Description
The wenge Arabic oud is an eleven-string fretless instrument voiced for the clarity and projection that Arabic maqam performance demands. Built around a dense wenge bowl and a Canadian red cedar soundboard, it pairs a focused, articulate midrange with the warm sustain cedar is prized for — a combination suited to taqsim improvisation, ensemble accompaniment, and solo maqam work. Part of the Tapadum Sultan Collection and handcrafted in our İzmir atelier, every instrument is set up and quality-checked before it ships.
Wenge bowl and Canadian red cedar top
The bowl is built from wenge, a dense hardwood whose weight and stiffness give the instrument a bright, well-defined voice with tight, controlled bass — a more focused character than the rounder tone of a maple or walnut bowl. Against this, the Canadian red cedar soundboard responds quickly under the risha (plectrum), adding warmth and a singing sustain that lets long maqam phrases breathe. The fingerboard and pegs are cut from ebony, chosen for its hardness, smooth feel under the fingers, and tuning stability across the fretless neck.
Fixed bridge and eleven-string setup
This oud uses a fixed (glued) bridge rather than a mobile suspended one. A fixed bridge transfers string energy directly into the soundboard for a stable, consistent response — the traditional Arabic setup, and a low-maintenance choice for players who keep a settled string height. The instrument carries eleven strings — five double courses plus a single bass — strung with Kürschner premium strings and tuned Do–Do (C–C), the standard Arabic voicing. When the time comes to restring, our Kürschner Arabic oud string set matches this configuration.
Specifications
| Collection | Tapadum Sultan Collection |
| Origin | Handcrafted in İzmir, Turkey |
| Bowl | Wenge |
| Soundboard | Canadian red cedar |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Pegs | Ebony |
| Bridge | Fixed (glued) |
| Strings | 11 — Kürschner premium |
| Tuning | Do–Do (C–C) |
| Body length | 49 cm (19.3 in) |
| Fingerboard length | 19.5 cm (7.7 in) |
| Scale (string) length | 60 cm (23 in) |
| Depth | 19 cm (7.5 in) |
| Neck width | 3.8–5.6 cm (1.5–2.2 in) |
| String height (action) | 0.18 cm (0.07 in) |
Who this oud is for
The wenge-and-cedar pairing makes this a responsive instrument for intermediate and professional players working in Arabic maqam, with the clarity to reward developed right-hand technique. Committed beginners who want an instrument to grow into will find the fixed bridge and stable ebony pegs forgiving to live with. For a rounder, deeper Iraqi-school character, compare the Cedar Top Arabic Iraqi Oud with mobile suspended bridge; to see the wider range, browse the full Arabic Oud collection or the broader Oud category.
Care and maintenance
Store the oud away from direct heat and rapid humidity changes, and loosen the strings during long periods of storage. Wipe the cedar soundboard with a soft, dry cloth after playing. Because the bridge is fixed, string height stays consistent — no repositioning is needed. Every instrument passes individual quality control — tuning stability, soundboard response, action, and string spacing — overseen by our string instruments specialist Sertan Sarioglu before it leaves our workshop. Worldwide shipping & 15-day return.
