Ever walked into a room with acoustics so good you couldn’t help but belt out a note or two? Even if you’re not a singer, the reverberations make you feel like Whitney Houston rocking the stage with her iconic, “AND IIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEIIIIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOUUUUOOOOooooOOOoooOOooo.”
That’s what a soundhole does for your guitar. The soundhole is that circular opening in the body of your guitar — you know, the one you keep accidentally dropping your pick into. The soundhole isn’t just a way for you to be able to see inside your instrument (although that’s pretty cool too). It’s actually a means of improving sound quality and projection. Like singing in a room with excellent acoustics, a soundhole amplifies the vibrations made when you pluck your guitar strings. By allowing vibrations inside the guitar to escape through the soundhole, the sound quality of your guitar goes way up. The sound travels further, too. So why would you ever want to cover a soundhole?
Read more to find out and get our advice on the best soundhole covers!
What Is a Soundhole Cover? And Who Needs One?
A guitar soundhole cover is exactly what it sounds like: a cover for your soundhole. Big shocker, right? But there’s a little more to it than that.
A guitar soundhole cover’s purpose is to remove feedback when amplifying your guitar during a live performance. Soundhole covers are really only applicable to electric acoustic guitars. This is because when you boost the sound of a true acoustic instrument (one without an electrical pickup) using a microphone, the soundhole needs to be left open for the amplification to work. Otherwise, you’ll get a muffled sound.
Leaving the soundhole of an electric acoustic guitar, on the other hand, actually works against your amplification efforts. Both the pickup and soundhole amplify your sound. Those two different amplification sources can interfere with one another, causing a screeching noise that sounds like two stray cats fighting in an alley. Surely, that’s not the sound you’re going for! Acoustic soundhole covers stop sound from being amplified in the body of your guitar and are a simple solution to fixing this feedback problem.
Before we get into our recommendations, we need to make a quick note about guitar sound hold cover sizes. There is no standard size for a guitar soundhole. So, before you commit to buying a cover, be sure to measure the size of your soundhole to make sure it will fit.
Bargain Buy:
Ibanez Sound Hole Cover
Pros: This rubber cover adapts from 3.9 to 4.1 inches, meaning it can fit a variety of guitars with different-sized soundholes. It’s also uber affordable.
Cons: This one doesn’t look particularly snazzy, but for such a low price, it doesn’t need to!
Midrange Options:
3-in-1 Acoustic Sound Hole Cover
Pros: Who doesn’t love a three-in-one? And no, we’re not talking about shampoo. In addition to its primary function, this soundhole cover is a guitar humidifier and dehumidifier. A chamber on the back of the cover serves both functions. You can fill the chamber with a moistened sponge to humidify or a desiccant that absorbs moisture for the opposite effect (both the sponge and desiccant are included).
Cons: This cover will not fit if your guitar’s fretboard is located at the soundhole.
Acoustic Guitar Feedback Buster Fire Soundhole Cover
Pros: Want to spice up the look of your guitar while eliminating feedback simultaneously? Then this guitar hole cover is for you! The wood grain and fire design look great and eliminate feedback with a foam sound buster. Plus, it’s easy to install! Just slide the cover under your guitar, line the notches up with your fingerboard, and press down.
Cons: Some soundhole covers are tapered to allow them to fit multiple soundhole sizes. This is not the case with this soundhole cover, which measures just over four inches in diameter. You may not get as snug of a fit as you would with other covers.
Cordoba Soundhole Cover/Feedback Reducer
Pros: At just under three-and-a-half inches in diameter, this rubber feedback reducer is ideal for guitars with a smaller soundhole, such as the Fusion, Luthier, and Iberia Cordoba classical guitars. It’s also likely to be a good fit for other classical and flamenco guitars.
Cons: It doesn’t fit guitars with larger soundholes and may not fit Cordoba Guitars made prior to 2013.
For When You Want to Splurge:
Fishman Neo-Buster Humbucker Soundhole Acoustic Pickup & Feedback Buster
Pros: Get a feedback buster and acoustic pickup all at once with this soundhole cover. The magnetic pickup creates a full-bodied sound while eliminating feedback, so it’s great for live performances!
Cons: The main obstacle here is price. But if you play live shows often, this may be well worth the investment.
Our Pick: Planet Waves PW-SH-01 Screeching Halt Acoustic Soundhole Cover
Pros: This soundhole cover from D’Addario affiliate Planet Waves gets the job done while being super affordable! It also tapers on the inside, encouraging a snug fit in your guitar and allowing it to fit multiple soundhole sizes. Additionally, the rubber material won’t damage the finish on your guitar.
If you still have questions about the best equipment for your guitar (and to store it!), check out our reviews!