Music – Instruments
Patent
1986-06-23
1988-06-07
Witkowski, Stanley J.
Music
Instruments
84 116, G10H 318
Patent
active
047488867
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pickup assembly including at least two microphones for acoustic string instruments, particularly for acoustic guitars.
Prior pickup devices of this kind usually include microphone holding means to be affixed to the external surface of the acoustic guitar. It has been known also to install microphones inside the resonator cavity of a guitar. For picking up sound, it is important to attenuate frequencies at the lower end of the medium range of audio frequencies. Without such attenuation the instrument's inherent resonance may peak to more than 30 db. High-sensitivity microphones are expensive and provide no satisfactory solution to the problem. Acoustic guitars having an inherent resonance near the lower end of the medium frequency range (about 150 to 300 Hz) are commercially available in a broad range of qualities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object underlying the present invention is to provide a sound pickup assembly of the aforesaid type which is suited for cost-effective large-scale production and is universally applicable to acoustic string instruments of virtually any tape, and particularly to all types of acoustic guitars, and which in particular provides for attenuation so as to linearize the frequency response. In addition, the pickup device of the present invention is intended to be easily and quickly manipulable. In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved by a pad of foam material which has guide openings extending therethrough for microphones and connecting leads, and which is adapted to be mounted inside the sound hole of the instrument with its outwardly directed end face extending flush with the resonator body of the instrument, with the microphones being adapted to be positioned inside the foam pad in a manner such that the sound waves inside the resonator body of the instrument may without interference strike the surface of each microphone head.
Advantageous further developments of the inventive pick-up assembly are recited in the dependent claims.
The inventive pickup assembly ensures excellent attentuation of the instrument's inherent resonance as the foam material acts to linearize the frequency response at the lower end of the medium frequency range. The foam pad may consist of any suitable damping material; however, it is preferred to use foamed plastics. The foam pad is designed to be manually inserted in position in an interference fit in the sound hole of the instrument and ensures positive placement of the microphone leads and secure retention of the microphones. In the inventive assembly, the microphones may be most simple in construction and quality without sacrificing frequency response linearity. The inventive sound pickup assembly is suited in general for a wide variety of acoustic string instruments and particularly for acoustic guitars of all kinds. Also, the inventive sound pickup assembly lends itself to mass production in a cost-effective manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following description of a preferred embodiment of the inventive sound pickup assembly is with reference to the attached drawings wherein.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a guitar having the inventive pick-up assembly installed in the sound hole thereof, and
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an acoustic guitar 1 having foam pad element 3 fitted and clamped in place in sound hole 2. Attention is directed also to the section view shown in FIG. 2 and taken generally along line 2--2 of FIG. 1. Outwardly directed end face 4 of foam pad element 3, generally cylindrical as seen in FIG. 1, extends substantially flush with the outer surface 5 of resonator body 6 of guitar 1. In this condition, the pad extends through the entire depth of resonator body 6 down to its bottom 7. The inherent resilience of foam pad 3 fitted into sound hole 2 causes foam pad 3 to be seated and retained firmly in an interference fit in position between t
REFERENCES:
patent: 2680986 (1954-06-01), Company
patent: 3085460 (1963-04-01), Edwards
patent: 3733425 (1973-05-01), Chaki
patent: 4242938 (1981-01-01), Van Zalinge
patent: 4394830 (1983-07-01), Damiano
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