I occasionally try again with them. Recently bought another one - an IKEA half size, £3 from a charity shop. It actually sounds pretty good. But I have no interest in chordal playing so I'm going to keep it tuned EADGCF, like an F oud.

The annoying thing is the frets. I suppose there has to be some way to strip them out and fill the grooves with Milliput or the like.