AU2004202377A1 - Improvements in stringed musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Field of the invention This invention relates to improvemrents in stringed musical instruments, and to improved methods of manufacturing them. It has particular, although by no means exclusive application to the manufacture of guitars (both electric and acoustic). The invention will therefore be described (by way of non-limiting example) in the remainder of this specification, with reference to the manufacture of guitars, to which it is particularly suited.

Background to the invention Despite-various attempts by guitar makers to use materials other than wood in the manufacture of guitars, wood generally remains the preferred material, particularly in the neck portion of the guitar. This is because the tonal qualities of wood have yet to be satisfactorily emulated by other materials, and most musicians still prefer the feel and the tonal qualities of a wooden instrument. This is particularly the case with acoustic guitars, where the tonal qualities of an instrument made from wood have yet to be satisfactorily reproduced by other (and particularly synthetic) materials. In addition, timber remains a more cost effective medium for manufacturing a guitar neck, than the use of composite materials.

Timber also has better strength for weight characteristics than do, for example, injection moulded plastics.

All the timber components used in the production of an acoustic guitar are quarter sawn: that is, the components are made from those sections of timber in which the growth rings of the wood (representing annual tree growth) run generally in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the section, and thus also in a component made from it. This arrangement is generally considered to provide the greatest strength and structural stability for the component. One significant exception to this arises however, in the case of the headstock to a guitar. This is frequently made from a single section of wood, in which the grain runs parallel to 2 the longitudinal axis of the neck shaft, but the headstock portion is conventionally oriented at a shallow angle (typically, of the order of about 11 degrees) relative to the plane defined by the playing surface of the neck of the instrument (see Fig. 1).

The headstock (or "peg head") is a structure located at the distal extremity of the neck of the instrument, to which the "machine heads" or "tuning pegs" are affixed.

The strings of the instrument are first attached at appropriate locations on its body portion (typically, to a structure known as the "bridge"), are passed over the neck, and then secured for tensioning (and thus, tuning) on their respective machine heads on the headstock. By setting the headstock at a shallow angle relative to the neck, once the strings are tensioned, string pressure is applied to the "nut" on the neck, which is the second of two points between which the strings oscillate when plucked or strummed, thereby resulting in the formation of sounds (the other point being the bridge).

This neck construction is used in the manufacture of many guitars, as it assists in providing a suitable tensioning arrangement for tuning the instrument, by virtue of the fact that the headstock angle assists in imposing string pressure on the nut when the strings are tensioned. This form of neck construction does however, give rise to some problems in the manufacture of (particularly, acoustic) guitars. This is because first, timber of the preferred species must be purchased in units whose size permit manufacture of a neck with a sufficient headstock width (the preferred width being typically of the order of 80-85 mm). Suitable timber is usually sold by merchants in sections of larger dimensions, that must then be cut or milled to the required sizes. Prior to using timber in the manufacture of a guitar, it must be dried sufficiently, so that it is amenable for use in the various machining processes involved. As suitable timber sections (in most of the preferred species) are slow to dry (due to the low surface to volume ratio involved, and often, the properties of the wood itself), once a block of suitable timber has dried sufficiently, it will not infrequently have lain dormant in a manufacturer's timber stockpile for an expanse of time. Accelerated drying of timber is unacceptable in the manufacture of guitars, and particularly, in the manufacture of high quality instruments that are intended to capture the tonal qualities of fine woods. Thus, the need to develop stockpiles of timber for longer term drying leads to obvious manufacturing inefficiencies. Even when a section of timber has dried sufficiently, often, a not insignificant amount of the section has to be discarded, once the neck (and attached headstock) have been cut from it. This results in an undesirable wastage of materials, with attendant cost to the manufacturer.

Some manufacturers have sought to address at least some of these problems by cutting a neck and associated headstock of comparable width to the neck, and then, to achieve the desired headstock width by gluing or otherwise attaching side portions (known as "wings") to the headstock. Such processes are however, time consuming and hence, inefficient. In addition, over the course of time, due to the differential expansion and contraction rates often found in separate (but joined) pieces of timber, not infrequently, one or more of the wings of a headstock made in this way detaches from the headstock proper, or delamination is observed.

Another approach that some manufacturers have employed to attempt to overcome these problems is to use composite timber materials in the manufacturing process, in place of natural timbers. Timber composites however suffer from one of the significant difficulties mentioned in the preceding paragraph, namely, that delamination may occur. Additionally, guitar necks made from composite materials are costly to manufacture, as their manufacture is labour intensive. Hence, the use of timber composites is not a solution.

A yet further approach adopted by some manufacturers is to form the neck in two parts, namely, a primary neck portion (or neck "shaft") and a headstock portion, which are joined by abutment using what is known as a "scarf" joint (see Fig. In essence, a scarf joint is an abutting join by which the two neck portions are glued together. No mechanical join is used in this method. This method has several serious problems associated with it however. First, as there is no mechanical join between the neck shaft and headstock portions, over the course of time, the tension of the strings on the neck can result in a tendency for the headstock being pulled out of the joint. This can, and has been known to result in the neck of the instrument breaking. Secondly, the production of a scarf joint requires the neck portions to be sawn from a section of timber, using elaborate cutting methods, which is a time consuming and inefficient process. Scarf joints additionally require the use of clamping jigs. The use of scarf joints therefore results in a need for the inefficQient use of jigging. A conventional neck for a guitar, on the other hand, requires hand bandsawing. The manufacture of conventional necks suffers from the considerable disadvantage that very labour intensive techniques must be used.

The present invention aims to alleviate one or more of the prior art problems referred to above.

General Disclosure of the Invention The invention generally provides an improved neck for a stringed musical instrument, comprising: a neck shaft portion; and a separate headstock portion, wherein each of portions and comprises means for securably engaging the other so as to form a neck and headstock assembly.

Preferably, the means for securably engaging portions and to one another comprise forming the neck shaft portion so as to have a securement structure which, in use, is designed to engage and co-operate with a reciprocal structure on the headstock portion so as to give rise to a unitary neck and headstock assembly. Such an arrangement could be achieved by, for example, the neck shaft portion comprising a male element designed to securably engage a female headstock element (or vice versa). It is particularly preferred that the neck shaft portion comprises a male element and that the headstock portion comprises a female element.

Preferably, once so joined, the resultant neck-headstock assembly would be configured such that the headstock would be disposed at a shallow angle, relative to a horizontal plane defined by the playing surface or fretboard of the neck shaft portion. Preferably, the angle would lie between 0O and 200. A particularly preferred range for this an'gle would be between 100 and 150. It is especially preferred that this angle should be about 110 It is also preferred, in the method, that the means provided on each of the neck shaft and headstock portions for securably engaging the reciprocal portion are formed using a cutting means which rotates so as to cut the material from which each such portion is formed. A particularly preferred cutting means is a router. An especially preferred form of router is one which rotates in an orientation which is normal or substantially normal, relative to the plane of the material to be cut. The use of computer controlled (or other control) means to guide the router so as to cut materials of desired shapes, is especially preferred.

Preferably, in order to maximise the manufacturing efficiency of the method, the reciprocal engagement portions of each of the neck and head stock portions are cut via a single operation.

The engagement means produced by the method are typically rounded, as a consequence of using a rotating router as the preferred cutting means.

Particularly preferred rounded shapes would include the neck shaft portion having a rounded protruding portion (a "male" element) adapted to be received in a corresponding arcuate recess in a "female" portion on the headstock.

The join between the neck shaft portion and the headstock portion could optionally be strengthened, as desired, by the use of means such as gluing, and mechanical means, such as dowels.

The invention also provides a method of producing an improved neck for a stringed musical instrument, comprising the steps of: forming a neck shaft portion for the instrument, from a material; forming a headstock portion for the instrument, from a material; and providing each of the neck shft portion and the headstock portion with means for securably engaging the other so as to form a neck and headstock assembly.

Preferably, the means for securably engaging the neck shaft portion to the headstock portion comprise providing the neck shaft portion with a securement structure whose shape and configuration are reciprocal to those of a corresponding structure on the headstock portion. Preferably further, the neck shaft portion securement structure comprises a male element designed to securably engage a fema- headstock element (or vice versa). It is particularly preferred that the neck shaft portion comprises a male element and that the headstock portion comprises a female element.

Preferably, once so joined, the resultant neck-headstock assembly would be configured such that the headstock would be disposed at a shallow angle, relative to a horizontal plane defined by the playing surface or fretboard of the neck shaft portion. Preferably, the angle would lie between 00 and 200. a particularly preferred range for this angle would between 100 and 150. It is especially preferred that this angle should be about 11.

It is also preferred, in the method, that the means provided on each of the neck shaft and headstock portions for securably engaging the reciprocal portion are formed using a cutting means which rotates so as to cut the material from which each such portion is formed. A particularly preferred cutting means is a router. An especially preferred form of router is one which rotates in an orientation which is normal or substantially normal, relative to the plane of the material to be cut. The use of computer controlled (or other control) means to guide the router so as to cut materials of desired shapes, is especially preferred.

Preferably, in order to maximise the manufacturing efficiency of the method, the reciprocal engagement portions of each of the neck and headstock portions are cut via a single operation.

The engagement mearns produced by the method are typically rounded, as a consequence of using a rotating router as the preferred cutting means.

Particularly preferred rounded shapes would include the neck shaft portion having a rounded protruding portion (a "male" element) adapted to be received in a corresponding arcuate recess in a female portion on the headstock.

The join between the neck shaft portion and the headstock portion could optionally be further strengthened, as desired, by the use of means such as gluing, and mechanical means, such as dowels.

It is to be understood that in this specification, unless the context otherwise requires, the term "stringed musical instrument" includes guitars, mandolins, lutes, violins, violas, and all other forms of stringed musical instruments that include a neck portion and a headstock portion for tuning the instrument (as well as including both acoustic and electric versions of such instruments).

It is also to be understood that the term "comprises" (or its grammatical variants) as used in this specification is equivalent in meaning to the term "includes" and should not be taken as excluding the presence of other elements or features.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1: Represents a cross-sectional side elevation of the neck of a guitar, showing the angular disposition of the headstock (in a conventional guitar neck assembly) relative to a plane defined by the fretboard of the instrument; Fig. 2: Represents a diagrammatic representation of a "scarf" join used in the prior art for manufacturing a neck-headstock assembly; Fig. 3: Depicts a headstock made using "wings" in accordance with the prior art; Fig. 4: Depicts a plan view from above of (separately) a guitar neck shaft portion, and a headstock portion made in accordance with the invention; Fig. 5: Depicts a neck-headstock assembly for a guitar, made in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 6: Depicts an enlarged side view along a longitudinal section of the neck-headstock assembly of the invention, when viewed in side elevation; and Fig. 7: Depicts the orientation of timber grains in neck-headstock assemblies in guitar necks made in accordance with prior art methods and (b) the present invention.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment of the Invention Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a neck and headstock assembly for a guitar, denoted generally as 1. The assembly 1 has a neck shaft portion 3, and a headstock portion 5. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the line A-A (representing a notional plane defined by the fretboard of the neck shaft portion) defines a plane, and that the headstock portion 5 is angularly disposed, relative to the plane defined by line A-A, at a shallow angle (about 110). This is a conventional construction for the neck for a guitar, and is such that when the strings of the instrument are affixed to the body and to the machine heads and brought into tension, tension is applied not only to the body attachment point, but also over the nut 9 on the neck.

9 In Fig. 2, a "scarf" joint (as used in the prior art) for attaching the headstock to the neck portion 3, is shown. As previously explained, this consists of a simple abutment join 11, which would normally comprise the use of an adhesive substance (not shown in the drawing) to effect the bond between the neck shaft and headstock portions. When strings,are applied to the instrument and brought into tension, this type of joint has a tendency to break. This is because the arrangement is such that the tension of the strings tends to apply a force which pulls the headstock in the direction of the arrow 13 shown in Fig. 2.

A further prior art construction for a headstock is shown in Fig. 3, where the headstock 5 consists of a proper headstock portion (denoted 15), and a pair of "wings" (that is, small sections of timber, each denoted 17, glued or affixed to the headstock proper 15), so as to provide the additional width required to the headstock). Such "wings" however have a tendency over time to become detached or delaminated, as explained earlier in this specification.

In contrast, a neck assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in Fig. 4, as comprising a neck shaft portion 19, and separately, a headstock portion 21. The neck shaft portion comprises a securement structure 23, which is shown in the illustrated embodiment as extending distally beyond the nut 25 on the next shaft portion. The securement structure 23 is shown as comprising a male element of arcuate shape which is adapted to co-operate with and securably engage with a reciprocal female structure 27 on the headstock portion 21. When the neck portion 19 and headstock portion 21 are brought together in the manner shown in Fig. 5, a unitary neck and headstock assembly is formed. The neck and headstock assembly shown in Fig. 5 (which is generally denoted 29 in that drawing) may optionally be additionally secured by the use of glue at the join, by the use of dowels connecting between the neck shaft portion 19 and headstock portion 21, or by other like means, the nature of which would be comprehended by persons of ordinary skill in the art. The nature of the join between the neck shaft portion 19 and headstock portion 21 is shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 6, as comprising a tongue and groove mechanism. Due to: the tongue and groove nature of the joint; and optionally, in preferred embodiments of the invention, an angular disposition of the headstock portion, relative to the planer surface defined by the fretboard of the.peck once strings are applied to the instrument and brought under tension, the net effect of this arrangement is such that the force of the strings helps to keep the join in place, rather than to dislodge it, as would not infrequently be the case in the use of a prior art "scarf" joint.

The separate neck shaft portion and headstock portions of the invention may conveniently be produced using CNC (computer numerically controlled) router technology, as is employed by rnny conventional guitar and stringed musical instrument manufacturers, using appropriate machining tools. The use of such technology would assist to optimise the efficiencies associated with the use of the invention in the mass production of instruments. Alternatively, stringed musical instruments in accordance with the invention could be produced manually or in other ways as practised in the art. Both portions of the neck assembly of the present invention could easily be cut from conventional rectangular timber sections, and frequently with less wastage when compared to the waste which is experienced with the prior art manufacturing methods referred to earlier in this specification.

Guitar necks manufactured in accordance with the invention have been found to be surprisingly strong. One problem associated with necks made in accordance with the prior art methods is that as the headstock is generally required to be angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the neck, where (as is often the case) the neck-headstock assembly is formed from a single section of timber, the headstock will be at an angle relative to the natural orientation of the grain (See Fig This arrangement frequently provides less than optimal strength for the headstock. This disadvantage can be avoided however by the present invention, in which each of the neck portions may (and preferably, would normally) be made from timber having a relatively uniform grain orientation throughout the portion concerned.

In addition, due to the nature of the joining mechanism between the neck shaft and headstock portions,-securement of the two portions into registry can be achieved without the use of clamps (as would be required in the case of a scarf joint). Further, unlike scarf and wing joints, the joint achieved with the present invention is mechanical, although as explained earlier, optionally, glues or adhesives may also be used. The potential avoidance of the need for using clamping operations in the manufacture of guitars represents a yet further advantage associated with the present invention, particularly in the mass production of instruments. These and other advantages of the present invention would be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art.

It is to be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.