This double sound hole guitar was originally designed for and made popular by Keola Beamer, the great Hawaiian slack key artist. It has an astounding capability to produce a deep, rich tone with a bass response previously unattainable in a similarly sized body. By moving the soundhole away from the end of the fingerboard, a larger area of the top can be utilized to achieve a bigger sound overall. The transverse brace, usually located just behind the soundhole in front of the bridge, can be moved up to the end of the fingerboard, effectively “opening” up the tone producing potential of the soundboard. Available in “OM” (15 1/8″ wide), and Concert (16 wide) sizes, the Beamer model is great for players who like a deep bass, especially those playing “slack key” style or using tunings with “D” or “C” in the bass.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Scale length: 25”, 25 1/2”
- Body Width (Lower Bout): 15 1/8”, 16″
- Body Length: 19 3/4”, 20 1/4”
- Overall Length: 40 1/2”, 41″
- Side Depth @ End Block:4 1/8″”, 4 3/8”
- Neck Width: 1 3/4” at nut or custom
- Soundboard – European spruce, Engelmann spruce, Sitka spruce, or koa
- Back and sides – Curly Koa, Mahogany, Indian Rosewood, Curly Maple, Walnut.
Brazilian Rosewood available on request – please inquire - Fingerboard: Ebony
- Bindings and Purflings: Black or “Ivoroid” plastic, maple, koa, rosewood, bloodwood
- Tuning Machines: Gotoh 510, or custom
- Pickup/Preamp: Optional
For private online slack-key lessons with the king of ki ho alu,
Keola Beamer click here or here.
For an explanation of the double hole soundboard design, click here.
