So many variables to assign given rules. So may post related to this. Your best informed bet is search the archive and read everything you can that Alan C. has written on this subject. That said if you keep the port in the upper bout and around a 1"-1 1/2" dia. opening you are not going to loose tone. your going to hear more things than you ever have in the past.

I have spent a good bit of time reading things over in the archives, and have also read what Alan Carruth has to say on his website as well as what Tim McKnight says. While much of what is presented is useful in concept - it doesn't touch much on the application (size, location, geometry) of the soundport; which is what prompted my question. I greatly respect the work of all the veterans here and elsewhere, and respect the lessons they have learned on their own time and money. I am merely trying to skip over some of the beginners mistakes.

thanks for your input so far guys. Again, I greatly appreciate it.
Stephen

Michael,

In your experience, do the more decorative design ports have any different affect than the standard ovals?

Thank you so mcuh for your help.
Stephen

I believe that the common "sound port" as we see in the majority of instruments does nothing for tone quality and in fact may even contribute to loss of projection. I do believe that the player will have an "enhanced" experience as sound is now being released in a direction in which the player is better able to hear. In our quest to build a better "matchbox" we see many "inovations" come about. I do not believe in this one. Perhaps one of our Master Luthiers who often visit will chime in and explain further. I simply can't, logically, understand how a loss of energy thru the side is beneficial...especially to the audience (I assume most of my customers are using their instruments for performance). I do understand that some players who play for themselves only would enjoy it.

I would chime in, having used side ports for the past six years on almost all my guitars, but I don't want to dub myself a Master Luthier. I'm a guitar maker. I just cut away everything that doesn't look like the guitar I'm thinking of.

Dave I respectfully disagree with you on soundports "may even contribute to loss of projection". Last year I attended a talk by Grit Laskin who demonstrated the effect of a soundport to the listener. He played one of his guitars with and without the soundport covered. Everyone in the audience heard the loss of projection when the port was covered. No doubt a soundport could lead to a loss of projection if not sized correctly. As for the player, this time I strongly disagree as my experience playing a number of ported guitars is the contrary. Not only is the volume enhanced to the player but I have found the player gets a better flavour for the tone that the audience hears.

I have another thought on this subject. Some people say that the audiance can not tell a difference in tone but the player hears a big difference. If you are a player and hear more sonority coming from the instrument it is a big help as you try to play with feeling etc. Does this not translate into a better performance that the audience can hear?

This is assuming that the musician is good to begin with...