EP1109148A2

EP1109148A2 - Musical instruments with modified string connection and path

Info

Publication number: EP1109148A2
Application number: EP00126664A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carmelo Gaudino
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-15
Filing date: 2000-12-05
Publication date: 2001-06-20
Also published as: IT1307314B1; EP1109148A3; ITPD990288A1; ITPD990288A0

Abstract

The invention concerns string instruments which, besides the known parts, are provided with new deviators (8) located respectively between the capo tasto (2) and the string tensioning mechanisms (7) and between the bridge (4) and the seat where the strings (1) are fixed onto the belly, modifying the path of each string(1) so that the sections of free string are aligned and differently inclined. Besides a new tailpiece, a wedge-shaped element (10) is contemplated, suitable for being inserted in the extra space in a hole for the string (1) obtained on the peg. After said peg has been turned by at least 180°, the tensioned string goes into position between the end of the string (1) and said wedge (10), in such a way as to compress and open both the string (1) and the wedge (10), thus making the anchorage absolutely stable and achieving maximum reduction of the extra length of string.

Description

The present patent concerns a modification of the traditional path of the string and of its connections on musical instruments.
The purpose of this is to obtain an articulated point in the sections of string adjacent to the one that produces the harmonic division after having received its impulse, and to produce connections with the least possible elasticity in anchoring the string to the instrument. The articulation improves the movement of the string on the bridge and on the capo tasto in order to produce greater homogeneity of timbre; this result is obtained by deviating the string in the sections adjacent to the one that receives the impulse, producing a counter-curve with the same angle as that which the string makes on the bridge-capo tasto; the alignment of the connections and deviations on the pushing axis of the string towards the instrument with the section of string receiving the impulse serves the same purpose.
The new modified connections allow the elasticity in anchoring the string to the instrument to be reduced to a minimum, so as to reduce to a minimum the dispersion of the energy obtained with the compression received from the impulse.
This produces greater homogeneity of intensity among the possible sounds on the instrument, and a better relationship between the intensity of the impulse and the intensity returned. For this reason there are modifications to be made to the strings, and to the accessories used for attaching the string to the instrument; the strings must be modified to block the unravelling of the end of the string from the tailpiece and, in coated strings, of the core from its coating; the accessories must be modified to permit the anchoring of the string to the instrument using the least possible string and, in some cases, to permit the anchoring of the accessory itself to the instrument. The strings must be modified before fitting, taking into account the material of which they are made.
As well as direct modifications on the string, modifications of the string path are also to be carried out in the sections between the bridge and the tailpiece and between the capo tasto and the pegs.
Between the capo tasto and the pegs, deviators are applied which deviate the part of the string next to the capo tasto towards the instrument and then deviate the next section with an angle parallel to the central section receiving the impulse, after which the string is guided towards the tensioning peg.
These deviators may be either of a stable type, fixed directly onto the instrument, or of a movable type, applied by means of a removable bracket.
Between the bridge and the tailpiece deviators are applied, which deviate the part of the string near the bridge towards the instrument and then deviate the next section of the string, between the deviator and the connection, parallel to the central section receiving the impulse, after which the string is guided towards the connection.
In other words, these deviators modify the path of each string so that the sections of free string just after the capo tasto and/or the bridge, opposite the central area of the strings, with any inclination, form two curves with an identical inclination, but perfectly opposed and aligned with the central section.
A deviation is therefore contemplated between the connection and the capo tasto bridge, said deviation producing a suitable counter-curve with respect to the one produced by the bridge and/or capo tasto. Moreover the connection and the various points of contact with the string section that receives the impulse are to be aligned.
It is extremely important to remember that the section of free string after the deviator, and/or the section between said two new deviators, must have a length proportional to the central section in accordance with opportune parameters.
Nylon strings must be prepared for the fixed connection with a simple knot at the end of the string, enlarged so that it cannot slip out of the knot, while in coated strings, after the knot has been made near the end of the string, part of the coating must be unrolled to melt the uncovered core in such a way as to form a mushroom shape in contact with the coating, while for the end of the string at the peg used as a tensioning connection, the coated string must be prepared to size without a knot, with the mushroom shape against the coating. Metal strings, generally prepared with a loop for the fixed connection, need a peg with an external string guide which guides the overlap onto the entrance of the hole after the peg has been turned through 360° or 180°. The modification of the accessories for connecting nylon strings consists in the preparation of a seat in which a wedge is installed on the side where the string comes in, blocking the end of the string with knot outside, more precisely blocking the end of the string on the edge of the seat (generally a hole) and separating the end of the string from the external wedge with a rotation of 180°.
An improvement of the anchoring of metal and nylon strings is obtained by modifying the tensioning pegs or by adopting pegs with a section that has a growing radius and with two guiding rings around the point onto which the string is wound.
The peg has a hole in the diameter into which the end of the string that is to be tensioned is inserted. The surface of the peg with a growing radius is shaped so that, after being wound at least half a turn around the peg, the string overlaps the same string, blocking its initial part in the hole. On the two sides of the through hole there are the two guiding rings to prevent the string wound around the peg from slipping sideways, releasing its anchorage.
Some modifications vary in the case of the guitar or in the case of the violin.
The specific modifications for the guitar are described here below.
The strings are cut to the size strictly necessary for them to be fitted on the instrument, so as to eliminate the absorption of energy deriving from the excessive lengths of the strings.
Depending on the type of string, the ends are treated differently.
Metal strings are generally prepared at one end with a loop which is hooked onto the tailpiece. The other end is cut to size and fixed to the tensioning peg with an overlapping pin.
As far as nylon strings, coated and non coated, as well as being knotted and/or cut to size are concerned, coated strings must be stripped and the nylon separated from the core is melted in the portion beyond the fixing point stripped of its coating, so as to form an enlarged mushroom shape against the coating and to prevent even the slightest slipping of the core of the string out of its coating.
Completely plastic strings are prepared with a simple large knot exactly at the end of the string and next to the peg, where the end of the string is prepared as described above.
The specific modifications for the violin are described here below.
Also for the violin the strings may be prepared as for the guitar in order to eliminate the loss of tension due to free ends of the strings.
For the violin too, deviators are applied between the capo tasto and the pegs and between the bridge and the tailpiece.
For the violin, in particular, all the strings are guided, in their various passages over the parts of the instrument, so that each string with its respective deviations lies on a single plane and the various planes of the strings lie at an angle to one another and intersect in a single point.
In particular, all the strings have a single point of convergence besides the point where they are fixed onto the tailpiece and specifically on the edge of the violin that is opposite the neck and the pegs.
For this purpose the violin tailpiece has a particular shape and is not rigidly fixed to the belly of the violin.
The shape of the tailpiece is indicatively that of an isosceles triangle or of a trapezium with a section such that the path of the strings, starting from their fixed end, is initially towards the belly and then towards the bridge.
The new tailpiece has a through hole or holes where the string is blocked in the upper part and where, after having passed into the hole towards the inside, it comes out deviated from a lower passing and resting point.
The tailpiece of stringed instruments must possess characteristics which require the alignment of the connecting points and the resting points of the string on the tailpiece with a single point of anchorage of the tailpiece to the instrument.
Moreover the string is subjected to two opposite deviations, one on the bridge and one on the lower part of the tailpiece, with the consequence that the section of curve between the point of connection and the lower deviation is parallel to the section which produces the harmonic division.
Said tailpiece is not fixed directly to the belly, but it is provided, at its short base or at the tip, with a wire or string which is turned around the edge of the belly, opposite the neck, and is fixed onto the bottom of the ribs of the belly with a special button.
It should be considered that the points of connection and contact of the various strings on the tailpiece are not aligned, but are rather arranged along an imaginary arc, so that these points of contact and connection are equidistant from the point of anchorage of the tailpiece to the belly, that is, so that they have their centre corresponding to the point of anchorage between the tailpiece and the wire or string that fixes the tailpiece itself onto the belly.
To improve the regulation of the string tension, a new type of string tensioner is provided on the tailpiece.
The new string tensioner comprises a generally cylindrical pin with a hole at one end, a screw and a hemispherical threaded ring.
The screw in inserted in the hole in the cylindrical pin and the threaded ring is applied on said screw, between the tip of the screw and the hole in the cylindrical pin.
The shape of the ring and of the edge of the hole in the pin are such as to prevent any relative rotation between said pin and said ring, that is, to act so that the tightening or loosening of the screw does not cause the ring to turn with respect to the pin.
The new string tensioner must be applied after the whole string has been passed through the hole in the tailpiece, with the loop forming the blocking point.
The new string tensioner is applied to the tailpiece in such a way as to be inserted into the loop on the end of the string, while the tip of the cylindrical pin, opposite the hole in the screw, is housed in a special seat in the tailpiece and the end of the screw fits into a second seat in the tailpiece. The following is just a practical embodiment among many of the invention in question, illustrated in the enclosed drawing, wherein:
Figure 1ac shows a side view and Figure 1b shows a top view of the guitar string (1), wherein the deviator (8.3) is positioned between the deviator or connection (8.2) and the tensioning mechanisms (7) of the strings (1) and exerts a pressure on the strings (1) in the direction opposite the sound box below.
Figure 2a shows an application with deviators (8.3) and (8.2) with a spacer (9) and a bracket (11), while Figure 2c shows an exploded view of said bracket with its components.
In Figures 1a and 1b the deviations exerted by the bridge (4), capo tasto (6) and deviators (8-1) are also shown schematically on the string (1), seen from the side and from above.
The strings (1) are fixed to the capo tasto (2) on the sound box (3), they rest on the bridge (4), follow the central section, including the neck, as far as the capo tasto (6) and are then wound and tightened by the tensioning mechanisms (7).
Figure 2b shows the connection on the bridge (4), which is illustrated in detail in Figure 6. This figure shows the cylinder (10) with a groove (10.1) through which the string (1) passes, said string having a knot at the top end and the bottom end deformed in the shape of a mushroom.
The bridge and the edge of the connection tilt the string (1) with two equal angles, and the section between the hole in the connection is parallel to the central section.
Figure 3a shows a top view of the deviator on the guitar and of the connection on the capo tasto.
Figure 3b shows a top view of the connection illustrated also in Figure 6.
Figure 4a shows the wedge-shaped element (10). Figure 4b shows a section of the same element, in which it is possible to observe the groove (10.1) that improves the mating with the string (1).
Figures 4c and 4d show the peg or pin (7) provided with a hole into which the string (1) is inserted, and where the cylindrical element (10) is inserted in the same hole. When the peg (7) is turned, the tensioned string goes into position between the string coming out and the peg (10).
Figure 5 shows a section of the peg with a growing radius, which has a hole in the diameter into which the end of the string to be tensioned is inserted. The surface of the peg with a growing radius is shaped so that, after being wound at least half a turn around the peg, the string overlaps the same string, blocking its initial part in the hole.
Figures 5d and 5c show a side view where, on the two sides of the through hole there are the two guiding rings to prevent the string wound around the peg from slipping sideways, releasing its anchorage.
Figure lav shows violin string, seen from the side.
Figures 7a and 7b show a top view and a side view of the violin tailpiece, while Figure 8 shows the string tensioner comprising a generally cylindrical pin (14) with a hole (14.1) at one end, a screw (15) screwed onto a hemispherical threaded ring (16). The number (18.1) indicates the lower point where the string (1) rests on the tailpiece (18). The tailpiece (18) has holes into which the strings (1) are inserted and it is fixed to the violin by means of a string (19) that in turn is fixed to a pin (20), the strings (1) converging on the hinge point (21).

Claims

Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that they have one or more deviators between the capo tasto and the peg(s), in such a way as to obtain a counter-curve with the same amplitude as the curve made by the string on the capo tasto.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that said deviator(s) may be either of a stable type, fixed directly onto the instrument, or of a movable type, applied by means of a removable bracket.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that they have one or more deviators between the bridge and the connection, in such a way as to produce a counter-curve with the same amplitude as the curve made by the string on the bridge.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that the sections next to the section that receives the harmonic impulse are limited by two points of contact having opposed directions of reaction.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections,
characterized in that the new tailpiece is provided with a bottom resting point, through hole(s) and upper seats where the string is blocked in the upper part and wherein, after having passed through the hole towards the inside, said string comes out deviated from said lower passing and resting point.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that the peg, which has a hole in the diameter into which the end of the string that is to be tensioned is inserted, has a surface with a growing radius and is shaped in such a way that, after being wound at least half a turn around the peg, the string overlaps the same string, blocking its end.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that, on the two sides of the through hole in the peg, there are two guiding rings to prevent the string wound around the peg from slipping sideways, releasing its anchorage.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that all the strings are guided, in their various passages over the parts of the instrument, so that each string with its respective deviations lies on a single plane.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections according to claim 8, characterized in that the various planes of the strings lie at an angle to one another and intersect in a single point.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections according to claim 8, characterized in that the various planes of the strings are parallel.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that all the strings beyond the bridge have a single point of convergence besides the point where they are fixed onto the tailpiece.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that, on said tailpiece, all the points of connection lie on an arc and the directions of the bottom points of contact of the string on the tailpiece go towards a single point of anchorage of the tailpiece to the instrument.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that said tailpiece is not fixed directly to the belly, but it is provided, at its short base or at the tip, with a wire or string which is turned around the edge of the belly, opposite the neck, and is fixed onto the bottom of the ribs of the belly with a special button.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections,
characterized in that the points of connection and contact of the various strings on the tailpiece are not aligned, but are rather arranged along an imaginary arc, so that said points of contact and connection are equidistant from the point of anchorage of the tailpiece to the belly, that is, so that they have their centre corresponding to the point of anchorage between the tailpiece and the wire or string that fixes the tailpiece itself onto the belly.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that the string tensioner comprises a generically cylindrical pin with a hole at one end, a screw and a hemispherical threaded ring.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that, in coated nylon strings, at one or both ends, the part protruding from the coating is melted or enlarged with a knot.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that strings with metal core, on the peg, are folded over without a gap in the part beyond the peg.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that said screw is inserted in the hole in the cylindrical pin and the threaded ring is applied on said screw, between the tip of the screw and the hole in the cylindrical pin.
Stringed musical instruments provided with soundboard and/or electronic detectors, capo tasto, bridge and connections, characterized in that the string tensioner is applied on the tailpiece so that it is inserted into a loop fixed at the end of the string and the tip of the cylindrical pin, opposite the hole in the screw, is housed in a special seat in the tailpiece and the end of the screw fits into a second seat in the tailpiece and is pointed towards the centre of the instrument.
Musical instruments according to claim 1, characterized in that said section between the additional deviator and the capo tasto is equal to a fraction of the section that produces the harmonic division.
Stringed musical instruments provided with peg having a hole at a right angle to its axis, characterized in that, for the fastening of the string to said peg after the string has passed through a hole at a right angle and before turning the pin, there is a wedge-shaped or cylindrical element with a conical hole inserted in the part of the hole left free which blocks the string, and wherein the protruding string is knotted.