Stringed musical instrument with visual images
AssigneeKorg/Fishpark Associates
InventorsLawrence R. Fishman, Kenneth Parker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light weight guitar construction and associated method of manufacture involves the use of a light weight wood core material having deposited thereover a strengthening layer preferably of carbon fiber and a fiberglass sheet layer both impregnated with a high temperature resin. Sandwiched between the strengthening layer and fiberglass layer is a means for displaying one or more visual images. A piezoelectric crystal transducer system is used individually with each string for sensing string vibrations. An improved fret board construction is employed. In one feature of the present invention each of the frets have coupled thereto circuit runs for signal coupling.
Claims27
A method of constructing a light-weight stringed musical instrument comprising the steps of, providing a wood instrument core that is for forming at least the body of the instrument;
- providing a laminate secured to the outer surface of said wood instrument core the laminate including, a strengthening layer, a finish layer, and a means for displaying one or more visual images;
- disposing said means for displaying one or more visual images between at least part of the strengthening layer and at least part of the finish layer;
- providing strings;
- and securing the strings to the instrument.
A method of constructing a light-weight stringed musical instrument comprising the steps of, providing a wood instrument core, said core having an outer surface and including at least a body of the instrument, providing a neck to said core, providing a strengthening layer to said body and neck, providing to the strengthening layer a means for displaying one or more visual images, providing a finish layer to said means for displaying one or more visual images, securing said strengthening layer, said means for displaying one or more visual images, and said finish layer as a laminate to the outer surface of said wood instrument core, providing a resin material to the laminate and applying heat while subjecting the instrument to vacuum by disposing the instrument in a vacuum bag to cure the layers and to form an outer surface of the instrument, providing strings, and securing the strings to the instrument, wherein the step of providing a finish layer includes providing a thin layer of a fiberglass sheet and the step of providing a strengthening layer includes providing a thin layer of carbon fiber.
A method of constructing a light-weight stringed musical instrument, comprising providing a soft wood instrument core having an outer surface and including at least a body of said instrument, providing a strengthening layer, providing to at least part of said strengthening layer a means for displaying one or more visual images, providing a finish layer to at least part of said means for displaying visual images, securing said strengthening layer, said display means and said finish layer as a laminate to the outer surface of said wood core, applying to said laminate a resin, applying heat and vacuum to cure said resin to form an outer surface of the instrument, providing strings and securing the strings to the instrument.
A method of constructing a light-weight stringed musical instrument comprising providing a wood instrument core having an outer surface and including a body and a neck of the instrument, providing a strengthening layer, a means for displaying one or more visual images, and a finish layer as a laminate to the outer surface of said wood core, impregnating said laminate with a high temperature resin, applying heat to cure said resin, subjecting the instrument to a vacuum while applying heat to secure the resin and secure said laminate to the instrument, providing strings and securing the strings to the instrument.
A light weight stringed musical instrument comprising, a wood instrument core that is for forming at least a body and neck of the instrument;
- a strengthening layer disposed over the core;
- a means for displaying one or more visual images disposed over at least part of said strengthening layer;
- a finish layer disposed over said means for displaying one or more visual images, said finish layer forming an outer surface of the instrument and said images visible through said cuter surface;
- strings;
- and means for securing the strings to the instrument.
A light-weight stringed musical instrument comprising, a wood instrument core that is for forming at least a body of the instrument;
- a neck attached to the body;
- a laminate disposed to cover at least portions of both said body and neck, said laminate comprising:
- a carbon fiber strengthening layer, a means for displaying one or more visual images disposed to cover at least portions of said carbon fiber strengthening layer, a fiberglass finish layer disposed over said display means, said fiberglass finish layer forming an outer surface of the instrument, and a resin material disposed in the laminate;
- strings;
- and means for securing the strings to the instrument.
A light-weight stringed musical instrument, comprising a wood instrument core having an outer surface in the shape of a body and neck of the instrument;
- a laminate secured under vacuum force to at least a portion of the outer surface of the wood instrument core, said laminate comprising:
- a carbon fiber strengthening layer disposed over the outer surface of the wooden core, a means for displaying one or more visual images disposed over at least part of the carbon fiber strengthening layer, and a fiberglass finish layer disposed over said display means;
- strings, and means for securing the strings to the instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.