GB2546554A

GB2546554A - A fretted chordophone

Info

Publication number: GB2546554A
Application number: GB1601313.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stork Peter; Michael Hinchliffe George
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-01-25
Filing date: 2016-01-25
Publication date: 2017-07-26
Also published as: GB201601313D0; WO2017129956A1

Abstract

Chordophone 1 comprises beam 2 with nut 4 at one end and bridge 3 at the opposite end, all integrally formed as a one piece; strings 13 extend over the bridge and nut. Tuning pegs 9 may be mounted at the bridge end of the beam. Frets 5 may be located between the bridge and nut, also formed as part of the single component. The frets may be on a neck portion of the beam, with a sound board portion between this and the bridge comprising apertures 11, 12. The beam may have a T-shaped profile (6, 16, 17, Fig.6) that may change to an I-shaped profile (6, 16, 17, Fig.5). Rear covers 10a, 10b may extend underneath the beam to form a sound box. The bridge end of the beam may be releasably retained to a body portion (19, Fig.11a-c) which forms a sound box. The beam may be moulded plastic or metal. The instrument may take the form of a guitar, ukulele, mandolin, guitar, ketar or cittern.

Description

A Fretted Chordophone

The present invention relates to a fretted chordophone and particularly a plucked fretted chordophone, such as a ukulele, mandolin, guitar, ketar or cittern.

Fretted plucked chordophones, such as ukuleles, guitars and the like have traditionally been constructed from wood and have comprised three main components, a sound box (the main body), a neck extending from the sound box and a head stock at the distal end of the neck. On the front face of the sound box (the soundboard) there is located a bridge, along the neck there is placed a number of frets and towards the distal end of the neck there is placed a nut. Strings are anchored to the soundboard behind the bridge and extend over the bridge above the frets and over the nut, to be secured and tensioned by tuning pegs mounted in the head stock.

Much emphasis is placed by some on the dimensions and shape of the sound box and the material, typically the type of wood, the sound box is constructed from. However, the scale length (the distance between the bridge and the nut) is also very important as is the relative position of each fret, for each fret will in use determine the length that is free to resonate of each string. Thus, in the construction of traditional fretted plucked chordophones, much time is spent on correctly assembling the sound box to the neck, the neck to the headstock and precisely positioning the bridge, nut and frets.

Critical to the sound the chordophone makes is the tension on the strings.

Although this can be adjusted by operation of the tuning pegs, in order to tune the chordophone, it is important that this tension is precisely maintained, unless the chordophone is to be regularly retuned. Although retuning of the chordophone may not be a problem, where the chordophone is lovingly cherished by an individual, there is a need for chordophones that are robust and which do not need regular tuning, for example where the chordophone may be used by several people and may be subject to relatively rough handling, such as in a school, or where the chordophone is to be easily transported without the requirement for a protective case.

The present inventors have also realised that there is a need for fretted chordophones that are relatively cheap to produce, compact and robust, so that they may be relatively easily transported without the need for large or relatively cumbersome protective cases. To be robust they need to be of a relatively strong construction, unaffected by the tension of the strings permanently acting in a manner which may tend to distort the body. They will also need to be unaffected by changes in environmental conditions, such as exposure to moisture, or changes in humidity, which may otherwise require the chordophone to be regularly retuned. Particularly they have identified that there is a need for a ukulele which has the aforementioned properties.

According to the present invention there is provided a fretted chordophone comprising a beam having a nut at or towards one end, a bridge at or towards an opposite end and a plurality of strings extending over the nut and bridge, wherein the beam, nut and bridge are integrally formed as a single component. (For the purposes of this specification the term "nut" is to be interpreted to also encompass a "zero fret" in the case where a specific nut is omitted and where a first "zero fret" effectively becomes the nut). A fretted chordophone in accordance with the present invention is relatively cheap to produce for having a one piece beam, with the nut and bridge formed integrally with the beam, avoids the need to secure the bridge to the body or the nut to the neck of the chordophone. The frets may also be integrally formed with the beam, nut and bridge, avoiding the need to ensure the frets are correctly individually positioned. With the present invention the position of the bridge, nut and frets are correctly determined by the process of forming the beam.

In addition to the above the present invention, in eliminating any join between a separate neck and body, typical with traditional fretted chordophones, avoids any potential weakness at this point which may otherwise cause the chordophone to go out of tune, by allowing the neck to distort relative to the body, due to the strings exerting a permanent bending force on the join.

Although with the present invention the provision of a beam extending from the nut to the bridge may place restrictions on the design and refinement of the sound box, the inventors have realised that what is critical to the robustness of the chordophone is the correct initial and continued positioning of the components, and that for certain types of chordophones, for certain applications, this is more important than the construction and materials of the sound box.

With a chordophone in accordance with the present invention, each string may have a knot, or enlarged end, at one end and the beam may have a plurality of holes or slots at the nut end, by which respective strings are attached to the nut end of the beam. This arrangement avoids the need to have a head stock, with the strings instead being secured at the nut end directly to the beam. This may provide a very compact arrangement and preferably the nut is located within as little as four centimetres and more preferably within two centimetres of the end of the beam.

With the above arrangement, it is advantageous to have a plurality of tuning pegs mounted at the bridge end of the beam, to receive and tension respective strings passing over the bridge. The tuning pegs can then be located on a part of the beam which is normally already required to conveniently hold the chordophone during playing.

Therefore their location at the bridge end of the beam provides a particularly compact chordophone without the traditional head stock or "break angle" construction at the head stock or nut, which would otherwise reduce the compactness of the chordophone.

Instead, with the present invention, the path of each string may be angled at the bridge in order to aid stability of tuning.

Preferably the tuning pegs are arranged in a staggered pattern across the beam, for this may reduce the width of the beam otherwise necessary to accommodate the tuning pegs.

The beam may have a T- shaped profile, with the nut, the bridge and the frets formed on the upper surface of the "T" of the T- shaped profile. The T- shaped profile provides a particularly sturdy configuration for the beam for a given quantity and mass of material, whilst providing a flat surface on which to locate the frets, bridge and nut. It also permits a neck portion on which the frets are mounted to, in profile, be narrower in width below the upper surface on which the frets are mounted than at that upper surface, making it more comfortable to hold and play than would be the case, for example, if the beam had a neck with a square cross-section. It may also permit a cover to be placed over the back of the neck which is either generally tapered, semi-circular or semi-elliptical in profile.

Preferably the beam has a T-shaped profile towards the nut end of the beam. This may progressively change to an I-shaped profile at or towards the bridge, to increase the strength of the beam of the chordophone.

In one embodiment the fretted chordophone comprises a plurality of frets on a neck portion of the beam, extending from the nut towards the beam and a soundboard portion, without frets, extending from the bridge towards the neck portion, with one or more apertures extending through the soundboard portion. The provision of a soundboard portion with one or more apertures extending through the soundboard may provide an equivalent feature to a sound hole in a traditional chordophone.

Preferably the chordophone comprises a rear cover affixed to a lower side of the beam, opposite to the side on which the bridge and nut are located, and preferably this extends from the region below the bridge towards a region below the nut and forms a sound box. The rear cover may extend all the way to a region below the nut. This may permit the neck of the chordophone to have a traditional profile, making it comfortable to hold whilst reducing the materials required, the strength being obtained by the T-shaped profile of the beam, with only a relatively thin cover providing a traditional profile and thus comfort.

Where a plurality of tuning pegs are located in an upper surface of the beam, between a tip of the beam at the bridge end and the bridge, a separate cover may be provided extending below the tuning pegs, permitting the separate cover to be easily removed if it should be necessary to maintain the tuning pegs or re-string the chordophone. A fretted chordophone may comprise a body portion separate to the beam, which body portion may be substantially wider and shorter than the beam, wherein the bridge end of the beam is arranged to be releasably retained in the body portion. The beam and body portion together may provide the fretted chordophone with a configuration generally similar in appearance to that of a traditional fretted chordophone. It may also form a sound box.

The fretted chordophone may comprise a plurality of interchangeable body portions, each arranged to releasably retain the beam in place. This may permit a body portions to be selected by a user, depending on the use to which the chordophone is be put and preferably different body portions may be arranged to support or enable different playing position, or permit different sounds to be obtained from the chordophone. The body portion may be merely a support frame, shaped similarly to the lower portion of a traditionally shaped body or sound box.

Advantageously the beam is formed of plastic or metal, which materials may be relatively strong and which do not change when they become wet or when the humidity changes. Where the beam is formed of plastic it may be formed by an additive manufacturing technique (BD-printing) which may provide the beam with a complex and varying profile along its length, but the beam could alternatively be moulded or machined.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of forming a fretted chordophone, as described above, by forming the beam by an additive manufacturing technique.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ukulele in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view corresponding to that of Figure 1, with the components of the ukulele shown separately;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the ukulele of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the bridge end of the ukulele of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-section along the line C-C of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a cross-section along the line B-B of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a cross-section along the line D-D of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is an elevation of the nut end of the ukulele of Figure 3;

Figure 9 is a rear view of the ukulele of Figures 1, 2 and 3;

Figure 10 is a cross-section along the line A-A of Figure 3;

Figures 11a to 11c show the single piece beam of the ukulele of Figures 1 to 10 with optional body portions; and

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an alternative ukulele which is also in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 10 and particularly Figure 2, a fretted plucked chordophone, in the form of a ukulele 1, has a single piece beam 2, having a bridge 3, nut 4 and a plurality of frets 5 integrally formed on an upper surface 6. Towards a "bridge" end 7 of the beam 2 are four recessed apertures 8, for mounting conventional tuning pegs 9 in the conventional manner.

To the underside of the beam 2 is mounted a rear cover, comprising a first portion 10a and a second portion 10b.

Apertures 11,12 in the top surface of the beam 2 connect with an internal space within the rear cover 10a, 10b thus the rear cover 10a, 10b, with the beam 2, forms a sound box.

Adjacent to nut 4 are four holes 15. These pass through the top surface of the beam 2 and receive the strings 13 of Figure 1. The strings 13 are each knotted at their ends and retained by respective apertures 15, as seen in Figure 2. The strings then pass, as seen in Figure 13, over the nut 4, over bridge 3, through respective holes 16 adjacent to bridge 3 and under the beam to respective tuning pegs 9, by which they are tensioned.

The chordophone depicted in Figures 1 to 10, with the exception of the string 13 and tuning pegs 9, is thus constructed of just three main components, beam 2 and the two portions of the rear rear cover 10a, 10b, with all fitting integrally moulded, or 3D printed, so that they can be assembled with minimal of effort and requiring no further components other than four screw fastenings, not shown.

In the embodiment depicted, the beam 2 and the two portions of the rear cover 10a, 10b are produced by 3D printing. However, they could alternatively be produced by moulding. Thus the cost of these components is minimal. However, the other previously mentioned advantages of having a one piece beam may still be obtained even if different materials are used for the construction of the beam 2 and the portions of the rear cover 10a, 10b. For example the beam 2 could be machined from an aluminium alloy and hard anodised after machining and the portions of the rear cover 10a, 10b could be moulded in carbon fibre, which would both provide a very robust and durable chordophone and one which could be stunning to look at and easy to customise, making unique one off versions possible.

Referring now to Figure 3 and cross-sections 5, 6 and 7, (cross-sections along the lines C-C, B-B and D-D of Figure 3 respectively), the beam 2, towards the nut end, is seen to be substantially T-shaped in profile (see Figure 7). The beam 2 has a profile comprising the planer upper surface 6 with a planer portion 16 extending orthogonally from the centre rear face thereof, which orthogonal portion 16 has along its free edge a ball portion 17, the profile of which, on its distal surface, matches that of the rear cover portion 10a.

As can be seen from Figures 5 and 6, progressively from the nut end of the beam 2 towards the bridge 3, the lower ball portion 17 of the beam 2 increases in width more rapidly than the upper surface 6 of the beam, so that at the bridge 3, the profile of the beam 2 is substantially I-shaped. This increases the stiffness of the chordophone in this region. Also, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, immediately below the bridge 3, the profile of the beam 2 includes additional side portions 18. These are arranged to receive the fastening for the cover portion 10a.

The chordophone so far described with reference to Figures 1 to 10 is only slightly longer than the scale length defined by the bridge 3 and nut 4, the chordophone not having a head stock but instead having the tuning pegs 9 at the bridge end. This arrangement is particularly compact and robust and provides a chordophone which is very portable and which may not need to be protected by a hard case.

The structural integrity of the chordophone illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 is dependent only on the one piece beam 2, independent of the rear cover 10a, 10b. That is to say the portions of the rear cover 10a, 10b can be removed and the chordophone will still remain in tune and can still be played. This enables a selection of rear covers, or body portions 19, to be provided, examples of which are shown in Figures 11a to lib, with the embodiment of Figure 11a resembling a traditional chordophone. These body portions 11 can again be formed from plastic and may be moulded or formed by 3D printing. The body portions 19 may form a sound boxes in the same manner as the rear cover previously discussed. The materials, shape and dimensions of the body portions 19 may be selected for acoustic properties, for aesthetic properties or for ergonomic properties and a number of different body portions 19 of different shapes may be provided, as illustrated, all for receiving and attaching to a common beam 2. Thus a user may select an appropriate body portion 19 depending on the sound required, for style reasons or depending on how the chordophone is to be played. For example, the provision of different body portions 19 may enable different body portion to be selected for playing the chordophone standing than would be selected if the chordophone were to be played while seated.

Although one embodiment of beam 2 has been described with reference to Figures 1 to 11, many variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims, for example Figure 12 illustrates an embodiment with a further alternative body portion 19 and beam 2, which has a different arrangement of tuning pegs 9. Also, although an acoustic version of a chordophone has been described, the invention may encompass an electronic version and the term bridge as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted to encompass an equivalent tail piece.

Claims

1. A fretted chordophone comprising a beam having a nut at or towards one end, a bridge at or towards an opposite end and a plurality of strings extending over the nut and bridge, wherein the beam, nut and bridge are integrally formed as a single component.

2. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 1 wherein each string has a knot or enlarged end at one end and wherein the beam has a plurality of holes or slots at the nut end by which respective strings are attached to the nut end of the beam.

3. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 2 wherein the nut is within four centimetres of the one end of the beam.

4. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 further comprising a plurality of tuning pegs mounted at the bridge end of the beam to receive and tension respective strings passing over the bridge.

5. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 4 wherein the path of each string is angled at the bridge.

6. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claims 3 or 4 wherein the tuning pegs are arranged in a staggered pattern across the beam.

7. A fretted chordophone as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the beam further comprises a plurality of frets located between the bridge and the nut, which frets are integrally formed as a single component with the beam, nut and bridge.

8. A fretted chordophone as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the beam has a substantially T-shaped profile with the nut, the bridge and the frets formed on the upper surface of the "T" of the T-shaped profile.

9. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 8 wherein the T-shaped profile progressively changes to a substantially I-shaped profile at or towards the bridge.

10. A fretted chordophone as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a plurality of frets on a neck portion of the beam extending from the nut towards the beam and a sound board portion, without frets, extending from the bridge towards the neck portion, with one or more apertures extending through the sound board.

11. A fretted chordophone as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a rear cover affixed to a lower side of the beam opposite to the side on which the bridge and nut are located.

12. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 11 wherein the rear cover extends from a region below the bridge towards a region below the nut and forms a sound box.

13. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 12 wherein the rear cover extends to a region below the nut.

14. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claims 11 or 12 comprising a plurality of tuning pegs located in an upper surface of the beam between a tip of the beam at the bridge end and the bridge and a separate second rear cover extending below the tuning pegs.

15. A fretted chordophone as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the beam has a tapered configuration being broader at the bridge end than the nut end.

16. A fretted chordophone as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a body portion substantially wider and shorter than the beam, wherein the bridge end of the beam is arranged to be releasably retained in the body portion so that the beam and body portion together provide the fretted chordophone with a configuration generally similar in appearance to that of a traditional fretted chordophone.

17. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 16 wherein the body forms a sound box.

18. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claims 16 or 17 comprising a plurality of interchangeable body portions each arranged to releasably retain the beam in place in the respective body portion.

19. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 18 wherein each body portion is arranged to support or enable a different playing position.

20. A fretted chordophone as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the beam is formed of plastic.

21. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claim 20 wherein the beam is formed by an additive manufacturing technique.

22. A fretted chordophone as claimed in anyone of claims 11 to 19 wherein the beam is metal.

23. A fretted chordophone as claimed in claims 20 or 22 wherein the beam is moulded.

24. A fretted chordophone as claimed in in any preceding claim where the fretted chordophone is in the form of a ukulele, mandolin, guitar, ketar or cittern.

25. A method of forming a fretted chordophone as claimed in any preceding claim, the method comprising forming the beam by an additive manufacturing technique.

26. A fretted chordophone substantially as hereinbefore described in one or more of the accompanying figures.