Guitar slide

A guitar slide for permitting the user to contact a single string, or any pair of adjacent strings of a stringed instrument. The guitar slide includes a body of a length sufficient to contact any pair of adjacent strings on a stringed instrument, an inner end formed with a hole for receiving the tip of the user's finger, and an outer end formed with an arcuate end cap adapted to be positioned adjacent the tip of the user's finger. The guitar slide body is shorter than the distance between the tip of the user's finger and the first knuckle of the user's finger to assure that the finger has the same flexibility as if the user was not wearing the guitar slide, which length is sufficient to allow guitar slide 1 to contact any two adjacent strings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Technical Field 
The invention relates generally to fingering devices for stringed 
instruments. More particularly, the invention relates to guitar slides. 
Specifically, the invention relates to guitar slides which allow the user 
to contact a single string, or any pair of adjacent strings when playing a 
guitar to alter the sound produced by the contacted string or strings. 
2. Background Information 
The playing of musical instruments, and specifically stringed instruments 
have enjoyed popularity for many years as both a relaxing recreational 
activity as well as a means for generating income. As the purchase of 
recording media, and radio and television broadcasting becomes more 
popular, so does the playing of guitars, etc. in an effort to emulate 
popular musical recording artists. This popularity will likely increase as 
artists continue to achieve fame and fortune by exploiting their musical 
talents. 
As individuals become increasingly interested in stringed instruments, such 
as guitars, the need to expand the range of sounds that are generated by 
the instrument also increases. The generation of unique sound not only 
assures that the instrument remains interesting to play, but allows the 
particular instrument to be utilized in a wider variety of musical 
formats. Additionally, an artist who is more versatile with a chosen 
instrument will be more marketable when pursuing a musical career. 
As such, a variety of picks and fingering devices have been developed to 
assist guitarists, and other musicians in the generation of sound from 
stringed instruments. One such device is a finger shield for use when 
playing stringed instruments disclosed in R. S. Blair U.S. Pat. No. 
(1,748,053) which allows a user to depress one or more strings for 
assuring that only the desired string is depressed against the guitar 
fret. 
Another device is the segmented musical pick of Domanski U.S. Pat. No. 
(5,261,307) which includes a pick having a number of fingering devices 
attached thereto. While the above devices are presumably adequate for the 
purpose for which they are intended, they generally provide a means for 
assuring that the chosen string is affirmatively depressed against the 
guitar fret without contacting other strings adjacent the chosen string to 
be depressed. 
Another type of fingering device which has been developed is the guitar 
slide, also known as a guitar steel. The use of guitar slides is also 
increasing in popularity as well known musical groups increasingly 
incorporate the sounds created by using the guitar slide into musical 
recordings. A guitar slide is usually manufactured of brass, steel or 
glass, and is worn on one of the user's fingers on the user's left hand. 
The guitar slide is then brought into contact with a number of the strings 
of the guitar, while the user strokes the strings with the right hand. 
Generally, the guitar string is not depressed into contact with the guitar 
fret as the unique sound is created when the sound vibrates the metal or 
glass guitar slide. However, the user may utilize the guitar slide to 
depress the string into contact with the fret to achieve a more muted 
sound. Further, the guitar slide may be moved along the string as it 
vibrates to vary the string pitch by altering the effective vibrating 
frequency of the string while simultaneously assuring that the string 
vibrates through the metal or glass guitar slide, again varying the sound 
generated thereby. 
A number of guitar slides have been developed in the prior art. One such 
slide is Sciurba et al. U.S. Pat. No. (3,638,525). Sciurba provides a 
guitar slide mounted behind the first knuckle of the user's finger. The 
slide is semi-circular, and allows the user to slide the guitar strings 
with the back of the user's finger, and pick the guitar strings with the 
front of the user's finger. 
Another guitar slide which has been well received in the art is a hollow 
cylindrical tube, again manufactured of glass, steel or brass, which is 
worn over the entire length of one of the user's fingers whereby the user 
slides the exterior surface of the cylindrical tube along the guitar 
strings. 
While the above two guitar slides are presumably adequate for the purpose 
for which they are intended, the above guitar slides do not provide a 
fingering device which allows the user to slide any pair of adjacent 
strings with the guitar slide. Additionally, it is difficult, for even an 
expert slide player, to slide a single string with the hollow cylindrical 
tube described above. Both Sciurba and the cylindrical guitar slide 
described above, cannot be utilized to slide any pair of adjacent strings 
on a stringed instrument. It is also extremely difficult to utilize the 
hollow cylindrical tube to slide alternate strings on the guitar by 
utilizing multiple cylindrical tubes on the user's hands. Additionally, 
the prior art devices do not provide the freedom of movement desired when 
playing a stringed instrument. 
Inasmuch as the hollow cylindrical tube of the prior art must contact the 
string to be acted upon by the slide, and every string therebelow, the 
guitar is often tuned out of standard tuning such that a chosen cord, for 
example a G cord, is struck when the slide is positioned over the strings 
of the stringed instrument. While altering the tuning of the stringed 
instruments is presumably adequate for the purpose for which it is 
intended, it does not permit the user to play all major cords of the 
stringed instrument, and also assumes that the user will use multiple 
guitars, one guitar tuned to standard tuning for standard play, and a 
second guitar tuned to one major cord when slide play will be utilized. 
Further, in an effort to further increase the flexibility of stringed 
instruments, guitar players often tap on, or note sound. "Tapping on" 
occurs when a note is sounded and a second note is struck, or "tapped on" 
with the right hand by hitting a note to create a harmonic with the first 
sounding note. Note sounding was not possible with the guitar slides of 
the prior art, as the guitar slide necessarily contacted the string to be 
acted upon, and all strings extending therebelow. 
Therefore, a need exists for a guitar slide which allows a user to slide a 
single guitar string, or any pair of adjacent guitar strings while 
simultaneously assuring that every joint on the user's left hand is 
operable. Additionally, the need exists for a pair of guitar slides such 
that when worn on a pair of fingers of the user's hand, any strings, in 
any combination, can be contacted by the guitar slide. Still further, a 
need exists for a guitar slide which may be utilized with a guitar tuned 
to standard tuning. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Objectives of the invention include providing a fingering device which 
allows a user to slide one or more guitar strings. 
Another objective is to provide a guitar slide which allows the user to 
contact any single string, or any pair of adjacent strings on a stringed 
instrument. 
A further objective is to provide a guitar slide manufactured of brass, 
steel or glass. 
A still further objective is to provide a pair of guitar slides, such that 
when the slides are used in combination, any combination of strings on a 
stringed instrument may be contacted by the guitar slides. 
Yet another objective is to provide a guitar slide which, when worn by the 
user, maintains the flexibility of the user's hand as if the user is not 
wearing the guitar slide. 
Still another objective is to provide a guitar slide which may be utilized 
with a guitar tuned to standard tuning, and which will permit the user to 
play all major cords. 
These and other objectives and advantages of the invention are obtained by 
the improved guitar slide, the general nature of which may be stated as 
including an annular body having an arcuate exterior surface, an inner end 
and an outer end; the inner end being formed with a hole adapted for 
receiving a user's finger; an end cap extending over the outer end, and 
adapted to extend over a tip of the user's finger; and the distance 
between the inner and outer ends adapted to be less than the distance 
between the tip of the user's finger, and the first knuckle of the user's 
finger.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The improved guitar slide of the present invention is indicated generally 
at 1, and is particularly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Guitar slide 1 includes 
an annular body 2, an inner end 3, and an outer end 4. Inner end 3 is 
formed with a hole 5 having an axial centerline B for receiving the tip C 
of a user's finger A as shown specifically in FIG. 2. Outer end 4 is 
formed with an end cap 6 extending over hole 5, and positioned adjacent 
tip C of the user's finger A as shown specifically in FIG. 2. End cap 6 is 
arcuate in configuration, and includes an apex substantially axially 
aligned with axial centerline B of hole 5. 
Annular body 2 is formed with a frustoconical outer surface 10 such that 
the diameter of outer surface 10 adjacent inner end 3 is larger than the 
diameter of outer surface 10 adjacent outer end 4. Outer surface 10 is 
also formed with a pair of parallel and spaced apart flats 11, the purpose 
for which will be described in detail below. 
In accordance with one of the main features of the present invention, 
annular body 2 of guitar slide 1 is of a length sufficient to contact only 
two strings of a stringed instrument (FIGS. 3 and 4), with end cap 6 
having a sufficient radius of curvature to assure that it may be utilized 
to contact a single string of a stringed instrument (FIG. 5). In further 
accordance with the invention, annular body 2 also has a length shorter 
than the distance between the tip C of the user's finger A, and the first 
knuckle D of the user's finger A. As such, when guitar slide 1 is worn on 
a user's finger A, the mobility of knuckle D is not inhibited, such that 
the user may flex finger A as if guitar slide 1 was not being utilized. 
As is also apparent from a review of FIG. 2, hole 5 and body 2 are axially 
aligned to assure that the position of guitar slide 1 is closely 
associated with the position of the user's finger A. 
In operation, and specifically referring to FIG. 3, when knuckle D of 
user's finger A is straight, the frustoconical outer surface 10 of body 2 
of guitar slide 1 may be utilized to contact a first pair of strings 13 of 
a guitar 14. Similarly referring to FIG. 4, outer surface 10 of guitar 
slide 1 may be utilized to contact a pair of adjacent strings 15 
intermediate the six strings of guitar 14. The sliding of any pair of 
adjacent strings, as shown particularly in FIG. 4, is only possible 
because of the relatively short length of guitar slide 1. The flexibility 
of knuckle D of the user's finger A further assures that guitar slide 1 
may be positioned over any pair of adjacent strings on guitar 14 to 
further increase the user's flexibility in playing guitar 14. 
As should also be apparent from a review of FIGS. 2 and 5, guitar slide 1 
of the present invention may be worn on the user's right hand such that 
when a first note is sounded, the user may tap on, or sound a second note 
via the guitar slide 1 positioned on the user's right hand thus creating a 
harmonic between the successively sounded musical notes. Additionally, 
inasmuch as guitar slide 1 contacts only the strings of the guitar which 
the user desires to contact, the guitar may remain in standard tuning 
while the user slides single notes, or full cords thus giving greater 
flexibility to the user playing the stringed instrument. 
Still further, when the user flexes knuckle 12 of finger A as shown 
specifically in FIG. 5, arcuate end cap 6 may be utilized to depress and 
slide a single string of guitar 14. 
The user employing guitar slide 1 when playing guitar 14 may thus slide the 
bottom two strings, as is possible with many guitar slides (FIG. 3), but 
in accordance with one of the primary elements of the invention, may also 
slide any pair of adjacent strings 15 of guitar 14 (FIG. 4). Additionally, 
guitar slide 1 may be utilized to slide a single string of guitar 14 (FIG. 
5) to provide the user the greatest flexibility when playing guitar 14. 
Parallel and spaced apart flats 11 are positioned on either side of guitar 
slide 1 and are positioned intermediate the finger housed within hole 5, 
and the adjacent finger. In this manner, flats 11 assure that guitar slide 
1 does not hold the user's fingers apart and that there is relatively 
little distance between the user's fingers further enhancing the 
flexibility and mobility of the user's fingers relative to each other. 
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, guitar 
slide 20 is shown generally in FIG. 6. Guitar slide 20 is similar to 
guitar slide 1 except that guitar slide 20 includes a hole 21 having an 
axial centerline B.sup.1 and an exterior surface 22 having an axial 
centerline E and an end cap 23. In accordance with the second embodiment 
of the present invention, axial centerlines A and B are eccentrically 
offset relative to each other. By offsetting axial centerlines A and 
B.sup.1, a user can easily move between the position wherein exterior 
surface 22 contacts any pair of strings of guitar 14, and the position 
where end cap 23 contacts a single string of guitar 14. 
As should also be apparent from a review of FIGS. 1 and 6, multiple guitar 
slides may be worn on the finger's of the user's hand to allow the user to 
slide any combination of strings on the stringed instrument such that if a 
pair of guitar slides 1 or 20 are worn on the user's left hand, the user 
is able to slide any pair of strings on guitar 14 by contacting a single 
string with each guitar slide. Additionally, the user could slide as many 
as four strings by utilizing outer surface 10 of each guitar slide 1 to 
contact any pair of adjacent strings without departing from the spirit of 
the present invention. As such, guitar slides 1 and 20 provide increased 
flexibility in the generation of sound from the stringed instrument, as 
well as increased flexibility of the user's hand over existing prior art 
guitar slides. 
As is apparent from a review of FIGS. 1 and 6, guitar slides 1 and 20 may 
be manufactured from a variety of materials, with brass, glass, steel, 
copper, ceramic or porcelain being utilized in the preferred embodiment. 
Accordingly, the various embodiments described hereinabove, successfully 
overcome problems associated in the art, and create a guitar slide which 
may be utilized to slide any pair of adjacent strings on a stringed 
instrument, as well as a guitar slide which may be utilized to contact a 
single string of a stringed instrument and provide flexibility in the 
user's fingers as if the user was not wearing guitar slide 1. 
Accordingly, the improved guitar slide is simplified, provides an 
effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device which achieves all the 
enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered 
with prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the 
art. 
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, 
clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be 
implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such 
terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly 
construed. 
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of 
example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact 
details shown or described. 
Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the 
invention, the manner in which the improved guitar slide is constructed 
and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous, 
new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, 
elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the 
appended claims.