Sound Hole Cover Arrived -- Beautiful

[Petrus]

Just got my special order sound hole cover for my Trinity College Octave Mando today. Good work from Lutehole.com, I recommend them. Reasonable turnaround time (3 weeks) for this special order (it's smaller than the usual guitar hole.) Has a good bit of rubber back to insure a snug fit without scratching the hole edge. Maple, 2.75". About $60.

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[derbex]

Nice, realy sets it off.

Does it make much difference to tone or volume?

[Petrus]

I was expecting that it would substantially mute it, but the difference is so slight I can hardly tell. Maybe a very minor muting.

[Rob Beck]

That looks really nice, certainly suits the instrument. Is it's purpose to reduce feedback when amplified, or does it have some other use?

Rob

[Petrus]

For me, it's mainly the looks. The company FAQ addresses technical issues about how it may impact sound.


Q: How does a LuteHole affect the sound of the guitar?

A: That depends on the design, but in general they really don't affect the tone of a guitar much at all. In the case of the #02 design it's unlikely you will notice any difference whatsoever. The more of the soundhole that is covered, the more the volume of the guitar will be reduced, but the tone of a guitar is primarily determined by the vibration of the top. The variety of wood and the size and shape of the top are what give an instrument it's unique sound. The soundhole size primarily affects the volume of the instrument not it's tone. So, the #15 design will reduce the acoustic volume of your guitar a bit but won't ruin the tone or dampen the sound as much as a soundhole cover that blocks the entire soundhole. The #02 won't affect volume or tone much - if any - and the #01 is somewhere in the middle. Your guitar will still sound great no matter which one you choose. Many people believe their guitar sounds better when they use a LuteHole.

http://lutehole.com/faq.php

For more feedback control and muting, you'd want a "Screeching Halt" type cover which is a complete rubber disk. They're for guitars, cost $5 and are ugly as heck. Strictly for recording and amplification, I'd say.

http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Screeching-Acoustic-Soundhole/dp/B0010SHU18

[Bertram Henze]

Do they make scrolls, too? :grin:

[Steve Sorensen]

Very cool.
Steve

[Petrus]

Some close ups to show the workmanship (hey, I didn't take that class in digital photography at the community college for nothin'.)

You'll note that at certain angles, it appears to be a solid design, but when light is shone through the opposite side it can be seen that the the filigree design is cut through (most likely via laser CAD/CAM), but the inside edges of the cuts are blackened. I think this is a nice effect. Also note the spongy rubber seal on the back and the small gap on top, which ensure a snug fit and easy removal (and allow for a little more tolerance for measurement error!) I still had to finagle it a bit to get it seated right; the first few tries it fell right through the hole into the body, but it wasn't hard shaking it out again. I was able to put it on and take it off without having to remove or loosen the strings at all.

I suppose if I want a stronger muting effect, I can always cut out a small circle of hard black rubber (maybe from a Planet Waves "Screeching Halt" cover) and fit it onto the underside of the device, and just take it off again when I don't want it.

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[Petrus]

Do they make scrolls, too? :grin:

There's an idea ... but how would you attach it for quick removal? I could see that coming in handy if I ever need to play a BG gig and then rush across town to do a fleadh. :grin:

[Bertram Henze]

how would you attach it for quick removal?

velcro :cool:

Or some slide-on/slide-off thingie like a tailpiece cover.

[Paul Busman]

Pretty, but did Bill use one? :grin:
Seriously, I love it and would buy one for my TCOM if I played it more often.

[multidon]

I'd like to see some attachable points so I can play my A without it slipping on my lap! Maybe a scroll and two points as a set, velcro included!

[Petrus]

Well, someone makes hole plugs for f-hole guitars, but they're plain rubber and ain't much to look at.

http://www.dougsplugs.com/index.html

[MosquitoXEL]

Very nice! I really like the look!

[bratsche]

Is it's purpose to reduce feedback when amplified, or does it have some other use?

Keeps rodents, reptiles or other creatures out of the instrument. :grin:

Seriously, I do like the appearance! Those are classy looking.

bratsche

[Petrus]

I believe that fancy sound hole covers go back to the baroque period at least (as you'll notice from my avatar of a 1680 Stradavari mandolin -- unless I've changed it.) Those were probably influenced by the oud, which are still commonly made with fancy carved soundholes. Originally they were carved into the soundboard itself and were not a removable add-on. Some were made of parchment however and could be removed. Most likely they were just done for appearance and humidity control, and maybe as bratsche says to keep critters out.

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[Dave Hanson]

Am I the only one here who can't see the point of this thing, apart from the American love of attaching superfluous extra bits to instruments.

Dave H

[Rob Beck]

Am I the only one here who can't see the point of this thing, apart from the American love of attaching superfluous extra bits to instruments.

Dave H

I think it's purpose is purely decorative, but that's OK as far as I am concerned. The most important thing about an instrument is sound and playability, but I've certainly been influenced by appearance in some of my purchasing decisions in the past ;)

[Bertram Henze]

Am I the only one here who can't see the point of this thing, apart from the American love of attaching superfluous extra bits to instruments.

The possibility of adding points has been discussed above :grin:


Keeps rodents, reptiles or other creatures out of the instrument. :grin:

That's a perfectly plausible answer for me. If you have to have a snake rattle in your mandolin, you don't want a live snake attached to it. Or a scorpion helping you pick. Or a cricket producing sympathetic overtones. :grin:

[Petrus]

Am I the only one here who can't see the point of this thing, apart from the American love of attaching superfluous extra bits to instruments.

Yeah, that Stradivari guy is way overrated.

(Although if you're obliquely referring to f-style mandos ... well, I'm neither for nor against 'em, but let's not go there.) :grin:

[oud-lover]

I believe that fancy sound hole covers go back to the baroque period at least (as you'll notice from my avatar of a 1680 Stradavari mandolin -- unless I've changed it.) Those were probably influenced by the oud, which are still commonly made with fancy carved soundholes. Originally they were carved into the soundboard itself and were not a removable add-on. Some were made of parchment however and could be removed. Most likely they were just done for appearance and humidity control, and maybe as bratsche says to keep critters out.

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To reply to the above, and the query "Why a soundhole cover?": Ornamented soundholes on plucked string instruments have been around according to iconographic evidence (early paintings and illuminated manuscripts) apparently for as long as there have been soundholes, far earlier than the Renaissance and Baroque eras. The oldest examples appear to be simple, and they gradually became more elaborate, as the photographs attest. What purpose do they serve? To begin with, an instrument without a soundhole produces sound, but not as much as one with some perforations, so volume is a sought-after quality, but a latticework soundhole retains rigidity and strength compared to an open soundhole. The modern laser-cut add-on soundholes fulfill a similar function but are basically cosmetic, altho' they do reduce feedback somewhat for the performer who uses a microphone.
The reason the sides of the perforated design are black in the add-ons is because the laser used to cut them burns thru' the wood, so the blackness is a thin layer of carbonisation..
The multi-level parchment and paper "wedding-cake" soundhole ornaments found on Baroque and Renaissance guitars are purely ornamental and reduce volume and clarity, but these instruments are primitive in terms of sound production anyway, compared to the modern guitar.
There is nothing wrong with ornamentation per se, we all drool over skillful and beautiful inlay and abalone edging and so on, but such decorations do not contribute to better sound quality, and often inhibit sound production. They are a reflection of the love of beauty that prevailed as an aesthetic in those eras, that for beautiful music, one had to have a beautiful instrument. Ideas of aesthetics change over time, of course.
By the way, the photograph of the very elaborate soundhole ornament you have in your posting was made by me in the 1970s in San Francisco. It is the soundhole rose of the oud owned by the late Hamza El Din, my friend and teacher. I made a series of photographs of his instrument when he was a guest at my home. His oud is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful ouds ever fabricated, and I gave permission for them to be posted on the mikeouds.com site, and they have appeared all over the web since, usually without accreditation to me. The oud was built by Abdo Nahat in Syria in 1917, and the soundhole is ivory or bone laminated to a dark hardwood, and cut out with a jeweler's saw by hand ( no lasers in 1917 ): it is a masterpiece in itself, like fine lace in wood and ivory, and bears a schematic diagram of the maqam (modal "scales") with the maker's signature in the center. The rest of the instrument is tastefully adorned with intarsia, marquetry and inlays. You can see more of the photographs on twogoodears and other blogspots. Best wishes, - Daniel O'Donnell [ end ]

[Pete Jenner]

Didn't read all the posts.

[Pete Jenner]

Am I the only one here who can't see the point of this thing, apart from the American love of attaching superfluous extra bits to instruments.

Dave H

You are not alone.

[Marty Jacobson]

You're on thin ice there, boy-o.

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[Steve Ostrander]

Originally Posted by Dave Hanson
Am I the only one here who can't see the point of this thing, apart from the American love of attaching superfluous extra bits to instruments.

Dave H


It keeps your pick from falling into the soundhole.

[Bertram Henze]

They are so popular, they must be good for something.

http://karavi.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/nyc_manhole_cover_520c.jpg

[Barry Wilson]

I think it classes up the joint

[Jacob]

Most importantly, it keeps the rattlesnake rattles from falling out.