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I'm wanting to reinforce the rim of my first build in case I want to add a soundport later. So I'm trying to decide what shape would look nice and would love to see your ideas for soundport shapes. I would also like to hear your thoughts on soundport shapes and location. Seems I read that when locating in the uper bout toward the player, that placing near the top gives a better sound. What are your thoughts?

Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I placed my sound port at only one side at the edge of the upper bout which was the best position according to Al (Carruth).
The inside was line with a basswood reinforcement.
The shape was 2 tear drop which forms a S in the middle.
So far when I played it, the effect of the soundhole was very clear: I could hear myself playing just like I was sitting right in front of the guitar.

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Sen CL Goh
http://senguitar.blogspot.com

Very nice Sen.....creative way to place your initial in the soundport design. Also, the edge of the soundport looks nice with the contrasting, light colored basswood. Did you have to bend the basswood or was it pliable enough at that thickness to conform to the curve of the upper bout?

I'm torn on using thin aircraft ply or using a thcker, solid wood similar to what you've done. The solid wood left thicker may give the edge a nicer appearance. I'm not going to open up the soundport initially but I want it as an option later since my soundhole on my top is undersized similar to a Norman Blake soundhole.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

It came out great.

Thanks for your compliments.
I did bend the basswood before gluing to the side.
It was very easy to bend just wet it with some water and bend it on the heat pipe.
The thickness of the basswood was about 2mm.





Hmm I have limited experience with this actually.
But I guess any sort of reinforcement will be better than having none at all.
My choice for basswood is that it's light and easy to bend.
I guess even some scrap spruce top might also do the trick too...
So even if you don't ever do the sound port it probably won't affect anything.

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Sen CL Goh
http://senguitar.blogspot.com

Here's mine:



It's a little tough to see from the angle, but I was going for a four-point Celtic knot.

The interior bits are actually pretty resilient. Backing is another layer of the 0.085" myrtle sides.

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Evan McCartney

Here are a couple...one simple oval and one with my initial "M" in it.
I back up the inside with .030" black fiber...bends easily and provides a nice black contrast line on the inside edge of the port.

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Hank Mauel

I've only done one.
Backed up a laminate of maple and ebony


Made a pattern, glued it on and cut it out with my router. Cutting with the router was, by far, the most difficult step only because I was afraid I would screw it up.


Here's the rough cut


Beveled the opening with sandpaper stuck on an elliptical shaped sanding stick.

All done

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I was going to do one that was a "B" (Brackett Instruments). It looked kinda like a butt because it was just the outside outline. I made it into an oval.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

This one is not finished. I used a thin veneer backing as well as the spalted maple ring all the way through. The plate with the inlay does not seal the port. It is on small seperate supports.

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Chris

Wow, a lot of creativity shown here. I appreciate folks showing how they've reinforced the soundport.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Some very creative ideas shown, but.....

From what I can see in the photos showing the reinforcement backing up the soundport, it looks like the grain runs in the same direction as the sides. Wouldn't it be better if the grain orientation of the reinforcement is perpendicular to that of the sides?

Cheers
Pete

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Cheers
Pete

That's why I used a laminate. What you see in the photo is the outer layer of ebony. The grain of the inner layer of maple runs at 90 degrees to the side grain. Fancy plywood, if you will.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I put in two holes.

the sides are Ovangkohl, the supports are cherry & walnut

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

This one is bound with curly maple, bunot too curly with that tight radius, backed with a cross-grain side off-cut,


Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

May cool and good looking ports here.

Pat, What are your procedures for installing the binding inside the port? Is it bent or cur in a whole circle or what?

Thanks,
Ed

Bent on a pipe, with Supersoft II. Takes a number of tries (i. e., failures, as in broken) with curly maple, ebony too. Maple is extra tricky because it burns easily.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Pat, that bound hole is quite striking.
Did you start with an extra "tall" piece, which once fit into the hole could then be trimmed to match the curvature of the side?
Or rather, a piece that was the thickness of the side, and bent it to also match the side's curvature?

I hope that question makes sense! I can see either approach working...just wondered how you went about it.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com