Getting Acoustic sound through f-hole

[Stevie Rave On]

I got my first PRS - a semi-hollow CU22 wood library, thinking of capturing sound inside or around the F-Hole. Not sure how it sounds and if it is worth trying. Anyone with Hollow Body or Semi-hollow tried this?

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Who you calling an F-Hole???

That is an interesting question...

I have, well crap, just look to the left. C22 Semi LTD. The guitar sounds gorgeous. When played with gain, the sound coming out of the f-hole literally blows the hair on my right arm when my picking hand gets in front of it. I can't begin to tell you how much that shocked me the first time I felt that. That said, I've never attempted to capture anything coming out of it in any manner. The magic that comes out of the jack is all I need.

Congrats on the guitar. That should be an phenomenal guitar. But...Pics or it's a Daisy Strat!

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I wouldn't. You'd have to amplify it more than an acoustic guitar, and you'd pickup all sorts of ambient noise and/or the occasional contact noise and/or microphonics.

What do you hope to accomplish? Perhaps there's a better way to accomplish it. Do you just want a clean tone? That's largely the amp. If you're using modeling software, start with an acoustic amp of some variety, or at least a clean setting on some amp (AC30? Plexi? Matchbox? someone with more experience than I should speak up, I'm not familiar with the classics). An electric guitar into an acoustic amp is an interesting tone, I still haven't totally given up on it.

 

[colinkanders]

I've got an SE277 Semi-Hollow Soapbar Baritone and I've found that trying to record the sound from the f-hole is a little disappointing. As Dusty Chalk mentioned, it's not as loud as a 'real' acoustic, so I had to crank the mic and it did not sound too pleasant. I also had a great deal of trouble finding a mic setup that allowed some wiggle room while playing without banging the microphone or pulling away so far as to render the recording silent.

That being said, I have mic'd up the guitar as a whole and it sounded fantastic (especially when compared to its non-semi-hollow sibling), but it was still fairly quiet and had to be used as a supplemental track, rather than the main guitar.

 

[andy474x]

Sounds like a job for a piezo to me. PTC might be able to get one in there, or you could go the Graphtech Ghost route and do it yourself. One of the guys in a more prominent local band in my area did it to his PRS and uses it with good results.

Edit: How do you fellas with the CU22 Semi's describe the tone of those guitars? I have the S2 version, it's more rounded and pleasantly bassy, mellowed highs than a solid version. And nice acoustic resonance. Have always wondered how it stacks up to a core model. Not that I'm unhappy with it, I would say it's my most beautiful sounding guitar.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Yeah, if you're asking about this to try to capture an "acoustic like" tone, I don't think that's going to work.

Andy, mine is a 25th Anniversary LTD and it has 57/08s. It's dream tone for sure, for cleans to classic rock gain levels. Just fat, juicy incredible tones. That guitar is ALIVE! I can't get decent pics of it, but it has a 10 top and is beautiful!

 

[andy474x]

Yeah, if you're asking about this to try to capture an "acoustic like" tone, I don't think that's going to work.

Andy, mine is a 25th Anniversary LTD and it has 57/08s. It's dream tone for sure, for cleans to classic rock gain levels. Just fat, juicy incredible tones. That guitar is ALIVE! I can't get decent pics of it, but it has a 10 top and is beautiful!

I think PRS sells a lot (LOT) of S2 semi hollows, and for good reason, not to mention the immense popularity of the SE Zach Myers and SE CU22 semi. The core CU22 semi seems to be an unofficial core model that pops up in special runs very often. I can see why!

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

I've played two S2 semi hollows and both sounded really great. Tried to get one of my buddies to buy one instead of the stinking faded Les Paul, cheapie thing he bought. The S2 was MUCH MUCH nicer, and sounded considerably better. Of course, he bought the "Gibson" because it was a "Gibson."

 

[andy474x]

I've played two S2 semi hollows and both sounded really great. Tried to get one of my buddies to buy one instead of the stinking faded Les Paul, cheapie thing he bought. The S2 was MUCH MUCH nicer, and sounded considerably better. Of course, he bought the "Gibson" because it was a "Gibson."

Yuck.

 

[bodia]

I've played two S2 semi hollows and both sounded really great. Tried to get one of my buddies to buy one instead of the stinking faded Les Paul, cheapie thing he bought. The S2 was MUCH MUCH nicer, and sounded considerably better. Of course, he bought the "Gibson" because it was a "Gibson."

Ex-buddy!

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

When he called me to told me he bought it (just two days ago) I called him Frontrunner. LOL I have to be careful though. He was the center on my last basketball team. He's 6'8" and weighs about 280.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

A Les Paul looks like a toy on him. The "Anti-Steve Howe syndrome"

 

[Stevie Rave On]

Sorry I didn't clarify I totally understand it not fitting in live situation, more just curious experimental thought about what the sound is like in there. I stumbled across this product, which may be an interesting thought.

Here is the new baby named Nora.

 

[Stevie Rave On]

A Les Paul looks like a toy on him. The "Anti-Steve Howe syndrome"

LOL, I was going to say the weight is not a problem...

 

[Huggy Love]

I have, on my hollowody, I used a separate track to record the f-hole mic'd signal and mixed it with the direct signal I recorded from the pickups. It gave me a very crisp tone to work with and it did an OK job of livening up the sound of what I was doing, plus I could pan that track off to the side and wash it with reverb to get a wide sounding texture. It had a little pick noise from my performance but once mixed in with the other instruments it didn't matter much.

In the end is was too much effort for the payoff and I just used EQ to shape my tone since then.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Sorry I didn't clarify I totally understand it not fitting in live situation, more just curious experimental thought about what the sound is like in there. I stumbled across this product, which may be an interesting thought.

Here is the new baby named Nora.

WOW!!!! That is spectacular!!!!!

 

[Stevie Rave On]

I have, on my hollowody, I used a separate track to record the f-hole mic'd signal and mixed it with the direct signal I recorded from the pickups. It gave me a very crisp tone to work with and it did an OK job of livening up the sound of what I was doing, plus I could pan that track off to the side and wash it with reverb to get a wide sounding texture. It had a little pick noise from my performance but once mixed in with the other instruments it didn't matter much.

In the end is was too much effort for the payoff and I just used EQ to shape my tone since then.

Thanks, this is exactly what I was wondering about!

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

That is one of my favorite tops ever. I'd put that in the "tops" hall of fame!" Right there next to Raquel Welsh.

 

[bodia]

Totally love it!