GB2184283A - Capodastro - Google Patents

Abstract

A capodastro for stringed musical instruments has a pressure bar C which is effective on both flat fingerboards and transversely convex fingerboards, the said pressure bar being manufactured of a convenient flexible material, which may be thermoplastic or rubber, a strap D being provided for passing around neck A of the instrument and for attachment to the opposite ends of the bar to cause the bar to apply a pressure to the fingerboard F, whether the latter be flat or transversely convex, which is equal for all strings E of the instrument. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Capodastro Acapodastro is sometimes called a capotasto or simply a capo. It is a device used by the players of stringed musical instruments, and iscomparabletoa clamp which may be mounted around the neckofthe instrument at any desired position and which pressesthe strings onto the fingerboardforthe purpose of enabling the player two play in a variety of keys while employing the same fingering.

Acapodastro normally has two main constituent parts. Firstly it has a bar which when the capodastro is in use upon the instrument presses the strings ontothefingerboard. Secondly a strap orother means of maintaining the bar in position is normally provided, which strap passes around the neck ofthe instrument and has fastening means to facilitate the mounting of the capodastro upon, and its detachment from, the neck.

Some stringed instruments havefingerboards with flat surfaces, and some have fingerboards with transversely convex surfaces. The degree of cur vatureofaconvexfingerboard,whilenotgreat,is sufficientto preclude the maintenance of equal pressure over all the strings by a capodastro the bar of which is straight.

Players possessing both kinds of instrument normally employ a separate capodastro for each kind, one having a curved barforthe convexfingerboard instrument, and one having a straight barfortheflat fingerboard instrument.

It hasalways been a majorconcern of manu facturers of capodastros that they shall be of rigid construction, so that the lowerface ofthe bar always conforms exactly with the upperface ofthefingerboard of the instrument, be itstraightor curved. For this reason, when a flexible material is used in their manufacture, a rigid member is always inserted in the bar in order to maintain the desired configuration.

In cases where a rigid thermoplastic material or metal is used in manufacturing the bar, the lower face of the bar is lined with a soft strip of rubber in order to dampen any buzzing which would otherwise occuratthe position on thefingerboard where the capodastro presses onto the strings.

In cases where thermoplastic tubing is used in manufacturing the bar, a metal rod is inserted into thetubeinorderto maintain the rigidity.

Butthe intentional rigidity of existing capodastros limits their use to only thosefingerboardsto whose flatness or curvature they exactly conform.

My invention is a capodastro the bar of which is flexible, so that it may when mounted upon afingerboard adoptthe same configuration asthatofthefingerboard.

The principal object of my invention isto provide a capodastro with a bar which is adapted to be effective in an improved manner both on instruments having aflatfingerboard, and also upon instruments having a convexfingerboard.

The following description relates to the ac companying drawing, wherein Figure lisa view in perspective of part of the neck of a stringed musical instrument with a capodastro mounted in position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the bar my capodastro in its straight configuration, mounted on the neck of a stringed musical instrument, which instrument has aflatfingerboard. Figure3 is a similarsection of the bar of my capodastro in its curved configuration, when mounted on the fingerboard ofa musical instrument having a fingerboard which has a transversely curved surface.

Figures 4,5 and 6show in perspective furtherver- sions ofthe bar of my capodastro, displaying some ofthe other possible embodiments in which itmay be manufactured.

Partofthe neck A of a stringed musical instrument is shown in perspective in Figure 1, having fingerboard FandstringsE.Acapodastro is mounted in place, having bar C and strap D.

My invention concerns bar C, ofwhich one embodiment is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Furtherversions ofthe bar are shown in Figures 4 and 5.

In my invention bar C is manufactured of a con venientflexible material which may be thermoplastic. No rigid member is inserted in the bar, as has previously been normal in the manufacture of capodastros.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of bar C mounted on neck A, showing lowerface Lin its straight configuration. When mounted on aflatfingerboard lower face Lpresses equally on all offstrings E. In Figure 3 a similar section is shown with the bar in its curved configuration. Duetotheflexibilityofthe material ofwhich it is manufactured, and to theten- sioning of strap D by means of which it is mounted, the bar has adopted the same curvature as that ofthe fingerboard shown.

Strap Din my drawing may be a strip offlexible material attached at each end to the opposite ends of bar C, with attachment means, but a variety of means of mounting barContothefingerboard may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

My invention isthusdemonstratedto be equally effective on all fingerboards, whetherthey areflat or of any degree of curvature.

1. A capodastro forstringed musical instruments having a pressure bar which is effective on both flat fingerboards and on transversely convex fin- gerboards, the said pressure bar being manufactu redofaconvenientflexible material, which may be thermoplastic or rubber, a strap being provided for passing around the neck of the instrument and for attachment to the opposite ends of the bar to cause the barto apply a pressure to the fingerboard, whetherthe latter be flatortransversely convex, which is equal for all strings of the instrument.

2. A capodastro as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the pressure bar has a strip of soft material on its lower face.

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

Claims (2)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Capodastro Acapodastro is sometimes called a capotasto or simply a capo. It is a device used by the players of stringed musical instruments, and iscomparabletoa clamp which may be mounted around the neckofthe instrument at any desired position and which pressesthe strings onto the fingerboardforthe purpose of enabling the player two play in a variety of keys while employing the same fingering. Acapodastro normally has two main constituent parts. Firstly it has a bar which when the capodastro is in use upon the instrument presses the strings ontothefingerboard. Secondly a strap orother means of maintaining the bar in position is normally provided, which strap passes around the neck ofthe instrument and has fastening means to facilitate the mounting of the capodastro upon, and its detachment from, the neck. Some stringed instruments havefingerboards with flat surfaces, and some have fingerboards with transversely convex surfaces. The degree of cur vatureofaconvexfingerboard,whilenotgreat,is sufficientto preclude the maintenance of equal pressure over all the strings by a capodastro the bar of which is straight. Players possessing both kinds of instrument normally employ a separate capodastro for each kind, one having a curved barforthe convexfingerboard instrument, and one having a straight barfortheflat fingerboard instrument. It hasalways been a majorconcern of manu facturers of capodastros that they shall be of rigid construction, so that the lowerface ofthe bar always conforms exactly with the upperface ofthefingerboard of the instrument, be itstraightor curved. For this reason, when a flexible material is used in their manufacture, a rigid member is always inserted in the bar in order to maintain the desired configuration. In cases where a rigid thermoplastic material or metal is used in manufacturing the bar, the lower face of the bar is lined with a soft strip of rubber in order to dampen any buzzing which would otherwise occuratthe position on thefingerboard where the capodastro presses onto the strings. In cases where thermoplastic tubing is used in manufacturing the bar, a metal rod is inserted into thetubeinorderto maintain the rigidity. Butthe intentional rigidity of existing capodastros limits their use to only thosefingerboardsto whose flatness or curvature they exactly conform. My invention is a capodastro the bar of which is flexible, so that it may when mounted upon afingerboard adoptthe same configuration asthatofthefingerboard. The principal object of my invention isto provide a capodastro with a bar which is adapted to be effective in an improved manner both on instruments having aflatfingerboard, and also upon instruments having a convexfingerboard. The following description relates to the ac companying drawing, wherein Figure lisa view in perspective of part of the neck of a stringed musical instrument with a capodastro mounted in position. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the bar my capodastro in its straight configuration, mounted on the neck of a stringed musical instrument, which instrument has aflatfingerboard. Figure3 is a similarsection of the bar of my capodastro in its curved configuration, when mounted on the fingerboard ofa musical instrument having a fingerboard which has a transversely curved surface. Figures 4,5 and 6show in perspective furtherver- sions ofthe bar of my capodastro, displaying some ofthe other possible embodiments in which itmay be manufactured. Partofthe neck A of a stringed musical instrument is shown in perspective in Figure 1, having fingerboard FandstringsE.Acapodastro is mounted in place, having bar C and strap D. My invention concerns bar C, ofwhich one embodiment is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Furtherversions ofthe bar are shown in Figures 4 and 5. In my invention bar C is manufactured of a con venientflexible material which may be thermoplastic. No rigid member is inserted in the bar, as has previously been normal in the manufacture of capodastros. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of bar C mounted on neck A, showing lowerface Lin its straight configuration. When mounted on aflatfingerboard lower face Lpresses equally on all offstrings E. In Figure 3 a similar section is shown with the bar in its curved configuration. Duetotheflexibilityofthe material ofwhich it is manufactured, and to theten- sioning of strap D by means of which it is mounted, the bar has adopted the same curvature as that ofthe fingerboard shown. Strap Din my drawing may be a strip offlexible material attached at each end to the opposite ends of bar C, with attachment means, but a variety of means of mounting barContothefingerboard may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention. My invention isthusdemonstratedto be equally effective on all fingerboards, whetherthey areflat or of any degree of curvature. CLAIMS

1. A capodastro forstringed musical instruments having a pressure bar which is effective on both flat fingerboards and on transversely convex fin- gerboards, the said pressure bar being manufactu redofaconvenientflexible material, which may be thermoplastic or rubber, a strap being provided for passing around the neck of the instrument and for attachment to the opposite ends of the bar to cause the barto apply a pressure to the fingerboard, whetherthe latter be flatortransversely convex, which is equal for all strings of the instrument.

2. A capodastro as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the pressure bar has a strip of soft material on its lower face.