I've got a Kala Triback, which sounds pretty good, but just a little "tubby" in the mid-range. My plan is to drill a sound port. I'm wondering if there's existing theory over whether the location of such a hole would effect tone and if so, where the optimal location/shape would be. Thoughts?
Putting in a sound port...thoughts?
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river_driver
Well-known member
Before you get into renovation, have you experimented with different strings?
well...some
It came with the obvious Aquilas, I tried Reds, Worth's, Ho-PHD's and now Martin Flourocarbons. It could be that the mid-rangy tone is just the nature of the beast. And it might be that a port will do nothing. But, like the man says: "Above all...do no harm."
Croaky Keith
Well-known member
Not the same thing exactly - but I took out the electrics from my soprano (KA-SEME) - & got a side sound hole. 
Whilst I did notice a slight difference to the tone of the uke, it wasn't a lot; but it does direct some of the sound towards the player, which might make a difference if playing in a group.
Whilst I did notice a slight difference to the tone of the uke, it wasn't a lot; but it does direct some of the sound towards the player, which might make a difference if playing in a group.
Not the same thing exactly - but I took out the electrics from my soprano (KA-SEME) - & got a side sound hole.
Whilst I did notice a slight difference to the tone of the uke, it wasn't a lot; but it does direct some of the sound towards the player, which might make a difference if playing in a group.
I love that. Did you dress up the hole or just leave it? Personally, I'm doubting that side mods make much tonal difference. But, If I'm wrong, I might be real wrong. And it's too nice a uke to screw up.
river_driver
Well-known member
I figured you had, but didn't want to overlook the obvious just in case.
There was this fairly extensive thread not too long ago. No real consensus though: http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...sound-tone-of-a-uke&highlight=side+sound+port
Some believers, some doubters, some on the fence. I also seem to remember - vaguely - there was one of the luthiers who posts regularly who swore he'd never do a build with one, but then did and was pleasantly surprised. But I don't remember enough detail to find that thread - if it even exists. Maybe I dreamed it.
I've done this as well. I got a Kala archtop with roached electronics in a trade, so I pulled them out and just left the somewhat ragged hole in the side. I think it made a little difference - but the archtop doesn't project well anyway, so...Not the same thing exactly - but I took out the electrics from my soprano (KA-SEME) - & got a side sound hole.
Whilst I did notice a slight difference to the tone of the uke, it wasn't a lot; but it does direct some of the sound towards the player, which might make a difference if playing in a group.
Croaky Keith
Well-known member
I just left it as it was, (might open it up & round it off - or I may put the electrics back in it.)
I asked about the tone/sound difference, & was told the same as I discovered & mentioned above.
Croaky Keith
Well-known member
You didn't dream it, that was where I asked & received my answer.
He thought it made next to no difference, except when playing in a group, he could hear his own uke more than before.
It makes a noticable difference. The builder in question was none other than Pete Howlet who is....... very firm in his beliefs and not afraid to voice them. He always thought sound ports were snake oil and hype, until he did one. To his credit he announced he was publicly eating crow because he was wrong and was now putting sound ports in his tenors moving forward. They made a noticable and positive improvement to the sound.
If respected builders like Howlet, Ko'olau, LfdM, Kinnard, Moore Bettah etc. etc offer them they certainly "do no harm" as you put it.
If respected builders like Howlet, Ko'olau, LfdM, Kinnard, Moore Bettah etc. etc offer them they certainly "do no harm" as you put it.
spookelele
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It's a sound port, not a tone port.
It lets sound out going up toward you, but the sound is coming from the soundboard.
I think....
It lets sound out going up toward you, but the sound is coming from the soundboard.
I think....
Nickie
Well-known member
A one pound ball peen hammer.....
JK. Spook is correct, the sound comes from the soundboard, and then out the port. I had one cut into a cheap laminate as an experiment, cost me $40, and wow, it worked. Not one iota of change in the tone, but I could hear the uke way better. I sold it and the buyer loved it. I can hear my Cocobolo with a side port way better than any uke I play without one. Even better than my Duke banjo, I think.
JK. Spook is correct, the sound comes from the soundboard, and then out the port. I had one cut into a cheap laminate as an experiment, cost me $40, and wow, it worked. Not one iota of change in the tone, but I could hear the uke way better. I sold it and the buyer loved it. I can hear my Cocobolo with a side port way better than any uke I play without one. Even better than my Duke banjo, I think.
I had this uke made from a design by Bruce Wei Arts in Vietnam. No top sound hole, but small sound holes all the way around the body with one in the cutaway, an accident of second language mis-communicatiom, but I like it. It sounds very good to me, and others listening say so to.
Did it! Or at least most of it. I'll spruce it up over the next few days and call it good! . Yes, it does make a lot of difference in what the player hears. Believe it helped reduce the mid tones as well, but that could be just the change in what's now making it to my ear.Click this for a pic. 
Thanks to all for the advice!
Thanks to all for the advice!
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Interesting design for a sound port. Care to share how you did this? Did you drill three holes after you did a pattern on the ukulele then Drexel out the "tail" to finish. Looks like a pretty good job. Also curios with your placement. From what I have seen most sound ports go on upper bout yet this is now the second ukulele with a sound port in the Lowe bout that I have seen on line today. I wonder if placement help reduce some of the mids you were concerned about. Good job. I'd like to learn more on how you did it.
You pretty much nailed it. I'll frame this as if you were going to do the same pattern (betcha don't). First off I would have felt a lot more comfortable with a flat or open-pore finish. Mirror gloss forgives nothing! Still, know that if you leave enough slop, you can fix a lot with files and sand. One more BIG BIG thing. Once you have your pattern, cut it out EXACTLY and physically put it INSIDE your uke where it's going to go. This cannot be over-emphasized! Kerfing takes up a lot of sidewall space, WAY more than it looks like, and you DO NOT wanna tear it up. I had to re-size my template TWICE for this, and I'm sure glad I did. Let's GO! I wanted something in a "Tri" theme since it's a Kala Tri-Back. I originally worked up the "Tri-Force" from Legend of Zelda" But I thought it too trendy for a classic uke. So I figured I'd go with what a drill would give me. I created the pattern to scale in a drawing program, printed it out to scale and taped it to the uke just long enough to set the pin sized starter holes by hand - a total of six. Then I drilled those using a power drill (shiver) and a 1/8" bit, but I knew they'd be a lot bigger so I risked it. I chose 1/8' because that's the starting diameter for a hand boring piece. Perfect so far(whew!). I FEAR using power, and even with a hand boring device, I used very light pressure-took about 45 minutes to ream the 3 large holes. Be careful and check your template to make SURE you're reaming the right ones. Then I just used a No.2 lead pencil to freehand in the arcs between the large holes and their respective small ones. I didn't get too fussy. I knew this was going to be mostly a file job. Then I cut the arcs with a mini-hack-saw blade. NOTE start the cuts with the blade so the teeth are facing backward and only apply pressure on the DOWN(push) stroke. At least that's what I did because it's easy to flake of HUGE pieces of finish-not good. Again take your time. This is the longest step and don't be afraid to make "Sub-cuts" to keep your blade gutting where you want. At the start and finish of each cut SLOW WAY WAY down, and lighten up. The ends are where all the disasters happen. Once you've made those six cuts, it's all about filing and sanding. Season to taste...BINGO! Wasn't that easy? Honestly, I was terrified, but if you channel your fear into care and patience, and WHEN IN DOUBT, PAUSE. I think you'll get a piece you're justly proud of! There you go! Good luck!
BTW in tone ports I prefer multiple small holes to huge ones, because really, who wants to see the guts of the uke? It's mostly ugly and a small group or pattern still lets the sound out. Worth the effort IMHO. Like I said it MAY improve tone. I'm no longer bothered by the "Swimmy mids". But I'll admit that it might be that I'm just hearing it differently through the sound port. If that's true, I'll take it! Whatever works!
Lower bout?
I also own a Riptide concert with the sound port on the lower bout, A Makai Concert Cutaway with it on the upper bout and a fluke tenor which has no definable bouts at all...so it's in the middle. All work well.
I think they'll one day be standard equipment.
I also own a Riptide concert with the sound port on the lower bout, A Makai Concert Cutaway with it on the upper bout and a fluke tenor which has no definable bouts at all...so it's in the middle. All work well.
I think they'll one day be standard equipment.
While I never cared for the look of an extra hole in my uke (at first, it reminded me too much of an open wound), I really like the effect that a side port usually has on the sound, and not just for the player. Makes me think Stereo. As for how it affects the sound: Premier luthier Beau Hannam has made a video tapping the soundboard of a uke with and without covering the side port, and I think what you could hear was that the extra hole did raise the frequency, i.e. the body resonance was at a slightly higher pitch. At least, that's what I understood.
Interesting! I can't say for sure what changes, but it's definitely real. The instrument is transformed. Gives rise to whole new schools of thought on interior/exterior aesthetics, form/function considerations. The future is wide open!
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