Adding a sound port to an already finished guitar.

[TonyinNYC]

If anyone is keeping track, this guitar was originally a commission but the buyer backed out and I was stuck with a guitar. I posted a build thread at the AGF and I received several inquiries about the price, spec, etc. One guy made an offer and I accepted it. I offered a side port to the new owner free of charge and he accepted my offer. I think ports are fantastic. They allow the player to hear the true voice of the guitar and they change the playing experience for the better. Since the guitar was already completed, I had to hack into a lacquered side. Why did I offer a port??
Here are a few pics of me hacking away at the side of this completed guitar.
First we need to mark the location and shape of the port. I printed out several elipses on a sheet of paper and cut them out to see which fit best and looked proportional. This one worked.


Then we need to use some delicate tools to gently coax the wood out of the area where the port will live. A cordless drill and a one inch forstner bit should be just the precision instruments I need!


There, I fixed it!


Now to remove more wood so it looks more like an oval and not a circle:


Oh yeah! So pretty.
This pic looked in focus when I took it, but it is a bit fuzzy. Sorry. I can't go back and take another one. Anyway, now its starting to look better:


And the finished product just needs a bit more finish and away it goes to the new owner.


Thanks for looking. Questions and comments welcome.

Tony

[Dave Bagwill]

Thanks for sharing, Tony.
No extra support for the hole is needed?

[John Parchem]

Nice,

You are one brave man. It turned out good.

[TonyinNYC]

Thanks!
The supporting veneer was added during assembly but I never added the port. The guitar was to be a surprise gift so I couldn't and the future owner if he wanted it. When the buyer backed out and I found a new owner, I asked him if he wanted it since I had reinforced that area already and could add one fairly easily.

[ken cierp]

Nice tutor -- Since this thread is regarding adding a port to an already completed guitar -- I would suggest adding reinforcment on the inside (this is what I do when installing electronics, preamp etc.) Its a little late to add veneer since it would be difficult to clamp. Very thin fiberglass cloth can be found at good RC hobby shops, even medical gauze can be used. Sponge some glue on the area (I know getting inside is a PITA) put a little glue on the cloth too, position the cloth and smooth it out with a small piece of plastic or wood. Let it dry completely before proceding. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" ---- a traveling split along the verticle grain side material will make you very sad. $.02