Guitar

Abstract

A guitar is provided that includes a body having a bottom plate, side plates, a top plate, and a cavity formed inside the body, and a bridge support formed within the cavity, a neck extending from the body, a bridge attached to the top plate by at least two anchor bolts that extend through the top plate and are secured within the bridge support by a threaded connection between an outer surface of the bolts and an inner surface of the bridge support, and a receiver disposed between each anchor bolt and the inner surface of the bridge support, the receiver having an inner thread for threaded connection with the anchor bolt and an outer thread for threaded connection with the bridge support. Aspects of sound produced by the instrument are thereby tuned by means of varying tension in the top plate of the guitar.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on October 9, 2018, with application number 201880073248.7 (PCT / US2018 / 055044) and entitled "Guitar". Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments described herein generally relate to guitars. More specifically, the invention relates to guitars in which aspects of the sound produced by the instrument are tuned by means of varying tension in the guitar's soundboard. In one embodiment, this variation is caused by generating tension in the guitar soundboard and then providing a varying amount of thickness of the guitar soundboard with a correspondingly varying stiffness. In another aspect, the invention relates to means and methods for anchoring the bridge of a guitar to the guitar body. In yet another aspect, the invention relates to an adjustment device for adjusting the position of the saddle portion of the guitar bridge relative to the bridge itself. Background Technology

[0003] The soundboard of an electric or acoustic guitar is primarily responsible for the tone produced by plucking the strings. The action that makes the strings vibrate depends heavily on the structure that anchors and tensions the strings. The more rigid the structure is made, the more it resists vibrations. A vibration-resistant structure absorbs almost no energy from the string, allowing the string to vibrate for a longer period. This characteristic of a rigid support structure and the corresponding longer sustained string vibration is reflected in the instrument's long, sustained musical tone; this characteristic is beneficial to musicians playing such instruments.

[0004] The disadvantage of rigid support structures is that the restriction imposed on vibrations directly affects structural resonance and the ability to convert string vibrations into audible volume. Volume is measured by the amplitude of the vibrations. Volume is essential for musical instruments to amplify string vibrations, even in the case of electric guitars where the volume produced by the guitar is electrically amplified. The more flexible the support structure of an instrument, the higher the amplitude or potential volume of the resulting musical tone.

[0005] There is a direct contradiction between two considerations in the structure supporting the string: the rigidity required for sustained vibration over a long period and the flexibility required to produce an audible volume in the form of vibration amplitude. Musical instruments are typically constructed in an attempt to balance rigidity and flexibility so that they possess both continuity and volume.

[0006] In the case of acoustic guitars, soundbars are used on the underside of the guitar top to increase rigidity in certain areas. Because electric guitars have less internal space within the body, structural support on the underside of the guitar top is not suitable. What is needed is a method to tune the sound of the electric guitar by creating tension in predetermined areas of the top. Additionally, there is a need for a more efficient and simpler way to attach components to the electric guitar top, including the bridge assembly, to anchor the strings to the body, and to allow easy adjustment of the saddle portion of the bridge assembly to change the length of the suspended and allowed-to-vibrate strings. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, a guitar is provided having a body, a neck, a bridge, and a receiving member. The body has a backplate, sideplates, a top plate, and a chamber formed inside the body, and a bridge support formed inside the chamber. The neck extends from the body. The bridge is attached to the top plate by at least two anchor bolts, the anchor bolts extending through the top plate and fixed within the bridge support by a threaded connection between the outer surface of the bolt and the inner surface of the bridge support. The receiving member is disposed between each anchor bolt and the inner surface of the bridge support, the receiving member having an internal thread for threaded connection with the anchor bolt and an external thread for threaded connection with the bridge support.

[0008] In some implementations, the receiving element is a metal insert.

[0009] In some embodiments, the anchor bolts of the bridge support are made of a first material, and the rest of the bridge support is made of a second material that is softer than the first material.

[0010] In some implementations, the receiving element comprises metal steel, stainless steel, brass, or aluminum.

[0011] In some implementations, the first material includes hard maple, rosewood, or ebony.

[0012] In some embodiments, the second material includes mahogany, alder, ash, or spruce.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first material and the second material are joined by an adhesive.

[0014] In some embodiments, the guitar also includes an adjusting nut disposed between the lower surface of the bridge and the receiving element.

[0015] In some implementations, the adjusting nut is configured to adjust the bridge in directions toward and away from the panel.

[0016] According to another aspect of the invention, a guitar is provided, the guitar having a body, a neck, a bridge assembly, and a receiving member, the body having a backplate, sides, a top plate, a chamber formed inside the body, and a bridge support formed inside the chamber; the neck extending from the body and having a headstock at its end; and the bridge assembly being attached to the top plate by at least two anchor bolts, the bridge assembly including a bridge, a saddle member disposed on the bridge, the saddle member being independently adjustable relative to the bridge in directions toward and away from the headstock, the saddle member contacting all of a plurality of strings; the receiving member being disposed between each anchor bolt and an inner surface of the bridge support member, the receiving member having an internal thread for threaded connection with the anchor bolt and an external thread for threaded connection with the bridge support member.

[0017] In some implementations, the bridge assembly can be adjusted in the direction toward and away from the panel.

[0018] In some embodiments, the saddle includes two adjustment slots, and the bridge has two threaded adjustment members arranged in the slots in a manner that allows the position of the saddle to be determined by the position of each adjustment member in its respective slot.

[0019] In some embodiments, the adjusting slots have both an open end and a closed end.

[0020] In some implementations, the notch and adjustment mechanism allow each end of the saddle-shaped member to be adjusted independently relative to the bridge.

[0021] In some embodiments, the bridge support is made of a first material and a second material that is softer than the first material. The first material may include hard maple, rosewood, or ebony. The second material may include mahogany, alder, ash, or spruce.

[0022] In some embodiments, the guitar also includes an adjusting nut disposed between the lower surface of the bridge and the receiving member, the adjusting nut being configured to adjust the bridge assembly in directions toward and away from the panel. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To better understand the foregoing features of this disclosure, a more detailed description of the disclosure, which has been briefly outlined above, can be provided by referring to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings only show typical embodiments of this disclosure and should therefore not be considered as limiting the scope of this disclosure, as other equivalent embodiments are permissible.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a top view of an electric guitar that includes some aspects of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 It is a 3D diagram of the guitar body and its separate soundboard.

[0026] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A top view of the guitar body.

[0027] Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are the side view and end view of the guitar body and soundboard, respectively.

[0028] Figure 6 and Figure 7 yes Figure 4 and Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the guitar body and soundboard.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional end view of the guitar top after it has been mounted on the guitar body.

[0030] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 The cross-sectional end view shows the removal of material from the outer periphery of the panel, and also shows the bridge assembly anchored to the bridge support formed in the guitar body.

[0031] Figure 10 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the deformation of the guitar soundboard.

[0032] Figure 11 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the guitar body and top, showing the bridge section of the bridge assembly, which is anchored to the bridge support by anchor bolts.

[0033] Figure 12 It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the guitar body and top, and shows the material of the individual piece used in the bridge support to receive the anchor bolts.

[0034] Figure 13 This is a top view of the bridge assembly of a guitar, showing the adjustment mechanism for the saddle section.

[0035] Figure 14 yes Figure 13 The top view shows the saddle-shaped piece being adjusted to different positions relative to the bridge. Detailed Implementation

[0036] This invention relates to guitar components, including a guitar top, a guitar bridge assembly, and its adjusters. More specifically, this invention relates to a novel method of tuning an electric guitar by varying the thickness of the guitar top in predetermined areas to affect the stiffness in those areas. Additionally, other embodiments relate to novel methods of anchoring the bridge assembly and provide a more efficient way to adjust the saddle-shaped member of the bridge. Although the figures and description of the preferred embodiments relate to an electric guitar, it will be understood that aspects of the invention can have equivalent value when used with an acoustic guitar or any other stringed instrument using a top that enhances tone quality.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a top view of an electric guitar 100, incorporating some aspects of the present invention. The guitar includes a body 110 having a top panel 115, a neck 120 attached to the body at one end, and a headstock 125 formed at the opposite end of the neck. Strings (typically six) 130 extend the length of the guitar from a bridge 135 located on the top panel 115 to a tuning pin 140 located on the headstock. The strings are suspended between a nut 145 at the end of the headstock and a saddle 150 located on the bridge 135 at the opposite end. Frets 155 are provided along the length of the neck 120, allowing any or all of the vibrating length of the strings 130 to be substantially shortened to change their pitch. Because the guitar is an electric guitar, it includes pickups 160 and tone and volume controls 165.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the guitar body 110, with the top panel 115 removed. In the example shown, the guitar is depicted as a partially solid guitar having a chamber 170 formed inside the body and a bridge support 175 that partially fills the chamber. The top panel 115, which may be made of different materials such as similar woods, is typically attached to the upper edge 180 of the body 110 at its lower edge 185 by adhesive (not shown). Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are side and end views of the guitar body 110 and the top panel 115, respectively. In each figure, the bridge support 175, the upper surface and lower edge 185 of the top panel, and the upper edge 180 of the body 110 that receives the lower edge 185 can be seen.

[0039] Figure 6 and Figure 7 From Figure 3 The 6-6 and 7-7 segments Figure 4 and Figure 5The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the guitar body 110 and top panel 115, and also illustrates the bridge support 175 and the various surfaces of each part. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper edge 180 and the upper surface of the bridge support 175 form a convex profile, which will form a corresponding concave shape on the underside of the top panel 115 when it is mounted on the guitar body. In each view, the presence of the convex profile of the body ensures that the top panel will have a generally dome-shaped shape when mounted on the guitar body.

[0040] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional view taken perpendicular to the direction of the guitar string 130 (not shown), and Figure 8 The guitar top 115 is shown after it has been attached to the body 110 along the upper edge 180 and lower edge 185 of the body. As shown, the upper surface of the top 115 has been forced into a convex profile 200 corresponding to the convex profile of the upper surface of the body 110 and the bridge support 175, and the upper surface of the top 115 is typically attached to the corresponding upper edge 180 of the body at each end using an adhesive designed for wood. In one example, the top is clamped in its dome-shaped position when dry. In addition to the convex profile 200 of the attached top, the original profile 201 is shown in dashed lines.

[0041] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 The cross-sectional view shows, in addition to the original profile 201 of the panel and the attached convex profile 200 shown in dashed lines, a profile 210 showing the reduced thickness of the panel in the area attached to the body 110 after the material has been removed from the outer periphery of the panel 115. The main reason for removing the material is to reduce the tension generated in the panel when it is bent into a dome shape. Figure 9 It also shows Figure 1 The bridge 135 is visible in the diagram, and the bridge 135 is used to anchor the strings to the body of the guitar. The bridge 300 in the illustrated embodiment is an assembly including a bridge section, an adjustable saddle 310 attached to the bridge by an adjusting screw 320, and anchoring bolts 330 for anchoring the bridge to a bridge support 175 formed in the body of the guitar. In practice, the bridge 300 is typically installed and anchored to the bridge support 175 after the top panel 115 is mounted on the guitar body 110.

[0042] Figure 10 This is a more detailed enlarged cross-sectional view showing the deformation of the guitar panel 115 caused by stress in the panel 115 due to the forced compression of the panel 115 into a dome shape and the reduction in thickness in the area attached to the body 110. In the example, the profile 210 after material removal includes a portion that is deflected upwards due to its reduced thickness. The original undeflected portion is shown as dashed line 210a.

[0043] Once the panel is installed and the material is removed, the panel will experience tension or stress on its upper surface and compression or strain on its lower surface. Because the panel is not “bent” along a single axis but rather “bent” into a multi-axis dome shape, these stresses are amplified many times over, resulting in a degree of tension running through the panel.

[0044] In one embodiment, the panel is bent into a dome shape using a convex profile formed by the upper edge 180 of the body 110 and the upper surface of the bridge support 175, and then glued in place. Once the glue dries, the periphery of the panel thins, typically in the area attached to the body. The material can be removed by sanding or, in a preferred embodiment, by milling and cutting followed by sanding. In another embodiment, the material is removed by hand sanding. In the embodiments shown and discussed, the original panel 115 is essentially a planar member with a uniform thickness. However, it will be understood that the panel may initially be slightly dome-shaped, and this initial shape can be further enhanced, as described herein, by mounting the panel along the upper surface of the panel to the body with the convex profile. Similarly, the panel 115 may initially have a varying thickness, and then, after mounting to the body, the thickness of the panel 115 may be further reduced around its periphery. Additionally, a preferred embodiment uses a bridge support 175 formed in the chamber 170 of the guitar body 110, which facilitates bending of the top panel during installation. The invention can be practiced without the bridge support serving as a guide for bending the top panel. Furthermore, although the top panel 115 is described as having a dome shape after installation, it will be understood that, due to varying lengths and widths of the guitar body, the dome-shaped top panel may not be spherical, but will typically be slightly elongated in a direction parallel to the string extension.

[0045] Figure 11This is a cross-sectional view of the guitar body and top, showing the bridge 300 anchored to the bridge support 175 by one of two anchor bolts 330. In the illustrated embodiment, each bolt 330 is held by a receiver 335, which is an insert having threads formed on its inner diameter 336 and outer diameter 338. The receiver 335 is typically made of metallic steel, stainless steel, brass, or possibly aluminum, as these materials resist deformation under stress applied to them from the string tension on the bridge 300, which is transmitted to the anchor bolt 330. In one example, the receiver 335 is threaded into pre-tapped female threads 340 in the guitar top 115 and the bridge support 175. Subsequently, with the receiver in place, the anchor bolt 330 is threaded in. An adjusting nut 342 located between the upper portion of the receiver and the lower surface of the bridge 300 allows the user to adjust the relative height of the bridge and the saddle member 310 on the bridge relative to the guitar top 115. In prior art arrangements, anchor bolts and any receiver-type devices are unthreaded. Specifically, outwardly extending longitudinal ridges or slots extending the length of the receiver are used to anchor the receiver in the bridge support after the receiver is axially driven. This arrangement typically causes the bolts to tilt forward over time due to the force of the tensioned strings pressing the bolts along the headstock direction. The novel embodiment disclosed herein, due to its use of threaded engagement between the insert and the materials of the top and bridge support, results in a more robust and durable assembly less likely to fail over time.

[0046] Figure 12 It is similar Figure 11 A cross-sectional view of the guitar body and top. However, in Figure 12 In this embodiment, a separate and distinct anchoring material 176 is used in the bridge support 175 to receive the anchor bolts 330. Separating the anchoring material from the rest of the bridge support allows for selection of the anchoring material based on its strength and allows the rest of the support to be made of a different, more sonically desirable material. In one embodiment, a cavity is formed in the bridge support 175, and the material 176 for receiving the anchor bolts is inserted and glued in place before the top plate 115 is mounted on the guitar body. For example, the material 176 for receiving the bolts could be hard maple, rosewood, or ebony, chosen for their relative hardness, while the material of the main bridge support 175 could be softer and lighter wood such as mahogany, alder, ash, or spruce.

[0047] Figure 13 and Figure 14 This is a top view of a portion of the guitar 100, showing the bridge assembly and pickup 160. The view shows... Figures 10 to 12Some of the same components of the bridge assembly are visible in the figures. In particular, the figures illustrate a novel arrangement for adjusting the position of the saddle member 310 relative to the guitar top 115. As explained herein, the length of the guitar string allowed to vibrate and produce sound is the portion between the nut, suspended at the headstock end of the guitar, and the saddle member at the bridge end. In one prior art arrangement, the guitar saddle member is adjusted by adjusting the bridge on which the saddle member is mounted. In another prior art arrangement, the saddle member can be adjusted individually, but only by removing the entire bridge assembly to access certain fasteners. In the illustrated embodiment, the saddle member 310 is adjustablely mounted on the bridge 300 by adjusting screws 320, each adjusting screw of which is mounted in a slot 355 formed at each end of the saddle member 310. The screws and slots are constructed and arranged to allow adjustment of the saddle member toward and away from the headstock of the guitar, thereby increasing or decreasing the length of the string supported between the saddle member and the nut and allowed to vibrate when plucked. In each case, the saddle adjustment can be completed without affecting the position of the bridge.

[0048] For example, in Figure 13 In this configuration, screws 320 are all seated at the closed ends of their respective slots 355, resulting in a relatively short length of string available for vibration. Figure 14 This illustrates one possible adjustment of the saddle-shaped member 310 relative to the bridge 300. In this example, the left side of the saddle-shaped member 310 is held in its original position within the slot 355 of the saddle-shaped member 310, while the adjusting screw on the right side of the saddle-shaped member has been loosened, and the right side of the saddle-shaped member is rotated substantially clockwise and then retightened, thereby changing the position of the right side of the saddle-shaped member and creating a distance 351 and an angle 352 between the right and left sides of the saddle-shaped member. Figure 14 The arrangement results in a larger diameter and longer length of string that can be used for vibration compared to a smaller diameter string. Although the slot 355 is shown in the figures as having an open end and a closed end, the open end is not necessary because the closed slot still allows the desired movement of the saddle and screw 320 within the slot 355.

[0049] While the foregoing relates to embodiments of this disclosure, other and additional embodiments of this disclosure may be contemplated without departing from the basic scope of this disclosure, and the scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A guitar, said guitar comprising: The body of the instrument has a base plate, side plates, a top plate, a cavity formed inside the body, and a bridge support formed inside the cavity; A neck that extends from the body of the instrument; A bridge, which is attached to the panel by at least two anchor bolts, the anchor bolts extending through the panel and secured within the bridge support by a threaded connection between the outer surface of the bolt and the inner surface of the bridge support; as well as A receiving element is disposed between each anchor bolt and the inner surface of the bridge support, the receiving element having an internal thread for threaded connection with the anchor bolt and an external thread for threaded connection with the bridge support.

2. The guitar according to claim 1, wherein, The receiving element is a metal insert.

3. The guitar according to claim 1, wherein, The anchor bolts for anchoring the bridge support are made of a first material, and the rest of the bridge support is made of a second material that is softer than the first material.

4. The guitar according to claim 2, wherein, The receiving component comprises steel, stainless steel, brass, or aluminum.

5. The guitar according to claim 3, wherein, The first material includes hard maple, rosewood, or ebony.

6. The guitar according to claim 3, wherein, The second material includes mahogany, alder, ash, or spruce.

7. The guitar according to claim 3, wherein, The first material and the second material are bonded together by an adhesive.

8. The guitar of claim 1, further comprising an adjusting nut disposed between the receiving member and the lower surface of the bridge.

9. The guitar according to claim 8, wherein, The adjusting nut is configured to adjust the bridge in directions toward and away from the panel.

10. A guitar, said guitar comprising: The body of the instrument has a base plate, side plates, a top plate, a cavity formed inside the body, and a bridge support formed inside the cavity; A neck that extends from the body of the instrument and has a headstock at one end; A bridge assembly attached to the panel by at least two anchor bolts, the bridge assembly including a bridge, a saddle member arranged on the bridge, the saddle member being independently adjustable relative to the bridge in directions toward and away from the headstock, the saddle member contacting all of the multiple strings; as well as A receiving element is disposed between each anchor bolt and the inner surface of the bridge support, the receiving element having an internal thread for threaded connection with the anchor bolt and an external thread for threaded connection with the bridge support.

11. The guitar according to claim 10, wherein, The bridge assembly is adjustable in both directions toward and away from the panel.

12. The guitar according to claim 10, wherein, The receiving element is a metal insert comprising steel, stainless steel, brass, or aluminum.

13. The guitar according to claim 10, wherein, The saddle-shaped component includes two adjustment slots, and the bridge has two threaded adjustment members arranged in the slots such that the position of the saddle-shaped component can be determined by the position of each adjustment member in its respective slot.

14. The guitar according to claim 13, wherein, The adjustment slots all have open ends and closed ends.

15. The guitar according to claim 13, wherein, The notch and the adjusting member allow each end of the saddle-shaped member to be adjusted independently relative to the bridge.

16. The guitar according to claim 10, wherein, The bridge support is made of a first material and a second material that is softer than the first material.

17. The guitar according to claim 16, wherein, The first material includes hard maple, rosewood, or ebony.

18. The guitar according to claim 16, wherein, The second material includes mahogany, alder, ash, or spruce.

19. The guitar of claim 10, further comprising an adjusting nut disposed between the receiving member and the lower surface of the bridge, the adjusting nut being configured to adjust the bridge assembly in directions toward and away from the panel.

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