Official Luthiers Forum!

I am looking at cutting out the soundport before bending some sides, any problems with being more prone to crack??

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Most cut out the sound port pre bend and most pre-bend a thin reinforcement patch to laminate in place after the bend. You are more likely to crack the wood cutting after the bend then before. In either case I would use a reinforcement laminate.

I am one of the rare ones who "retrofit"- mainly because of bending by pipe. I add the reinforced lamination during adding kerfing/side reinforcements and cut before final sanding for finish. I understand the risks that Michael points out and go extra careful.

On my first and only soundport I formed it following the bends. Here's how I did mime:

1) I added a multi-leveled fiber patch,
2) Marked out an appropriately shaped oval
3) Cut out the port with a Dremel and spiral bit
4) Cleaned it up with files and grit

Worked great!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Did it 'improve' the sound?

--I asked this because someone posted a soundport jig a while back, so I thought that was the norm... thanks:mrgreen:

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

I definately cut mine after bending!
Less chance of side deformation in that area!!
If you use water ,or softener there will be less chance for wood end grain to be colored by contamination!
I glue in the prebent reinforcement and then drill,cut & carve with out fear of a side split.

Mike

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Mike Collins

The sides are not much in play as far as adding or detracting from tone. The sound port will change a several things that does affect tone but the reinforcement method will have little effect. The location and size will ahve a lot of affect. i suggest you search the archive for any and all things Alan carruth has written on the subject. These posts are the most athoitative you will likely find.

I've never tried to cut a soundport before bending, Personally though, I like to locate the soundport after the box is closed, just to get a feel for exactly where it should go by tapping around the upper bout. I bend a thin cross grain patch of backing laminate and glue in place in the area I want the port. I use a stethiscope of my wifes and tap the top at the bridge and listen for the loudest response, seems to work pretty good, I usually end up going further toward the neck than originally anticiptated , so I make the backing a little longer now and about .050" thick.
I 've noticed a substantial difference in the location and of course size of the port, varies from guitar to guitar. But I 've never had any problems with cracking or splitting after bending. I drill a series of 1/16" holes around the pattern and using a dremel sanding drum, I shape it out and fine tune it with files and 220 paper.

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

SPAM ALERT ABOVE!!!!

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Maybe this is Grumpy who started up a new business and got out of making guitars.

Just kidding Grumpy.........couldn't resist!

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins