US 5,399,802 A · Electromagnetic pickup for stringed musical instruments

Abstract

An electromagnetic pickup for a stringed musical instrument has an elongated permanent magnet associated with a plurality of pole pieces to establish a magnetic field in which the strings vibrate. The strength of the magnetic field is reduced a desired amount to achieve pleasing tonal quality, by providing a gap in the magnetic circuit between the magnet and the pole pieces. The gap is established by supporting the pole pieces in a retainer bar of non-magnetizable material at predetermined distances from its edge and assembling the elements such that the edge of the retainer bar abuts the adjacent pole face of the magnet. Alternatively, a pole piece with a reduced diameter end may be retained relative to its respective magnet pole face so as to provide an air gap therebetween. Both dual and single bobbin embodiments are described.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An electromagnetic pickup for a stringed musical instrument comprising

an elongated coil assembly;
an elongated permanent magnet element extending along one side of said coil assembly,
a pole piece of ferromagnetic material extending through said coil assembly and having one end disposed adjacent a string of said instrument and the other end extending towards a pole face of said magnetic element, and
non-magnetic means adjacent said other end of said pole piece separating said pole piece from said pole face of said magnet element by a predetermined distance and introducing a gap in the magnetic path between the magnet and said pole piece, said distance being selected to establish a magnetic field of desired intensity in the vicinity of said string.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electromagnetic pickup for stringed musical instruments

Life of this patent

Electromagnetic pickup for stringed musical instruments

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8