Swappable Pre-Amplifier Modules for Custom Guitar Pickup Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stringed instruments are limited by fixed electronic pickup profiles, requiring professional installation and lacking flexibility for musicians to easily change or customize the audio signal processing characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A swappable and configurable pre-amplifier system with a universal wiring configuration and modular design, allowing musicians to quickly swap pre-amplifiers and customize audio settings using a 19-pin connector and digital signal processing, enabling various audio profiles and configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed electronic pickups are used in stringed instruments, then the instrument structure remains simple and stable, but the audio signal processing characteristics cannot be easily changed or customized
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the audio processing system into separable modules: fixed electronic pickups in the instrument body and swappable pre-amplifier modules. This segmentation allows the pickups to remain simple and stable while the pre-amplifiers provide customizable audio profiles through different modular units that can be easily exchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-amplifier modules are designed with universal interfaces (19-pin connectors) that can be used across different instrument models. These multi-functional modules can provide various audio processing characteristics including active/passive switching, EQ settings, and output configurations, allowing a single module design to serve multiple customization needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom pickup profiles are implemented, then audio signal processing flexibility is improved, but professional installation and technical intervention are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static, fixed pickup configuration to a dynamic system where pre-amplifier modules can be easily swapped by the user. The modular design with standardized connectors enables the musician to change audio profiles on-the-fly without requiring technical expertise or professional installation, making the system adaptable and user-friendly.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pickup sets are provided for different profiles, then audio customization options increase, but the instrument complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the audio processing functionality from the fixed pickup system and places it in separate, removable pre-amplifier modules. This extraction allows the instrument body to remain simple with basic pickups, while the customizable audio profiles are housed in external modules that can be swapped as needed, avoiding the complexity of integrating multiple pickup sets into the instrument structure.
4Ease of manufacture
If fixed electronic components are used in pickups, then manufacturing is simplified, but the detected signal characteristics cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-amplifier modules are pre-configured with different audio processing characteristics during manufacturing. This preliminary configuration allows the instrument pickups to remain simple and easy to manufacture, while the modular pre-amplifiers provide the necessary signal processing control. Each module is prepared in advance with specific EQ curves, active/passive settings, and output configurations, enabling customization without complicating the pickup manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A stringed instrument having a swappable and configurable pre-amplifier. pickups may detect vibrations in each string then transduce the vibration signal into an electrical signal. The electrical signal may be processed in differing manners including attenuation of amplitude, filtering across a frequency spectrum or otherwise altered according to one or more transfer functions embodied in a swappable and configurable pre-amplifier. In embodiments, this swappable pre-amplifier may be stored in a cavity that is accessible at the rear of the body of the stringed instrument. One may remove a first swappable pre-amplifier and connect a second swappable pre-amplifier. The pre-amplifiers may be electronically coupled to an audio output circuit of the musical instrument such that the electric signal from the pickups is altered according to the pre-amplifier profile.