Fingerboard Support for Stringed Instrument Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional guitar binding materials, especially metallic ones, are prone to bending, kinking, and breaking when applied to the neck, and are difficult to adhere to wood, making it challenging to use them effectively and aesthetically.
Innovation Solution
A fingerboard support system that includes a support surface contacting the underside of the fingerboard and raised sides covering its lateral side, allowing for the use of materials like aluminum, which can be machined into a rigid structure, and is easier to install and provides decorative edging, with optional removability for interchangeable tonal and aesthetic variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional binding materials are used on the neck, then they are easy to apply, but they are prone to bending, kinking, and breaking and are difficult to adhere to wood
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and form of the binding material from flexible strips to rigid machined components. The aluminum or other rigid material is machined into a fingerboard support with integrated binding features, transforming it from a soft, flexible material to a rigid structural component that resists bending and breaking while maintaining ease of installation through machining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction by combining rigid aluminum or other difficult-to-apply materials with wood in a fingerboard support assembly. The rigid material provides durability and resistance to bending, while the wooden neck base provides structural support and acoustic properties, creating a composite structure that overcomes the limitations of traditional single-material binding.
2Reliability
If rigid materials like aluminum are used for binding, then durability and tonal qualities improve, but they are difficult to apply and adhere to wood
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the binding system into a separate fingerboard support component that is machined from rigid material and then attached to the neck base. This segmentation allows the rigid material to be pre-machined with precise fitment features before installation, making the application process easier while maintaining the durability and tonal benefits of rigid materials like aluminum.
Solution Approach 2:
The fingerboard support acts as an intermediary component between the rigid aluminum binding material and the wooden neck base. It provides a machined interface with adhesive surfaces that facilitate easy attachment to the wood, while the rigid aluminum portions provide the desired durability and tonal qualities, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements.
3Reliability
If a fingerboard support structure is added, then material durability and tonal qualities improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the binding material, fingerboard support structure, and edging features into a single integrated fingerboard support component. This consolidation provides durability and tonal benefits while actually reducing overall complexity compared to separate binding strips, adhesive layers, and edging components that would otherwise be needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The fingerboard support serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for the fingerboard, acts as the binding material, provides decorative edging, and contributes to tonal qualities. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby maintaining simplicity while achieving durability and aesthetic goals.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are disclosed that relate a stringed instrument having a fingerboard support disposed between a fingerboard and a neck base. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises a body, and a neck structure extending from the body, the neck structure comprising a neck base, a fingerboard support coupled with the neck base, and a fingerboard coupled with the fingerboard support, wherein the fingerboard support comprises a support surface configured to contact an underside of the fingerboard and a raised side that at least partially covers a lateral side of the fingerboard.