Reso sound holes

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Does anyone out there have a feel for what effect the sound holes have? You know, the ones covered with screen as well as the three little ones?

Seems like for a while I saw some players remove the screens. Does that help? It doesn't seem to. Was that just a fad?

Has anyone out there ever blocked off the sound holes? Or enlarged them??

Makers of arch-top instruments make a big fuss over the size and shape of the f-holes. Obviously the screen holes on a resonator guitar aren't as important. I've seen some resos with f-holes; the Gibson Al Perkins, for instance. Do they sound any different compared to their round-hole counterparts?

If a resonator guitar body functions something like a speaker cabinet does, it would seem that the size and shape of the sound holes would matter--like a bass port. But almost all makers--even those who have extensively changed the interior of the instrument from the original design--use the same old two screen-covered holes.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Randy Pettit · From: North Texas USA

I couldn't explain the physics of how this works, but from experience, a mic placed over the sound holes (screens) seems to pick up more bass tones than when placed directly over the cover plate. I try to "aim" in between the bridge and the sound holes in the upper bout when playing into a mic.

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · From: Branson, Missouri, USA

Bob, It is all relative. A resonator cone (like a speaker cone) vibrates in both directions. Therefore the air from the back side or bottom of the cone must escape or the sound will be choked. That is the physical explaination. as far as sound is concerned, your guitar is made out of wood and metal parts. From the coverplate you hear the metallic properties and from the sound holes you hear the wood, hence the lower bass tones. Of course all of this depends upon many factors. Solid or laminate wood, type of wood, finish, age, cone materials, wood or plastic saddles, etc... I really dont think that there is much tonal difference between the screen holes and f holes. I think from a building standpoint, the f holes would take more time to cut out, rather than drilling a couple of holes and popping in a couple of screens. On one of my dobros, I am going to install volume and tone controls in a spare set of screens to have control over my pickup and not drill any holes in the guitar. I will save the originals though. I hope this helps, it is only my opinion.
Michael T.

------------------
UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'7? SHO-BUD PRO I S-10, '85 60DS DOBRO,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. JOHNSON SQUARENECK RESONATOR GUITAR,
EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

[This message was edited by Michael T. Hermsmeyer on 02 April 2002 at 03:26 AM.]

Ric Nelson · From: Silver Spring, Maryland

There seems to be a relationship of sound quality and the the sound holes. As pointed out above, there are a lot of other factors as well (type of wood, bridge, nut etc.), but Shot Jackson built a guitar with a lot of sound holes in the top, I think there were about eight or so, all around the cover plate. It was his white guitar, the last one he recorded with which is on the cover of his last CD with Terry Crisp (on the steel). Shot was a tinkerer, always trying something. He knew the arch back was important, with no sound well but sound posts instead, but he was still messing around with the sound holes when he had his stroke. I always thought he was on to something. He did seem to be happy with the sound that he got from his white guitar. Lucky for us all, it was captured on that CD.

Terry Miller played it on the "Pickin On Shot" recordings, as well as on Donna Darlene's (Shot's widow)last two sessions. In fact, Terry also played it on his own CD which should be coming out soon (I hope)

Hope this helps.

Ric

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Thanks Ric. I might have to check out Shot's reso on that CD.

Changes to the exterior appearance of a string instrument are slow to be accepted. I'm sure that has been a major factor in the conventional screen holes remaining largely unchanged.

Think I'll take a hole saw to the top of my 60DS--just kidding!

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

Yea,
There is a purpose to those holes with the grill over them. With or without the grill I think the sound would be the same. Lots of mellow low sounds come out here.

I always thought the grill was a fake out deal. Makes it look like little tweeter resonators.

I have a Gibson Dobro with the f holes and a pre Gibson with the two grills. But, alas, a fair comparison is not possible. One is walnut, the other plywood. One a squareneck, one a roundneck.

Blocking off the holes would not let the lows out. Maybe it would blow up!

As far as sound goes, a tusq bridge, a tusq nut, and the right strings, can make a huge difference. Changing from nickel to semi flat phos/bronze goes from bright to more mellow.

I need an EQ for my ears.

------------------
Fender Stringmaster T-8
PV N400
Dobro squareneck
Dobro roundneck
Lots of Taylors

Ted Smith · Posted 5 Apr 2002 8:14 am

We spent 4 months with 3 different instruments cutting the sound holes and re-shaping them.
Yes - there is a very big difference in bass response - not just the size of the sound hole, but the location. Ed and Rudy found this is why the sound holes are not symmetrically balanced in the upper bout.

I'll probably be blown off by guys from this statement - but dispite popular belief, the bass still comes from the lower bout, it simply can not exit because of the cone and is audible at the waist of the instrument, that's why the holes are located there and why people think that the bass comes from the upper bout. That is why Jerry removes his covers and mic.s in that area, he is the innovator of more pull off runs from the bass side and needs cut through response from those strings.

You will not hear a big difference from an F hole to a 60 because of the shape of the F, look at it, it's not in the correct location.

Same thinkingis also why Sheerhorn put in the original sheet metal baffle that we now put in the simular location with wood. To reflect the bass at the waist to help it out of the guitar before the sound wave looses energy.

My 2 bits.

Mike D · From: Phx, Az

Thanks for the dos centavos Ted, always welcome from you.
I first discussed this with a Kasha-style builder a couple years ago but building in the very limited quantities I do it takes a long time to experiment.
The relationship between the size/position of soundholes and air volume of the body is an area of resonator construction that has been long neglected.
Look at the difference in sound you get in an archtop guitar when different shape and size holes are used, and then there's the "Clarence White" large soundhole dreadnaught. If you can change the tone of an acoustic by manipulating soundholes then why not a resonator?
One of the things you find in tight waisted instruments (and most resonators fall in this catagory) is the tight waist creates more distinct resonant areas in the guitar than a shallow waisted guitar, part of what Sheerhorn is getting at with his baffles. By dividing the body into two different areas, but still allowing air movement between them a more diversified and "interesting" bass response is created.
It's an exciting time to be messing with these things, now that we've freed ourselves from building with only thick, non-resonant materials I see many other ways to improve the resonator and make it more than just a loud guitar.

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Thanks Ted and Mike. Your posts are very interesting. I look forward to seeing the fruits of further experimentation in this area.

Sorry to be a little slow in responding to your posts, but I just returned from a six-day road trip which included an INCREDIBLE 3rd Annual Sacred Steel Convention in Orlando. But that's another story.

Best,

Bob

[This message was edited by Bob Stone on 11 April 2002 at 04:42 PM.]

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