US1697508A

US1697508A - Device for tuning stringed instruments

Info

Publication number: US1697508A
Application number: US116365A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kordick Frank
Original assignee: REGAL MUSICAL INSTR CO
Current assignee: REGAL MUSICAL INSTR CO; REGAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CO
Priority date: 1926-06-16
Filing date: 1926-06-16
Publication date: 1929-01-01
Anticipated expiration: 1946-01-01

Description

Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,508

F. KORDICK DEVICE FOR TUNING STRINGED INSTfiUllENTS Filed June 16, 1926 mnnliiiiiiiiiluumx Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF'l 'l'Cfli FRANK KORDICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T REGAL MUSICAL INSTRU- MENT .00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR TUNING STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

npplication filed June 16, 1926.

This invention relates to tuning attachments for stringed musical instruments.

The principal object of my invention resides in the provision of a simple device for facilitating the tuning of stringed instruments and which will insure the accurate tuning thereof by beginners and others persons more or less unacquainted with the fin ger board and correct manner of tuning instruments. The proper tuning ofa stringed instrument by beginners particularly is a matter of some difficulty and 1S likely to consume an undue amount of time. In tuning these stringed instruments, when the tone of one selected string has been properly tuned to a. standard the remaining strings are tuned to such string by comparison.-

Generally an upper or lower string is selected as the standard of tuning. After this spring is properly tuned, the string next to it is fretted at a particular point on the fin.- ger board and this next string is then tensioned until the two strings produce similar tones. After this second string is tuned, the third string is tuned from it in a similar manner and this process is continued until all the strings have been tuned. Obviously, there are many different ways of tuning these strings but in any case the strings are tuned by comparing them one to the other. It sometimes happens that a beginner is unacquainted with or has forgotten the particular manner in which the strings should be fretted to properly compare them in tuning, in which case it is impossible to properly tune the instrument. My invention contemplates the tuning of the instrument by temporarily arranging the strings so that the tuning may be accomplished by bringing the several strings to the same key instead of dilferent keys. In accordance with my invention, the tone characteristics of the several strings are by compensation brought to a common tone characteristic for the purpose of tuning and upon release of the strings the desired difference is automatically produced,

One of the objects of my invention resides in providing a simple device adapted to be attached to the finger board of a stringed instrument, such as guitar, mandolin, ukulele, banjo, violin, or the like, and pro- Serial No. 116,365.

vided with fretting members arranged so that when one of the fretting members is placed in proper position to fret one of the strings of the instrument, the remaining fretting members of a device will necessarily be disposed to produce the proper tuning of the instrument.

Another object of my invention resides in providing an attachment for the finger board of a stringed instrument which, when placed in position thereon, will fret the strings in such a manner as to permit the instrument to be tuned without additional fretting of the strings by the finger of the operator.

Still another object of my invention resides in providing a tuning attachment for a stringed instrument which is simple in construction and attachment to the stringed instrument, which simplifies and assures the proper tuning of thestringed instrument.

Numerous other objects .and advantages of the invention will be a parent as it is better understood from the ollowing description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred em bodiment thereof.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of my invention as applied to a ukulele.

Fig. 2 represents a side view thereof,

Fig. 3 a section on line 8''3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 represents the device as disassembled from the instrument.

It is obvious that my invention is capable of physical embodiment adapted for use in tuning any type of stringed instrument, such, for instance, as guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos, t iples, violins and the like. For purposes of illustration I have shown one embodiment of my invention in the drawings and as applied to the finger board of a ukulele. In the embodiment illustrated, the device comprises a bow-shaped clamping member 1, preferably of spring metal, which member l has two

arms

2 and 3; the lower arm 2 passes under the finger board of the ukulele and the upper arm 3 passes over the top of the finger board 4 and is maintained in spaced relation thereover. .This top arm 3 is provided with a longitudinal slot 5, through which passes a thumb screw 6 provided with a head 7. To this thumb screw 6 is riveted a fretting bar 8, which in the present instance lies transversely to the direction of the slot 5 and substantially parallel with the length of the finger board 4 of the instrument.

This fretting bar 8 carries a plurality of fretting members, which are adapted to overlie certain of the strings of the instrument at predetermined points on the finger board. In the present instance the fretting bar 8 is shown as provided with two oppositely extending wings 10 and 11, the extreme ends of which are bent downwardly as at 12 so as to provide a plurality of fretting

fingers

13 and 14 which may be covered with rubber or the like. It will be noted that these fretting fingers l3 and 14 are not located in the same direct line. In the specific embodiment shown the bar fretting member 14 is located out of the line of the fretting member 13, preferably the distance of two adjacent strings, so that when the fretting bar 8 is placed on. the finger board the bar fretting member 14 will lie on the string X While the lower fretting member 13 will lie on the string Y.

In addition the bar 8 is preferably provided with a third fretting member. T 0 this end the bar- 8 is slotted, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 at 15, a portion of the metal formed by this slot is bent downwardly as at 16 to from a tongue which is covered with rubber to provide a third fretting member 17. This fretting member is located out of a longi tudinal line passing through either of the fretting

members

13 or 14, and in the present instance is located so that when the fretting member 14 is on the string X and the fretting member 13 is on string Y, the fretting member 17 will .beon string Z.-.

In order to permit the adjustment of the fretting .bar 8 longitudinally of the slotted arm 3, the fretting bar 8 is slightly sunk as at 18 to provide an end seat or guideway in which the upper arm 3 rests. This compels the bar 8 to move only transversely of the upper arm 3. By means of this arrangement the bar 8 can be adjusted transversely of the length of the finger board.

In the present embodiment of my invention the fretting

members

13, 14 and 17 are so arranged with respect to the length of the fretting bar 8 and are so arranged laterally with respect to each other, that when the device'is attached to the finger board 4 and the fretting finger 14 is fretted upon string X intermediate the first and second frets, the fretting finger l3 willnecessarily and automatically fret the string Y between the eighth and ninth frets, and the fretting finger 17 will fret the string Z between the fourth and fifth frets of the ukulele, the string W remaining unfretted. In this position of attachment all of the strings, when properly tuned, should be in the same key and, therefore, it is only necessary for an operator to properly tune the strings so that they are keyed alike.

t must be manifest that my improved device is equally effective on the finger board of a violin or other stringed instrument which is not provided with frets.

.It must be obvious that various modifications and changes are within the spirit and scope of my invention and that such an attachment is not restricted to three fretting members or any combination of fretting members which will cause all of the strings to be fretted for the same key. The invention contemplates any arrangement for positively and automatically fretting one or more strings when the attachment is placed in position with one of its fretting members in a predetermined fretting position on a single string and the device also contemplates any arrangement whereby when the device is. applied the fretting members will fret any well known cord or predetermined arrangement of notes when the strings are properly tuned. It must also be apparent that Various arrangements of the fretting members and the means for attaching the device to the finger board of the stringed instrument are within thecontemplation of my invention. 7 i

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A tuning attachment for the fingerboard of a stringed musical instrument cemprising, a member having stops adapted to engage a plurality of strings of said instrument, said stops being so positioned with relation to each other as to bring all the strings engaged to the normal tone charac teristic of an unengaged string whereby, when said strings are tensioned to a common pitch, removal of said member will result in said strings having the desired predetermined difference in pitch, and means for holding said member in position during tuning.

2. An attachment for the finger-board of a stringed musical instrument comprising, a member having stops adapted to engage a plurality of strings of said instrument, said stops being so positioned with relation to each other as to bring all the strings engaged to the normal tone characteristic of a string of'said instrument whereby, when said strings are tensioned to a common pitch, removal of said member will result in said strings having the desired predetermined difierence in pitch, and means for holding said member in position during tuning.

3. An attachment for a finger board of a stringedmusical instrument, comprising a clamping member and a bar adapted to overlie a portion of the finger board of the instrument, said bar carrying a plurality of fretting fingers positioned so that when one of the fretting fingers is placed in a predetermined fretting position on one of the strings of the instrument, another fretting member will necessarily be located at a proper fretting position of another string to produce a proper fretting relation of the strings, so that one of said strings may be tuned by comparison with the tune of the other.

4. An attachment for the finger board of a stringed musical instrument, comprising a fretting bar adapted to overlie the finger board of the instrument, means for clamping said fretting bar to the finger board of the instrument and a plurality of fretting fingers carried by the fretting bar, said fretting fingers being arranged a predetermined distance apart longitudinally of the finger board and being arranged a predetermined distance apart laterally of the finger board, so that when one of said fretting fingers is placed at a predetermined point on one of said strings to fret the same, another fretting finger will necessarily be placed on the adjacent string and at a proper position thereon to permit the exact tuning of the instrument without further fretting either of said strings.

5. An attachment for a stringed musical instrument, comprising a fretting bar adapted to overlie the finger board of the instrument, means for clamping said fretting bar in position thereon, and a plurality of fretting fingers carried by said fretting bar, said fretting fingers being positioned with respect to each other so that when one of said fretting fingers is placed upon one of said strings and at a predetermined fretting position thereon, certain other fingers, when fretting adjacent strings of the instru- 'ment, will lie in exact fretting position to produce facile tuning of the instrument without additional fretting of the strings.

A tuning device for stringed musical instruments and the like, comprising a fretting bar adapted to overlie the finger board of the instrument, said fretting bar including a plurality of fretting fingers positioned in predetermined position thereon and constructed so that when one of said fretting fingers is disposed on a predetermined string of the instrument and in a pretermined fretting position thereon, the remaining fretting fingers of the bar will necessarily fall in such fretting position on certain other strings to permit tuning of the device without further fretting of the strings.

7. A tuning attachment for a string music'al instrument, comprising a resilient bowshaped clamp adapted firmly to embrace the finger board of the instrument, a fretting bar carried by the upper member of said clamp and arranged above and longitudinally of the finger board, said fretting bar having arms provided with downwardly turned flanges, each forming a. fretting finger adapted to engage a string, the fretting fingers on opposite ends of the bar being disposed out of line with each other substantially the distance between adjacent strings and being a pretermined distance apart lengthwise of the bar.

8. A tuning attachment for a string musical instrument, comprising a bow-shaped clamping member having on its upper end a fretting bar extending transversely of the finger board when the clamping bar is in position on the finger board, said bar having on its extremities downwardly extending parts forming fretting fingers, said fretting fingers being disposed laterally with each other substantially the distance between two adjacent strings, an intermediate fretting finger formed by a downwardly bent portion of the bar, said downwardly bent portion being disposed laterally of the other fretting fingers substantially the distance of a string, whereby the bar is provided with three fretting fingers which are adapted to engage in predetermined position three adjacent strings of the instrument when the attachment is placed on such instrument with one of the fretting bars at a fixed fretting position thereon.-

9. A tuning device of a stringed musical instrument, comprising a resilient, bowshaped metal clamp bar adapted to firmly grip the finger board of the instrument and, a fretting bar, said clamp bar having an upper arm provided with a longitudinal slot, a fretting bar having oppositely extending arms projecting transversely of the upper arm of the clamp bar and provided with a recessed guideway for receiving the upper arm of the clamp bar, said fretting bar having a threaded shank fastened thereto and projecting through the slot of the clamp bar, a nut on said shank to clamp the fretting bar and upper arm together and a plurality of fretting fingers formed on said fretting bar and depending thereon in a predetermined position.

FRANK KORDICK.