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Old 08-27-2019, 01:50 PM
AuntieDiluvian AuntieDiluvian is offline
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Default Ported upper bout....?

I have noticed a ported upper bout on a number of "boutique" guitars.

Simple question - why would anyone want this?
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Old 08-27-2019, 01:57 PM
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lots of threads on this - do a search for port or sound port.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...archid=8138306
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Old 08-27-2019, 02:04 PM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AuntieDiluvian View Post
I have noticed a ported upper bout on a number of "boutique" guitars.

Simple question - why would anyone want this?
I can only speak for myself. I had never had a sound port in a guitar before but my most recent guitar was custom built and it was offered as an option. I played another guitar by the luthier at his shop and he had me play with the port covered and with it open. I found that I loved the experience of my playing with the open port. I play mostly bare fingered with a light touch so the port gives me a fuller sound experience as if I were out front. I have a good friend who plays with a pretty heavy attack and she didn't really hear a difference. So, for some, I can see where it wouldn't be an asset but I really like having it in this latest guitar.

Best,
Jayne
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Old 08-27-2019, 02:10 PM
Gordon Currie Gordon Currie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AuntieDiluvian View Post
I have noticed a ported upper bout on a number of "boutique" guitars.

Simple question - why would anyone want this?
So they can hear their guitar better (more accurately).

Acoustic guitars are pretty infamous for sounding somewhat different to the player vs. to an audience. Sometimes this can get fairly extreme, especially onstage.

The majority of a guitar's sound comes from the vibrating top, with some of it coming from the soundhole. Neither of those is radiating towards the player (unless your playing position is mighty unorthodox).
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Last edited by Gordon Currie; 08-27-2019 at 02:40 PM.
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Old 08-27-2019, 02:12 PM
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There are lots of posts about this, but I will add the one thing I have found and has been documented and reported many times by others, much to my surprise, the port allows for more forward projection of sound as well and not just up to the player. This to me in counter intuitive, but really does seem to be the case. I think of it more as a 3D sound...why it adds to forward projection, I can not say in terms of physics, but perhaps someone else will.
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Old 08-27-2019, 03:00 PM
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Here's my standard answer:


I think on most guitars, if the ports are small relative to the body size, it CAN also increase the volume out front. When done properly, the air resonance changes and I think they work like a breather hole on a gas can.

Other key benefits I've found from ports:

It can smooth out boomy low end and make instruments easier to mic/record - especially found this true in classicals.

Seems to make any strident trebles more smooth and fat sounding.

I've never ported a guitar and wasn't happy with the results (done a couple dozen now) and will never own another without one (or two!)
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Old 08-27-2019, 03:22 PM
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Smile One more thing...

It makes it much easier to sing if you can hear your guitar better.

I play a LOT of non amplified gigs, and some of them can get noisy! I LOVE my JK Customs with the ports!

Also makes retrieving a lost pick in the axe very simple and fast.

I am with Fitness on this. I would prefer to play a ported guitar whenever possible.

Cheers

Paul
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Old 08-27-2019, 06:33 PM
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By the way - I've grown to like dual ports the best - as seen here. Properly placed (directed at each ear in the player's specific playing position) they add an ambience to the sound that is hard to describe.

I first experienced it about 10 years ago in an early Josh House guitar. It haunted me for a long time.

The ports I installed on this Cordoba Solista are now slightly larger and more beveled. This guitar is head and shoulders better than any other classical I've owned, and there have been some very expensive brazilian ones in there
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Old 08-27-2019, 07:49 PM
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If you scroll to the bottom of this page you can glean a little more info from the testing that we have done on side sound ports. You can add a port to an existing guitar but the danger is raising the Helmholtz frequency of the soundbox too much and then the guitar will sound thin and almost tinny sounding. We engineer for side sound ports on the front end by reducing the diameter of the main sound hole by the volume of the port that we add to the side, so the Helmholtz frequency is unaffected by the port.
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Old 08-27-2019, 08:48 PM
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It just makes the guitar different. I haven’t found one universal outcome from having a sound port. In some cases, I like what I hear. In others I don’t. They can introduce too much treble and can be a little directional and unpleasant. They can also make a guitar sound fuller, but it all depends on the guitar.

I think the basic idea is to give the player more of a sense of what a listener might hear, but I still evaluate each guitar on its own merits as a whole. I would not usually insist on a sound port on an instrument. I only have one guitar with a sound port, which sounds stellar, but I have others without one (all the others, in fact) that sound just as good.
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Old 08-27-2019, 09:01 PM
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Smile I believe Tim McKnight!

Very interesting, Tim. Once again you are a veritable font of information!

Juston, my guess is the builder and build have a LOT to do with the ability of the ports to add to the driver's enjoyment! As always.

Carry on and remain musical.

Paul
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Last edited by TomB'sox; 08-28-2019 at 08:16 AM. Reason: spelling
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Old 08-27-2019, 10:04 PM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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My poljakoff has it and it sounds great to me. I also used to own a ryan that had the acoustic flutes that also made a definite positive contribution to the sound being better heard by the player.
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Old 08-28-2019, 05:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim McKnight View Post
You can add a port to an existing guitar but the danger is raising the Helmholtz frequency of the soundbox too much and then the guitar will sound thin and almost tinny sounding.
Yes - that's why I always stress small ports to those interested and I've never had anything but much more warmth and fullness. Too big and you lose the roundness of the tone for sure!
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Old 08-28-2019, 07:15 AM
Trevor B. Trevor B. is offline
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G.W. Barry is building me a 12 fret steel string acoustic guitar this coming build season. He offers a side port option. I played one of his guitars without a side port and another with a side port. Both guitars sounded great but I could hear the one with the side port much better, so I'm going with that option.
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Old 08-28-2019, 07:31 AM
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I put a port in one of my guitars and was very sorry that I did afterwards, so be careful. I don't like them in steal string guitars but I love them in classical guitars.

A few months back a gentleman came to my shop to do some work. He is loosing his hearing and he had this old Takamine with barn door electronics that were bad. So he removed the electronics and was astounded at how much better he could hear the guitar. So he had me add ports to all of his guitars.

They definitely aid in hearing yourself but like Tim said, it comes with a risk unless it's designed that way.
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