Exchangeable pickups for electric guitars

A guitar pickup module for insertion in an electric guitar having a well for accommodating a pickup. The module includes a base plate which is mounted in the well and which includes a plurality of electrical contacts for attachment to the plurality of output wires of the guitar. The pickup includes a plurality of electrical contacts which are placed in electrical communication with the base plate contacts upon insertion of the pickup in the well on the base plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to pickups for electric guitars and, more 
specifically, to a pickup module for an electric guitar which permits the 
easy and convenient exchange of pickups. 
A pickup consists essentially of an electromagnetic coil or a plurality of 
coils arranged beneath the strings of an electric guitar. Vibrations in 
the string of the guitar induce electrical signals in the coil of the 
pickup which are transmitted through output wires of the guitar to an 
amplifier or the like for reproduction of the vibrations of the strings. 
Conventional pickups are hard-wired into the body of the electric guitar. 
To service or replace the pickup requires the removal of the strings of 
the guitar and disconnection of the hard-wired electrical connection 
between the pickup and the output wires of the guitar. If the pickup is 
being replaced by one of an identical configuration, the new pickup is 
soldered to the output wires of the guitar and returned to position in the 
guitar body. 
The present invention permits pickups of diverse manufacture to be easily 
and conveniently replaced or exchanged without requiring routing, 
chiseling, or other modification of the body of the guitar, of particular 
advantage if the guitar is valuable or unique. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A guitar pickup module for an electric guitar includes a base plate which 
is inserted into an existing well in the body of the guitar. A plurality 
of electrical contacts on the base plate are electrically connected to 
output wires of the guitar. A pickup including a plurality of electrical 
contacts corresponding to the electrical contacts of the base plate is 
adapted for releasable securement to the base plate wherein the electrical 
contacts of the pickup are in electrical communication with the contacts 
of the base plate. The pickup can be removed and replaced by releasing the 
tension on the strings of the guitar which are retensioned after 
replacement of the pickup. The base plate is height adjustable relative to 
the strings of the guitar to permit selective adjustment of selected 
pickups and to permit the accommodation of pickups of various heights.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Illustrated in FIG. 1 generally at 10 is an electric guitar including a 
conventional pickup 12 which is hard-wired to the four output wires 14A-D 
of the guitar 10. The six strings 16A-F of the guitar 10 extend from a 
bridge 18 and a tension lever (not shown) near the base of the guitar 10 
to tuning screws (also not shown) at the head of the guitar 10. While the 
preferred embodiment is being described with regard to a conventional 
six-string guitar, it is of equal advantage and applicability to bass 
guitars and other guitars or electronic musical instruments having any 
number of strings. 
Each of the strings 16A-F passes over the conventional pickup 12 which 
typically includes six poles 20A-F each of which is spaced below a 
corresponding string 16A-F. As the guitar 10 is played, vibrations in the 
strings 16A-F induce electrical signals in the electromagnet coil of the 
poles 20A-F which are communicated to the output wires 14A-D which are 
combined in a cable 14. The signals are thereafter communicated to an 
amplifier system for amplified reproduction of the vibrations in the 
strings 16A-F of the guitar 10. The conventional pickup 12 may be secured 
to the body of the guitar 10 by screws 44A and 44B or by other suitable 
means. The output wires 14A-D are typically hard-wired by soldering to 
corresponding contacts 24A-24D of the conventional pickup 12. Replacement 
of the conventional pickup 12 requires that the strings be removed from 
the tensioning screws at the head of the guitar so that a guitar face 
plate 26 and the pickup 12 can be unscrewed from the guitar 10 and lifted 
out for access to the output wires 14A-D which are then disconnected from 
the pickup 12. If a pickup of a different configuration is to be 
substituted in the guitar 10, the body of the guitar 10 will have to be 
modified to create a well of the appropriate shape to accommodate the 
pickup. 
Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a portion of the guitar face 
plate 26 and a pickup receiving well 28 in the body of the guitar. A 
guitar pickup module is illustrated generally at 30 and includes a base 
plate 32 and a pickup 34. 
The base plate 32 is of a size and configuration to fit within the well 28 
and includes mounting flanges 36A and 36B at either end thereof. The 
mounting flanges 36A-B have an upright portion 38A-B and an out turned 
horizontal portion 40A and 40B. Each horizontal section 40A and 40B 
includes a threaded throughbore 42A and 42B, respectively, which receive 
therein a bolt 44A and 44B used to attach the base plate 32 to the guitar 
face plate 26. One of a pair of springs 46A and 46B is received about a 
corresponding one of the bolts 44A and 44B between the guitar face plate 
26 and the horizontal section 40A and 40B of the flanges 36A and 36B to 
maintain a preselected spaced-relation between the base plate 32 and the 
guitar face plate 26. 
The base plate 32 includes four stand-off contacts 48A-D. Each of the 
output wires 14A-D is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the 
stand-off contacts 48A-D. 
The pickup 34 includes six poles 50 in a similar manner as did the 
conventional pickup 12. The pickup 34 differs, however, in that it has 
four spring-biased contacts 52A-D corresponding in location to the four 
stand-off contacts 48A-D of the base plate 32. The contacts 52A-D are in 
electrical communication with the electromagnet coils of the pickup 34. At 
either end portion of the pickup 34 is a recess 54 which is received in a 
snap-fit beneath an inwardly projected lip 56 on the corresponding upright 
section 38 of the flanges 36. Accordingly, alignment of the pickup 34 on 
the base plate 32 followed by pressing of the two elements together will 
releasably secure the pickup 34 to the base plate 32 wherein the base 
plate contacts 48A-D are in electrical contact with the corresponding one 
of the pickup contacts 52A-D and the inwardly projected lips 56 releasably 
capture the pickup 34 at the recesses 54. 
It can be seen, accordingly, that the pickup 34 can be easily and simply 
replaced merely by grasping of the pickup 34 which, in assembly would 
project above the guitar face plate 26, and substituting a new pickup in a 
snap-fit relation inside the base plate 32. Any variety of pickup can be 
accommodated provided only that it have the appropriate contacts 52A-D, 
recesses 54, and be of a size and configuration to fit through the face 
plate 26 and that a corresponding base plate 32 with contacts 48A-D is 
provided. Because only a very limited amount of clearance is required, the 
strings of the guitar do not have to be completely removed, but only 
released from tension during the replacement or exchange procedure. 
A second preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein parts 
corresponding to the first preferred embodiment are indicated using 
identical figure numbers. In this embodiment, a pickup 60 is attached to a 
mounting plate 62. Four pins 64A-D project laterally below the mounting 
plate 62 and are in electrical communication with the electromagnet coils 
of the pickup 60. Corresponding electrical contact receptacles 66A-D are 
provided in the base plate 32. Upon insertion of the mounting plate 62 
atop the base plate 32, the pins 64A-D will be received in mating 
engagement inside a corresponding one of the electrical contact 
receptacles 64A-D. Moreover, a recess 68 at either end portion of the 
mounting plate 62 will releasably receive the corresponding inwardly 
projected lip 56 which will serve to releasably secure the mounting plate 
62 to the base plate 32. 
The base plate 32 is secured in a height adjustable relation to a mounting 
frame 70 by the bolts 44A-B and springs 46A-B. The completed assembly is 
secured to the body of the guitar by screws 72. As in the first 
embodiment, each of the four output wires 14A-D is electrically connected 
to a corresponding one of the electrical contact receptacles 66A-D of the 
base plate 32. The pickup 60 can be easily and conveniently replaced by 
grasping the pickup 60 to release the same from the base plate 32, 
whereupon a substitute mounting plate 62 and an associated pickup can be 
inserted in a snap-fit relation inside the guitar well 74. 
Although the invention has been described with respect to two preferred 
embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so 
limited since changes and modifications, such as the number and design of 
the electrical contacts, the mounting method of the pickup, and the design 
of the pickup, can be made therein which are within the full intended 
scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.