47results about "Banjos" patented technology

This is an improved latch for a collapsible stringed musical instrument providing for a two step assembly or disassembly and combining all operations into a single lever, knob, or cam. A snap action catch holds the instrument in the intermediate position, resisting the stings tension, allowing for a second step to tighten or loosen the neck to the body of the instrument without de-tuning the instrument's strings.

In an implementation of this invention, a stringed musical instrument has a resonator comprised of a bridge and a soundboard. Vibrations from the strings are transmitted through the bridge to the soundboard. A plurality of sensors are attached to or embedded in the soundboard. The sensors measure primarily the vibrations of the soundboard, rather than primarily the vibrations of the strings. Preferably, three or more sensors are used. Piezoelectric sensors sample vibrations in the soundboard. The resonator includes a printed circuit board that amplifies the signal from each sensor separately. Also, a signal processing device that is “onboard” the musical instrument processes the separate input signals to create one output signal. The resonator may be easily removed, enabling resonators to be interchanged. Also, the physical characteristics of a particular resonator, such as its mass or its boundary condition, may be adjusted, thereby changing the acoustic qualities of the soundboard.

A device that can be easily placed on and removed from an acoustic, stringed instrument, such as an acoustic guitar. When placed on a guitar, the device amplifies and clarifies the sound of the guitar, thereby allowing the guitarist to obtain quality sound and high volume. In addition, the device enables the guitarist control the timbre or sound characteristics of the guitar.

A method of assembling an anti-wolf resonator assembly for use with a string instrument is provided. The method includes positioning a first portion of the resonator assembly against a first side of a surface of the instrument, and magnetically coupling a second portion of the resonator assembly to a second side of the instrument surface that is opposite the first side of the surface. The surface is positioned between the first and second portions of the resonator assembly. The resonator assembly is configured to dampen at least one of a musical note and a vibration produced by the string instrument.

A string instrument includes a body portion having a first longitudinal axis, an elongate neck portion having a second longitudinal axis and first and second opposing ends located along the second longitudinal axis, and a fastener that secures one of the first or second ends to the body portion, wherein the first and second axes are misaligned from each other in a same plane.

A rim of the type used in a resonator banjo having a body that includes a head, a resonator, a tone ring and a flange for securing the head and the tone ring to the banjo, where the rim includes a generally circular housing having an inner circumference and an outer circumference, a top end and a bottom end, wherein the top end is configured to engage the tone ring, an annular shoulder portion extending around the outer circumference for engaging the flange, and an arcuate recess located below the top end and extending along at least a portion of the inner circumference.

Devices, apparatus, and methods of using a replaceable nut with built on fret for a stringed instruments, such as for guitars and banjos. The novel combined zero glide nut with fret can be used as a zero glide nut system that can be substituted for the existing standard nuts on stringed instruments. The novel combined zero glide nut with fret eliminates the need for filing and adjusting the slots on the nuts, since strings do not harshly rub against inner sides and do not rub against the bottom of the slots in the nut. Compared to a conventional nut, the zero glide improves tuning stability, playability without string buzz on the fret, does not wear slots as occurs in a conventional nut and is more easily installed than a conventional nut.

A D-Tuner for mounting on the peghead of a banjo. The D-Tuner has keyed cam pegs, adjustable stops for limiting the extent of rotation of the cam pegs, and linear flexible members attached to the cam pegs. The flexible members are suitable for attachment to the second B string and third G string of a banjo for tuning the banjo when the keyed cam pegs are turned.

A three-position mute for use with a musical stringed instrument, such mute having an elongated body with two pairs of legs extending therefrom, a slot defined between each pair of legs, a pair of notches defined in the bottom of the elongated body, such notches for engagement with selected strings of the musical instrument in selected modes of use and the slots for engagement on the musical instrument's bridge in a selected mode of use, such modes of use including a bridge engagement position in a first mode of use, a bridge-contacting position in a second mode of use, and a resting position with the mute installed on the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece.

A banjo tensioner is provided in which wave springs inserted between the flange and the nuts operate to maintain a constant tension on the banjo hooks. The invention also contemplates using a wave spring as placed between the washer that applies pressure to the rim and the top coordinator rod nut to maintain the pressure on the inside of the rim. The tensioner may also be used on a drum.

A resonator assembly includes a resonator, a collector-amplifier, as well as a timbre tray, one or more timbre pieces, and a detector holder. The resonator assembly, designed to be attachable to a conventional acoustic guitar, improves the quality and volume of the conventional guitar. A wood or metal timbre piece or a varying combination thereof may be used according the user's sound preference. The resonator, the collector-amplifier, the timbre holder tray and the detector holder are preferably made from thin brass.

A tailpiece for a banjo with individual string adjustment control for independently adjusting the string angle of the banjo strings with respect to the bridge. The tailpiece includes a mounting bracket having a bearing plate and an attachment means for attaching the tailpiece to the banjo head. A separate lever arm is provided for attaching each of the banjo strings to the tailpiece and setting the string angle with respect to the bridge. Each lever arm has an a pin for attaching to the loop at the end of the banjo string, an angled bore to permit the banjo string to pass from the top surface of the lever arm to the bottom surface of the lever arm, and a groove at the end of the lever arm to prevent the string from sliding off of the lever arm. Each lever arm is attached to the mounting bracket by a pivot joint. Screws are provided on the lever arm to adjust the standoff of the lever arm with respect to the bearing plate, thereby adjusting the string angle with respect to the bridge. The turning screws are positioned on top of the tailpiece substantially perpendicularly to the banjo strings to facilitate “on the fly” string-angle tuning.

A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, having components made from glass, and methods of manufacturing and assembling the same are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides for manufacturing a glass fretboard, manufacturing glass frets, assembling the glass frets to the fretboard, and assembling the fretboard to the neck of the stringed instrument. In addition to the fretboard and frets, other components of the stringed instrument may also be made from glass. For example, the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing glass saddles and top nuts to allow the strings of the stringed instrument to substantially entirely contact glass. This produces a clean, crisp sound and overcomes the problem of generating an inferior sound that results from the imperfections found in natural wood components, for example.

The present invention is a banjo tone ring with vertical sides (30) as opposed to the angled design of conventional banjo tone rings (120). The ring (30) of the present invention has specific height (h) to width (w) or thickness ratios and is within specific weight ranges for improved performance It vibrates much freer and thus raises the quality of musical tones from the banjo (10) to much higher aesthetic levels. Other embodiments also modify the musical tones for different sounds. Several novel embodiments of manufacturing methods are also described.

A banjo tensioner is provided in which wave springs inserted between the flange and the nuts operate to maintain a constant tension on the banjo hooks. The invention also contemplates using a wave spring as placed between the washer that applies pressure to the rim and the top coordinator rod nut to maintain the pressure on the inside of the rim. The tensioner may also be used on a drum.

A tension adjustment hoop (1) for tensioning a resonant skin (13) on a musical instrument (6, 25), the tension adjustment hoop (1) being formed by a ring (2) with a center axis (3) and with retention means (4) arranged to interact with coupling means (5) on the musical instrument (6, 25) for retention of the tension adjustment hoop (1), the tension adjustment hoop (1) having an opposing top side (7) and bottom side (8), where the tension adjustment hoop (1) comprises an inner fluid channel (17), provided with a pressure adjustment connection (26) in hydraulic connection with the fluid channel (17), and a plurality of pistons (10), each in hydraulic connection with the fluid channel (17), each with a free end (11) opposite the fluid channel (17), and each, under the influence of the pressure in the fluid channel (17), being displaceable in a direction parallel to the center axis (3) of the tension adjustment hoop (1) between a first extreme position, where the free end (11) is within or level with the bottom side (8), and a second extreme position, where the free end (11) is outside the bottom side (8).

A tuning machine for a stringed instrument comprising: an input shaft having a first end, and an opposite second end having an eccentric, the input shaft being rotatable in response to an input from a user; a gear member or rotor with a central axial bore to receive the eccentric to move the rotor though a circular motion as the input shaft rotates, the rotor having a first or upper gear portion with external first lobes, and a second or lower gear portion with external second lobes; a first or upper ring gear having internal first teeth positioned around the first lobes of the first gear portion; a second or lower ring gear separate from the upper ring gear and having internal second teeth positioned around the second lobes, said upper and lower ring gears being larger than the rotor to accommodate the circular motion of the rotor within said ring gears such that at least one of the first lobes meshes with at least one of the internal first teeth, and at least one of the second lobes meshes with and drives at least one of the internal second teeth of the lower ring gear as the rotor moves through its circular motion to rotate the lower ring gear about its central axis; and a string post driven by the lower ring gear to wind a string of the instrument as a result of rotation of the input shaft in one direction and unwind the string as a result of rotation of the input shaft in an opposite direction.

A tension adjustment hoop (1) for tensioning a resonant skin (13) on a musical instrument (6, 25), the tension adjustment hoop (1) being formed by a ring (2) with a centre axis (3) and with retention means (4) arranged to interact with coupling means (5) on the musical instrument (6, 25) for retention of the tension adjustment hoop (1), the tension adjustment hoop (1) having an opposing top side (7) and bottom side (8), where the tension adjustment hoop (1) comprises an inner fluid channel (17), provided with a pressure adjustment connection (26) in hydraulic connection with the fluid channel (17), and a plurality of pistons (10), each in hydraulic connection with the fluid channel (17), each with a free end (11) opposite the fluid channel (17), and each, under the influence of the pressure in the fluid channel (17), being displaceable in a direction parallel to the centre axis (3) of the tension adjustment hoop (1) between a first extreme position, where the free end (11) is within or level with the bottom side (8), and a second extreme position, where the free end (11) is outside the bottom side (8).

A guitar configuration that has improved playability without requiring a raised fret or fingerboards or a neck that extends through the resonance chamber all the way to the sound hole is disclosed. The particular construction of the present invention includes a soundboard with a partially curved portion that provides additional clearance for the guitarist's hand thereby allowing the guitarist to play the higher fret positions without changing the position of the fretting hand. The tapered construction of the soundboard is achieved while maintaining the structural integrity of the guitar construction while eliminating the need for extending the neck of the guitar through the sound chamber up to the sound hole in the sounding board.