GB2461340A

GB2461340A - Acoustic guitar with modified sound box profile having a flat edge

Info

Publication number: GB2461340A
Application number: GB0812175A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Archibald Ian Jeremy Brain
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-07-03
Filing date: 2008-07-03
Publication date: 2010-01-06
Also published as: GB0812175D0

Abstract

The conventional shape of a sound box, forming the body of an acoustic guitar, is modified by the provision of a flattened area situated diagonally with respect to a substantially right-angled edge of the sound box. The edge underlies the normal point of contact with a player's right arm, such that the arm rests comfortably against the flattened area. The flattened area defines part of the contour of the sound box and may be made by removal of a wedge shaped portion 1 from the sound box in the vicinity of the normal position of a player's right arm. The removed wedge shaped portion 1 may be replaced with a flat surface (3) of substantially the same materials and thickness as the rest of the guitar body. Preferably the flat surface (3) has a length of 10 to 20 cms and a width of 2 to 6 cms.

Description

DESCRIPTiON OF THE ThJVEN1ION

Title: modification to shape of guitar or similar instrument body Field: musical instruments; guitar, acoustic guitar

Background:

Acoustic guitars consist of two main parts, namely a roughly figure-of-eight shaped sound-box and a fret-board or neck rigidly fixed to the front side of the box and extending to the left side of the player, over which are stretched longitudinally the strings of the instrument. The strings which are fixed to a bridge qn the front of the sound-box at one end and to the euler end of the neck at the other ends are pressed against the fret-beard to obtain the desired note pitch with the fingers of the left hand, while the tight hand pl ucks or strums said strings at a point near the bridge. Whether the player is standing or sitting, the right arm tends to rest either continuously or intermittently against the upper edge of the body of the sound-box while playing. Said edge is usually a right-angle in section, so that the right ann way become sore as a result of this continuous or intermittent pressure. An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby this discomfort may be avoided, without the need to attach or build on accessory equipment to the guitar to achieve said object All prior art modifications to an acoustic guitar having a similar object require fixation or building-on to the body of the instrument, adding complexity, inconvenience and cost. Such modifications furthermore may require in turn modifications to the standard guitar-carrying case. The present invention achieves its stated object without requiring any addition to the body of the instniment and or modification to the carrying-case.

Prior Art:

1) US 446806(1891) describes an arm rest fixed lathe same plane as the sound-board of the guitar or similar instrument with the chief purpose of preventing muffling of the sound.

2) D 302435 (current US classif. 01720; 01799) describes the ornamental design fora guitar or similar instrument 3) US 6,005,176 (Decl, 1999) describes a pivotedly mounted fulcrum to rest the elbow which is reversibly anaithed to the instrument to support the playing ann at the elbow, intended to give increased height above the upper edge of the instwnent's body for players of above average height.

4) US 6.252,150 Bl (june 26,2001) describes a guitar fulcrum designed to permit the instrument to be supported on the leg when the player is in the sitting position.

5) US 401,814(1889) describes an ann-rest for musical instruments, in which the claims describe a combination of said instument with an anatomically disposed and shaped -to take the weight of the player's arm when in its normal playing position.

6) US 1,020,491 (1912) describes an arm-rest for banjo's guitars and the like which is an attachment to support the player's arm. z

Description:

An embodiment of the present invention is described as follows, with reference to the actompanying drawings: a typical acoustic guitar as shown in plan view (figure A) and side view (figure B) has a figure-of-eight shape when viewed from the front (figure A) and the front face or sound board is usually flat when viewed from the side as seen in figure 8.

During construction of' the guitar body, preferably when the whole body has been assembled but before it has been smoothed and varnished, a roughly wedge-shaped portion is removed from the body as indicated in figure (C), said wedge-shape corresponding in position to the area of the edge of said guitar body against which the right ann normally rests during playing, said wedge-shape leasing a hole 1 in the body of said guitar which is then closed by the application of a rigid flat member 2 having subtantially the same contours as the cut edge of said hole, said rigid flat member being made preferably of wood and preferably of approximately the swne material and thickness as said sound-board, said fiat member once fixed in position. prefexably by adhesive, coniingto liein aposition such thatthe righthandofaplayerofamusical instrument so modified would lie comfortably against its flat surface 3, said flat surface therefore being substantially parallel to the long axis of said player's right ann when in the playing position, said flat surface being also diagonal with respect to a substantially right-angled section of said guitar body as shown in figure (0) in which a guitar is shown as viewed from its wide end, said rigid flat member having a long axis 4 and a short axis 5. said long axis preferably being between 10 and 20 ems long and said short axis being preferably between 2 and 6 ems wide.

Claims

Claims 1. The sound-box of an acoustic guitar is modified by replacing the angled edge on which the arm of the player's dominant hand normally rests by a substantially flat rigid surface, the plane of said surface cutting thmugh the body of said sound-box diagonally, said substantially flat surface being oriented such that the long axiS of said player's arm lies substantially in the same plane as said surface.
2. A modification according to claim! in which said substantially flat rigid surface is composed of a member having peripheral contours which font a flush joint with the edges elan opening made in the sound-box of an acoustic guitar, said opening being achieved by eliminating a wedge-shaped portion of said sound-ho; said wedge-shaped portion including an angle of said guitar against which the player's dominant ann normally rests while playing.
3. A modification according to claims 1 and 2 in which said substantially flat tigid surface consists of a member made from similar materials to said sound-box
4. A modification according to claims 1-3 in which the major plane of said nicatber has a long axis and a short axis, said long axis being between 10 and 29 çm in length, said short axis being between 2 and 6 cmi
5. A modificalion according to claims 1-3 in which said substantially fiat rigid member has a thickness substantially equivalent to the thickness of the walls of said sound-box
6. Any modification substantially according to claim 1 in which said modified acoustic guitar sound-box fits easily into a standard guitar carrying case made tbr that size of guitar