| THE HEADLESS GUITAR | ||
In the mid forties Les Paul introduced the headless aluminum guitar. It was called headless because the tuning gears were located below the bridge.
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There was no headstock just a nut where the strings were anchored. The guitar was very light and the complete back was removable for easy access to the electronics. Unfortunately, during performances it would go out of tune because it was sensitive to the stage lights.
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| PATENTS On March 13,1956 the U.S. Patent and Trademark office issued Les Paul a patent Patent No. 2,737,842, for “Combined Bridge and Tail Piece for Stringed Instruments”. On January 30, 1962 the U.S. Patent and Trademark office issued Les Paul a patent Patent No. 3,018,680, for an "Electrical Music Instrument”. Also, on April 3, 1973 the U.S Patent and Trademark office issued Les Paul a Patent No. 3,725,561, for “A Method of Electrically Reproducing Music and Improved Electrical Pickup”. | ||
COMBINED BRIDGE AND TAIL PIECE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed July 9, 1952 ZN VEN TOR.
MFQ/WQ Z United States Patent COMBINED BRIDGE AND TAIL PIECE FOR STRENGED INSTRUMENTS Lester W. Poifuss, Hollywood, Calif., assigncr to Gibson, Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich.
The main objects of this invention are:
First, to provide a combined bridge and tail piece for stringed musical instruments such as guitars and the like which may be readily embodied in standard types of such instruments, and also of special construction or design, and which is highly efficient in supporting the strings and sustaining the load thereof.
Second, to provide a combined bridge and tail piece which may be applied as a unit to guitars and similar stringed musical instruments as a substitute for the independent bridge and tail pieces commonly provided, or with which the instruments have been originally equipped.
Third, to provide a combined bridge and tail piece having these advantages, which is economical in structure and at the same time easily applied, and which is attractive in appearance.
Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.
Ned Steinberger (b. Princeton, New Jersey, 1948) is an American creator of innovative musical instruments. He is most notable for his design of guitars and basses without a traditional headstock, which are called Steinberger instruments. He also has a line of electric basses and string instruments through his company called NS Design and was also the designer of the first ever Spector bass, the NS.
Ned is the son of physics Nobel laureate Jack Steinberger.
Stringed musical instruments US 4192213 A
Original Assignee Richard Ned Steinberger,
All the drawings and texts are from Ned Steinberger and Steinberger Sound Corporation Patents
Ned is the son of physics Nobel laureate Jack Steinberger.
Stringed musical instruments US 4192213 A
Original Assignee Richard Ned Steinberger,
All the drawings and texts are from Ned Steinberger and Steinberger Sound Corporation Patents
Resumen
A stringed musical instrument such as an electric guitar or an electric bass guitar is balanced to render the instant comfortable to play, supported by a support plate at its center of gravity. The tuning machines are on the body for the purpose of balance. The neck should be of proper weight and rigidity to sustain greater tone and brilliance.
Description of the Patent
The present invention relates to improvements in stringed musical instruments, and more particularly, to an electric bass guitar having its neck and body in a balanced relationship to each other.
The need for a compact electric guitar-like instrument to substitute for the cumbersome, large, upright acoustical classical string bass was recognized quite early. In 1951, Fender brought out into the marketplace, a solid-bodied, four-stringed guitar with the compass of the acoustic bass, and to which, even though fretted, classical bass guitar players could easily adapt themselves.
This instrument became the forerunner of a large family of similar types, sometimes simply called bass guitars.
Electric basses are usually provided with at least one pick up. They can be distinguished not only by their four rather than their six strings, but by the length of the strings, which are 30-34 inches, as compared with about 25 inches in the normal six-stringed guitar. Electric basses are usually classified according to their physical construction. The conventional solid-bodied construction is the most commonly used, because it is made from a flat slab of solid wood or lamination.
A difficulty in the prior art in a conventional guitar, is the conflict between two important aspects, good balance and good tone. Superior balance with the conventional body-neck-peghead arrangement can only be achieved with a relatively light, and therefore flexible neck. Superior sound quality can only be achieved with a relatively heavy and stiff neck.
This problem has been met in the past by manufacturers to achieve superior sound by using relatively heavy aluminum necks. Such instruments are overweight and neck heavy. Instruments of the past with acceptable balance and weight invariably have had limited sustain and brilliance of tone.
The playing of a heavy musical instrument or an instrument with a heavy neck and poor balance, is an unpleasant experience because of the tension, fatigue and strength which is put on the body of the player, particularly after playing for long periods of time.
These shortcomings, due to the heaviness of the neck and peghead in relation to the body, creates an unbalanced musical instrument, uncomfortable to play with and difficult to manage properly.
On the other hand, in studying the behavior of a vibrating system such as a vibrating string, it has been found that when the string vibrates between two fixed end points, it tends to shake and make them move. When the end points move due to the vibration, they take energy from the strings, reducing the sustain and muting the tone.
Therefore, in order to increase sustain (length of tone) and brilliance of tone, it is necessary to have as much weight as possible at the ends of the strings (close to the bridge and in the neck). The end of the string is effectively at the bridge and at the fret being played. Therefore, the entire neck is important. It is important to make the instrument as rigid as possible, strong and stiff, whereby the neck cannot vibrate independently of the body. I found that by increasing the stiffness of the neck as well as its weight within very close limits, sustain and brilliance of the vibrating string is increased, whereby the quality of the tones is greatly improved.
Additionally, the rigidity or stiffness of the neck may be greatly increased by choosing a material which has a high modulus of elasticity. I also found that an ideal material for the construction of the neck is a polymer reinforced material such as carbon fiber bonded with epoxy, because of its moderate weight and high modulus of elasticity.
It is a well-known fact that an unbalanced musical instrument creates unnecessary strain in the neck and shoulders of the player because the player inadvertantly holds the instrument in an awkward position. I have also found that this problem has been eliminated by having the center of gravity located close to the fingerboard at the lower end thereof, on a 24-fret guitar. Generally, the center of gravity should be located near the 24th fret.
The advantage of having the center of gravity at the end of the fingerboard is that the neck does not have to be supported any more and hangs free on a support in a stable equilibrium with the body and the other parts of the instrument.
According to the present invention, sustain and brilliance of tone are achieved in a stringed musical instrument by providing a fulcrum and convenient support means located at the center of gravity of the instrument where the neck is highly rigid and balanced by the tuning machines being on the body, thus, overcoming the difficulties of the prior art in an instrument comfortable to play.
It is an object of my invention to provide an electric bass guitar which has its center of gravity close to the lower end of the fingerboard on a 24-fret guitar.
It is another object of my invention to provide an electric bass guitar which provides a high quality and proper bass tone.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stringed musical instrument such as an electric bass guitar wherein the weight of the body, tuning machines, bridge and pick-up elements are balanced with the weight of the neck about a fulcrum located at the center of gravity of the instrument in such a way that rotation thereof about this pivot point can be accomplished without substantial effort on the part of the player for selectively adjusting the angle of the neck in relation to his hands and body.
The teachings of the present invention provide an electric bass guitar including a neck, preferably made of a reinforced polymer material such as carbon fiber bonded with epoxy. This composite material has a desirable high modulus of elasticity and good density. The excellent physical properties of carbon fiber composites make them a suitable material for the construction of a guitar neck.
Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.
The need for a compact electric guitar-like instrument to substitute for the cumbersome, large, upright acoustical classical string bass was recognized quite early. In 1951, Fender brought out into the marketplace, a solid-bodied, four-stringed guitar with the compass of the acoustic bass, and to which, even though fretted, classical bass guitar players could easily adapt themselves.
This instrument became the forerunner of a large family of similar types, sometimes simply called bass guitars.
Electric basses are usually provided with at least one pick up. They can be distinguished not only by their four rather than their six strings, but by the length of the strings, which are 30-34 inches, as compared with about 25 inches in the normal six-stringed guitar. Electric basses are usually classified according to their physical construction. The conventional solid-bodied construction is the most commonly used, because it is made from a flat slab of solid wood or lamination.
A difficulty in the prior art in a conventional guitar, is the conflict between two important aspects, good balance and good tone. Superior balance with the conventional body-neck-peghead arrangement can only be achieved with a relatively light, and therefore flexible neck. Superior sound quality can only be achieved with a relatively heavy and stiff neck.
This problem has been met in the past by manufacturers to achieve superior sound by using relatively heavy aluminum necks. Such instruments are overweight and neck heavy. Instruments of the past with acceptable balance and weight invariably have had limited sustain and brilliance of tone.
The playing of a heavy musical instrument or an instrument with a heavy neck and poor balance, is an unpleasant experience because of the tension, fatigue and strength which is put on the body of the player, particularly after playing for long periods of time.
These shortcomings, due to the heaviness of the neck and peghead in relation to the body, creates an unbalanced musical instrument, uncomfortable to play with and difficult to manage properly.
On the other hand, in studying the behavior of a vibrating system such as a vibrating string, it has been found that when the string vibrates between two fixed end points, it tends to shake and make them move. When the end points move due to the vibration, they take energy from the strings, reducing the sustain and muting the tone.
Therefore, in order to increase sustain (length of tone) and brilliance of tone, it is necessary to have as much weight as possible at the ends of the strings (close to the bridge and in the neck). The end of the string is effectively at the bridge and at the fret being played. Therefore, the entire neck is important. It is important to make the instrument as rigid as possible, strong and stiff, whereby the neck cannot vibrate independently of the body. I found that by increasing the stiffness of the neck as well as its weight within very close limits, sustain and brilliance of the vibrating string is increased, whereby the quality of the tones is greatly improved.
Additionally, the rigidity or stiffness of the neck may be greatly increased by choosing a material which has a high modulus of elasticity. I also found that an ideal material for the construction of the neck is a polymer reinforced material such as carbon fiber bonded with epoxy, because of its moderate weight and high modulus of elasticity.
It is a well-known fact that an unbalanced musical instrument creates unnecessary strain in the neck and shoulders of the player because the player inadvertantly holds the instrument in an awkward position. I have also found that this problem has been eliminated by having the center of gravity located close to the fingerboard at the lower end thereof, on a 24-fret guitar. Generally, the center of gravity should be located near the 24th fret.
According to the present invention, sustain and brilliance of tone are achieved in a stringed musical instrument by providing a fulcrum and convenient support means located at the center of gravity of the instrument where the neck is highly rigid and balanced by the tuning machines being on the body, thus, overcoming the difficulties of the prior art in an instrument comfortable to play.
It is an object of my invention to provide an electric bass guitar which has its center of gravity close to the lower end of the fingerboard on a 24-fret guitar.
It is another object of my invention to provide an electric bass guitar which provides a high quality and proper bass tone.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stringed musical instrument such as an electric bass guitar wherein the weight of the body, tuning machines, bridge and pick-up elements are balanced with the weight of the neck about a fulcrum located at the center of gravity of the instrument in such a way that rotation thereof about this pivot point can be accomplished without substantial effort on the part of the player for selectively adjusting the angle of the neck in relation to his hands and body.
The teachings of the present invention provide an electric bass guitar including a neck, preferably made of a reinforced polymer material such as carbon fiber bonded with epoxy. This composite material has a desirable high modulus of elasticity and good density. The excellent physical properties of carbon fiber composites make them a suitable material for the construction of a guitar neck.
Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.
String tuner US 5277095 A
Resumen
A single screw clamping tuner is provided for clamping and tuning a string of a stringed musical instrument. The tuner includes one and only one externally threaded screw which accomplishes both the clamping of a string end and the tuning of the string. The tuner includes a housing having a channel defined therein.
A slider is slidably received in the channel and receives the string end therein. The one and only one screw has a first portion threadably engaged with the slider for clamping the string end against the slider. A tuning knob is threadably engaged with the one and only one screw for adjusting a position of the screw and the slider relative to the housing when the tuning knob is rotated relative to the housing to tune the string. An integral wrench carried by the tuning knob is selectively engagable with a head of the screw for rotating the screw relative to the slider to clamp or unclamp the string end against the slider.
A slider is slidably received in the channel and receives the string end therein. The one and only one screw has a first portion threadably engaged with the slider for clamping the string end against the slider. A tuning knob is threadably engaged with the one and only one screw for adjusting a position of the screw and the slider relative to the housing when the tuning knob is rotated relative to the housing to tune the string. An integral wrench carried by the tuning knob is selectively engagable with a head of the screw for rotating the screw relative to the slider to clamp or unclamp the string end against the slider.
Tremolo with lever angle control US 4704936 A
Tremolo devices have been used for many years with stringed musical instruments for creating a vibrato sound. Various structures have been proposed and utilized for this purpose.
Broadly, a tremolo mechanism allows the musician to change the tension on all of the strings of the instrument simultaneously to create a pitch change during vibration of the strings. Typically, a moving tailpiece on the body of a guitar is utilized to accomplish this tension change. In such a mechanism, a pivot point is established and the tailpiece pivots about that point. A counterspring may be utilized to counteract the pull of the strings on the tailpiece; as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,005. A handle is generally provided for pivoting the tailpiece while simultaneously playing the instrument.
One of the most significant problems in tremolo devices relates to the inability to maintain pitch relationship between the individual strings. The devices which are known typically move all strings of the instrument the same distance when the mechanism is actuated. Since the higher pitch strings of the instrument generally have much more stretch than the lower pitch strings, the lower pitch strings generally change pitch more readily. For example, if a chord is played on the instrument and the tremolo mechanism is actuated, the lower pitch strings of the instrument change pitch faster than the higher pitch strings, and the pitch relationships within the chord are lost.
Various proposals have been made to correct this shortcoming. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,394 to Jones discloses a tremolo system in which the tail end of each string can be fixed at different relative distances from the pivot point of the tremolo tailpiece so that the end of each string can be displaced through a greater or lesser distance relative to the other strings. Even though the end of each string rotates through the same angle relative to the pivot point, this differential displacement occurs because strings positioned at a greater radial distance from the pivot point are translated over a longer distance than strings positioned at a lesser radial distance from the pivot point.
In such a manner, some of the shortcomings in conventional tremolo systems have been overcome. However, provisions for accommodating other characteristics of the strings are not made. Therefore, known arrangements do not satisfactorily provide a tremolo system for varying the absolute pitch of the strings while maintaining the relative pitch of the strings during pivoting of the tailpiece.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved even tuning tremolo system for varying the absolute pitch of the strings of a musical instrument while maintaining the relative pitch of the strings during pivoting of the tailpiece to which the strings are attached.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SLIDING CAPO
The present invention relates generally to musical instruments of the lute family (both electric and acoustic). In particular, the invention is a Capo which may be moved from place to place on the neck of a lute family instrument by merely sliding the Capo along the neck.
A Capo is a device for clamping the strings of a guitar or other stringed lute family instrument against the neck of the instrument in order to change the pitch of notes played. In the past, most Capos have involved screws, cams, and spring loaded clamps for attaching the device to the instrument neck.
Spring loaded clamps have become popular because they can be opened and moved to a new position with one hand. However, one problem with prior art spring loaded Capos is that they require the musician to release and manipulate the Capo in order to change its location, and are hence relatively inconvenient to use, particularly during a performance.
Sliding type Capos also have been known in the prior art, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,621,558 and 5,033,349, however these Capos have alignment as well as other problems. In the '558 and '349 Capos, for example, the Capo can easily turn with respect to the instrument neck and/or jam. During a performance, artists should not be distracted by the necessity of using care when moving a Capo. Additionally, prior art Capos intended to be used with curved fingerboards, e.g., the '558 patent, have a roller which is of non-uniform diameter, giving an unsightly appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invented Capo slides along the neck of the instrument, guided by a track, preferably comprised of a channel or shoulder on either side of the neck. A substantially rigid cross beam spans the fingerboard laterally, carrying a pair of elongated flanges which ride in the track. By elongated is meant relatively long in the lengthwise direction of the neck. I have found that a flange length of about one half of the width of the root of the track is adequate to prevent jamming of the Capo, and to keep the Capo aligned substantially parallel to the frets.
A shaft carrying a cylindrical rubber roller also spans the fingerboard, running in a pair of bearings in the cross beam. The position of the bearings normal to the fingerboard is adjustable, enabling the roller pressure against the strings to be set. When used in connection with a curved fingerboard, the shaft is flexible so that it can bend, permitting a cylindrical roller to be used. Hourglass shaped rollers used in the prior art are more difficult to fabricate than are cylindrical rollers, and are less cosmetically pleasing.
A SUPPORT FOR DEFINING AN END POINT OF THE VIBRATING PORTION OF THE STRINGS OF A STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to a support for defining an end point of the vibrating portion of the strings of a stringed musical instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many present day guitars and similar stringed instruments are equipped with a tremolo. The musician, by manual manipulation of the tremolo, can control the pitch of the instrument. However, difficulties have been encountered in the past in controlling the pitch of the strings both during and after tremolo operation.
By actuating a tremolo lever, the strings of a guitar slide over the bridge and nut of the guitar. When the tremolo lever is released, the strings slide back toward their original positions. However, due to friction, the strings do not completely return to their original positions relative to the bridge and nut.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for allowing the strings to return to their original position relative to the bridge and nut after the tremelo has been actuated and released.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for allowing the strings to return to their original position which exhibits low friction.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may %t realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a support for defining an end point of the vibrating portion of the strings of a stringed musical instrument. The support comprises a base having a slot with walls which converge to an apex line. The support further comprises at least one rocker having walls which converge to a knife edge complementary to the apex line, where the angle between the walls of the base is larger than the angle between the walls of the rocker to allow the rocker to rock in the slot while the knife edge engages the apex line. The rocker has contacting means for contacting at least one string and moving with the string in a direction along the length of the string while maintaining the end point of the vibrating portion of the string at a- constant position relative to the base in the direction along the length of the string.
Arm Chair, by Ned Steinberger
NS Design
Gibson Web
Online Catalog
Wikipedia
Steinberger World
Ed Roman
Recensione basso: NS Design CR5 Radius | ZioMusic.it
Coming Next Week to Prepared Guitar
The Steinberger Story
NS Design
Gibson Web
Online Catalog
Wikipedia
Steinberger World
Ed Roman
Recensione basso: NS Design CR5 Radius | ZioMusic.it
Coming Next Week to Prepared Guitar
The Steinberger Story