Soundhole shape???

[weslewis]

do you think that altering the soundhole shape , as long as the same area is maintained would effect low freq resonances?????????? i.e. oval, triangle etc?????

[Trevor Gore]

There's the famous quote from Jimmy D'Aquisto, who, when asked why his sound holes were oval replied along the lines of "Sound is like water out of a hose pipe. When you squeeze the end it goes further".

Who am I to argue?

Seriously, I don't think it makes too much difference except that it may alter the Q of the resonance a little. A circle has the lowest perimeter length for the area enclosed and the drag as the air moves through the sound hole will be a function of the perimeter length. Less length, less drag, higher Q. I have no experimental data or analysis that demonstrates that, though.

[weslewis]

Hmm interesting concept the hose analogy!!! I have a new small cnc that opens up a lot of new possibilities in soundhole shape...here is a practice soundboard I was playing with and got me to thinking about the shape, seems to me that as long as the area is the same it should be ok, but I am no engineer and consult the "books" on most everything I have a question with, and altering the shape definitely opens up new aesthetic ideas!!!!

[Trevor Gore]

Yes, a CNC machine opens up the possibility for endless eccentricities!

[woodrat]

Boom Boom Trevor...