Ebony F-hole plugs?

[jzucker]

Anyone know where i can get ebony f-hole plugs? I'm familiar with doug's plugs but I want ebony. His are some type of thick cardboard.

[billkath]

His are some kind of thick acoustic foam, aren't they- not cardboard? There's a sound reason for that-it's absorbent, soundwise, and flexible and non-resonant. Ebony is none of these things, and could cause more problems than it solves. However-if you take a tracing of the f-holes to any woodworker they'll run you off a couple on the jigsaw, and you can sand them to fit. Just tape some tracing paper over the holes and rub a fat,soft pencil over and over, like brass rubbing (do you do that at school in America?) I don't recommend it, though, but it might be an interesting experiment.

[jzucker]

his are foam glued to some type of stiff fiber/cardboard. Ebony does not cause more problems than it solves. The hofner and halfling guitars come with ebony plugs (with foam inserts) and it works great. I don't want to insert the ebony into the f-holes. I just want to glue my own foam inserts onto the ebony.

[NiAg]

Any half-decent luthier can make Ebony f-hole plugs any shape that you want.

Best is to have the guitar in hand so the ebony can follow the top shape around the F-hole.

>>> Ebony does not cause more problems than it solves.

Surely you are easily capable of making them yourself?

[billkath]

There you go, then-just do the tracing and give it to a woodworker. Ebony plugs would cause problems. You are not talking about plugs though- you are talking about the laps that stop the foam plugs falling into the holes.Ebony laps won't cause problems, as long as they don't resonate on the top of the soundboard. Very thin foam just on the edges of the lap, around the main foam plug, will stop that.

[jzucker]

if I had a scroll or band saw I'd cut them myself. I asked my repairman and he said no. He's too busy with regular repairs to do anything like this. Before you make negative comments about him, george benson sends his guitars to this guy to do fretwork...

Anyway, the question was does anyone know a luthier who will make these?

[NiAg]

>>> Before you make negative comments about him, george benson sends his guitars to this guy to do fretwork...

It would never occur to me to make negative comments about him.

Nor would hearsay connection to a famous player have any bearing on anything.

You can get a hobbyist bandsaw for $119, which is about what some custom ebony plugs would cost. Then you could show how it's done?

[billkath]

Try giving the thin ebony laps to a school woodworking shop-they might do them as a favour to you for the practice of doing the work.

[jzucker]

so does anyone know someone who will do this for a fee?

[spiral]

Before you make negative comments about him, george benson sends his guitars to this guy to do fretwork...

Is making fun of George Benson still on the table?

Originally Posted by jzucker

so does anyone know someone who will do this for a fee?

Any cabinet-maker / woodworker should be able to do this no sweat. If you are feeling industrious, you could get the ebony milled to the thickness you want, and then take it to a big sign shop with a laser CNC machine.

YouTube - Laser Cutting Shapes wood plywood cutting etching

[M-ster]

Originally Posted by jzucker

so does anyone know someone who will do this for a fee?

Hey, Jack, did you try asking the doug's-plugs guy if he could do this? Might be a long-shot, but maybe he's fielded similar requests and knows where to refer you, if he doesn't do it himself.

Just a thought.

[JohnW400]

Have you tried Bill Comins? He may do it. He has a model that uses a wooden port cover.

I remember reading that some Koontz models used to have closable holes. That was a great innovation.

[claypot]

Mr Zucker,

I am in a similar situation as you we're when this thread began. I have a Hofner New President with severe feedback issues. I've tried every solution other than plugs, but without success. I would like to try plugs but want them to look as nice as the guitar they are going into.


In the end what route did you end up taking for this issue? Did you find a local luthier, make them yourself, settle for Doug's Plugs?

[jorgemg1984]

Also curious, I will be needing something like this to my Guild X-500, Doug never replied my mail. How did you solved it Jack?

[JohnW400]

Try these guys. They made some rosewood knobs for me. They look like they make other wood products as well.


THG Knobs | Custom Exotic Wood Guitar Products

[jorgemg1984]

Thanks!

[GreyJazz90]

I have plugs from Doug's Plugs. They work great, and don't change the tone in any way.

[jorgemg1984]

I would like to order from him but got no reply... He only has Guild X-170 plugs, I need Guild X-500. I asked him if he had the measurements or needed me to give him the measurements and so far got no reply...

[jzucker]

Doug's plugs *DO* change the tone. I would recommend clear packing tape which is what bollenback, johnston, benson and many new york guys use. Packing tape changes the tone too btw but not as much as the plugs.

[GreyJazz90]

That is odd, he usually replies fairly quickly. Im pretty sure he can make plugs for about any f-hole if you give him the measurements.

[GreyJazz90]

Originally Posted by jzucker

Doug's plugs *DO* change the tone. I would recommend clear packing tape which is what bollenback, johnston, benson and many new york guys use. Packing tape changes the tone too btw but not as much as the plugs.

Not in my experience. I have yet to notice a change in my 175's tone with the plugs in. Have you ever used them?

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by GreyJazz90

Not in my experience. I have yet to notice a change in my 175's tone with the plugs in. Have you ever used them?

Many times. The difference is easy to hear, plugged and unplugged.

[jorgemg1984]

Will try the tape, that's what my luthier actually recommended me but I thought Dougs Plugs were better.

Thanks!

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Will try the tape, that's what my luthier actually recommended me but I thought Dougs Plugs were better.

Thanks!

I talked to Paul Bollenback about this a year or two ago. He uses clear packing tape and I asked him why he didn't use Doug's plugs. He agreed that the plugs deaden the sound too much. I still think the plugs are a good tool to have the arsenal but to me the tape just works better.

[jorgemg1984]

I will try to go to my luthier soon enough, he said he had good tape for that and then I will say how it worked. I always thought Dougs Plugs were a good solution (I think Rosenwinkel used it on his Moffa) but a little too expensive,

[jzucker]

Just use clear packing tape. You don't need anything special. Go to your local office supply store and buy a roll of it. I've used it on both lacquer and poly finishes with no issues though I did need to use "gum-off" on the lacquer guitar to get the residue off but that was after it had been on for a year. I don't think I would use tape on an older instrument with a vintage finish though bollenback was using it on a lacquer finish Guild X-700 with no issues.

[jorgemg1984]

I have a 1965 Guild X-500. My luthier did very good job restoring it and gave it a new finish, it sounds much more alive now! I don't think I will have any issues with the tape / finish because otherwise he wouldn't recommend it...

[GreyJazz90]

Originally Posted by jzucker

Many times. The difference is easy to hear, plugged and unplugged.

I have tried both, haven't noticed a difference. But I will try the tape idea and compare the two.

[jorgemg1984]

Well tried the tape, solved 90% of the problem at home. In a gig with good amp placement should solve all problems. Cheap and easy. Problem: IMO looks hideous. Maybe there's some tape less intrusive than this one I found but I still think the plugs would look much nicer. Oh and didn't notice changes in plugged or unplugged sound (still waiting for Dougs reply)

[Jabberwocky]

How about just using quarter-sawn balsa wood from an aeromodelling supply shop? Easy to work with and light and stiff.