Sound Ports?

[BrunoBlack]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

……..

My experience with sound ports isn’t that they add volume for the player, it’s more that they add clarity.
The base from a guitar is pretty much omnidirectional, like a subwoofer on a stereo. It isn’t easy to tell where a subwoofer is. However, you always know exactly where a tweeter is. On a guitar the mids and especially the trebles project straight out from the top.
……..

Mark, I agree with this for the most part. However, I do find that sound ports increase volume to the player. But as you say, the biggest difference to my ears is that they pronounce the mids and trebles. I don’t have problems with mids and trebles on my guitars. And this is functional reason that sound ports turn me off. I find there is just too much in my face when it comes to mids and trebles.

I will say, the 2 most aesthetically pleasing sound ports imo are found on Ryan Guitars, and the latest design you developed, shown in post #27 here https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...=636043&page=2

No strong statement intended here. I’m glad we all have choices.

[godfreydaniel]

I tried out several guitars with soundports at a guitar show a few years ago. I was surprised at how good the guitars sounded (it definitely sounded like an increase in volume compared to not having one). BUT - I really think it would make it harder for me to hear other players in a group situation, so I doubt I would buy a guitar with one unless it included a cover of some sort.

[buddyhu]

No one that I play with has a guitar with a sound port, and haven’t come across one to audition while moving through a wide variety of shops.

I don’t much like the way most sound ports look.

I’ll decide I feel about them when I have a chance to try one in person.

[Guitars44me]

I am sold on a port in the neck side of the upper bout.

Big help in hearing at acoustic/unamped gigs.

Cheers

Paul

[sford52]

Assuming a casual play-for-oneself approach to the guitar, how do you feel about sound ports? I love them. I am a casual play-for-oneself, and I definitely like the sounds I get from the port.

Are they a must-have for you? I think so. I doubt I will ever buy another guitar, but if I do, it would probably have a port.

Okay if they are present in a guitar you like anyway? Probably wouldn't like it if they weren't present, but I'd be open to at least consider it if I loved the guitar anyway.

Would you specify one in a custom build? Absolutely.

Do you specifically not like them for one reason or another? er, no I don't not specifically not like them.
So, yea, I very much like them for the sound they give me, and think they look just fine. The complete lack of audience makes my selfishness a non issue.

[sayheyjeff]

Believe I’ve only had on guitar with a sound port in my hands and it was terrific. Felt that there was an added intimacy to the sound for me, the player. That was about 4 years ago. Have acquired 1 guitar in that time period and it doesn’t have a port. I think that at this point, the feature is not a reason to replace guitars I really like, and not one that would prevent me from considering a guitar that grabbed my attention. Can say that the port on the Buscarino Caberet for sale here is beautiful and adds to the overall beauty of a wonderful looking guitar. Don’t think it’s a one shot deal either as there is a similar guitar with the same soundport for sale on Craigslist here. Also a beauty.

[perttime]

I've only played one guitar with a port.
I was surprised how well the small guitar projected sound towards my ears, in a noisy room. The builder also demonstrated the effect of the port by placing a card over the port while I played. The difference was big.

[RussellHawaii]

Originally Posted by JERZEY

All my keepers have sound ports. Its night and day difference. Much better sound for me as the player.



If I was having a new guitar built I would ask for one sound hole on the top that wraps around the side and no center hole.

Check out the design of Skytop guitars. I think this is the best example of this idea. It sounds amazing, both to the player and in front, and I think lots of guitars will be built this way in the future.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by Dogma

Assuming a casual play-for-oneself approach to the guitar, how do you feel about sound ports?
Are they a must-have for you?
Okay if they are present in a guitar you like anyway?
Would you specify one in a custom build?
Do you specifically not like them for one reason or another?

I am interested in others' experience.

Thanks!

I did specify one on a build by John Monteleone, who was one of the very first builders to do sound ports in 1995.

I love the way it looks, and when I'm in the mood to hear the guitar be very loud, it certainly allows that no matter how softly I play it.

"In your face" is the phrase that comes to mind.

There are moments when I cover it with a towel because I want to hear the ambient room sound of the guitar instead.

It's a balancing act, basically.

John does make a version with a sliding trap door, but I didn't feel it was intrinsically something I wanted or needed.

I wouldn't change a thing.



Regards,
Howard Emerson

[EllenGtrGrl]

I know some players say that as a "natural monitor" (of the non-PA type) sound ports really do come in handy, but I really wonder how much better they make the guitar sound to you when you're playing. Asthetically, I'm not a fan of them. Therefore, when my favorite guitar shop (Cream City Music) got in several of the new Gibson Generation Series guitars, with the sound ports, I pretty much blew them off (besides, from reading the specs on they have the Advanced Response neck profile, which is on the slim side of what I like for a neck).

P.S. - I will admit that if a guitar came along with the right specs, I might try a guitar with a sound port in it, and if it wowed me, I might buy it. But, I'm a bigger fan of the sound out of the sound hole, that the sound out of a sound port (which is different sonically).

[Honkycat]

It’s a no from me. (The same for electronics stuck on the side.)

[rmp]

Originally Posted by YeOldRocker

I'm not sure that the ports in any way took away bass response from the new Gibsons; I think the shallower bodies and tonewoods used for b&s are more likely responsible for that. But I, too, was intrigued that the player(s) heard a warm bass response through the ports, when - as you say - the guitars have less bass response and/or thump when miked or listened to in front of the guitars. I need to add that I haven't personally played these guitars, and one can only take away so much from videos; they've done what they were meant to, which is peak my curiosity about them (and their player ports).

Someone else earlier mentioned that Gibson only added ports to their new and less expensive line, as if that was part of the reasoning behind the inclusion of a port. I think the reason they tried something new on their less expensive and newer models was simply because they probably felt - rightly - that few Gibson purists wanting a classic J-45 or Hummingbird would also opt for an otherwise non-traditional innovation like a soundport. And they're probably right for thinking so, whether the port is a great addition or not.

I have heard some feed back in the Gibson Acoustic section that they sounded really good when they were road tested.

Most of those guys are rather particular about Gibson acoustics.

I'd like to try one actually.

[TokyoNeko]

The "incidental" soundport is a big reason I now have not one but two Little Janes. IMO, these little guitars sound so much fuller than they should because of these holes.

[Dirk Hofman]

They don't typically appear on the kind of guitars in which I'm interested, but I've played some with sound ports at Healdsburg and local bay area shops. The guitars I've played which have them sounded fantastic, generally. They kind of tend to appear on fingerstyle guitars, and when designed from the start with a port in mind, they tend to look really nice and integrated.

I've seen some after-market ports added to guitars, and that does IMO often ruin the aesthetic. But if the player is happy, I'm happy. Whatever works for you! It's not something I've felt any need to have in my guitars, but certainly there are amazing sounding and looking guitars which take advantage of them.

[jjhturbo]

Like many of you, I have owned dozens of acoustics over my lifetime -- many of them from high-end builders. None of them had sound ports, so the idea was somewhat foreign to me until I recently commissioned a custom build. Up until that point, my main reasons for having a negative bias towards sound ports were:

1) sound ports were/are relatively uncommon (hence...in my simple mind...I thought that must mean it's not a good thing).

2) the idea of cutting into beautiful wood was disconcerting (and I thought it was the equivalent of barn-door electronics in terms of aesthetics).

3) the inclusion of a sound port must mean the total output volume from the front is decreased (so I thought).

Fast forward to my new build which occurred last year. Mulled over whether or not to have a sound port and finally decided to do it. Bottom line -- zero regrets whatsoever. Absolutely love it. Completely erased (and obliterated) the 3 misconceptions I had. Not only does it look great (to me, at least), it delivers so many sonic benefits (as mentioned by many already).