Musical instrument bridge2010-03-09 00:00:00of the finger, wherein the groove of a first finger of the several fingers has a length that is different than a length of the groove of a second finger of the several fingers.
46. The musical instrument bridge of claim 45, wherein each of the first and second fingers has a resonant frequency, the resonant frequency of the first finger being different than the resonant frequency of the second finger.
47. The musical instrument bridge of claim 45, further comprising a mounting block disposed between the plate and the fingers.
48. The musical instrument bridge of claim 47, wherein the mounting block and the base portion of each of the fingers have respective interfitting portions including a groove and an outwardly extending lip received in the groove.
49. The musical instrument bridge of claim 47, wherein the mounting block includes a plurality of slots into which each of the fingers is secured.
50. The musical instrument bridge of claim 47, wherein each of the fingers is secured to the mounting block independently of any other of the fingers.Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to musical instruments in general, and in particular to musical instrument bridges.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, significant improvements have been made in the quality of musical instruments, particularly electric instruments such as electric guitars and electric bass guitars. However, the majority of the improvements that have occurred in such instruments are due to improvements made in the electronic components used with such instruments. These electronic components include pickups, amplifiers and special effects. One component of a musical instrument that has remained virtually unchanged since the first electric instruments were introduced is the instrument bridge.
A bridge on a musical instrument is designed to support a set of strings at a predetermined distance above the instrument's
fretboard. It has been discovered that prior art bridges are the source of, or at least contribute to, three errors in the production of sound from an instrument. The first error is interstring modulation, whereby striking one string causes another string on the instrument to vibrate. If the pitch of the vibrating strings are not harmonically related, such interstring modulation can produce unclear, distorted sounds. The second problem associated with traditional instrument bridges is the fact that they dampen a string's vibration once it is played. This is particularly true of tremolo-type bridges that are coupled to the body of a musical instrument via one or more springs. These springs dissipate a portion of the energy of a plucked string, thereby reducing the sustain of a note played. The third problem contributed by prior art bridge designs is the signal distortion that occurs after the string is struck. When a string is initially struck, the string moves back and forth in a plane that is substantially parallel to the front face of a musical instrument and perpendicular to a magnetic field produced by an instrument pickup. This parallel movement produces the cleanest sound with the fewest undertones and overtones. However, shortly after the string is struck, the plane in which the string is vibrating begins to rotate in an elliptical fashion. As the plane of the string vibration changes, the signal produced by the pickup begins to sound slightly distorted.
In order to solve the problems associated with prior art bridge designs, there is a need for a musical instrument bridge that reduces interstring modulation, does not excessively dampen a string's vibration and confines a string's vibration to a single plane that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of a magnetic field produced by a pickup.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a musical instrument bridge that supports a set of strings at a predetermined distance above a front face of a musical instrument. Each string supported by the bridge is tuned to a predetermined pitch when the musical instrument is played. The bridge includes a plate that is secured to a rear face of a musical instrument and a plurality of fingers that are secured to the plate and extend toward a front face of the musical instrument. Each of the fingers includes a head portion that supports a string at the predetermined distance above the front face of the musical instrument, a base portion at which the finger is secured to the plate and a waist portion that extends between the base portion and the head portion. Each finger has a resonant frequency that is related to the predetermined pitch of the string supported by the finger.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary isometric of an electric guitar with pans broken away for illustration of the musical instrument bridge according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an isometric of the musical instrument bridge according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an isometric of a musical instrument bridge according to the present invention,...
Stringed musical instrument neck assemblies2010-02-04 00:00:00is claimed is:
1. A
fretboard for a stringed musical instrument, the
fretboard comprising: an elongated body sized and shaped for placement on an instrument neck of a stringed musicalinstrument, the
fretboard having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface having a plurality of openings with wells extending therefrom toward but not through the top surface; multiple transverse channels disposed along the top surface ofthe
fretboard and extending into the
fretboard; inserts positioned in the channels; and frets positioned in the inserts.
2. The
fretboard of claim 1, wherein the inserts have a slot for received the frets.
3. The
fretboard of claim 1, wherein the inserts are formed of a compressible material.
4. The
fretboard of claim 1, wherein the inserts have a width that is greater than the width of the channels prior to placing the inserts into the channels.
5. The
fretboard of claim 1, wherein the inserts, with the frets positioned therein, have a width that is greater than the width of the channels prior to placing the inserts into the channels.
6. The
fretboard of claim 5, wherein the inserts are constructed of an elastic material.
7. The
fretboard of claim 1, wherein the inserts are constructed of wood.
8. The
fretboard of claim 1, wherein the fret comprises a head portion and an anchor portion, the anchor portion being disposed within the insert.
9. The
fretboard of claim 8, wherein the anchor portion has locking fins.
10. The
fretboard of claim 1, wherein each of the channels extend substantially perpendicular to elongated sides of the
fretboard, each channel disposed along the top surface of the
fretboard according to the finger positions on which thestrings of the musical instrument can be engaged by the player.
11. An acoustical stringed instrument comprising: an acoustical instrument body, the body having an open interior defined by a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sidewall, the sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface, a portionof the outer surface of the sidewall defining a recessed area; a mounting block having a shape corresponding to at least a portion of the recessed area and coupled to the recessed area, the mounting block having a top surface adapted to receive aportion of a bottom surface of an instrument neck having a light-system, the light-system having a wire coupled thereto; and an aperture extending through the recessed area of the sidewall of the body, the aperture sized and shaped to provide passage ofthe wire of the light-system into the interior of the body, the aperture positioned such that it is concealed when the stringed instrument is assembled.
12. The stringed instrument of claim 11, further comprising: a fingerboard having an elongated body and disposed on the instrument neck, the fingerboard having a bottom surface having a plurality of openings with wells extending from theopenings toward but not through the top surface; and the light-system having a plurality of light elements, each light element capable of producing illumination when energized by the light-system.
13. The stringed instrument of claim 11, wherein the mounting block further comprises one or more bores extending from a bottom surface through the top surface, each bore sized to receive a mounting anchor.
14. The stringed instrument of claim 11, wherein the instrument neck is adapted to receive the mounting anchors and be secured to the mounting block.
15. The stringed instrument of claim 11, further comprising a substantially rigid mounting plate disposed on the bottom surface of the mounting block, the mounting plate having holes disposed therethrough and arranged according to the boresextending through the mounting block, the mounting plate receiving the mounting anchors.
16. The stringed instrument of claim 15, further comprising: a reinforcement block disposed in the interior of the acoustic body, the reinforcement block having shape corresponding to at least a portion of the interior surface of the sidewalland disposed opposite the mounting block.
17. The stringed instrument of claim 16, wherein the reinforcement block has an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture adapted to receive the wire of the light-system.
18. An acoustical stringed instrument comprising: an acoustical instrument body, the body having an open interior defined by a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sidewall, the sidewall having an inner surface and an out surface, a portion ofthe outer surface of the sid...
