Recommendations for New York City luthier to reduce boomy bass on a Gitane DG-320 John Jorgenson?

Jazzaferri

mass in the b ridge damps the highs more than the lows.....physics

klaatu

I second the recommendations for Rodrigo. It wouldn't hurt to ask him, don't worry about offending him, he's a great guy and one of the best in the business. And if you walk away with an insatiable craving for a Shopis guitar, then join the club!

Craig Bumgarner

Not a resonator, just a blanking off of the sound hole, a way of making it smaller. If anyone is interested in the details of this, PM me.

Reducing mass in a bridge (or elsewhere in the top) increases the peak resonant frequency of the monopole mode of the top because as Jazzaferri says, the frequency is proportional to the stiffness/mass. But, Jeff is right to the extent that this isn't really the point. The bassy sound is coming from the air mode, not the monopole mode and it is the air mode that one hears when the sound hole is large. The air mode peak is typically 90-120hz, which is down around the lowest notes on the guitar. It is somewhat counter intuitive because the larger the hole, the higher the air mode resonance frequency, but the the larger hole means more of this air mode is sent to the players ear, and this is the overriding factor. This is well demonstrated with sound ports in the sides which were popular a couple years ago. They sound great to the player because of the added bass from the interior, but this is not what the audience hears.

theholyrollers

@Craig Bumgarner - Mind. Blown. Thanks everyone for the advice! I saw no responses the first few days so I'm really glad to hear from all of you! I will check out Rodrigo Shopis, Allen Watsky (@Jim Koznosky - Thx!) and TR Crandall (@Russell Letson - Thx!).

Mandobart

Am I too much of a newbie or stating the obvious which you already tried, but one of the first things I do with a tonal imbalance on an acoustic stringed instrument is adjust string gage - lighter strings on low E and A and/or heavier B and high E; D might go either way.

Jazzaferri

nope just logical @Mandobart But I don't think different strings will fix boomy bass as it reads more like the OP is dealing with a wolf note as he comments on it being one note. A bit hard to tell from the post. A good luthier can get it sorted.

theholyrollers

@Mandobart @Jazzaferri : Wolf note! I've never heard that term! I definitely have that, but also just way too much bass over all. I have not tried lighter-gauge low strings since I wasn't sure that would help. The Argentine 1510s I have on now are already pretty rubber-bandy. But between D-holes just being boomy and bass waves not travelling out to the audience as much, I guess I will just ask my jam buddies what they think. I may be boomy now, but I'm drinking milk, and one day, I'm going to buy a Shopis.