EP3721427B1 - Electric guitar with replaceable pickup, and pickup element for same - Google Patents

Description

A wide variety of sounds can be produced with electric guitars by vibrating strings which are then amplified electrically. A traditional electric guitar is equipped with one or two so-called pickups, which are placed on the guitar body just below the strings, between the neck of the guitar neck, i.e. between the back end of the fingerboard and the bridge. Each cartridge of a so-called pickup consists of an electrical coil made of several thousand turns of lacquered copper wire around a magnetic core, and the two ends of the coil are electrically connected to an amplifier system via an insulated cable. The vibration of the string near one end of the coil induces electric currents in the coil due to the altered magnetic flux caused by the string vibration, which currents are used to generate sounds electrically by the amplifier system, which then delivers the amplified electrical signals to a loudspeaker. Although the change in magnetic flux due to the vibrating string is very small, it is sufficient to generate a voltage of typically a few tens to a few hundred millivolts with a correspondingly high number of turns. The change in field strength and thus the induced voltage is greatest when the string vibrates back and forth towards the pole instead of vibrating sideways to and fro. The ferromagnetic strings must not be so strongly attracted by the magnet that their vibration is significantly affected, otherwise they will sound impure. In the case of particularly strong magnets, you must therefore Position the entire pickup farther away from the strings than with relatively weak magnets, resulting in a reduction in output voltage compared to an equal distance, so there is no higher overall output voltage. Extra strong magnets therefore do not bring any advantages. And no magnet can affect the sound, because it only creates a magnetic field. It doesn't matter whether the magnetic field is generated by a relatively expensive neodymium magnet, a cheap ferrite magnet or even an electromagnet, although the latter are not common in guitar pickups. There is only one theoretical influencing factor, namely the eddy currents that arise in the magnet when the magnetic flux changes due to the string vibration. Eddy currents increase the damping of the sound-defining resonance peak. But here the electrically hardly conductive ferrite magnets, often referred to as ceramic magnets to create the feeling of higher value, are superior to the expensive but electrically well conductive alternatives such as AlNiCo magnets, because the eddy currents and thus the damping are negligibly low with them are. With a pickup, however, the magnet is normally only responsible for a very small part of the damping. The whole discussion about the magnetic material is therefore unfounded. In particular, no magnet can sound "warm" or even aggressive, i.e. a magnet has no frequency response. The reasons for the "warm sound" of a pickup are always completely different. The sound is very dependent on the nature of the coils.

The major disadvantage of such a pick-up is its susceptibility to low-frequency magnetic fields, such as those generated by mains transformers and series reactors in fluorescent lamps. With changing magnetic fields, a voltage is induced in the coil. A voltage is therefore also induced in the pickup by these interference fields. This can easily be avoided by using two pickups instead of a single one and connecting them in series with reverse polarity, i.e. one behind the other. This causes an external magnetic field to induce a voltage in both coils, but these voltages cancel each other out due to the reversed polarity of the coils and thus at the output no voltage is emitted. The same happens with the useful signal, which is of course undesirable. But you can easily remedy this by reversing the polarity of the magnets in a coil. As a result, this coil actually produces a useful signal with reversed polarity, which, however, has the correct polarity due to the reversed polarity of the coil. This means that the voltage at the output is twice as high as with just one coil. Such pickups are called humbuckers or humbucking pickups , which are usually enclosed in a sheet metal housing. They are used, for example, in the Gibson Les Paul and produce the Gibson tonality with two pickups with double coils.

In contrast, three pickups, each loaded with single coils, create what is known as the Fender tonality, and these single coil pickups are referred to as single coil pickups . Guitars with the so-called humbucker pickups are mainly used for hard rock music, i.e. for a hard and full sound, while those with Fender tonality or also called Fender Stratocasters are used for country music and produce a somewhat nasal sound.

Musicians have always wanted to be able to produce different sounds on their electric guitars, preferably sounds that go beyond what a single guitar offers in terms of sonority. For example, when playing a guitar with single coils, you might want to be able to switch to a humbucker pickup and vice versa. For example, guitars which have two back-to-back pickups located beneath their strings can be activated by operating a three-position switch as desired. In one position of the switch, the front, so-called neck pickup is active, in a middle position both pickups are active and in a third position only the rear, so-called bridge pickup.

the US 2015/0294659 A1 proposes another solution for changing from one pickup to another by arranging several pickups on a rotatable disc, which is therefore rotatably mounted on the guitar body, with the desired pickup then being rotated under the strings and the turntable locks in this position. While this system allows tonality to be changed quickly while playing, tonality is limited to a limited number of pickups located on the turntable.

An installed pickup, be it mounted on the guitar body or on such a turntable, is almost always hardwired and bolted to the base and can only be detached and replaced with another pickup with considerable effort. In the prior art, there are basically interchangeable pickups. So shows U.S. 2017/053631 A1 shows a tool-free and interchangeable pickup that is magnetically held in a seat. WO 99/39330 A1 shows a universal pickup mount that fits into any of the multiple pickup chambers in the guitar body. The pickups can be inserted into the electric guitar from the back of the guitar. Mechanical latches and rotary slides for holding the pickups in their holder are also known, as well as holders with which the distance between the pickup and the strings can be adjusted when the pick is removed. However, this construction only allows the distance of the pickup to be adjusted when the pickup is removed, but not when the pickup is installed. Adjusting the distance therefore requires a great deal more time. In order to change this distance, the pickup has to be removed and reinstalled each time. With the present solution, on the other hand, the distance between the pickup and the strings can be continuously changed with the pickup installed. the end WO 99/39330 A1 is also known to switch the pickups on and off using switches and a controller and to choose between different configurations. However, there is no solution known in the prior art to seamlessly mix the tones from the front and rear pickups, let alone a touchscreen on the front of the guitar body for accomplishing mixing and turning pickups on and off while playing the guitar.

ES 2 625 687 A1 discloses a guitar pickup that is installed into the guitar body from the rear and secured by screws. When the pickup is mounted, the pickup height can be set and adjusted using the screws.

Against this background, the object of the present invention is to create a guitar with pickups that can be replaced by hand without tools, and to create the pickup elements required for this, so that these pickups are in one large number and variety can be used easily and very quickly in the guitar, i.e. within 3 to 5 seconds, and their fit can also be tilted more or less in all directions to regulate the distance between the pickups and the strings for the high and low tones and the distance to the strings should be infinitely adjustable with a built-in pickup by a simple manipulation. In a special version, the electric guitar should also be equipped with a touchscreen with circuitry, with which the tones from the front and rear pickups can be mixed steplessly, or at least two pickups can be switched on and off steplessly.

This object is achieved by an electric guitar with at least one pickup in a continuous recess on the guitar body according to the preamble of patent claim 1 with its characterizing features, and by a pickup element according to patent claim 8. This electric guitar and the associated pickups open up completely new possibilities while playing the guitar. For the first time, the timbre can be quickly altered by changing the distance between the pickups and the strings. All you have to do is turn a central rubber wheel on the pickup holder on the back of the guitar body, and the distance between the pickup and the strings is changed using a thread with a threaded sleeve. In a special version of the guitar, controlling the pickups using a touchscreen allows you to quickly switch a specific pickup on or off while playing the guitar and to mix the signals from the neck and back pickups continuously by moving a finger on the touchscreen at will. No electric guitar has been able to do this before, although the first electric pickups were developed as early as 1923 and the first real electric guitar came onto the market in 1936, and millions of electric guitars have been built since then.

The drawings show exemplary embodiments of such a guitar with interchangeable pickups, as well as the pickup element used for this purpose, and this is described in more detail in the following description, as well as the insertion and removal of the pickup element and its function and the stepless switching on and off of the pickups are explained.

Figur 1:

Eine herkömmliche Gitarre mit drei Pickups, sowie einem Umschalthebel;

Figur 2:

Den leeren Gitarrenkörper einer elektrischen Gitarre, mit Aussparungen für drei rasch auswechselbare Pickups;

Figur 3:

Eine Stabmagnet-Anordnung für den Pickup;

Figur 4:

Eine Balkenmagnet-Anordnung für den Pickup;

Figur 5:

Den Aufnahmerahmen für den austauschbaren Pickup;

Figur 6:

Die Fixierplatte mit darunter der Grundplatte am Pickup und Tonabnehmer;

Figur 7:

Den Pickup eingesetzt in die Seitenhalter am Aufnahmerahmen;

Figur 8:

Einen Gitarrenkörper mit zwei Aussparungen für die Pickups und weiteren Aussparungen;

Figur 9:

Den Pickup mit Fixierplatte und Höhenversteller-Gewinde in einer Seitenansicht;

Figur 10:

Den Pickup mit Fixierplatte und Höhenversteller-Gewinde in perspektivischer Ansicht;

Figur 11:

Den Pickup mit Fixierplatte und Kontaktköpfen von oben gesehen;

Figur 12:

Einen alternativen Pickup mit zwei Reihen von Tonabnehmern;

Figur 13:

Einen Ausschnitt des Gitarrenkörpers mit zwei Ausnehmungen und neben der vorderen Ausnehmung den einzusetzenden Pickup mit seinen Tonabnehmern auf der Oberseite sichtbar;

Figur 14:

Einen Ausschnitt des Gitarrenkörpers mit zwei Ausnehmungen und neben der vorderen Ausnehmung das einzusetzende Pickup-Element mit den Tonabnehmern auf der unteren Seite, in der Lage zum Einsetzen;

Figur 15:

Ein Pickup-Element wie es von der Rückseite des Gitarrenkörpers her eingesetzt wird;

Figur 16:

Eine alternative Ausführung der Fixierplatte mit zentralem Gewindeloch;

Figur 17:

Die Fixierplatte nach Figur 16 von der anderen Seite her gesehen;

Figur 18:

Eine alternative Ausführung des Aufnahmerahmens;

Figur 19:

Den Pickup mit Verstellgewinde von unten gesehen, auf den Tonabnehmern liegend;

Figur 20:

Den Pickup auf den Tonabnehmern liegend, mit auf seiner Rückseite auf das Verstellgewinde aufgeschraubter Fixierplatte;

Figur 21:

Den Pickup mit den vier abzweigenden Kontaktdrähten und daneben die vier gegeneinander isolierten Kontaktstifte zum Kontaktschluss mit den Kontaktstellen am Aufnahmerahmen;

Figur 22:

Einen Ausschnitt des Gitarrenkörpers von oben mit der Aussparung für einen Pickup, mit den darüber verlaufenden sechs Saiten;

Figur 23:

Einen Ausschnitt des Gitarrenkörpers auf seine Rückseite gesehen, beim Einsetzen des Pickups;

Figur 24:

Den Ausschnitt des Gitarrenkörpers auf seine Rückseite nach Figur 23, mit fertig eingesetztem Pickup.

It shows:

Figure 1:

A conventional guitar with three pickups and a toggle switch;

Figure 2:

The empty body of an electric guitar, with cutouts for three quickly swappable pickups;

Figure 3:

A bar magnet assembly for the pickup;

Figure 4:

A bar magnet arrangement for the pickup;

Figure 5:

The mounting frame for the interchangeable pickup;

Figure 6:

The fixing plate with the base plate on the pickup and cartridge underneath;

Figure 7:

Insert the pickup into the side holders on the mounting frame;

Figure 8:

A guitar body with two pickup slots and additional slots;

Figure 9:

The pickup with fixing plate and height adjuster thread in a side view;

Figure 10:

Perspective view of the pickup with fixing plate and height adjuster thread;

Figure 11:

Top view of the pickup with fixing plate and contact heads;

Figure 12:

An alternative pickup with two rows of pickups;

Figure 13:

A section of the guitar body with two recesses and next to the front recess the pickup to be inserted with its pickups visible on the top;

Figure 14:

A section of the guitar body with two recesses and, next to the front recess, the pickup element to be inserted with the pickups on the lower side, ready for insertion;

Figure 15:

A pickup element as inserted from the back of the guitar body;

Figure 16:

An alternative version of the fixing plate with a central threaded hole;

Figure 17:

The fixing plate after figure 16 seen from the other side;

Figure 18:

An alternative design of the mounting frame;

Figure 19:

The pickup with adjustment thread seen from below, lying on the pickups;

Figure 20:

The pickup lying on the pickups, with the fixing plate screwed onto the adjustment thread on its back;

Figure 21:

The pickup with the four branching off contact wires and next to it the four mutually insulated contact pins for contact closure with the contact points on the pickup frame;

Figure 22:

A section of the guitar body from above with the cut-out for a pickup, with the six strings running above it;

Figure 23:

A cutaway view of the guitar body seen from the back, inserting the pickup;

Figure 24:

Trace the section of the guitar body to its back figure 23 , with the pickup fully inserted.

First shows the figure 1 a conventional electric guitar and its components. The guitar body consists of a solid body 30, mostly made of wood. It has a connection socket 31 for delivering the electrical signals to an amplifier system. In the lower area of the outside of the guitar body, two timbre controls 32, 33 and a volume control 35 are arranged, all of which are designed as rotary knobs. A pick-up selector switch 34 is implemented here by a switchover lever with three positions. A vibration lever 36 can also be seen. The plate, which covers the area below the strings on the guitar body, acts as an impact protection. On the neck 39 there is a fingerboard 40 and frets 38 as well as orientation inlays 37 on the fingerboard. At the end of the neck 39 is the collar 41 with the saddle 43 at the transition from the neck 39 to the collar 41 and the tuning pegs 42 are arranged on the collar. The string suspension 44 is arranged in the rear area of the guitar body and the pickups, so-called pickups, are arranged below the strings 48, here a treble pickup 45, a middle position pickup 46 and a bass pickup 47. So far, these pickups can only be used with relatively be replaced with great effort and with the aid of tools. They are often replaced from the front side visible here, for which purpose the strings 48 have to be loosened, which of course requires the strings 48 to be tensioned and tuned again afterwards.

The present invention creates a guitar in which the pickups can be changed in a few seconds and without tools. For this purpose, the guitar body 3 as in figure 2 shown provided with at least one continuous recess 2. In the example shown, the guitar body has three such continuous recesses 2 . In the rear area of the guitar body 3, a touchscreen 25 can be seen here, which is sensitive and causes different circuits of the electronic circuit housed in the guitar body in different areas. If you press 26 in the very rear end area for 2-3 seconds on the touch screen 25, the bridge pickup is switched on, ie the pickup 45 for the high tones first of the bridge or the string suspension. In the other, front end area of the touch screen 25, the neck pickup is switched on by touching the end area 28 there for 2-3 seconds, ie the pickup for the basses. Between these two end areas 26, 28 on the touch screen 25, namely in area 27, the pickups can be switched on and off steplessly. So you can move your finger from back to front over the touchscreen 25 and then the high tones become gradually weaker and the low tones are picked up more and more from the strings. Conversely, if you run your finger from front to back, the low notes slowly become weaker and the high notes become stronger. Another function is implemented as follows: If you press in the front area of the touchscreen 25 with one finger, preferably the pad of your index finger, on the screen and with another finger, preferably the pad of your middle finger, on the middle area of the screen, the neck pickup instantaneously on and the bridge pickup instantaneously off at the same time. If you press the touchscreen 25 again in this way, both pickups are immediately active again, that is to say the bridge pickup is switched on again. If, on the other hand, you press with one finger, preferably with the pad of your index finger, in the middle area on the touchscreen and with another finger, preferably with the pad of your middle finger, on the rearmost area of the screen, the neck pickup is immediately switched off and the bridge pickup is switched on at the same time. If you press the touchscreen again in this constellation, the neck pickup is switched on again. At the edge of the guitar body 3, at the lowest point when the guitar is hanging on the shoulders of a player in a playing position, one can still see the hole 59 for the output port to be used on the guitar.

the figure 3 shows a single cartridge of a pickup. A bar magnet 49 is wound with copper wire 51 on a bobbin 50 . Instead of using six individual pick-ups, each with a coil, six bar magnets 49 are often used for reasons of material saving and also for reasons of space in order to keep the angular space compact and are wound around them together a single coil, with a cardboard or plastic mount preventing the magnets and coil from moving in relation to each other. As an alternative to individual bar magnets, one or two bar magnets 52 can also be used as in figure 4 use shown, and lead the magnetic field with ferromagnetic rods or better adjustment screws 53 through the coil, which is provided with a socket 54 for this purpose. The volume of the individual strings 22 can be adjusted by positioning the pickup of the pickup belonging to the string more or less close to the string 22 . In the case of pickups with bar magnets 49, this is less convenient and often only possible using a small hammer, with which the bar magnets 49 can be moved further away from the strings 22 by gently hitting them. If the bar magnet 49 has slipped down too far, you often have to remove the pickup to get to the other side.

So that a pickup can be inserted quickly and without tools in an exact fit in the recess 2 provided for this purpose in the guitar body 3, a mounting frame 4 as shown in figure 5 shown is inserted into the recess 2. Side holders 12 are screwed on with Allen screws 15 on two opposite sides of the mounting frame 4 . Under the side brackets 23 15 compression springs 68 are installed around the screws. The side holders 12 are screwed onto the receiving frame 2 while compressing these compression springs 68 . With their cams 29 at the ends, these side holders 12 form an exact fit for a fixing plate 14 on the pickup to be used. Two permanent magnets 13 are inserted into the upper side of these side holders 12, which hold the magnetic fixing plate 14 in the inserted state in a snug fit. One side holder 12 has a recess 58 into which an element with the electrical contact points is also inserted, these contact points each forming a dent at the end, into which spring-loaded pins of the electrical outlets of the pickup to be used fit. By adjusting the screws 15 and more or less compressing the built-in compression springs 68, the position of the side holder 12 can be changed and thus also the pickup to be placed on it, as will soon become clear. In a variant, this framework as a be made of plastic as a single injection-molded part, that is to say the receiving frame 4 and the side holders 12 sitting directly on it in one piece, in which case the compression springs 68 for changing the position of the side holders 12 are then omitted.

In figure 6 is the fixing plate 14 and including the pickup 1 shown with its base plate 8 in the overturned position. The height adjuster 18 consists of a threaded brass rod, which is rotatably mounted with its thread 17 in the base plate 8 and on the end of which a rubber wheel 55 is screwed, which can be easily rotated with two fingers. The brass thread 17 of the height adjuster 18 sits in a threaded bushing 16 in the fixing plate 14. The fixing plate 14 also has a receiving hole 19 for a guide pin 20 protruding perpendicularly from the base plate 8, over which the fixing plate 14 with its receiving hole 19 is slipped. By turning the rubber wheel 55, the fixing plate 14 can be finely adjusted in relation to the base plate 8 in terms of its distance from the same.

the figure 7 shows how this pickup element is used with its fixing plate 14 in the snug fit on the receiving frame 4. The fixing plate 14 is formed in bulges 56 at its four corners, which fit exactly into the cams 29 on the side brackets 12 on the receiving frame 4 . The four permanent magnets 13 in the side holders 12 pull the ferromagnetic fixing plate 14 firmly towards them and thus hold them securely in place. By adjusting the screws 15, the pickup used can be tilted more or less in all directions. For example, the distance between its pickups and the strings for the low tones and the strings for the high tones can be adjusted differently. In the case where the frame 4 is designed as an injection-moulded part made of plastic, the fixing plate 14 to be placed on it can also be an injection-moulded plastic part that fits exactly to the frame 4, which then fits precisely into the frame 4 between the cams 29 at the end and into this snug fit is held with permanent magnets 13.

the figure 8 shows a guitar body 3 with two recesses 2 for the pickups 1 and another recess 63 for receiving the electronic Circuit 64 and the batteries 65 supplying it with energy. A laterally offset recess 66 serves to accommodate the operating display, a touch screen 25 to be used. The screwed-on rubber wheels 57 visible along the edge of the guitar body serve as a holder for a cover to be attached. The neck pickup used can be seen in the front recess 2 , and the mounting frame 4 installed therein with its side brackets 12 can be seen in the rear recess 2 . For the installation of the mounting frame 4, a step is formed on the inner wall of the recesses 2, so that an all-round supporting surface is formed for the mounting frame 4, to which the mounting frame 4 can be glued, for example. In one of the side holders 12 one can see the electrical contact points 5, each of which forms a dent 24, and which contact points 5 are led to the out-put port on the guitar body 3 via a cable.

the figure 9 shows the pickup 1 by means of the thread 17 of its threaded bushing 16 with the fixing plate 14 screwed onto its height adjuster 18. The coils, bobbins and pickups of the pickup 1 are housed in a chrome-plated sheet metal housing 60 and boarded up. Spring-loaded pins 23 protruding from the fixing plate 14 are arranged as electrical outlets 10 from the pickup 1 on the fixing plate 14 , directed towards the pickup 1 . These pins 23 fit into the indentations 24 on the contact points 5 of the side holders 12 for securely closing electrical connections. The pins 23 are wired to the coils of the associated pickups of the pickup 1 via the cable 57 .

In figure 10 the pickup 1 with its chrome-plated sheet metal housing 60 with the fixing plate 14, which can be adjusted at a distance in relation to its base plate, is shown inclined further towards the viewer. In this illustration you can see the six pickups 21 on the top of pickup 1 and in figure 11 the pickup 1 and its housing 60 are shown seen from above. Therefore you can see here the six pickups 21 and under the pickup 1 the fixing plate 14 with its four contact pins 23 for the electrical outlets 10 of the pickup 1 and its pickup coils. the figure 12 finally shows an alternative pickup 1 with two rows of pickups 21.

the figure 13 shows a section of the back 6 of the guitar body 3 with two recesses 2 and, next to the front recess 2, the pickup 1 to be used with its pickups 21 on its upper side and its fixing plate 14 on its underside, which is screwed onto its height adjuster 18. The pick-up element, which can be used without tools, is on one side here, so it is shown perspectively seen obliquely from the side, with the top of the pick-up 1 with the pickups 21 also being visible. In the recesses 2 you can see the mounting frames 4 with their side holders 12 and the contact points 5 with the dents 24 they form. The strings 22 run at the very bottom, below the recesses 2 and the guitar body 3.

the figure 14 shows the detail of the back 6 of the guitar body 3 with the two recesses 2 and next to the front recess the pickup 1 to be used in its upside down position with the fixing plate 14 screwed onto its height adjuster 18 and the rubber wheel 55 at the end of the height adjuster 18 for turning its brass thread and thus for adjusting the distance between the fixing plate 14 and the base plate 8 of the pickup 1. The cable 57 connects the coil suspensions to the spring-loaded pins 23 on the fixing plate 14, which protrude downwards from the fixing plate 14 in the view shown.

In figure 15 is shown how the pickup 1 is inserted from the back 6 of the guitar body 3 into the recess 2 on the guitar body 3, although here the receiving frame 4 and the fixing plate 14 are still missing. To do this, take the pickup 1 with your thumb and forefinger on its height adjuster 18 and place it in the recess 2 . If it is provided with the fixing plate 14 and the recess is equipped with the mounting frame 4, the fixing plate 14 is precisely positioned at the snug fit on the mounting frame 4 and firmly held in the snug fit by the permanent magnets 13 on the side brackets 12. The spring-loaded pins 23 on the fixing plate 14 are automatically pressed onto the dents 24 provided for this purpose in the electrical contacts 5 on the side holder 12 and the secure electrical connection is thus established created between the coils of the pickup and the output port 7 of the electric guitar.

In figure 16 an alternative embodiment of the fixing plate 14 with a central threaded hole 16 is shown. Permanent magnets 13 are built into this fixing plate 14 on its side. the figure 17 shows this fixing plate 14 after figure 16 seen from the other side, and figure 18 shows the receiving frame 4 belonging to this fixing plate 14 with its side walls 67 projecting upwards. The fixing plate 14 can be inserted between these side walls 67 and is then securely held in position by the magnetic forces of the permanent magnets 13 lying opposite one another. The slot 61 on one side wall 67 of the mounting frame 4 serves to accommodate a plastic insert element which has the electrical contact points 5 for the output port of the guitar. The electrical connections between the electrical outlets of the pickup on the fixing plate 14 with these contact points 5 on the side wall of the receiving frame 4 are made by means of pins 23, the heads of which protrude slightly laterally over the edge of the fixing plate 14. When the fixing plate 14 is inserted, these pins 23 slide over the contact points 5 and establish the electrical connection. However, a pick-up can be quickly removed again with its fixing plate 14 from the receiving frame 4 at any time with sufficient force and without tools. You grab it by the height adjuster 18 and simply pull it out of the mounting frame 4 and thus out of the recess 2.

the figure 19 shows a pickup 1 with a height adjuster 18 and its adjustment thread seen from below, ie in an upside down position, lying on the heads of its pickups 21. The base plate 8 can be seen on the underside of the pickup 1, while the coils, coil formers and pickups are accommodated in a housing 60. The electrical outlets lead from the coils via the cable 57 to the electrical contact points 10 on the pins 23 on the fixing plate 14.

the figure 20 shows the pickup 1 and its housing 60 in an overturned position lying on the pickups, and with the fixing plate 14 screwed onto the brass thread of the height adjuster 18 on its rear side figure 18 , and the pins 23 with rounded heads embedded in an insert whose heads protrude slightly from the side wall of the fixing plate 14. the figure 21 shows the four electrical outlets 10 from the coils of the pickup 1, which are then connected to the insulated pins 23 in this insert element.

In figure 22 shows a section of the guitar body 3 viewed from its front 9, with the recess 2 for a pickup, with the six strings 22 running above it. One can only see one side wall 67 of the mounting frame with the electrical contact points 5 with dents 24, which have a leading away Lead the cable to the output port on the guitar body 3, as well as the permanent magnets 13 in this side wall 67. In figure 23 the same recess is shown from the back 6 of the guitar body 3 . An aluminum carrier 62 leads to the stability of the guitar, in particular to the absorption of the string tension. The pickup element 1 is inserted here straight from the back 6 of the guitar body 3 by being gripped by the fixing plate 14 and inserted between the two side walls 67 on the receiving frame 4 . The permanent magnets 13 on the fixing plate 14 and on the side walls 67 will soon face each other and the fixing plate 14 will be held in this position. the figure 24 shows the situation when the pickup element 1 is fully inserted and the permanent magnets 13 on the fixing plate 14 are opposite those on the side walls 67 of the receiving frame 2.

Instead of holding the pickup element magnetically, it can also be designed so that its fixing plate 14 clicks into a latch in the recess 2 purely mechanically, for example against a mechanical spring force, and that this spring force can only be overcome by pulling out the fixing plate 14 with sufficient force or that the latch can be released by pressing a button or operating a slide or by turning a knob. The pickup element can also be mechanically positioned in the recess be held in that it can be pushed into the recess from the back of the guitar body against mechanical compression springs and then a slide or a turntable can be pushed or pivoted over the fixing plate on the back, after which the pickup element or its fixing plate 14 can be held in its Fit is secured.

With such a pickup element, which can be inserted from the back 6 of the guitar body 3 in the manner shown into the recesses 2 therein, replacing the pickup 1 for generating different timbres and tonalities is extremely easy and also very quick. The cover plate placed on the back deliberately leaves the recesses 2 with the inserted pickups free. Practical tests showed that replacing a pickup 1 only takes 3 to 5 seconds. The pickup used in each case can also be adjusted in its distance from the strings 22 by turning the rubber wheel 55 on the height adjuster 18 .

number index

1

Pick up

2

recess

3

guitar body

4

recording frame

5

Contact points on the mounting frame or on the side brackets to the output port

6

back of the guitar body

7

Output port on the guitar body

8th

base plate on the pickup

9

front of the guitar body

10

Electrical outlets on the pickup

11

coil on the pickup

12

Side holder on mounting frame

13

permanent magnet

14

fixing plate

15

Screws for mounting frame

16

threaded bush

17

Thread on the height adjuster of the pickup

18

height adjuster

19

Mounting hole fixing plate

20

Guide pin on the base plate 8

21

pickup

22

strings

23

Spring-loaded pins on the fixing plate.

24

Dent for the pins 23

25

touch screen

26

Bridge pickup on/off button

27

Mix button between bridge and neck pickup

28

Neck pickup on/off button

29

Cam for snug fit

30

massive body

31

connection socket

32

tone control

33

tone control

34

Pickup selector switch

35

volume control

36

vibration lever

37

orientation insert

38

Federation

39

throat

40

fretboard

41

collar

42

tuning pegs

43

saddle

44

string suspension

45

Treble pickup

46

midrange pickup

47

bass pickup

48

strings

49

bar magnet

50

bobbin

51

winding/spool

52

bar magnet

53

adjustment screw

54

Socket for adjusting screw

55

Rubber wheel for height adjustment

56

Bulge at the corners of the fixing plate

57

Cables from pickup coils to pins on locating plate

58

recess for the contacts

59

Hole for inserting output port

60

pickup housing

61

Slot for insert element with electrical contacts

62

Steel support for string tension absorption

63

Recess for electronic circuit

64

Electronic switch

65

Batteries for electronic circuits

66

Recess for accommodating the touch screen

67

Side walls on mounting frame 4

68

compression springs

Claims (9)

1. An electric guitar having at least one pickup (1) in a through recess (2) on the guitar body (3), the pickup (1) being insertable into said recess (2) from the rear side of the guitar body (3) without the use of tools, thereby closing electrical contacts between its coils and terminals in the recess in its fitting seat, which contacts lead to the output port (7) on the guitar body (3) via a cable, and in that the pickup (1) is held in its fitting seat in such a way that it can be detached by hand without the use of tools and can be fitted into a receiving frame (4) which has electrical contact points (5) which lead via a cable to the output port (7) on the guitar body (3), and wherein the pickup (1) has a base plate (8) on its rear side and is mechanically and electrically connected to the pickup (1) by means of a fixing plate (14) at a variable distance from the base plate (8) of the pickup (1), and wherein this fixing plate (14) can be inserted without tools from the rear side (9) of the guitar body (3) into the receiving frame (4), characterised in that the receiving frame (4) forms a side holder (12) on each of two opposite sides, and these side holders (12) form a mechanical fitting seat for a magnetic fixing plate (14), for which purpose the fixing plate (14) is shaped at its four corners into bulges (56) which fit exactly into cams (29) on the side holders (12) on the receiving frame (4), and wherein four permanent magnets (13) in the side holders (12) pull the ferromagnetic fixing plate (14) strongly towards them and thus hold it securely in the fitting seat and the fixing plate (14) can also be removed again from the receiving frame (4) without tools, wherein by adjusting screws (58) the inserted pickup is more or less inclinable in all directions so that the distance of its pickups from the strings for the low notes and the strings for the high notes can be set differently, and wherein in the inserted state of the pickup (1) the electrical outputs (10) of each of its coils (11) each close an electrical contact with the contact points (5) on the receiving frame (4) via spring-loaded pins (23) on the fixing plate (14), and in that the base plate (8) of the fixing plate (13) is connected to the base plate (8) of the pick-up (1) at a variable distance therefrom, in that the fixing plate (14) has a threaded bush (16) by means of which it can be screwed over the thread (17) of a height adjuster (18) of the pick-up (1), in that this height adjuster (18) consists of a threaded brass rod which is rotatably mounted with its thread (17) in the base plate (8) and onto which a rubber wheel (55) is screwed at the end which can be rotated with two fingers, and wherein the brass thread (17) of the height adjuster (18) is seated in a threaded bush (16) in the fixing plate (14), while the fixing plate (14) has a receiving hole (19) for a guide pin (20) which projects perpendicularly from the base plate (8) and over which the fixing plate (14) is slipped with its receiving hole (19), so that by turning the rubber wheel (55) the fixing plate (14) can be finely adjusted in its distance from the base plate (8), and thus the distance of the pickup (21) on the pickup (1) from the strings (22) of the electric guitar can be varied.
2. Electric guitar with at least one pickup (1) in a recess (2) on the guitar body (3) according to claim 1, characterised in that of the two opposing side holders, one side holder (12) is provided with electrical contact points (5) which are connected via a cable to the output port (7) on the guitar body (3), and the electrical outlets (10) of each of the coils (11) of the pickup (1) lead to spring-loaded pins (23) on the fixing plate (14) and these pins (23) each close an electrical contact with the contact points (5) on the side holder (12) of the pickup frame (4).
3. Electric guitar with at least one pickup (1) in a recess (2) on the guitar body (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that on the pickup frame (4) on two opposite sides each side holder (12) is screwed on with two screws (15), so that two of the screws (15) each pass through the side holder (12) in their end region, and in that these side holders (12) form a mechanical fitting seat for the magnetic fixing plate (14), and each side holder (12) is fitted with two permanent magnets (13) for holding the inserted magnetic fixing plate (14), and in that one of the two side holders (12) is provided with electrical contact points (5) which are connected via a cable to the output port (7) on the guitar body (3), and the electrical outputs (10) of each of the coils (11) of the pickup (1) lead to spring-loaded pins (23) on the fixing plate (14) and these pins (23), in the inserted state of the pickup (1), each close an electrical contact with the contact points (5) on the side holder (12) of the pickup frame (4).
4. Electric guitar with at least one pickup (1) in a recess (2) on the guitar body (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that electrical outputs (10) of the coils (11) of the pickup (1) close an electrical contact with the contact points (5) on the mounting frame (4) via the fixing plate (14), in that four spring-loaded pins (23) are arranged on the fixing plate (14), projecting away from it at right angles, which pins fit into contact points (5) matching them when the fixing plate (14) is placed on the receiving frame (4) or its side holders (12), these contact points (5) each forming a dent (24) for receiving the pins (23).
5. Electric guitar with at least one pickup (1) in a recess (2) on the guitar body (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame is designed as a single injection-moulded part made of plastic, i.e. the receiving frame (2) and the side holders (12) directly seated in one piece thereon and the fixing plate (14) to be placed thereon is likewise a plastic injection-moulded part fitting exactly to the frame, which fits precisely into the frame between the end cams (29) and is held in this snug fit by permanent magnets (13).
6. Electric guitar with at least one pickup (1) in a recess (2) on the guitar body (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guitar body (3) has two or three recesses (2) for inserting pickups (1), and a touch screen (25) is arranged on the front side (9) of the guitar body (3), and in that an electronic circuit (64) is present in or on the guitar body (3), so that by sliding a finger on the touch screen (25) the individual pickups (1), i.e. the bridge pickup, if present the middle pickup and the neck pickup, can be steplessly switched on or off to a greater or lesser extent.
7. Electric guitar with at least one pickup (1) in a recess (2) on the guitar body (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guitar body (3) has two or three recesses (2) for the insertion of pickups (1), and a touch screen (25) is arranged on the front side (9) of the guitar body (3), and in that an electronic circuit (64) is present in or on the guitar body (3), so that by simultaneously touching the touch screen (25) in the front area and in the middle, the neck pickup is switched on instantly and the bridge pickup is switched off at the same time, and when touched again in this constellation, the bridge pickup is switched on again, and vice versa by touching the touch screen (25) in the middle and in the rear area at the same time, the bridge pickup is switched on instantly and the neck pickup is switched off at the same time, and when touched again in this constellation, the neck pickup is switched on again.
8. Pickup element for an electric guitar according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pickup (1) can be installed in an associated mounting frame (4) which has electrical contact points (5) which lead via a cable to the output port (7) on the guitar body (3), and wherein the pickup (1) has a base plate (8) on its rear side and is mechanically and electrically connected to the pickup (1) by means of a fixing plate (14) at a variable distance from the base plate (8) of the pickup (1), and wherein this fixing plate (14) can be inserted into the receiving frame (4) from the rear side (9) of the guitar body (3) without the use of tools, characterised in that in that the receiving frame (4) forms a side holder (12) on each of two opposite sides, and these side holders (12) form a mechanical fitting seat for a magnetic fixing plate (14), for which purpose the fixing plate (14) is formed at its four corners into bulges (56) which fit precisely into cams (29) on the side holders (12) on the receiving frame (4), and wherein four permanent magnets (13) in the side holders (12) pull the ferromagnetic fixing plate (14) strongly towards them and thus hold it securely in a snug fit and the fixing plate (14) can also be removed from the receiving frame (4) again without tools, whereby by adjusting screws (58) the inserted pickup can be tilted more or less in all directions, so that the distance of its pickups from the strings for the low notes and the strings for the high notes can be set differently, and wherein, when the pickup (1) is in the inserted state, the electrical outputs (10) of each of its coils (11) each close an electrical contact with the contact points (5) on the receiving frame (4) via spring-loaded pins (23) on the fixing plate (14), and in that the base plate (8) of the fixing plate (13) is connected to the base plate (8) of the pickup (1) at a variable distance therefrom, in that the fixing plate (14) has a threaded bush (16) by means of which it can be screwed over the thread (17) of a height adjuster (18) of the pickup (1), in that this height adjuster (18) consists of a threaded brass rod, which is rotatably mounted with its thread (17) in the base plate (8) and on the end of which a rubber wheel (55) is screwed which can be rotated with two fingers, and wherein the brass thread (17) of the height adjuster (18) is seated in a threaded bush (16) in the fixing plate (14), while the fixing plate (14) has a receiving hole (19) for a guide pin (20) projecting vertically from the base plate (8), over which the fixing plate (14) is slipped with its receiving hole (19), so that by turning the rubber wheel (55) the fixing plate (14) can be finely adjusted in its distance from the base plate (8), and thus the distance of the pickup (21) on the pickup (1) from the strings (22) of the electric guitar is variable.
9. Pickup element according to claim 8, characterised in that the two side holders (12) are screwed onto the pickup frame (4) in a supported manner by means of compression springs (68), so that the position of the side holders (12) relative to the pickup frame (4) can be adjusted by means of adjusting the screws (15) and thus the inclination of the inserted pickup (1) and thus the distances of its pickups (21) from the various strings (22) can be adjusted.

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