12/18/2025
Here is the first view of my new sound port design on a prototype Series 3 guitar. It’s been floating around in my head for the last two years and I’m very excited that it’s gotten this far. This design poses three distinct challenges compared to traditional soundports.
1) actually building the structure of the guitar body. If you’ve ever build an acoustic guitar this is probably the first thing you though about. American flat top guitars are usually assembled in an exterior mold. Spreaders push the rim assembly against the walls of the mold to hold things in place while the top and back are installed. That only works if your rim is one piece, make a cut in it and you have much less stability when assembling the box.
2) how to cut the binding channels? I usually use a router bit with a guide bearing that rides along the guitar side so the channel follows the contour of the side. Smoothly cutting a channel for the binding where there is no side surface to reference against was a challenge but this is a proof of concept that it can be done.
3) finishing. Obviously I haven’t arrived at this one yet but how to spray and buff the part of the side that scoops into the body? A hand applied finish could work but it’s still a tight space to get into. Let me know what you would do.
