Jump to content

best way to cover f holes in a hollow guitar?


lunetta77

Recommended Posts

  • Members

Hello all

 

I have a hollow artcore (ak85);

I want to practice while my wife studies, but this guitar is way too loud even without amp. I'm using headphones, but I'm wondering if there's a non-agressive way of covering the f-holes (if I stick tape there, there will be glue residues on my guitar body), so the sound would be dampened. any ideas?

 

thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The first thing that came to my mind is foam. Just get two soft pieces and stuff them in the holes. That should dampen the sound without harming the body of the guitar.

 

Just an idea, I don't really have any personal experience with hollow bodies. I would be scared of putting tape on my baby, though. :eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Originally posted by lunetta77

hmmm... couldn't find any info on this product...


any ideas on a technique to get some blank foam and cut it as a f-hole? I have never worked with foam before...

 

trace your shape onto the foam with a marker then cut it with scissors, electric carving knife, razor knife, or hot knife (or also called a hot wire knife) depending on the foam you are using.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Household sponges. Don't bother cutting them to form.

Feed them in sideways. Then fold the excess over and tuck it into one side of the F-hole. It will expand to fill up the space. Where it has been tucked and folded, it will provide a more dense plug than fully expanded foam.:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Originally posted by lunetta77

Hello all


I have a hollow artcore (ak85);

I want to practice while my wife studies, but this guitar is way too loud even without amp. I'm using headphones, but I'm wondering if there's a non-agressive way of covering the f-holes (if I stick tape there, there will be glue residues on my guitar body), so the sound would be dampened. any ideas?


thanks

 

I'm not sure if the F-holes actually add much volume to your guitar. It would probably be just as loud if they were not there.

 

I would definitely be careful putting synthetic materials like foam in my guitar. It could react with the finish on the edges of the F-holes and leave dull spots or worse.

 

We have a standing rule in our house that noone can complain about guitar noise between the hours of 10 AM and 11 PM. All three of us (my son, my wife, and I) play, so it is often noisy around here, but as long as it is not at dangerous volume levels, we do not complain. There are occasional exceptions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Here's what my brother does on his acoustic. He buys a bag of styrofoam beans (the ones in you put in bean bag chairs) and puts them in the soundhole & fills to the top. gets masking tape (the good quality ones like 3m)and a peice of paper to cover the sound hole. To get it out her removes the paper and gets the dustbuster and hose attachment to suck it out. It doesn;t makeas much difference as you would think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Originally posted by unistudent1980

Here's what my brother does on his acoustic. He buys a bag of styrofoam beans (the ones in you put in bean bag chairs) and puts them in the soundhole & fills to the top. gets masking tape (the good quality ones like 3m)and a peice of paper to cover the sound hole. To get it out her removes the paper and gets the dustbuster and hose attachment to suck it out. It doesn;t makeas much difference as you would think.

 

Haha! That's really funny!

 

I'm not dissin the idea, because it may well work to some extent, i just find it hillarious that someone would go to so much trouble to reduce the volume of a guitar!

 

Those bean bag beads are bloody awful, they go everywhere and they stick to everything because they generate so much static electricity! I can imagine how much of a pain in the arse it is to fill and remove them! My mate accidentally popped a hole in one of those bags and he's still finding the beads 6 months later!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...