An oud has a bare fingerboard, is strung in courses, and played with a long flexible plectrum. Every one of those three facts changes what "gear" means: there is nothing on the fingerboard to wear, the bridge is held on by string tension alone, and the plectrum shapes the sound as much as the strings do.
These are explainers, not a catalog. No prices, no brands, no reviews — this site has not handled the instrument you are considering. What it can tell you is what to look at, in what order, and what each thing changes about the way a jins sits under the hand.
Where to start
If you do not own one, start with your first oud — Arabic or Turkish is the fork that decides the rest. If yours has started fighting your intonation, read strings and the risha, because dying wound strings are the usual cause. If it plays in tune but not comfortably, setup is the page.