US4236433A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric string instrument
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-04-02
•
Granted: 1980-12-02
•
Expires: 1999-04-02
Abstract
Abstract The guitar has a novel feedback arrangement for sustaining the sound generated from the strings and including a pickup associated with each string and a corresponding driver intercoupled with the pickup in a feedback loop that also includes a gain-controlled amplifier. The amplifiers are controlled in common from a variable control means. The pickups, drivers and associated electronics are all commonly mounted from the bridge. In an alternate embodiment of the invention there is provided an improved sustain technique that provides a more natural sustain characteristic, employing a parametric type of excitation. This embodiment may comprise a pickup, amplifier and tensioning member responsive to the output of the amplifier for sustaining string vibration by causing longitudinal string displacement by means of the tensioning member. In a similar embodiment the string tension may be held constant and the string length varied instead.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen Holland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:57
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H3/00; G10H3/12; G10H3/24; G10H3/26; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A stringed musical instrument comprising; a body having a neck, a plurality of strings, means mounting the strings to the body at the neck to thus support one end of each string, a pickup means associated with a string for receiving a signal proportional to the vibration of the string, amplifier means receiving said signal, driver means also associated with the string and driven from said amplifier means for causing a sustaining vibration of the string, common support means for the pickup means, amplifier means and driver means and including means defining a anchor means for the opposite ends of the strings to maintain the strings in tension and means defining a bridge disposed spaced along the strings from the anchor means, and means securing the common support means from the instrument body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
A stringed musical instrument comprising; a body having a neck, a plurality of strings, means mounting the strings to the body at the neck to thus support one end of each string, a pickup means associated with a string for receiving a signal proportional to the vibration of the string, amplifier means receiving said signal, driver means also associated with the string and driven from said amplifier means for causing a sustaining vibration of the string, common support means for the pickup means, amplifier means and driver means and including means defining a anchor means for the opposite ends of the strings to maintain the strings in tension and means defining a bridge disposed spaced along the strings from the anchor means, and means securing the common support means from the instrument body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pickup means includes a pickup coil and said driver means includes a driving coil, said pickup and driving coils being supported adjacent to each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 2 including shield means about the driving coil.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a support housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means defining a bridge includes means for adjusting the longitudinal position along each string of the bridge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said amplifier means includes a gain-controlled amplifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 6 including a plurality of amplifiers, one associated with each string and common control means for coupling a common control signal to the amplifiers to control the gain thereof in a ganged fashion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
116 words
A stringed musical instrument comprising; a body having a neck, a plurality of strings, means mounting the strings to the body at the neck to thus support one end of each string, a pickup means associated with a string for receiving a signal proportional to the vibration of the string, amplifier means receiving said signal and providing an amplified control signal related in frequency to the string vibration frequency, means for supporting the opposite ends of the strings to maintain the strings at a quiescent tension, and string control means for providing a natural sustaining action responsive to said control signal for longitudinally displacing said string support means in phase with the detected string vibration signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
116 words
A stringed musical instrument comprising; a body having a neck, a plurality of strings, means mounting the strings to the body at the neck to thus support one end of each string, a pickup means associated with a string for receiving a signal proportional to the vibration of the string, amplifier means receiving said signal and providing an amplified control signal related in frequency to the string vibration frequency, means for supporting the opposite ends of the strings to maintain the strings at a quiescent tension, and string control means for providing a natural sustaining action responsive to said control signal for longitudinally displacing said string support means in phase with the detected string vibration signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 8 wherein the string control means includes tail piece means for holding an end of the string and causing longitudinal displacement of the string in accordance with the control signal from the amplifier means to vary both the length and tension of the string on an oscillating basis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 8 wherein the string control means includes a tail piece means for holding an end of the string and causing longitudinal displacement of the string in accordance with the control signal from the amplifier means and a fixed position bridge means, said longitudinal oscillation varying string tension with constant string length musically.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 8 wherein the string control means includes a fixed tail piece means for holding an end of the string and bridge means causing longitudinal displacement of the string in accordance with the control signal from the amplifier means to vary string length with constant string tension.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means defining a bridge includes separate block means, one associated with each string and each being individually adjustable.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 8 wherein said longitudinal displacement causes a slight oscillating variation in string length to sustain a natural string vibration in a plane parallel to the string and rotationally precessing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 8 wherein said longitudinal displacement causes a slight oscillating variation in string tension to sustain a natural string vibration in a plane parallel to the string and rotationally precessing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 8 wherein said string vibrations are manually induced.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-12-02 | 1984-06-02 | 1984-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-12-02 | 1988-06-02 | 1988-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-12-02 | 1992-06-02 | 1992-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |