Patent Grant
11640813
The present disclosure is directed to stringed musical instruments. Specifically, the invention relates to string bending devices suited for use with stringed musical instruments.
Devices exist in the music industry which allows musicians of stringed instruments, such as guitars, to mechanically alter the pitch of a string. Such a device allows the artist great flexibility in providing a vibrato effect on a single string of the instrument. It is often used in country music to provide a country twang.
There are some known string benders which currently exist in the marketplace and each design varies greatly in terms of how it is mounted on the guitar and how it is activated during the playing of a guitar. The string bending devices of the prior art tend to be relatively complex.
There exists a need for a guitar string bender which can allow for the bending of multiple strings simultaneously. There is a need to pull, or bend, strings a halftone, a whole tone or two full tones. What is also desired is a single linkage to multiple string bender levers. What is desired is a mechanism that bends/pulls all string bender levers simultaneously.
What is further desired is a device that decreases the complexity of tuning a varied note, or a bent note, and improves the tuning stability, accuracy and precision of sound created. It is also desired that each string bender lever pull a string at different amounts of force based on a radius, start position and stop position of a string bender lever.
A string bender mechanism for a string musical instrument having a bender assembly comprising a control member and at least two bender levers. The control member moving between a first position and at least a second position, being a rest and active position, respectively. The at least two bender levers have a first end and a second end. The first end of said bender lever is dimensioned or adjacent to the control member and the second end of the bender lever receives a string. When the control member is in the first position, the bender levers are at rest and a tone emanates from a plucked string. When the control member is in the second position, the bender levers move simultaneously, and a varied tone emanates from a plucked string.
An actuator connects to the control member. The actuator may include a strap lever assembly such as but not limited to a guitar strap or a belt lanyard. The bender assembly may be disposed behind a string instrument bridge or may be a guitar bridge. In some embodiment there may be three bender levers or more. Each said bender lever has a radius that correlates to bending each string a varied note. A stop may be located behind a string instrument bridge within the string musical instrument. A stop may be dimensioned and configured to each bender lever.
In another embodiment, the string bender mechanism has a bender assembly comprising a control member and at least one switcher assembly. The control member moving between a first position and at least a second position such as between an off and on position, respectively. The switcher assembly includes a second bender lever, a second bender stop lever, and a switch.
The switcher assembly includes a first end and a second end. The first end of the switcher assembly is dimensioned to the control member and the second end selectively receives a string. The first end of said switcher assembly includes the second bender lever, and a first end of the second bender stop lever while the second end of said switcher assembly includes a second end of the second bender stop lever and said switch.
When the switch of the switcher assembly is in an on-position, the second end of the switcher assembly receives the string permitting a varied note to emanate from the plucked string. When the switch is in an off-position, said second end of the switcher assembly releases the string where a note, a standard note or tone, to emanate from the plucked string.
When the control member is in the first position, or at rest, the switcher assembly is also at rest and a tone emanates from a plucked string. However, when the control member is in the second position, the control member moves. The position of the switch control whether a tone or a varied tone emanates from a plucked string. When the switch is in the off-position a tone emanates and when the switch is in the on-position a varied tone emanates from the plucked string.
In one embodiment, a tuning stop support block will be added to the mechanism. The tuning stop support block will assist in defining a position of the second bender stop lever wherein a varied tone can emanate. The varied tone emanating from the plucked string may be a halftone, a full tone or two full tones. Specifically, the switcher tuning stop that mounts to a top plate of a musical instrument is disposed in the tuning stop support block and moves up and down to achieve variations in the tone emanating from the plucked string.
Looking at
The rod 130 connects via ball joint rod end 7 to the bender assembly 150 specifically to a control member 24. See
It should be said that control member 24 may take any form. In one embodiment, as shown in the figures, the control member 24 is a hinge plate. In another embodiment, control member 24 may include but is not omitted to levers in various forms. In another embodiment, control member 24 could be a series of cams that rotate in the same plane as the string. Here, the series of rotating cams would be connected to each other via gears and could be calibrated to turn at different ratios to simultaneously and accurately bend multiple strings 100 when actuated. In this embodiment, a hinge plate may not be used.
In yet another embodiment, control member 24 may comprise the multiple bender levers 26 linked to an axle rod 10. Here, instead of the axle 10 being static and bender levers 26 rotating on the axle 10, the axle 10 would rotate with the bender levers 26. The rod 130 in the strap lever assembly 125 or other actuator would be connected directly to the axle 10 so that it would cause the axle 10 to rotate.
In one embodiment, bender lever 26 may be used with 5th, 2nd, and 3rd strings (counting from highest pitch/thinnest string gauge to the lowest pitch/thickest string gauge) of a six-string musical instrument. In another embodiment, the bender lever 26 may be a, b and g levers for corresponding strings of a six-string musical instrument. This is just one example of a musical instrument 100 that is tuned to perfect fourths and one major third prior to the bent notes. If the stringed instrument 100 were tuned to an open tuning (ex: G, B, D, G, B, G) instead, the bender assembly 150 can be used to bend one or all of these notes to obtain notes that are above those to which the strings are normally basically tuned. The bender assembly 150 can be applied to other tunings and other stringed instruments. For instance, in another embodiment, the bender lever 26 may be used for other number-string musical instrument on all strings or with at least any two strings.
Each first bender lever 26 is connected to a first stop 15, 16. An axle rod 10 is disposed through each the stop 15, 16, the bender lever 26 and the hinge lever 20. The stops 15, 16 are adjustable stops for the lever 26 that allows a player to precisely and accurately adjust the tuning of the note, or the bent note, desired to be achieved.
Axle rod bearing mounts 19 are disposed by the outer or inner sides of the hinge lever 20. The axle rod bearing mounts 19 secure the axle rod in a proper position to the top plate. Barrel nuts 6 are used with the stops 15, 16 and permits making adjustments to a string in achieving a varied note such as a bent note. The stops 15, 16 limits the movement of the first bender lever 26. The stops 15, 16 limit is adjusted sharp or flat via a fine tune mechanism. Flat tip set screw 9 may be used within apertures 29 in the bender levers 26 for positioning and fine tuning of the “bent note” desired from a string. The screws 9 also help set the start position of the bent note. The screws 9 may be used as tuners to achieve a “bent note.” The thumb screws 99 connect to the stops 15, 16 via barrel nuts 6 to allow the player to precisely adjust the tuning of the bent note. Springs may be used with thumb screws 99 to maintain force against the top plate 300 from stop 15, 16 so that “bent note” setting stays in place.
In one embodiment, a player attaches a guitar strap to strap lever extension 25. When the player pushes down on the guitar neck the strap lever extension 25 will pull up. When the lever 25 pulls up, it pulls the rod 130 forward within the musical instrument 100 through a system of leverage. The rod 130, being pulled forward, activates control member 24, which simultaneously pulls up or bends multiple strings to achieve varied notes of a halftone, a whole tone or double tone.
For instance, with a standard tuning setup, the B string bends to C#, the G string bends to G# and the A string bends to B simultaneously. As an example, with this setup, an E chord bends up to an A chord, an F chord bends to Bb. The control member 24 lifts all levers simultaneously which decreases the complexity of tuning the bent note and improves the tuning stability, accuracy and precision. While raising multiple strings simultaneously a halftone, full tone or two full tones are good examples of the current usefulness, the range of pitch that the notes can be raised is only limited by the elastic capability of the string. It is not limited by the device.
Once the control member 24 is pulled forward, it pushes up the bender levers 26 to which the strings 110 are attached. When the bender levers 26 are pushed up, the strings are stretched which raises them either a half tone, a whole tone or two whole tones. With the simultaneous activation of the bender levers 26 the player is allowed to play a set of notes (a chord) that they would, otherwise, not be able to play. For instance, bending three strings simultaneously and accurately enables the player to easily simulate pedal steel chords and create other guitar licks that would, otherwise, be difficult or impossible on a standard six-string guitar. The present invention enables players to achieve guitar chords and licks that, otherwise, are out of reach.
Actuation may be realized by attaching the strap lever extension 25 to a guitar strap, as described above. Alternatively, other devices may be connected to the control member 24. In one non-limiting embodiment, a lanyard connected to the player's belt may be used to control member 24. When the strap lever extension 25 is actuated, the bender levers 26 are moved the control member 24.
In another embodiment, the bender assembly 150 may include a switcher assembly 200 that may be used as a replacement for the first bender lever 26 and first stops 15, 16 as described above. See
The switcher assembly 200 allows the musical instrument player to switch on or off an individual string 110 or set of strings 110. When the on/off switch 220 is in the “on” position, See
The second bender stop lever 210 connects to the axle rod 10, which is a fulcrum, and is then bolted to a lever such as the control member 24. As a result, when the on/off switch 220 is turned “on” the second bender stop lever 210 moves with the control member 24 and a varied note can emanate from the string 110 when plucked.
When the on/off switch 220 is turned “off”, See
A “start” position of the second bender stop lever 210 is determined by a set screw 299 that is driven through the second bender stop lever 210 (not shown in
It should be noted that top plate 300 may include sub plates added to the top plate 300. The subplates increase string tension behind the bridge 120. They move the levers lower into the guitar cavity and, therefore, cause a steeper angle at which the string 110 exits the bender lever 26, 260 and contacts the bridge saddle. Some guitarist prefer lower or higher string tension behind the bridge 120 because it changes the tension of the string 110 and the tone of the musical instrument 100. Instead of stacking subplates, other variations may include a thicker top plate 300 or the top plate may be of a variable height to the top of the musical instrument 100 body.
The tuning stop support block 230 is mounted through the top plate 300 via a thumb screw 99. The tuning stop support block 230 is held in place by the switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop 240 that is mounted to the top plate 300 and connects to the second bender stop lever 260. The switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop 240 is mounted through the top plate 300 via a thumb screw 99. The switcher tuning stop or L-shaped tuning stop 240 is held in place by the tuning stop support block that is mounted to the top plate 300. The switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop 240, which is disposed within the tuning stop support block 230, limits the movement of the second bender stop lever 260 as said switcher tuning stop or L-shaped stop 240 moves relative to the top plate 300. In one embodiment, fasteners such as machine screws hold the tuning stop support block 230 to the top plate 300. The L-shaped stop 240 travels up and down in the round channel inside the tuning stop support block 230. It is the L-shaped stop 240 that has the range of motion which is imparted to the switcher assembly 200. The tuning stop support block 230 allows the L-shaped stop 240 to move up and down inside of it and thus supports and keeps on track the movement of the switcher assembly as a user manipulates the switcher assembly 200 as desired. As a result, the tuning stop support block 230 has a range of motion that allows the stop position to be adjusted in a full range. In one embodiment, the range of motion, may be a range extending between a normally tuned instrument string and raising the pitch to the limit of the string's elastic strength. In one embodiment, the range of motion, may be a half tone, full tone or two full tones.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims. One of ordinary skill in the art could alter the above embodiments or provide insubstantial changes that may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Prov. Appln. Ser. No. 62/981,710, filed on Feb. 26, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7935876 | West | May 2011 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210264885 A1 | Aug 2021 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62981710 | Feb 2020 | US |
