Soundport

Ivob · #1 03-25-2010, 01:18 AM

Hi guys, i'd like to have a soundport on my guitar done but i don't know what changes it could bring. I read that a primary function of it is a projection of sound at the player, and that's what i would like. But...firstly - the guitar has laminate sides so i'm not sure if it possible to make a soundport in it, secondly - doesn't a soundport somehow reduce the sound coming out of a soundhole? If you tell me that the difference between a guitar with a soundport and a guitar without it is not apparent much, i'm not going to risk, thanks

Ivob · #2 03-25-2010, 06:40 AM

uf, you really encouraged me! i think i'll do that. The Yamaha you did a soundport on had also laminated sides? and if so, when you were drilling in it, didn't the laminate somehow split off? i'm affraid that it could crack...i'm going to check the threads, "egg" shape is exactly what i want, if you give me some tips on some instructions i would be thankful

Ivob · #3 03-25-2010, 07:39 AM

ok then, but i read somewhere that a soundport in some cases may cause a little increase of bass frequency and that's what i don't want because i think my guitar plays bassy enough, don't know if i like a more bassy sound. is it true that it increases bass? btw most of people evaluate the sound of guitars with added soundports as better than it was before, so i hope i won't spoil anything with it

donh · #4 03-25-2010, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivob

ok then, but i read somewhere that a soundport in some cases may cause a little increase of bass frequency and that's what i don't want because i think my guitar plays bassy enough, don't know if i like a more bassy sound. is it true that it increases bass? btw most of people evaluate the sound of guitars with added soundports as better than it was before, so i hope i won't spoil anything with it

With a larger port and all else the same, the port-tuned frequency shifts higher. Whether you perceive this shift as more or less bass (or whatever), is up to your ears your guitar.

arie · #5 03-26-2010, 10:26 AM

I just bought a new Dremel and cut a port on a $79.00 Rogue and it was pretty easy. The guitar has a little more bass and mid and a bunch more clarity -for a cheap lammie guitar.

read here:
http://www.klepperguitars.com/about.html

First I drew a cross where I wanted with a sharpie then drew a circle using the points of the cross to define the circle. Next came a 1/8" drill mounted in the dremel and I stabbed it into the center of the circle. After that I used some sort of long router bit that came with the dremel tool kit. It's silly long, but you don't cut with the end of it anyway. With this I chopped out 4 pieces of the finest grade Rogue laminate. Next I mounted a sanding drum and cleared out the rest of the material in about 3 minutes. Sound wasn't quite what I wanted so I elongated the hole about 1in towards the waist of the guitar. The final hole looks like one of those clips that you hang a shower curtain on. Final sanding was done with some 220.

BuckMahoney · #6 04-02-2010, 01:51 PM

Thinking about doing this too,problem being my guitar is very bass heavy.So...smaller sound port more treble or the other way around?

arie · #7 04-08-2010, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckMahoney

Thinking about doing this too,problem being my guitar is very bass heavy.So...smaller sound port more treble or the other way around?

Pull the hole more towards the waist and plan on making it a little bit larger then normal to cut some bass out of the sound. Each guitar has a resonant frequency that has to be "found" by starting out small and working up. Too small of a hole and you get either nothing or a little bass. Too large and you go from less bass and more treble to nothing but a big hole. Think of it as a curve.
An example would be a bass reflex speaker cabinet with a tuned port.

ljguitar · #8 04-08-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckMahoney

Thinking about doing this too,problem being my guitar is very bass heavy.So...smaller sound port more treble or the other way around?

Hi Buck…
According to Tim McKnight (Mr King of Sideports) the closer you locate the side port in the vicinity of the neck the bassier it becomes.

If you locate it on the back side of the upper bout (closer to the waist), it will have less bass and sound very natural.

I have one on the upper bout near the neck and one on the lower side of the upper bout. Both are splendid, and neither has as full a tonal response as the front of the guitar...the one which is more toward the waist is the least ''noticeable'' until you cover it up...