When is the hole TOO big?
 

My friend, a very fine lady of exquisite taste, class and enviable skills, has just gotten a custom built box with a "custom sound hole..a HUGE hole. I mean , "put your head in that thing" kinda big.

Personally, I find this sort of off putting and maybe even a little intimidating...I thought my Django had a big hole .

Is there a proportion that is , shall we say, "normal"?

I don't want to say anything to her about hers as she is so fond it. Plays with it constantly but, it just seems disproportionately large....

Surely there is some "standard" ?Any appropriate dimensions? some guidelines?

:confused:

Hi Barrett,

Not to my knowledge is there a standard, but all of the reading that I've done would place it in the ballpark of 4 inches.

IMHO the sound hole needs to be round, a diameter of approx 4" and in the center. But thats just me.

I prefer the 4" round holes myself, but isn't there a Chinese made guitar that has them more slanted and off-center? I've never played one of those but I've always wanted to.

I hate it when I drop a pick in the hole, it bothers me if I hear it rattle around. I imagine if I went with an oversized hole, I'd probably need help finding my car keys at some point.

I've never seen a Chinese one, you'd think they would all look the same. Being off-center and slanted would seem strange if you were use to it being dead center.

Oh, well by all means, you should...

A 4" hole would certainly seem more than adequate, Craig. I don't know about the "round" part, though...the Django has a sort of "mouth" like shape to it...comfortable , however.

I've seen quite a few different shapes, my brain just likes traditional. But, then again to me sunbursts are about as ugly as you get. For others its perfection

I like mine.......

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...0/P1010013.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...0/P1010015.jpg

as to the SIZE, I vaguely remember reading somewhere that enlarging the hole makes the sound more trebley....

probably due to having less top to drive the sound out as the bigger hole should let longer frequency wavelengths out better, no?:D

The Chinese type are generally a little deeper, too....makes it easier to find those errant picks...or car keys....or,...whatever.

Have you ever checked out Glory Guitars? http://gloryguitarsokc.com/

The standard glory hole is about 4" around, but they can custom make most any size or shape.

I like the one with the slot-type.

Although, that sideways thing is a bit disconcerting...

On most flat top steel strings, the size of the sound hole is proportional to the size of the guitar. Dread's, OM's and jumbo's typically will have a sound hole from about 3.8 to 4 inches. Parlors and O size tend to be around 3.25 to 3.7 inches. Classicals tend to be around 3.3 to 3.5 inches. Changing the size of the sound hole can change the sound of the guitar by changing the Helmholtz frequency of the box. Everything else being equal, as Martinedwards said, a larger sound hole favors trebles and a smaller sound hole favors bass. When I'm designing a guitar with a soundport I adjust the size of the sound hole to compensate for the size of the soundport.
Regards,
Ed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K_8R03jIZI ...??:confused:

In theory, the size of the hole should be proportional to the volume of the air cavity.

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/graph...oltzGuitar.gif

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/Helmholtz.html

I have not idea how much air there is in there...its dark....I could get a flashlight in there and do some measuring I 'spose.

You'd think with such a big hole you'd see daylight, wouldn't ya?:confused:

I only fingerpick. No flat pick.