Ed said

Joe

 

The small, silver dollar sized hole that points up at the player on the side
seems to be gaining popularity.  Like galoots, ask 10 luthiers a question and
you will get 11 answers, but most seem to think it helps for quiet playing, but
once you start banging on the guitar there is not much difference.  Also, a
couple of tests I have read about say that there is no reduction in sound
towards the front through the bjg hole.  There are also several guitars that
have asymmetric holes but I have seen no reports of really different sound.

 

END SNIP

 

 

 

 

 

Having played one years ago with a hole smaller than a silver dollar, I can
attest that the volume and tone FOR THE PLAYER are considerably better.
Startlingly so.  Ask your daughter.  Most of the beauty of the voice of the
guitar goes out away from the instrument, and the player is behind it.  I always
find it a real treat to hear someone else play my guitars, because I never get
to fully enjoy the sound when I play.

 

Of course, nylon-strung guitars rarely get whanged  or played with picks.  You
lose tone that way.  I play  finger-style folk and country without picks, and of
course, “classical” with he same pick-less fingers and nails.  I can vary volume
quite a bit, but only really hit the strings in certain emphatic passages.  This
is true from Johnny Cash to Dylan to Peter, Paul and Mary, to Tarrega to Bach.
About the hardest I push them is with a flamenco-ish “rasgueado” finger roll.
For guys like me and the guys and gals we hope someday to sound like, tone is
everything, and there is a growing consensus that those shoulder holes do affect
tone in a pleasing way.

 

J

 

Joseph Sullivan