Modular Stringed Instrument
OwnerStephen Monte Klutheinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular stringed instrument such as a guitar having a plurality of removable parts. In various embodiment, the neck, body, pickups, and bridge may be quickly and easily removed and replaced. This enables the guitar to be customized for a variety of musical sounds effects styles and tastes. In one embodiment, pickups are mounted in a pickup carriage that is easily slid off the guitar body without the necessity of removing the strings. In another embodiment the neck and bridge may be removed without the use of tools. The modular stringed instrument guitar may be constructed using a 3D printer and may be of constructed to be an electric or an acoustic stringed instrument.
Claims12
A modular stringed musical instrument comprising:
- center body having front face with at least one pickup cavity disposed therein;
- a bridge attached to the center body;
- neck connected at a first end to the center body and having a head at a second end;
- a plurality of strings, each string being attached to the head at one end to the bridge at the other end;
- and
- an electronic pickup carriage removably attached to the body unit and configured to fit into the pickup cavity, wherein the body unit face is configured to enable the pickup unit to slide laterally in a motion parallel to the body unit front face when removing the electronic pickup unit from the body unit.
A modular stringed musical instrument comprising:
- center body having front face with at least one pickup cavity disposed therein;
- a bridge attached to the center body;
- neck connected at a first end to the center body and having a head at a second end;
- a plurality of strings, each string being attached to the head at one end to the bridge at the other end;
- a bridge mount removably attached to the center body, wherein and the bridge is attached to the bridge mount using fasteners;
- an angled appendage protruding from the center body where it meets the bridge mount;
- the bridge mount having an angled cavity configured to receive the angled appendage in the center body, wherein the tension of the strings pulls the bridge mount to the center body such that when the strings are loosened, the bridge mount can be removed, whereby fasteners attaching the bridge mount to the center body are not necessary.
A method of reconfiguring a stringed instrument comprising:
- removing a body side of the stringed instrument by sliding it in a motion parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stringed instrument to separate it from a center body of the stringed instrument;
- removing a pickup carriage containing a first electronic pickup from the stringed instrument by sliding the pickup carriage in a motion perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stringed instrument to disengage it from a center body of the stringed instrument;
- and
- installing a pickup carriage having a second electronic pickup by sliding the pickup carriage in a motion perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stringed instrument causing it to engage with a portion of the center body of the stringed instrument.
A method of reconfiguring a stringed instrument comprising:
- loosening the strings of the stringed instrument;
- lifting a bridge mount away from a center body of the stringed instrument to disengage the bridge mount from the center body;
- replacing the bridge in the bridge mount with a different bridge;
- installing the bridge mount by pushing it downward and causing it to reengage with the center body of the stringed instrument;
- and
- retightening the strings.
A method of reconfiguring a stringed instrument comprising:
- loosening the strings of the stringed instrument;
- lifting a neck of the stringed instrument to rotate it in its engagement with a center body of the stringed instrument and lifting it out of an opening in the center body causing the neck to disengage with the center body;
- installing the strings on a new neck;
- installing the new neck by inserting one end of the neck into the opening in the center boy and rotating the neck to fully engage with the center body;
- and
- retightening the strings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.