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Hi,

my name is Sarah and I am new to this forum. Actually, this is my first post. I found this forum while searching for information on sound hole design.

I am not building from scratch (yet) but rather modifying an existing guitar. It is a Gretsch G3155 shell that I bought. It was missing all of it's hardware and has a fretboard issue. One of the things I want to do is add a couple more cat eye sound holes to the guitar. I think it will not only be visually impressive but will also increase the volume.

I see plenty of custom acoustic guitars with multiple sound holes and side ports so it seems to me that my idea is "sound" (forgive the pun). Some folks think it's a bad idea and I should not alter the top. I see no reason NOT to do it. I'm also thinking of a cat eye port hole on the upper side of the bout.

I would love some of the luthiers here to give their opinion of multiple sound holes, etc. I can post pictures of my concept if that is helpful.

thank you!

The sound holes in that Gretsch G3155 are pretty big now...enlarging them and adding a sound port may work in revers to what you think.

Too large of a sound hole/s and or port/s and there is not enough air pressure inside the box to drive the back, and that Gretsch is a small narrow body to start with.


Yes, no doubt you have eyeballed a lot of boxes with sound ports in the the ribs...but bear in mind that they were designed / engineered and built by a luthier who knew what they were doing so that there is still enough air being pumped in and out of the sound holes to drive the back.

By the way, sound ports do not make the instrument any louder, although as they tend to be placed in the upper bout facing the player, the instrument "appears"to sound louder...but only to the players ears.

Now if the box didn't cost you much ... well then go ahead and do it .... then you will know for sure.


blessings
Padma

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I'm not thinking that extra sound holes will create more volume. Actually, I've given up the idea of adding a port hole on the side. I'm still wanting to add two extra cat eye sound holes, primarily for the visual effect. The tone of the guitar, I would think, would be affected more by having three P90 pickups. No?

you are planning to play it as an electric?

I'm with Fillipo. can't see that it'll have any audible effect.

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