Lute Hole Company makes feedback-reducing sound hole covers (was Re: Feedback buster for nylon string)

["Eduardo Martinez - musician, composer, artist" <subscriptions@EduardoMartinez.com>]

Luis, Bill, Kris,

There is a company that makes sound hole covers (standard sizes as well as custom sizes & shapes), for all/any acoustic guitar:

http://www.lutehole.com/

I have only a customer relationship with them. Their covers are laser-etched from various woods, with elegant designs that vary from "some feedback reduction" to "maximum feedback reduction." The cover fits very snugly in the sound hole with small foam pads on its side. There is absolutely no vibration because of the cover itself. Having said this, in my short search I found no other company that makes a sound hole cover to reduce feedback, even though I've seen plastic sound hole covers around. I had a custom hole cover made about a month ago (heavy feedback reduction, design #15), with a small, custom cutout for my preamp volume control knob (just inside the sound hole). My classical guitar has just the one saddle element, with no condenser mic inside, though. Mine works really well as a feedback reducer, as well as a sound dampening device when playing guitar late at night. I highly recommend this sound hole cover. The woods they are made of also provide an aesthetic & beautiful complement to the guitar wood(s).

As you probably know, for live playing, Godin makes their nylon & steel-string Duet guitars, which have both types of elements, thus picking up the tapping sounds on the body itself, as well as the string sounds, of course. I've had the Grand Concert Duet nylon-string guitar in the past, & liked it for what it does best, play with little to no feedback in live, amplified playing situations. Its acoustic sound is not exactly what you'll get out of a true full-bodied guitar, but again, it is a good compromise. Godin's Synth Access (SA) guitars are in the same product line, but having just the under-saddle element, do not pick up the body tapping as well, & probably not at all. I have two of their models here, so I may try again & see what comes out.

Blessings,

Eduardo Martinez
musician - composer - artist
www.EduardoMartinez.com
www.MySpace.com/EduardoMartinezMusic
Nashua, NH USA

On Jan 2, 2009, at 11:33 AM, Loopers-Delight-d-request@loopers-delight.com wrote:

> From: "L.Angulo" <labaloops@yahoo.com>
>
> Thanx for the info Bill,i find it amazing that there arent really many professional dual stereo pickup systems for the new two hand tap acoustic guitarrists,this isnt new it has been growing since Michael Hedges invented it,it must be that the market isnt big enough yet.B-band put out a system a few years ago and now it has been discontinued,systems like the trance audio are top class but not very practical for live purposes,if u lose that cable good luck,or if you want to use other guitars thorugh your pedalboard good luck trying to route it through their preamp grr!
> I havent found any guitar with this internal microphone system that sound good with it,most people end up not using it at all,i wanted it to drum on my flamenco and it works as long as i have the mic signal at about 10% of it and stuffing the soundhole.So you say its possible to change the capsel for better sound results as well?
> Happy new 2009!