Here’s a Seagull guitar with a very simple, very cool modification that increases, for the player, their volume and tone experience of the guitar.
While the modification is simple in theory, there are some implications that make it a task for a skilled and equipped technician.
Over the last decade, upper-bout, bass side ‘sound ports’ have been appearing on higher end, custom built instruments. The idea is simply to add a soundhole facing the player. This increases the player’s experience of the sound the box is producing without diminishing the listener’s experience or requiring a pickup and external monitor system.
Impressed by the results of a customer’s request to add a port to his well-used Contreras classical, one of our shop staff did the same thing to one of his knockaround guitars, this Seagull Mini Jumbo.
The results are significant. The port directs the sound of the box straight up to the player’s ears, with a large gain in apparent bass response and fullness. What the player hears is much closer to what the audience (or a microphone) hears.
But though it’s simple, surgery like this does require some care and consideration. The port must be properly placed and not compromise the structure, and the finish must be sealed properly around the edge to prevent peeling and flaking.
