Back to results
US 11,935,505 B2Granted
Stringed instrument resonance system
AssigneeFender Musical Instruments Corporation
InventorsTimothy P. Shaw, Joshua D. Hurst, Brian C. Swerdfeger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stringed instrument, such as a semi-acoustic electric guitar, can employ a resonance system that consists of a body having at least one internal cavity accessed by a soundhole continuously extending from a top cover. The soundhole may have a continuously curvilinear transition from the top cover and a length corresponding with an altered resonance frequency of the instrument body.
Claims20
A musical instrument, comprising:
- an instrument body including an internal cavity between a top cover and floor of the instrument body;
- a sound hole body including an opening to function as a sound hole for the musical instrument with a first curvilinear transition region formed as a curved surface extending from the top cover into the internal cavity;
- and
- a suspension structure in contact with the sound hole body and further extending from the sound hole body to the instrument body to suspend the sound hole body above the floor of the instrument body, wherein the suspension structure includes,
- (a) a first rail including a first end coupled to the instrument body and a second distal end contacting the floor of the instrument body with a portion of the first rail contacting a first side of the sound hole,
- (b) a second rail including a first end coupled to the instrument body and a second distal end contacting the floor of the instrument body with a portion of the second rail contacting a second side of the sound hole opposite the first side of the sound hole, and
- (c) a bridge support coupled between the first rail and second rail and suspended between the floor of the instrument body and the top cover of the instrument body outside a footprint of the sound hole body.
4 more elements
A musical instrument, comprising:
- an instrument body including an internal cavity;
- a sound hole body including an obstruction-free opening to function as a sound hole to produce an altered resonance frequency of the instrument body, wherein the obstruction-free opening extends as a curvilinear surface region extending in a continuous curve from a top cover of the instrument body into the internal cavity;
- and
- a suspension structure in contact with the sound hole body and extending to the instrument body to suspend the sound hole body above a floor of the instrument body, wherein the suspension structure includes,
- (a) a first rail extending from the instrument body to a floor of the instrument body with a portion of the first rail contacting the sound hole, and
- (b) a second rail extending from the instrument body to a floor of the instrument body with a portion of the second rail contacting the sound hole.
3 more elements
A method of making a musical instrument, comprising:
- providing an instrument body including an internal cavity between a top cover and floor;
- disposing a sound hole body including an obstruction-free opening to function as a sound hole to produce an altered resonance frequency of the instrument body, wherein the obstruction-free opening extends as a curvilinear surface region extending in a continuous curve from a top cover of the instrument body into the internal cavity;
- and
- providing a suspension structure in contact with the sound hole body and further extending from the sound hole body to the instrument body to suspend the sound hole body above the floor of the instrument body, wherein providing the suspension structure includes,
- (a) providing a first rail extending from the instrument body to a floor of the instrument body with a portion of the first rail contacting the sound hole, and
- (b) providing a second rail extending from the instrument body to a floor of the instrument body with a portion of the second rail contacting the sound hole.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.