D'Addario Accessories O-Port Sound Enhancement for Acoustic Guitar, Large, Black

I got this guitar to use for travel, and practice, but I felt the quality of the sound was a little lacking. I tried changing the strings, and it still sounded a little tinny. Compared to my full sized dreadnought, the sound felt thin and at times as though it was heavy in the treble end, and lacking in bass qualities. It also couldn't project nearly as well because of the smaller size.I like to with fingerstyle and am going for a folk type sound, so I'm not hammering the strings with a pick.I decided for the price, I would give the o-port a try, and I'm so glad I did. I chose the small size in ivory to complement my pink sunburst guitar. The sound hole measurement was the smallest option.Installation was easy. I loosened the strings (without a capo as the video suggests) and just spread them to the sides for installation vs. pulling the bridge pins. It took some serious folding/squeezing and manipulation to get it in to the sound hole. The ring is much larger than the hole, so that extra material has to go somewhere to get it in. The piece is malleable plastic as described, but it has a rigidity to it as well. I got it in just fine, but then had to use a thin tool (smooth end of nail clipper lever) to coax the part of the o-port that lacks a rim out of the guitar to fit along the inner edge of the top of the sound hole. At first it kind of folded to the inside, and since there isn't a lip on that part, it stayed in until coaxed out. I wasn't sure at first, but then I remembered it's job is to smooth out the interior of the guitar, and if there is a ripple of any kind it can't do that as well, so I worked it out. It fits very snugly, I am glad I don't have any plans to remove it because I believe it would be a challenge. It fits very snugly into the sound hole, and would be hard to find a edge to lift.The final step was to tighten and tune the strings. Total installation time was around 5 minutes.Once installed, I immediately noticed a change in the sound. So did my children, and they aren't musicians. The guitar sounds richer and fuller as described. The thin tinny quality I sometimes had seems to be replaced by tones and harmonics that are much more pleasing to hear. The guitar is also louder. I don't have to play as hard to get a louder sound.Overall, I feel like my guitar just got an upgrade. I don't plan to gig with this guitar, but I love how it sounds now. For all of you who have a smaller sized instrument, consider an o-port if you want a passive, inexpensive way to improve and amplify your sound.FWIW I'm currently using Martin Silk n' Steel strings.Two weeks later, and a friend who had heard the Daisy Rock before the o-port heard it for the first time with the o-port. They didn't know what changed, but noticed the guitar sounded much nicer.

I installed the Planet Waves O-Port into my Takamine GS430S acoustic guitar. The O-Port is touted as making "any guitar from beginner to custom sound richer, fuller, and louder, with more clarity and better projection." Due to the body size of the GS430S, I find the mid-clarity and overall projection to be a bit lacking. For under US$20, I thought I would give the O-Port a try. (I should clarify; for a guitar with a street price of around US$300, the Takamine GS430S sounds and plays great.)I chose to remove and replace the strings instead of trying to simply loosen them (as Planet Waves suggests) and try to get my big paws around the strings and in the sound-hole. It's likely because of my big paws that the O-Port wasn't quite as quick to install as Planet Waves or YouTube would have you believe. But, it was simple enough. I can't complain and it's not their fault my mitts are so big.I am happy to report that I did notice a distinct change in the overall tone and clarity of the guitar and I have to admit it is an improvement. It didn't make this US$300 guitar sound like a handmade Martin or a (more than 10X-the-price) Gibson Hummingbird, but it did elevate the sound to something comparable approaching the US$500-$600 range. (It's just an estimate, but trust me, I've played A LOT of acoustic guitars!;)The bottom line is I wouldn't dream of sticking this US$20 piece of plastic in my Epiphone Masterbilt DR500ME acoustic-electric, my TAKAMINE EG523CDX Honeyburst Jumbo acoustic-electric or my Cordoba GK Studio "Gipsy Kings" Signature Model. But it did serve nicely to improve the acoustic quality of a mid-market Takamine. I suspect the improvement is a result of the smaller body style of the GS430S and I'm thinking the device would have less of an impact on dreadnought and jumbo body styles. I absolutely love the sound of the Cordoba GK studio, so I wouldn't dream of toying with that.Planet Waves makes some claims regarding the improved quality of recorded guitar tracks. To be fair, I can't make any judgement on that. As I mentioned, it is highly unlikely I will be sticking an O-Port in any of my other instruments and it's unlikely I will use the GS430S to record, so I will leave it to others to argue those particular points. What I can tell you is that the device clearly had a positive (and inexpensive) impact on the sound quality of my GS430S.I hope this helps!

The media could not be loaded. PROS: An easy, inexpensive, non-destructive, reversible, user installable mod to any acoustic. Does not mar the instrument's aesthetics in any way. In fact once it is installed, it's practically invisible to the casual observer. I've had to point it out to other guitarists who have paid compliments to the tone.CONS: The only thing I can think of is you'd have to remove it if you want to use a feedback suppressor - one of those black rubber plugs in the hole for performing live and plugged in.The simplest of ideas the principle of which is scientifically sound (no pun intended). It just takes all of the acoustic sound waves already bouncing around inside of the body and funnels them to the sound hole in a more focused manner. The result is more projection, more bottom & sparkle (makes it louder and gives it more lows and more highs). Made my $300 Yamaha sound like a much higher end instrument than it is.I was so impressed that I took the time to make this silly before and after video.I just used my iPhone on the desk record the Before audio, then did not move it while I installed it and took pics. Then sat right where I was the first time and recorded again after installing it. Not exactly NASA accurate, but for the most part, identical recording environment. so the difference you hear in the video between before and after is all natural acoustics being recorded with zero processing. Just crappy iPhone Voice Memo app audio.