My new strings keep going of tune. How do I get them to stabilize?

[Davids]

Ordinarily strings take some time to stretch in and come to a stable pitch. Pull the string sideways across the face of the oud a bit and retune. After twelve or so times, the string will be stretched in and hold its pitch.

Video Demo:

[Gloria]

It is entirely possible to for a factory oud to equal or surpass a luthier oud in some ways, but in general luthier-built ouds are of higher quality.  These are not always clear distinctions, since a small factory may operate under the guidance and supervision of a master luthier.  Often a factory will attach a name to their ouds to give the false impression that they are luthier-built.