Does soundhole design have any effect on the sound of the dulcimer?
Again, as in Question 2, it is probably the overall size of the soundhole–rather than the shape–that is more likely to affect the sound of the dulcimer. In a very general sense, HUGE soundholes remove large sections of the vibrating area of the soundboard. This certainly doesn’t seem like a great idea, and the large-soundhole dulcimers I’ve played in the past all had a kind of boomy, echo-ey sound.
