Oval or D hole

lindydanny

I'm sure it has been asked before... But for a beginner, which is better to start with? I'll be playing solo a lot.

~Danny

W.B

lindydanny wrote:

I'm sure it has been asked before... But for a beginner, which is better to start with? I'll be playing solo a lot.

~Danny

Think your better off with a petit bouche , oval hole cause it got more frets on it
but i see some players also solo on D hole guitars..

brodiebrodie

Just pick one that you like the sound of, that way you'll play it a lot.

kevingcox

It might be an exaggeration to say that 2 oval holes can be different as an oval and d hole can be similar, but really whether you are playing solo or not doesn't really matter.

Brass tacks, imho, oval holes tend to be louder for the audience than the player so playing alone you and your neighbors might prefer the d-hole. However, d-holes seem slightly more complicated to mic due to the increased resonance.

I like the look of d-holes but am more than happy with my oval.

Jon

The issue for me is more about scale length. Most D-holes are traditionally short scale, which I personally don't like at all. There are lots of long scale D-holes around now though, and given a long (normal) scale length, then yes, you can get Oval and D-holes in a great variety of timbres. My Barault Oval hole, for instance, has a very pronounced bottom end - much more so than any other oval hole I've played - more reminiscent of a D-hole's fullness and chunk. They do, however, project a bit differently, as people have already noted.

Jon

Toohey

I'd say dhole it because learning chords as a foundation for your soloing is essential to fully understanding and opening up the fingerboard...and generally the dhole has a more broad, chord friendly sound...also focusing on playing Rhythm as undesired as it may be, is an essential part of tipsy swing, and will really help your playing in the long run...alsomthe short scale and low tension might make it a bit easier to play at first...so for the sake of foundation laying as a beginner, I'd say dhole...but really it doesn't matter if your happy...

Elliot

Hi:

Sometimes comparing them to electric guitars can help - if you've felt the scale of a Stratocaster a bit large, an oval hole will feel larger, so if you're a confirmed Gibson player you'd probably prefer a d-hole guitar. If you have long 'guitar fingers' then go for an oval. You'll still have to stretch, but it won't seem like you're doing Eric Johsnon material