F-hole mod (RM) on a 350V63

[libratune]

Has anyone tried (with adult supervision, of course) to put an F-hole -- Rose Morris style -- on a 350V63?

Is there some structural reason (e.g., internal bracing) as to why that couldn't or shouldn't be done?

[jingle_jangle]

Sure. I've doone several...I've even done a poster describing the process, in my Cafe Press shop.

http://www.cafepress.com/jingle_jangle

[collin]

yeah, a 350 is built the same as most 325's, but with a full size neck.

I used to have a 325 that was modified for the F-hole, by Jeff at Fabgear (the job wasn't too clean though! Paul's looks good)..

[jingle_jangle]

The trick is taking great care. The one on the poster was done on a factory-new 350, and when completed it looked like it was born that way. The edge of the paint was "rounded off" so it looked like the paint was applied after the F-hole was cut, not before. This is a one day job, with lots of both machine- and hand-work.

[collin]

Yeah, it looked factory stock.

The one that Jeff modified was terrible. I've seen some moderately good work from him, but despite his claims that it was patterned off an original F-hole, the actual shape was nowhere near correct, and looked like a hack job:



PS....the F hole looks best on Thin-top guitars, as original. I thought the thick top on my 325 looked terrible through the F hole.