Electro-mechanical tremolo apparatus for an electric guitar
OwnerEric Hutmacherinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a first embodiment, a columnated light beam is transmitted to a lens aperture of continuously variable size. The lens aperture is coupled to the tremolo arm of a solid body electric guitar. Light from the lens aperture is focussed upon a photosensitive surface of a photo-transistor. The photo-transistor provides a tremolo voltage that is an analog of the position of the tremolo arm. In a second embodiment, a potentiometer has its shaft coupled to the tremolo arm. The wiper arm of the potentiometer provides the tremolo voltage.
Claims3
In a solid-body electric guitar of the type that has a body whereon a tremolo arm is pivotally mounted, the improvement comprising:
- means for providing tactile feedback of the position of said tremolo arm;
- a light source;
- a photo-transistor having a photosensitive surface;
- and
- means coupled to said light source for focussing upon said photosensitive surface an amount of light that is an analog of the position of said tremolo arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.