Protective and decorative cover for a guitar

A protective cover for an electric string instrument including a generally U-shaped cradle having a flexible front member connected to a flexible back member by a flexible edge member. An upper fin-engaging portion of the edge member can be adapted to fit over the upper fin of the electric string instrument. A flexible loop can be attached to the back member and adapted to fit over a lower fin on the instrument to hold the generally U-shaped cradle to it. An upper fin-engaging portion of the edge member can fit over the upper fin of the electric string instrument. A flexible loop can be attached to the back member and adapted to fit over the instrument's lower fin to hold the generally U-shaped cradle to it. The flexible edge member can also include at least one strap button opening to fit over any strap buttons located along the peripheral edge the instrument. A pick guard can be fixed to the front side of the instrument. A back plate can be fixed to the back side of the instrument.

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to protective covers, and more particularly to a protective and decorative cover for electrical string instruments such as electrical guitars and basses.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Musical instruments such as electric guitars and electric basses are generally played with the musician standing and the back of the instrument held against the musician's body. Relative movement between the instrument and the musician's body causes marring of the often attractive and expensive finish of the instrument. This is especially true for electric guitars, use of which tends to be more dramatic and movement oriented than that of classical or acoustic guitars, in keeping with the type of music for which the electric instruments are best suited.

The body of stringed musical instruments during normal usage, or during the transportation of such instruments, is susceptible to scratches, cracks, dents, wear and other damage. Such damage can reduce the useful lifetime of the instruments, reduce playability and adversely affect the aesthetic qualities and tonal qualities as well.

The current state of electric guitar customization involves painting or cutting into the body of the instrument. This process is usually expensive and almost always leaves the owners little option if at some point in the future they change their mind about the alteration. Decals have also been used but they can sometimes be difficult to remove and leave adhesive on the body of the instrument, which could potentially lower its value.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved protective and decorative cover to aid in “non-destruction” electric string instrument customization and ornamentation. Further, such protective cover would provide the user the ability to display designs, patterns, symbols and other objects of a decorative and expressive nature on the instrument without damaging or altering the body of the electric string instrument itself. Such a protective cover can be accomplished by crating a removable vest which bears said decorative and expressive objects. Further, such protection should be easily removable and versatile in appearance thus offering the user an array of inexpensive and convenient customization options. Moreover, such a protective cover should be form-fitting in that it does not conceal the shape of the instrument but accentuates its outline and at the same time without interfering the playability of the electric string instrument. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a protective cover for an electric string instrument such as an electric guitar provided in a vest-like form (which can also be referred to as a “Vesitar”) that can be accomplished by creating a form fitting, removable covering, which can be made of an elastic lycra, leather or other form fitting materials. The protective cover can bear decorative or expressive objects.

In the preferred embodiment, the protective cover includes a generally U-shaped cradle having a flexible front member connected to a flexible back member by a flexible edge member. An upper fin-engaging portion of the edge member can be adapted to fit over the upper fin of the electric string instrument. A flexible loop can be attached to the back member and adapted to fit over the lower fin of the instrument to hold the generally U-shaped cradle to the instrument.

In accordance with other features of the present invention, the flexible edge member can also include at least one strap button opening which fits over strap buttons typically found along the peripheral edge an electric string instrument. A pick guard can be fixed to the front side of the instrument with pick guard screws for retaining the cover onto the instrument. The protective cover can also incorporate a back plate fixed to the back side of the instrument with back plate screws traversing the back plate engagement portion to retain the cover onto the instrument.

During use and installation, the top fin sleeve can be fitted over the top fin of the guitar. The vest is then pulled to the rear of the instrument where protective cover's strap button opening fits over the strap button. The material of the lower front portion of the protective cover can be pulled tight behind the pick guard and the pick guard screws are fastened. Back plate screws can be removed and material from lower posterior portion of the protective cover is pulled tight between the back plate and the body and the back plate screws can be tightened. The lower portion strip of the protective cover can then be pulled down across the rear of the instrument and loops around the lower fin and fastens on the posterior side of the instrument retaining the cover onto the guitar.

The present invention facilitates for its user the ability to display designs, patterns, symbols and other objects of a decorative nature on an electric string instrument such as an electric guitar or bass without damaging or altering its body. Furthermore, it is easily removable and can be versatile in appearance. The protective cover is attractive because it attaches onto the body of an electric string instrument in a manner outlining the shape of the instrument.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIG. 1, labeled as “prior art”, illustrated is a front view of a typical electric guitar20, which can be used for and benefit from features of the present invention. Although an electric guitar20is what is being illustrated, it should be appreciated that the electric guitar20is only being presented as an example of an electric string instrument that can benefit from use of the present invention, but is not meant to be a limitation over the invention. Other electric string instruments, such as electric basses, can also benefit from the features described herein. An electric guitar body25typically has an upper fin27on its upper right hand side and a lower fin23on its lower right hand side. The front side24of the guitar20typically includes a pick guard21. The pick guard21can be attached to the front side24of the guitar20by as many as eight to eleven visible screws, which can be referred to as pick guard screws22. An electric guitar20can also includes strap buttons80attached to a peripheral edge26of the body25of the guitar20for retaining a shoulder strap (not shown) onto the guitar20to facilitate user retention and control over the guitar20.

Referring toFIG. 2, also labeled as “prior art”, a back side23of the electrical guitar20is illustrated and includes a back plate28with back plate screws29securing the back plate onto the back side23of the guitar20. Strap buttons80are again shown attached to the peripheral edge26the body25to retain a shoulder strap (not shown) onto the guitar20.

Referring toFIG. 3, the front side of a guitar like as described with reference toFIG. 1is illustrated. A protective cover10in accordance with the preferred embodiment is generally shown covering a portion of the guitar's body. The protective cover10can be made of form-fitting materials such as nylon lycra, leather and similar material with renowned properties of elasticity, the ability to be form-fitting and affordable. The protective cover10includes a generally U-shaped cradle30having a flexible front member40connected to a flexible back member50(not shown) by a flexible edge member60having an upper fin-engaging portion65(not shown) with a fin aperture66for fitting over the upper fin27of the guitar. The flexible loop70attached to the back member50can be fitted over the lower fin23of the guitar20to hold the generally U-shaped cradle30onto the guitar20. The protective cover10can further include at least one aperture67for receiving a strap button80mounted on the peripheral edge of the guitar20.

Referring toFIG. 4, a back view of the guitar shown inFIG. 2is shown with a protective cover10located thereon. The flexible back member50can be connected to flexible edge member60and also include an aperture67for receiving a strap button80and further retain the cover onto the guitar20. The flexible loop70can be pulled down across the rear side of the guitar and can be fastened44—e.g., with a tie rope as illustrated, or with snaps or hook-and-loop type fasteners (not shown)—to the back member60at the back side of the guitar20. The cover10further includes a fin aperture66therein such that the upper fin27of the guitar20can project through the fin aperture66and be held snuggly within the fin aperture66. A rear seam38shown on the back member50can provide additional formability or flexibility of the cover10. The exact measurements of the cover can vary in order to accommodate various string instrument models.

Referring toFIG. 5, a protective cover10comprising a U-shaped cradle30is illustrated in accordance with a feature of the present invention and includes a flexible front member40, an edge member60, a back member50and a flexible loop70that can be fixed to the front side25of the guitar having a pick guard21fastened to the front side25with pick guard screws22. The pick guard engagement portion45can be shaped to allow placement of the protective cover10between the pick guard21and the front side25of the guitar20. The pick guard screws22can transverse the pick guard engagement portion45to better retain the cover10onto the guitar surface25. An aperture67on the edge member60of the cover10can receive the strap button80on the peripheral edge26of the guitar20.

Referring toFIG. 6, the protective cover10is illustrated to be pulled tight behind the black plate28located on the back surface23of the guitar20. The back member50of the cover can include a back plate engagement portion55shaped to allow the cover10to be located between the back plate28and the back side of the guitar. Back plate screws29can transverse the back plate engagement portion55to further retain the cover10onto the guitar20. The rear seam38on the back member50can be sewn by means of a suitable sewing thread. The flexible loop70can be fastened44at the back side of the guitar20.

Referring toFIG. 7, an edge view of the guitar20is illustrated wherein a strap button80is shown to be installed on the peripheral edge26of the guitar20. The flexible edge member60of the cover10includes an aperture67for receiving the strap button80to retain the cover10onto the guitar20.

Referring toFIG. 8, a top edge illustration of the guitar20is shown looking towards its body25. The protective cover10includes a flexible front member40, flexible edge member60, and flexible loop70attachable to the back member50(not shown). A strap button80is shown as it would be normally located on the upper fin27to also help secure a shoulder strap (not shown). A seam26is shown on the flexible edge member60, and can also facilitate use or installation of the protective cover10.

Referring toFIG. 9, a lower view of the guitar20on its side is illustrated with the flexible loop70of the protective cover10(not shown) located in its place around the fin. Referring toFIG. 10, a side top view of the guitar20is shown with an outer edge40of the protective cover shown stretched over the guitar's edge. The protective cover10can be pulled over the guitar20and an aperture67on the edge member40of the cover10can be fitted over the strap button80as displayed in the illustration.

Use of the protective cover10can be described as follows. The upper fin engaging portion65of the edge member60fits over the upper fin27of the guitar20. The cover can then be pulled to the rear of the guitar20where the aperture on the edge member60of the cover10fits over the strap button retaining the cover10onto the guitar20. In the front side of the guitar20four upper pick guard screws22can be removed from the pick guard21. The pick guard engagement portion45of the cover10can be pulled tight behind the pick guard21and the front side24of the guitar. The pick guard screws22traversing the pick guard engagement portion45can be used to fasten the cover10onto the guitar20. Three back plate screws29can then be removed and back plate engagement portion55of the cover10can be pulled tight between the back plate28and the back side of the body25of the guitar20. The three back plate screws29then transverse the back plate engagement portion55to further retain the cover10on to the guitar20. A flexible loop70can then be pulled down across the rear of the instrument and loops around the lower fin23and fastens44on the posterior side of the guitar20to hold the U-shaped cradle30to the guitar.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the protective cover10can potentially be manufactured in an array of styles including various colors and patterns, assorted materials such as light-weight leather, and adorned with studs or decals, or formed with cutout patterns. Accordingly, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention can only be interpreted using the appended claims.