Soundport. I did it!

Buco

I was thinking about it for a while. First I learned here on the forum that the guitar with a soundport isn't necessarily built with it in mind from the scratch, which is what I assumed before. It can be added to any guitar afterwards. Practical purpose of it was to be able to hear myself better in a loud gig situation or a loud jam. That way my playing will hopefully stay more relaxed.

The opinions vary to the overall merits of it, some claiming night and day difference, while some saying the overall efficiency of the guitar stays the same. But I haven't seen anybody saying that adding a soundport degraded the sound. And pretty much everyone agrees that it is louder and most say it's nicer sounding, to the player in both cases.
So I pondered about it for a while, at first thinking I would just add a round hole which would be easiest to do. Then I thought oval hole would look better. Then it ended up then way it did. I took a few days to think it through and plan the steps since I've never done this kind of handy work before.

It's still not finished yet and this is where I'd welcome advice on how to make the lines perfect and how to apply shellac/varnish. I'm thinking finishing with fine sanding paper, 2000 grit, and several coats of shellac with sanding and buffing between the coats.

The sound, to me as the player, is what I kinda expected based on what I read: more bass, more open sound, louder. Curiously I can't really locate the sound coming from the soundport. I still hear it like before, coming from the top, strings, soundhole area. Another curiosity is that the sound, again to me as the player, can be tuned some by closing some of the openings, more/less bass.

I'm happy with the results. Wouldn't go back even if it was the option.

Scoredog

Just went to a major acoustic guitar festival, many of the best luthiers from North America were there. I'd say over 50% of all acoustics shown had a sound port.

Buco

Hah I didn't think it's becoming that popular.

bopster

Brave soul Bučo!

Buco

Maybe, but I did careful planning and even though I haven't done anything like this on the guitar, I've done a lot of work that required light hand and an easy touch.

crookedpinky

Buco good for you looks nice

Buco

@crookedpinky thanks, it was what you said after which I inched forward to get this done.

Scoredog

I would seem to be a natural for GJ guitars to have a sound port since volume can be an issue, seems only Shelly Park makes one stock?

Buco

Park guitars are the most prominent GJ brand that have it but I saw it also on Lehman and little known luthier from (I think) Lithuania Vadim Stankevicius who's guitars are exceptionally good looking.

Shemi

Alex Bishop has a few with them I believe

Buco

Final sanding stage. Getting ready to seal the wood with shellac.

PS Phew, finally got the picture to upload, the forum is giving me "file failed to upload" so I had to go to a different image hosting site.