Removable neck acoustic instrument ?

[rob bowen]

These are other sound hole ideas I have been thinking of.

[Bryan Bear]

I like the first one better than either of the f hole versions.

[rob bowen]

Thanks Bryan....I think I do as well. I've had the strings on and tuned for almost a week now, it doesn't look like it will fold up like a trapezoid. I have redressed the bone in the bridge a bit and am planning on dressing the frets very shortly. The neck still needs some contouring to slim down a wee bit, have to admit that scares me a little.... don't want the neck to bend too much. It plays rather well with the exception of the 2nd and 7th fret, I'm no expert, but I am anticipating the dressing to correct this issue. Tone is lovely .... even without the sound hole.

[rob bowen]

I've sanded the frets and it plays wonderfully all over the fingerboard .... action is nice, intonation sounds good, no fret buzz. Now I need to bring down the back of the neck a bit and create a sound hole.

[rob bowen]

I've come to the realization that the current tailpiece is not working well. The angle of the strings to the bridge is quite shallow, making for fairly sloppy playing and some unwanted movement and noise at the bridge. So, I thought it over and decided to go a different route. I believed that the soundboard is fairly sturdy, so I decided to anchor the strings about 4 inches from the bridge into the soundboard, with a walnut skin on top. I chose a strip of walnut approx. 1/8 thick which I bent by steam. Now...the bridge not only exerts a LOT more downward pressure on the soundboard, the strings are well settled on the bridge, the tone is BIGGER, and better bass response. I am very happy with this development.

[rob bowen]

I've picked up the veneer which will be glued to the sides ... a lovely dark red wood with nicely figured grain called Sapelle. I am losing sleep over the soundhole. I've come up with more designs.

[Hans Bezemer]

I (still) like the leaf the most.

[rob bowen]

Thanks very much Hans .... I really appreciate your comment. I have been creating more designs, and I think I have a finalist.

[rob bowen]

After much head scratching .... I believe I like this best.

[Hans Bezemer]

Good you've decided, go for it!

There's only one thing.. You need to replace the strings for bass strings now...

[rob bowen]

Hah....of course you are correct...what was I thinking? Seriously, I liked the graphic so much that I ignored the fact that it represents the tonal range that this instrument is incapable of reaching. This is probably not the best design to go with. So.... I continue to ponder it.

[rob bowen]

I was playing with the bass clef in Photoshop, and cut the bottom of it off, and removed the dots, and came up with a variation on the f-hole. I think I like it.

[rob bowen]

The process continues

[rob bowen]

Ok....I've just realized I've done this same design twice .... I must like it.

[Peter Wilcox]

I like the big "E" one best, aesthetically. The others look off balance with parts too close to the fretboard extension. Just my 2 cents.

[rob bowen]

Hi Peter, thanks very much. I kinda liked that one as well. Truth is .... I have started cutting. I actually ended up choosing sound hole 16 .... but I have only cut the upper shape out as the strings are in the way for the other part. I wanted to take it slowly and see what the first hole would sound like. The BASS is incredible.... I have never heard another nylon string guitar with such full and loud bass response. I may leave it as is ...we'll see.

[rob bowen]

May I ask you Peter .... If I were to cut out the complete design of sound hole 16 , do you think that would be too much sound hole? There must be a limit to the size of the cut out ... right? I was thinking the combined cut outs would equal a large round sound hole.

[Peter Wilcox]

You could estimate the area of the one you have (with graph paper, if such a thing still exists), and then calculate the size of a round hole of that area (r =sqrt(A/╥), and go from there. The shape probably makes some difference, but I don't know.

[rob bowen]

Thanks very much Peter .... I appreciate you taking time to offer up this info. I have made a quick recording of the guitar .... the recording level was a bit low so I had to edit a bit. The bass response is really something .... I'm not sure it comes across in the recording.

[rob bowen]

Here are the current photos.