Abstract: A guitar comprises a body having a bottom and sides and a top. An outer perimeter of a top is attached to an upper rim of the sides, wherein an upper surface of the top is in tension due to bending of the top into a substantially domed shape and wherein the thickness of the top is thinner in the area of the outer perimeter than a central portion, thereby reducing the tension in the upper surface of the top in the area of the outer perimeter.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a string instrument, such as a guitar, having a neck support-fingerboard brace unit. The neck support-fingerboard brace unit is formed as a unitary unit or formed by fixedly attaching a neck support to a fingerboard brace before attaching the fingerboard brace to a guitar top. The solid connection between the neck support and the fingerboard brace allows the fingerboard brace, which rests on a guitar side, to provide support to the guitar neck, thus, reducing deformation in the guitar neck and the fret board.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a string instrument, such as a guitar, having a neck support-fingerboard brace unit. The neck support-fingerboard brace unit is formed as a unitary unit or formed by fixedly attaching a neck support to a fingerboard brace before attaching the fingerboard brace to a guitar top. The solid connection between the neck support and the fingerboard brace allows the fingerboard brace, which rests on a guitar side, to provide support to the guitar neck, thus, reducing deformation in the guitar neck and the fret board.

Abstract: A stringed instrument includes a body; an elongated neck; and a headstock, wherein the neck has a fingerboard on a top side with spaced-apart frets disposed perpendicularly along its length and extending from a first to a second side of the fingerboard. A top surface of the frets forms a fret plane having a first and second convex radiused surface, the first surface extending from an upper edge of the plane towards a center thereof and the second surface extending from a lower edge of the plane to a center thereof. In one embodiment, the first surface forms a smaller radius and the second surface forms a larger radius.

Abstract: A guitar top includes a sound hole, a neck end that is configured for attachment to a guitar neck with a longitudinal axis, a heel end, a transverse axis normal to the longitudinal axis, and a bottom surface. The bottom surface of the guitar top includes a pair of longitudinal braces that are attached to the surface. The pair of longitudinal braces extend primarily along the longitudinal axis from the heel end toward the neck end and terminate at a point beyond the sound hole toward the neck end. Each of the longitudinal braces is positioned on an opposing side of the sound hole such that a distance between the longitudinal braces exceeds the diameter of the sound hole.

Abstract: A system for anchoring a guitar string comprising a guitar top, a bridge fixed to the guitar top, and at least one aperture extending through the bridge and top for receiving an end of a string with a ball attached thereto. A bridge pin has a body that is insertable into the aperture. The body has two spaced-apart legs forming a space therebetween wide enough to accommodate the string but not the ball. A rear side of the legs has matching anchoring surfaces that are constructed and arranged to receive and retain the ball when the string is in tension.

Abstract: A system for anchoring a guitar string comprising a guitar top, a bridge fixed to the guitar top, and at least one aperture extending through the bridge and top for receiving an end of a string with a ball attached thereto. A bridge pin has a body that is insertable into the aperture. The body has two spaced-apart legs forming a space therebetween wide enough to accommodate the string but not the ball. A rear side of the legs has matching anchoring surfaces that are constructed and arranged to receive and retain the ball when the string is in tension.

Abstract: A pickup assembly is provided comprising a bridge defining an elongated slot, a saddle at least partially disposed within the slot, and at least one transducer. The slot has a slot end surface and two side walls. The saddle has a string contact surface, a saddle end surface generally opposite the string contact surface, and two opposing side surfaces. The at least one piezoelectric transducer may be located on a side wall of the slot, and have a contact surface in contact with a side surface of the saddle. The at least one transducer may be located on the slot end surface of the slot, and the contact surface contacts the saddle end surface of the saddle. An adjustment mechanism is connected to the bridge and engageable with the transducer. The transducer is adjustable relative to the saddle such that when the adjustment mechanism engages the transducer the force between the transducer and the saddle is adjusted.

Abstract: A pickup assembly is provided comprising a bridge defining an elongated slot, a saddle at least partially disposed within the slot, and at least one transducer. The slot has a slot end surface and two side walls. The saddle has a string contact surface, a saddle end surface generally opposite the string contact surface, and two opposing side surfaces. The at least one piezoelectric transducer may be located on a side wall of the slot, and have a contact surface in contact with a side surface of the saddle. The at least one transducer may be located on the slot end surface of the slot, and the contact surface contacts the saddle end surface of the saddle. An adjustment mechanism is connected to the bridge and engageable with the transducer. The transducer is adjustable relative to the saddle such that when the adjustment mechanism engages the transducer the force between the transducer and the saddle is adjusted.

Abstract: A detachable pickup assembly comprises a mounting assembly including a first body having a pickup mounting portion and a connection mechanism comprising one or more clip members. A second body defines a connection portion sized to receive the one or more clip members and has a top surface engageable with an inside surface of a guitar body. A pickup is fixedly mounted to the pickup mounting portion of the first body.

Abstract: A transducer for converting mechanical vibrations to an electrical signal and/or for converting an electrical signal to mechanical vibration. Damping liquid damps the relative vibration of transducer components. The damping liquid can be selected to optimize the sound quality of acoustic vibrations at the point of transduction. Also, a transducer with components that rotate relative to each other. For example, a permanent magnet component may simultaneous vibrate rotationally and linearly with respect to an electric signal carrying coil. The characteristics of the rotational vibration may be adjusted to optimize sound quality of acoustic vibrations at the point of transduction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a removable and adjustable neck joint between a neck and a body of a musical instrument. The neck includes a contoured mounting portion that engages a pocket included in the body. The mounting portion and pocket include engagement features that provide contact between the mounting portion and pocket.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transducer for converting between mechanical vibration and electrical signal, the transducer comprising a housing enclosing a substantially cylindrical permanent magnet and a coil, the magnet having a side-to-side polar orientation. The transducer may be used as sensor that is part of a sensor array for detecting vibrations from a hollow-bodied musical instrument and converting the vibrations into electrical signals for amplification.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electromagnetic pickup comprising a bobbin, a single coil wound around the bobbin and at least one pole piece coupled to the bobbin. The pickup is adapted for use with a stringed musical instrument including a body portion, a neck portion and a plurality of strings. In operation, the pickup is disposed between the neck and body portions of the musical instrument such that the pickup is substantially invisible to a user of the musical instrument.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a stringed, musical instrument where the instrument strings are grounded by a string ground circuit, and wherein the string ground circuit includes a circuit breaker having a current path that defines a portion of the string ground circuit between the strings and a ground.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sensor array for detecting vibrations from a hollow-bodied musical instrument and converting the vibrations into electrical signals for amplification. The sensor array includes a plurality of sensors connected in series including a string sensor disposed under the strings of the musical instrument and at least one body sensor attached to the soundboard of the musical instrument.