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If I had a workbench that is...actually this is what is on my floor. I'm building a bouzouki via the Graham McDonald method. Just finished up the rims tonight, just the end graft to go. Also, first time to do a sound port. This will be a Cedar/Koa 25.4" scale bouzouki joining the neck at the 17th fret. I'll post more later when I'm done bracing the top and back. Enjoy!

tl50736238783.0317708333

Wow, nice f-hole tracy..    er that didn't sound right.

Looks great. So, did you cut the sound port out pre-bend ala Paul Woolson?

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Thanks Rod. I cut the sound hole after bending the sides. I put the veneers in after bending the sides also. I used a hot iron and damp paper towel to bend the veneers into shape, then I glued them in using a soft styrofoam piece as a clamping caul. Worked beautifully. I taped the image on the outside, then used a dremel with the stew-mac base on it and free handed it. The rest was filing to the line. Thanks for the nice comments.
Tracy

Way cool Tracy, the Koa is gorgeous too. Rod, what's wrong with saying f-hole ? Is it like being seated in a restaurant and asking your next seat neighbor : " Please give me the fork 'n' knife" type of thing ?

Thanks Serge! I still can't believe I found a Koa board for $53 and got 10 sides out of it! My back will be a 3 piece back with sycamore that Bobc sent me awhile back when they were offering extra sides for sale. I'll show a pic when I'm done bracing it.
Tracy

How wide of a board did you get Tracy to be able to do a 3 piece back?

I've noticed more than one instrument on this forum with these "sound ports" cut into the side of the instrument.

Would someone care to elaborate on the "science/reasoning" behind these sound ports?? Who first started cutting these ports?

Cheers Martin

Very cool Tracy!

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Soundholes = More top vibrating

Serge, I had a 5" wide board of Koa and put in a wedge of sycamore for the back. So 2 pieces plus a wedge make up the back.
Martin, if you do a search over the archives you will find sound port mentioned many times. Alan Carruth did lots of studies on this, and found that the instrument was louder out of the soundhole, and the sound port acted like a little monitor for the player. I got to play his corked guitar at ASIA and liked the idea. So I thought I'd give it a try. Thanks!
Tracy

I really like that f-hole, Tracy. I may have to steal that idea for one of my builds.

I havn't a clue as to the first person to use a sound port, but the main idea is to direct sound toward the player. Search the archive for Sound Ports + Alan Carruth for detailed info on the tonal affects of sound ports and locations. He has built a test guitar with holes all over the place. and uses cork plugs to to close off the holes not being tested. very interesting stuff. I have added this feature to three I have built. I like it. I used a 1" wide x 2" long eliptical shape located just waist side of the upper bout apex.

You going to bind that thing? If so, I think I can hear you cussing from here. Maybe if you do it in ABS or some similar material you will have good luck bending it in all three dimensions. But I think wood will give you lots of troubles.
Looks good, keep it up!

Thanks Paul, and the answer is NO, I won't even attempt to bind something like this. If I had made the hole bigger I might have done it with celluloid, but not wood. Thanks for encouragement!

Bruce, go ahead and steal away! If I didn't want anyone stealing the idea, I wouldn't have posted it

Thanks Hesh!

Tracytl50736238783.4926851852

Very nice. I love the clean interior.
John

Looks good, Tracy.
Is that carbon fiber sandwiched in your side braces?

Steve

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Tracy,

Way to go!! Guitar bouzoukis are such fabulous instruments - I wouldn't be without mine and these days play them more than my guitars. I do mine 16 frets to the body a la Sobell so I'm fascinated to see how a 17 fret join turns out.

What tuning are you going to use?

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De Faoite Stringed Instruments
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Steve,
The side braces are red spruce with a dyed black maple veneer in the middle. I'm not fancy enough to use carbon fiber!

Dave, I have no idea how to play a bouzouki, but I really want to learn. So instead of going out and finding one to purchase, I thought I'd just build one. I'll be using a DGAD tuning on this when it is finished. I'll keep you all posted as it progresses.
Regards,
Tracy

Tracy,

Do you mean GDAD or have you invented a new tuning?

There is quite a good CD Rom tutorial available here Bouzouki Tutorial that teaches both GDAD and GDAE tunings.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

GDAD, you are correct. My mind is still on the guitar DADGAD tuning Thanks for the link, I'm sure I'll find it very useful.
Tracy