Music – Instruments – Stringed
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-10
2002-04-02
Nappi, Robert E. (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Stringed
C084S290000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06365808
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to constructing stringed instruments. More particularly, this invention pertains to constructing stringed instruments, such as guitars, in a manner that varies the order of the placement of the strings in order to produce new and novel sounds while playing the instrument in a conventional method.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, there is illustrated a conventional stringed instrument
10
, illustrated in the preferred embodiment as a guitar
10
, for purposes of this description. Stringed instruments
10
such as guitars are constructed generally of an amplification body section
12
, a narrow and elongated fingerboard
14
, a head
16
, supporting elements commonly referred to as a bridge
18
and a nut
20
, and strings
15
. The strings
15
include six strings tuned in order to define a ‘low E’ string
22
, a ‘low A’ string
24
, a ‘d’ string
26
, a ‘g’ string
28
, a ‘high b’ string
30
, and a ‘high e’ string
32
respectively.
The strings
15
are attached in size-sequential order to the stringed instrument
10
. The tuned strings are constructed to produce individual notes and thus the names correspond to the tuned notes, i.e. ‘low E’ string
22
means a string tuned to the ‘low E’ note and likewise for the ‘low A’ string
24
, ‘d’ string
26
, ‘g’ string
28
, ‘high b’ string
30
, and ‘high e’ string
32
. In this size sequential sequence, the ‘low E’ string
22
is constructed with the greatest or widest diameter, and each succeeding string is constructed with a lesser diameter until the ‘high e’ string
32
, which is constructed with the least or narrowest diameter. For a typical setup, the ‘low E’ string
22
has a diameter of 0.046 inches, the ‘low A’ string
24
has a diameter of 0.036 inches, the ‘d’ string
26
has a diameter of 0.026 inches, the ‘g’ string
28
has a diameter of 0.017 inches, the ‘high b’ string
30
has a diameter of 0.013 inches, and the ‘high e’ string
32
has a diameter of 0.010 inches. These are approximate dimensions that may vary depending upon the string design and other well known factors in the prior art. Thus, an example of the typical variations for the ‘low E’ string
22
are string diameters which vary from 0.040 inches to 0.052 inches.
The strings
15
are maintained in proper order and spacing along the stringed instrument
10
by the supporting elements. The first supporting element positions one end of the strings
15
and is commonly referred to as a nut
20
that is affixed between the fingerboard
14
and head
16
. The second supporting element supports the other end of the strings
15
and is commonly referred to as a bridge
18
. As an example of a string mounting arrangement for the ‘low E’
22
string, the first end
21
of the ‘low E’
22
string is attached to tuning keys
17
affixed in rotating engagement to the head
16
of the instrument and at the opposite end
23
the ‘E’
22
string is attached to the body
12
of the stringed instrument
10
at a securing member
13
adjacent to the bridge
18
. The ‘low E’ string
22
passes from the tuning key
17
, over the nut
20
, parallel to the fingerboard
14
, over the body
12
, across the bridge
18
and is affixed to the securing member
13
. The bridge
18
and the nut
20
are formed with a plurality of equidistant notches
50
and apertures
52
conforming to the diameter of each string. These notches
50
and apertures
52
receive and maintain the strings
15
in the proper sequence and spacing relative to each other and at the optimum distance above the body portion
12
and fingerboard
14
. For instance, the ‘low E’ string notch
34
that receives the ‘low E’ string
22
, the string with the largest diameter, is formed with a ‘low E’ string aperture
35
that is similar in diameter to that of the ‘low E’ string
22
. On the other hand, the ‘high e’ string notch
44
that receives the ‘high e’ string
32
, the string with the smallest diameter, is formed with a ‘high e’ string aperture
45
suitably sized to maintain the small ‘high e’ string
32
within the bridge
18
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the bridge
18
is constructed with a plurality of notches
50
and apertures
52
that are located in specific positions
54
,
56
,
58
,
60
,
62
,
64
which are designed to accommodate the varying diameters of the strings
15
. In the sixth position
54
is a ‘low E’ string notch
34
and ‘low E’ string aperture
35
which receives the ‘low E’ string
22
. The ‘low E’ string
22
is also known as the sixth string
22
, the ‘low E’ string notch
34
is also known as the sixth string notch
34
, and the ‘low E’ string aperture
35
is also known as the sixth string aperture
35
. In the fifth position
56
is a ‘low A’ string notch
36
and ‘low A’ string aperture
37
which receives the ‘low A’ string
24
. The ‘low A’ string
24
is also known as the fifth string
24
, the ‘low A’ string notch
36
is also known as the fifth string notch
36
, and the ‘low A’ string aperture
37
is also known as the fifth string aperture
37
. In the fourth position
58
is a ‘d’ string notch
38
and ‘d’ string aperture
39
which receives the ‘d’ string
26
. The ‘d’ string
26
is also known as the fourth string
26
, the ‘d’ string notch
38
is also known as the fourth string notch
38
, and the ‘d’ string aperture
39
is also known as the fourth string aperture
39
. In the third position
60
is a ‘g’ string notch
40
and ‘g’ string aperture
41
which receives the ‘g’ string
28
. The ‘g’ string
28
is also known as the third string
28
, the ‘g’ string notch
40
is also known as the third string notch
40
, and the ‘g’ string aperture
41
is also known as the third string aperture
41
. In the second position
62
is a ‘high b’ string notch
42
and ‘high b’ string aperture
43
which receives the ‘high b’ string
30
. The ‘high b’ string
30
is also known as the second string
30
, the ‘high b’ string notch
42
is also known as the second string notch
42
, and the ‘high b’ string aperture
43
is also known as the second string aperture
43
. In the first position
64
is a ‘high e’ string notch
44
and ‘high e’ string aperture
45
which receives the ‘high e’ string
32
. The ‘high e’ string
32
is also known as the first string
32
, the ‘high e’ string notch
44
is also known as the first string notch
44
, and the ‘high e’ string aperture
45
is also known as the first string aperture
45
. The positions are sequentially arranged so that the first position
64
is next to the second position
62
, the second position
62
is next to the third position
60
, the third position
60
is next to the fourth position
58
, the fourth position
58
is next to the fifth position
56
, and the fifth position
56
is next to the sixth position
54
. The first position
64
is generally considered to be the most downward position on a downstroke across the strings
15
. The nut
20
retains the strings
15
with a similar method and construction.
In this manner, the following music intervals are produced: perfect fourth intervals between ‘low E’ string
22
and ‘low A’ string
24
, between ‘low A’ string
24
and ‘d’ string
26
, and between ‘d’ string
26
and ‘g’ string
28
: major third interval between ‘g’ string
28
and ‘high b’ string
30
; and perfect fourth interval between ‘high b’ string
30
and ‘high e’ string
32
. As a result of the sequence with which the strings
15
are attached to the instrument
10
, the instrument
10
produces a unique and distinctive sound. This sound can be varied to some degree by tuning individual strings
15
. However, the player soon learns that the instrument
10
is limited in its ability to produce unusual melodies and harmonies during conventional playing. A player may attempt to produce unique sounds by varying the sequence of striking the strings
15
in order to produce new music intervals. However, this procedure ultimately may produce a haphazard and undesirable effect.
Numerous designs for improving the performance of string instrument
Lockett Kim
Nappi Robert E.
Pieper David B.
Waddey & Patterson , P.C.
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