3/4 size Ibanez GA20-AM classical guitar and have done the following: Added two more gold-color tuners at the top to allow for 8 strings (two full double courses), removed the frets and filled, sanded, and refinished the fingerboard smooth for fretless playing, adding little dots up the neck for accurate finger placement (for those of us more used to fretted instruments), added extra sound holes and cosmetic touches, and fitted it with 4 pairs of nylon and wrapped nylon strings of the correct weight for traditional Arabic oud tuning at the softer tension between they of s classical guitar and the very low tension typical of the oud, which gives a richly resonate, "open" sound. I suggest tuning the 4th string as an oud 5th string would normally be, just two half steps down from the 4th string, to give the best range of notes. This tuning is then (low to high) G-D-G-C, giving the same range and playing possibilities as a 5-course oud. Slight variations up or down in tuning would, of course, also work. The tone is remarkably similar to an oud.

A basic padded gig bag is included, as is a risha (bone Oud plectrum).

For those used to instruments like the guitar and ukulele, this hybrid instruments actually adds the advantages of geared tuners that are less finicky than the friction pegs of most ouds, and a wider neck, with more room for accurate fingering.

I also have actual full-size ouds available, as well, with my custom decorating, though the price is somewhat higher.

If you have any questions before ordering, or about the instrument after you receive it, feel free to message me. I can also modify the way I finish it off if you get in touch to discuss first.

Demo video: (You’ll have to copy and paste, as it won’t hot link.)

https://youtu.be/_VebvGTngKw?si=J4t35j794YWzySHg

International orders may add an import duty upon pickup. Please check ahead with your postal service.