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Have you ever looked at a guitar and wondered what the purpose of an F-hole is? You may have passed it off as something done purely for the sake of decorative design.
And while guitars with F-holes can be quite classy, it turns out that there’s actually some benefit to this feature. Read on to make your own judgment as to whether the master builders of centuries past originally got it right.
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Where Does The F-Hole Originate?
If there’s any mental image conjured up upon seeing a guitar with an F-hole, it is undoubtedly the violin. That’s simply because the violin (and its family of various instruments) all feature a pair of F-holes.
These instruments feature F-holes at both sides of the instrument, parallel with the instrument’s bridge. When you look at guitars with F-holes, you’ll notice that the guitar’s design reflects this original concept.
Wondering why the soundhole is in the shape of an F? It most likely has to do with the width of the instrument, especially if 2 F-holes are being utilized.
What Purpose Does The F-Hole Serve On Guitar?
You’re probably wondering why the F-hole got applied to the guitar when it isn’t even in the same family. And while that is true, their overwhelming similarities require a bit of similar construction.
The violin is known to be a chambered instrument, which means that the entire inside is hollow. You could think of this as being a sort of wooden box crafted to have specific shapes.
When the strings are played, the body itself resonates via the string vibrations transmitted through the bridge. Although the F-Hole doesn’t produce the sound, it does provide a sort of window for that resonance to escape.
In a sense, it’s similar to the idea of churning air in a box and sending it out through ports. When viewing it from this angle, the process of creating sound is not all that dissimilar from an archtop guitar.
At its core, the archtop guitar (frequently used in jazz) has a body design that resembles the violin. It typically features a chambered, fully hollow body and has both an arched back and top.
Again, like the violin family, these guitars typically have a floating bridge design. The F-holes are placed on either side of this bridge.
For the most part, these types of guitars will usually feature Spruce, or similar wood, in the body construction. This is on par with how most acoustic guitars are built and helps provide superbly balanced sound resonance.
In turn, when the strings are strummed, vibrations are sent through the bridge to the guitar’s top. From there, the sound bounces between the top and back to create a reverberating resonance, which emerges through the F-hole.
What Kinds Of Guitars Have F-Holes?
As we already mentioned, the archtop guitars are primarily the biggest culprits employing an F-hole design. Some of the most famous guitars in history featuring an F-hole include:
- Gibson ES-335
- PRS Hollowbody
- Epiphone Casino
- Gretsch Chet Atkins Signature
- Ibanez Artcore
And while we mentioned that archtop guitars are typically completely hollow, semi-hollow guitars do exist. These can differ greatly in terms of hollowness with regard to the size of the chambering.
For the most part, the F-hole is alive and well within either of these guitar body classifications. You won’t find it on a solid body guitar because, well, then it wouldn’t be completely solid.
Do F-Holes Make Guitars Sound Different?
If you’re considering buying a new guitar, chances are that you might be intrigued to know how these guitars sound. After all, every guitar has a unique tone, and you’re right in thinking that the F-hole makes a difference.
One of the first things you’ll notice with is that they are often quite warm with a wide tone. There are a variety of different reasons for this occurrence.
First and foremost, the majority of guitars with F-holes will typically be equipped with humbucker pickups. It’s important to note, however, that this isn’t always the case.
By design, humbuckers are typically fairly warm in sound compared to their single-coil counterparts. Where single-coils are present in the treble EQ range, humbuckers are more focused in the mid-range.
Does the chambered nature of the body have any effect on the guitar’s tone? There is definitely some debate over this topic but there does seem to be a noticeable difference.
The warm, breathy tone of a guitar with F-holes has been a staple sound of classic jazz recordings. And even though it’s still a hallmark of the genre, these guitars have found uses outside of jazz.
Plug in one of these guitars with some gain and you’ll find that you have an almost endless note sustain. Many modern guitarists have exploited this quality in crafting their own distinct guitar-solo sound.
Depending on how you look at it, this nearly endless sustain can have its own drawbacks, too. The biggest is perhaps the fact that these guitars are a little more prone to amp feedback.
If you’re not sure what feedback is, the concept is rather quite simple. The amplified sound of the guitar gets fed back into the original signal to be amplified again.
This feedback can present issues, especially if you’re playing within close proximity to your amplifier. In many live performance situations, playing close to the amp is something that is unavoidable.
But, then again, feedback isn’t necessarily a bad thing by any means. Some guitarists utilize feedback in an artistic way, with some musical genres frequently incorporating the sound.
Outside of this, F-holes can also come in handy when you’re practicing without an amplifier. In some sense, these guitars are technically acoustic guitars with thinner bodies.
Is this a selling point? Not necessarily, but the next time you’re in a shop, strum around and you’ll see the difference when not electrified.
Who Are Some Guitarists Known For Playing Guitars With F-Holes?
Still not completely sold on whether you should buy a guitar that has F-holes? Sometimes, it can help to know who has walked the path and made their name with these types of instruments.
In the jazz world, one of the most famous examples is Wes Montgomery. His tone is saturated in that warm, breathy sound that has become synonymous with the guitar’s sound in the genre.
Of course, Wes Montgomery isn’t the only jazz musician known for employing this type of guitar. Legendary guitarists such as Jim Hall, Joe Pass, and Pat Metheny have all been known to use these guitars.
Outside of the jazz world, the F-hole guitar has found uses in some surprising genres. Because of the extra girth provided in tone, these guitars are exemplary for solos in rock music.
One of the most famous examples of a rock guitarist using a guitar with F-holes is Phish’s Trey Anastasio. In fact, Anastasio has a number of custom-built guitars, all of which have a pair of F-holes.
During live performances, Anastasio actually has his rig dialed in on the edge of complete feedback. This gives him a note sustain that can make the gods jealous in its thunderous power.
Believe it or not, Anastasio’s knowledge of the guitar extends far beyond just playing the instrument. He’s discovered how to manipulate the guitar’s feedback depending on how he is standing in relation to his amplifier.
There’s a whole generation of guitarists who have taken Anastasio’s path and incorporated his stylings into their own discipline. It’s for this reason that a hefty number of jam band guitarists utilize guitars with F-holes.
Even the rock guitar wizard, Eric Johnson, has had a love affair with the F-hole. Around 2015, Fender actually released a Thinline version of his Stratocaster, featuring a chambered body and an F-hole.
Compared to typical Stratocasters, the Eric Johnson Thinline had a hint of more presence and girth in its tone. It’s a guitar that definitely benefitted from the breathy, resonant nature of chambered bodies.
Unfortunately, guitars equipped with F-holes aren’t typically found in the metal genre. This is likely due to the high-gain nature of the genre’s sound combined with the F-hole’s tendency for feedback.
Are There Any Other Alternatives To The F-Hole?
The F-hole might be one of the oldest designs in the history of the guitar’s construction. But, do any alternatives to this stylish design exist with today’s modern guitars?
Well, if you’ve taken a look at most acoustic guitars throughout the years, you’ll see the most common variation. That round sound hole in the center of the acoustic guitar’s top is actually a descendant of the F-hole.
And while the circular sound hole is quite common, it isn’t the only variation to be found on modern guitars. There are actually variations on both the F-hole and the round sound hole to be found.
Some guitars retain the length of the F-hole, but shape them into a sort of linear strip. A common example of this can be found on the famed Rickenbacker 12-string electric guitars.
Other guitar manufacturers have taken liberties with acoustic designs, with Ovation being a prime example. Most Ovation acoustic guitars will actually have the soundhole in the shoulder location of the guitar’s top.
These guitars will actually feature a number of small holes, usually decorated in an ornamental fashion. But, Ovation isn’t the only manufacturer utilizing such design concepts.
In fact, Gibson recently revealed a run of acoustic guitars that feature sound holes in multiple locations. A traditional center sound hole is combined with a smaller hole on the guitar’s side, oriented toward the player’s face.
For all intents and purposes, it’s important to note that these off-centered sound holes are known as ports. They are designed to accentuate the harmonic resonance present in that specific location of the guitar.
In the case of Gibson’s ported acoustics, the port is designed so that the player can hear their playing better. Compared to traditional designs, the jury is still mixed on whether such designs are advantageous or not.
You’ll often find a combination of different sound holes being utilized in other stringed instruments such as the mandolin.
Which Is Better, The F-Hole Or A Traditional Acoustic Guitar Sound Hole?
Are you wondering how the traditional circular sound hole stacks up against the F-hole? You might assume that the circular design is far superior as it’s more ubiquitous in the market.
It’s all too easy for today’s generations to discount the intelligence of those who lived centuries ago. If this is you, then you’ll be surprised to discover that these masters were actually quite innovative.
The F-hole likely started out as a circular sound hole, which eventually morphed into the shape we know today. History shows that the F-hole actually evolved over time, with longer F-hole lengths being utilized.
A modern study shows that the F-hole is actually much more efficient than the circular sound hole. It’s actually the perimeter of the hole and not the open space within, that makes the most difference.
What Is A F-Hole On Guitar, Final Thoughts
It just goes to show that not everything on a guitar is done for aesthetic purposes. While it might be an old design, the F-hole is incredibly efficient at emitting a guitar’s natural tone.
Try one of these guitars the next time you’re in a shop and you’ll come home with a new companion. The tone of these guitars will likely always remain incredibly timeless.
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