Patents Assigned to C. F. Martin & Company, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6664452
    Abstract: An acoustic guitar having a hollow body constructed with a pre-finished graphite soundboard and a pre-finished high pressure laminate backboard and sidewall. The graphite soundboard provides the acoustic guitar with a unique appearance and enhances durability without adversely affecting the tonal qualities of the guitar. A bracing pattern particularly for use with the graphite soundboard is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: C. F. Martin & Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy A. Teel
  • Patent number: 6605766
    Abstract: An acoustic guitar having a soundboard and a head-plate made of a sheet of metal, such as a sheet of aluminum. The outward facing surfaces of the soundboard and head-plate are provided with a decorative appearance such as by etching or sanding a pattern thereon. The metal soundboard and head-plate provide the acoustic guitar with a unique appearance and enhance durability without adversely affecting the tonal qualities of the guitar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: C. F. Martin & Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy A. Teel
  • Patent number: 6034309
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an acoustic guitar having a pre-finished resin laminate soundboard, sidewall and backboard. The contoured sidewall of the guitar is provided by a relatively flexible strip of the laminate material which is formed into a loop-shaped preform before being positioned within a multi-part fixture. The fixture is closed on the preform to conform the shape of the preform into a contoured shape. Subsequently, ribbon linings, a soundboard and a backboard are adhesively secured to the preform to complete the assembly of the hollow body portion of the acoustic guitar. Since he laminate material is pre-finished, numerous time consuming finishing steps typically preformed in known methods are eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: C.F. Martin & Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy A. Teel, Frank Finocchio
  • Patent number: 5952592
    Abstract: An acoustic guitar having a resin laminate soundboard with a bracing pattern specifically configured to provide the non-wooden soundboard with qualitites resembling traditional wooden soundboards. The soundboard is made from a relatively inexpensive resin laminate material in order to reduce the manufacturing cost of the acoustic guitar. The bracing pattern located on the underside of the soundboard stiffens the non-wooden soundboard at particular locations in order to permit a required degree of vibration for acoustic purposes while preventing damaging flexure caused by the forces of the tensioned guitar strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: C.F. Martin & Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy A. Teel
  • Patent number: 5461958
    Abstract: An acoustic guitar having a bracing on the underside of the soundboard which interconnects with the headblock and neck joint such that the soundboard is stiffened in cantilever fashion in a manner which resists failure in the region of the soundhole without affecting adversely the tonal qualities of the guitar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: C. F. Martin & Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Dresdner, Robert K. Headman