GB2031635A - Improvements in or relating to stringed instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

Stringed musical instrument, e.g. electric guitar, has a fingerboard made of metal, preferably a light metal such as an aluminium alloy. The metal fingerboard avoids the problem of wooden fingerboards, i.e. warping with age.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to stringed instruments This invention relates to fingerboards for stringed musical instruments such as guitars.

The note obtained by plucking the string of a guitar is determined by the effective length of the string, which the player adjusts by pressing the string with a finger against a fingerboard which is formed by or mounted on the neck of the guitar. The fingerboard may or may not be provided with frets transverse to the longitudinal axis of the neck.

Hitherto fingerboards have generally been made of hard wood, with metal frets inserted if required.

However a wooden fingerboard has the disadvantage that it may warp with age. In good quality guitars even a small amount of warp can affect the performance of the instrument significantly.

According to the present invention, there is provided a fingerboard for a stringed musical instru mentformed of metal. The metal is preferably a light metal and may be an aluminium alloy.

The metal preferably has a high hardness in order to resist damage by the instrument strings, which come into contact with the fingerboard during playing and which may be made of nickel and/or steel in the case of electric guitars. It has been found that to prevent the fingerboard from collecting dirt and from oxidizing, thus improving the playing of the instrument, the fingerboard is suitably manufactured from a commercially available aluminium alloy, reference number H.E.15 T.B. and then nickeltin plated to achieve the required high hardness.

This also ensures that the fingerboard stays clean for playing.

Afingerboard for an electric guitar according to the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 2 is a section along I-I of Figure 1. The board is shaped as a trapezium symmetrical about its longitudinal axis and of typical length 750 mm, maximum width 65 mm, minimum width 40 mm and thickness about 5 mm. In an assembled guitar the board is mounted on the neck with the wider end adjacent the body and the strings extend longitudinally along the board. As shown in Figure 2 the upper surface of the board is slightly cambered with a radius of curvature of about 175mm.

The board may be made by cutting a bar of the cast alloy to shape followed by milling to the exact desired dimensions. If frets are desired the board may be made by casting to shape followed by milling. If only the fret positions are desired a small groove for each fret can be engraved across the surface of the fingerboard, Figure 3. The board may be mounted on the neck of the instrument, which may be of conventional wood construction in conventional manner by adhesion.

It has been found that an electric guitar using a fingerboard of the kind described above gives excellent musical performance, and the fingerboard does not warp with time or become seriously damaged by the strings with use.

The fingerboards of the invention are especially applicable to guitars but they may be used in a similar manner in other stringed instruments.

1. A fingerboard for a stringed musical instru ment formed of metal.

2. Afingerboard as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the metal is a light metal.

3. A fingerboard as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the metal is an aluminium alloy.

4. Afingerboard as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the aluminium alloy is in the commercially available aluminium alloy reference number H.E.15 T.B.

5. A fingerboard as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the aluminium alloy is nickel-plated.

6. A fingerboard substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A musical instrument provided with a fingerboard as claimed in any preceding claim.

8. An electric guitar provided with a fingerboard as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to stringed instruments This invention relates to fingerboards for stringed musical instruments such as guitars. The note obtained by plucking the string of a guitar is determined by the effective length of the string, which the player adjusts by pressing the string with a finger against a fingerboard which is formed by or mounted on the neck of the guitar. The fingerboard may or may not be provided with frets transverse to the longitudinal axis of the neck. Hitherto fingerboards have generally been made of hard wood, with metal frets inserted if required. However a wooden fingerboard has the disadvantage that it may warp with age. In good quality guitars even a small amount of warp can affect the performance of the instrument significantly. According to the present invention, there is provided a fingerboard for a stringed musical instru mentformed of metal. The metal is preferably a light metal and may be an aluminium alloy. The metal preferably has a high hardness in order to resist damage by the instrument strings, which come into contact with the fingerboard during playing and which may be made of nickel and/or steel in the case of electric guitars. It has been found that to prevent the fingerboard from collecting dirt and from oxidizing, thus improving the playing of the instrument, the fingerboard is suitably manufactured from a commercially available aluminium alloy, reference number H.E.15 T.B. and then nickeltin plated to achieve the required high hardness. This also ensures that the fingerboard stays clean for playing. Afingerboard for an electric guitar according to the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 2 is a section along I-I of Figure 1. The board is shaped as a trapezium symmetrical about its longitudinal axis and of typical length 750 mm, maximum width 65 mm, minimum width 40 mm and thickness about 5 mm. In an assembled guitar the board is mounted on the neck with the wider end adjacent the body and the strings extend longitudinally along the board. As shown in Figure 2 the upper surface of the board is slightly cambered with a radius of curvature of about 175mm. The board may be made by cutting a bar of the cast alloy to shape followed by milling to the exact desired dimensions. If frets are desired the board may be made by casting to shape followed by milling. If only the fret positions are desired a small groove for each fret can be engraved across the surface of the fingerboard, Figure 3. The board may be mounted on the neck of the instrument, which may be of conventional wood construction in conventional manner by adhesion. It has been found that an electric guitar using a fingerboard of the kind described above gives excellent musical performance, and the fingerboard does not warp with time or become seriously damaged by the strings with use. The fingerboards of the invention are especially applicable to guitars but they may be used in a similar manner in other stringed instruments. CLAIMS

1. A fingerboard for a stringed musical instru ment formed of metal.

2. Afingerboard as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the metal is a light metal.

3. A fingerboard as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the metal is an aluminium alloy.

4. Afingerboard as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the aluminium alloy is in the commercially available aluminium alloy reference number H.E.15 T.B.

5. A fingerboard as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the aluminium alloy is nickel-plated.

6. A fingerboard substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A musical instrument provided with a fingerboard as claimed in any preceding claim.

8. An electric guitar provided with a fingerboard as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6.