Familiar Looking Soundhole?

johneek · Post by **johneek** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:57 am

Check out this new PRS model...anything look familiar?

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:04 pm

Soundhole, as you stated in the header... now where have i seen it?..

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:11 pm

Duesenberg's got it as well. It's not really unique, although we are accustomed to thinking of it as a Rickenbacker feature. Gretsch, for example, has used this style of soundhole since the '30s, and German archtops (Hoyer and Hemosch to name two) have also employed it to good contemporary effect.

But, who's kidding who here...there's no doubt in my mind that this is a bid to stir up Rickenbacker associations in a potential buyer's mind. Can't use body shape, TRC, pickguard, so...

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:31 pm

I have a picture of a guitar at NAMM that is a little too close IMO; I'll post it later (it's in the batch of pics needing resizing).

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:56 pm

They're joking, right?

Don't get me wrong, I have lots of respect for PRS guitars, but all Rickenbacker sound hole comparisons aside, it does NOT look good on this guitar. McCarty model I like, but this is a mistake IMO.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 5:38 pm

Yeah, John, I agree with those observations. The McCarty is my favorite, too...simple and elegant. The PRS display at NAMM was HUGE and pretty packed with bellybutton guitars. They did show a nice sunburst interpretation of a Gibbie Melody Maker/LP Junior that caught my eye. The folks there were very nice.

squid · Post by **squid** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 5:43 pm

Okay, I have to play the dunce here. I've heard the term many times now, but I still don't understand what a belly button guitar is. Can someone help? Cheers.

If you ask me, it's not just the soundhole on that guitar that's reminiscent of Rickenbacker. The pickguard (such as it is) is remarkably close in shape to the upper guard of a 381.

kog · Post by **kog** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 5:46 pm

Move over, Mr. Dunce, you've got company. I, too, have no idea what "bellybutton guitar" means. So any explanations welcome.

Anyway, I haven't seen my bellybutton since I learned to drink beer...

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:10 pm

That soundhole is the signature of German Mittenwald school lutherie, dating to the 1890's. Roger Rossmiesl as a graduate Guitarenbaumeister of Mittenwald proudly brought that to our designs. I don't think that Charvel, Duesenberg, or PRS has the heritage; the other brands of German heritage may have some claim.

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:34 pm

and there you have it!

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:56 pm

I'd be interested to know what a bellybutton guitar is also.....

rollingricker21 · Post by **rollingricker21** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:23 pm

Thought I might try a little comparison using photoshop between the PRS and a Rickenbacker 381.

Seems that only the angle and the tip of the soundhole is different

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:01 pm

Here's the one I saw with a bit of déjà vu:

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 5:07 am

That's the Duesenberg model that "premiered" at last winter's NAMM.

Of all the Rickenbacker pickguards, the 381 is, IMO, the least distinctive in shape, although it does have predecessors in older Ricks of other model designations. To me, it is the least evocative and exciting of all the guards.

Frank, I can't see any similarities between your two layers up there. The sound holes are close, but as I've mentioned there is a lot of precedent for the shape, and we all know that PRS is just trying to pick up business.

Anyway, there's no way that something that disjointed could be a runaway success.

Bellybutton guitars=everybody has one.

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:47 am

JH also explained the soundhole origins and its relationship to trademark issues over at the corp site some time ago.