Component multi-neck stringed instrument system

A component multi-necked string-instrument is disclosed. At least two instruments are flexibly connected to enable multiple instrument playing with fluidity and ease. The instruments are reverse-strung, stream-lined, having conventional tunings means angularly recessed rearward of the bridge section. Electrical control means are likewise recessed. A limited headstock is also provided for string anchoring, balance and playing ease.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to assemblies for multiple stringed instruments 
wherein the assemblies are designed to depend from the neck of a player 
presenting at least two instruments to be played in close proximity. More 
in particular, the invention relates to plural stringed instruments 
constructed to be played in close adjustable relationship with each other. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The wearing of plural stringed instruments, e.g., two guitars, is desirable 
at times. For example, a typical situation is where a band has limited 
personnel and a particular piece of music calls for several guitars, e.g., 
a twelve-stringed guitar and a six-stringed guitar. In such a situation 
the guitar player would have to set one instrument down before picking the 
other one up for playing or wear both guitars in close proximity to each 
other. The latter situation is the more desirable because the guitar 
player is able to move quickly and fluidly from one instrument to the 
other without losing a sense of continuity in the performance of a 
particular piece of music. 
There are problems with configurations for plural stringed instruments. 
Typically, the configurations are bulky, and the instruments are in fixed 
relation to each other. The bulkiness makes the instruments unwieldy and 
difficult to play. The fixed or rigid relation between the instruments, 
e.g., a double-necked guitar, limits the number of spatial arrangements 
possible between the instruments. Stringed instruments are often played in 
a variety of situations and by a variety of players. Rigidly connected 
multiple stringed instruments are therefore usually designed with one 
player in mind (or one position in mind). 
Notwithstanding the attendant problems associated with such multiple 
instrument configurations, examples and teachings of such configurations 
exist. Double-necked guitars and the like are typically a one piece 
connection or two rigidly connected guitars. 
CONKLIN GUITARS provides QUICK-CONNECT DOUBLE-NECK guitars. These are 
rigidly connected guitars with traditional head stock mounted tuning 
gears. These are available from the company at P.O. Box 1418, Lebanon, 
Mo., 65536. There is a patent application pending. 
One piece construction formats containing plural instruments are known. 
Examples of such instruments are: U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 34,476; 964,660; 
1,183,369; 1,759,736; Italian Pat. No. 689,931; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,250,319; 
and 4,343,217. 
Reverse strung guitars are known. Examples of such instruments are: U.S. 
Pat Nos. 3,251,257; 4,201,108; East German Pat. No. 148,174; U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 4,192,213; Re. 31,722; 4,576,080; Des. 278,632; and 4,241,637. 
Reverse strung guitars heretofore have not been constructed to be flexibly 
connected to other guitars. Accordingly, they suffer from protruding or 
inconveniently located tuning means. Such inconveniently located tuning 
means present difficulties to players having several such instruments 
depending from their necks. This is because when instruments are connected 
in close proximity and in substantially coplanar alignment one instrument 
must be reached over to play a lower instrument. 
The present invention provides structure and function to enable the 
comfortable playing of plural stringed instruments. The instruments are 
reverse strung, stream lined, light weight, constructed to be flexibly 
connected, and with no interference with the rearward mounted tuning 
means. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention comprises a component multi-necked stringed instrument device 
wherein plural stringed instruments are flexibly connected. The 
instruments have been so constructed that they can be played in close 
proximity when in substantially coplanar and substantially vertical 
alignment. Adjusting means have been provided for adjusting the spatial 
relationships between the plural instruments, e.g., angular and distance 
relationships. The instruments are reverse strung having the strings 
anchored in the headstock and the tuning means, e.g., worm gears, located 
rearward of the bridge section. So that one instrument may be overreached 
to play a lower instrument, the tuning means have been mounted on the body 
in recesses at angles. The instruments are stream lined, i.e., narrow, for 
being played in close proximity. To enable the streamlining, each tuning 
means for each string has been mounted in linear fashion on a line having 
an acute angle to a central longitudinal axis of the instrument body. It 
should be noted that the recessing of the tuning means can be effected in 
grooves, slots or individual holes. 
Preferably the instruments are electrified having their sound produced by 
electronic means. Each instrument has therefore been provided with input 
and output means for electronically communicating with other such 
instruments. According to the invention, the instruments can each function 
as a host for other instruments, i.e., they can relay signals form other 
instruments. 
The connecting means for the instruments is preferably a cord or strap. It 
is essential that whatever the flexible connecting means is, it should be 
compatible with strap means as are usually used for depending electronic 
stringed instruments from the necks of the musicians. Including with the 
flexible connecting means is an adjusting means, e.g., a buckle or 
buckles, for adjusting the spatial relationships existing between plural 
depending stringed instruments. The adjusting means can effect changes in 
the angular relationships as well as proximity. The stringed instruments 
are selected from the group consisting of 6-stringed guitars, 
twelve-stringed guitars, bass guitars, and mandolins. 
Each instrument of the invention has a neck with a headstock mounted on one 
end for anchoring the strings. On the end of the neck is mounted a body. 
The body is generally elongate in shape having a transducer mounted in 
proximity to the strings forward of the string-supporting bridge section. 
The tuning means are located in slots rearward of the bridge section. The 
preferred embodiment of the invention comprises conventional tuning gears, 
e.g., worm gears, wherein the winding peg is angularly mounted in the 
recesses. Angled toward the body's back side are located the turning knobs 
for turning the pegs and thus winding the strings. Because the instruments 
must be streamlined to enable close proximity playing of plural 
instruments, the tuning means are linearly arranged at an acute angle to 
the longitudinal axis of the body. In accordance with an object of the 
invention to prevent any structure from interfering with the playing 
thereof, the electronic control means are preferably located along 
longitudinal edges, e.g., top horizontal edge, increased angular 
arrangement. 
The individual instruments are selected from the group consisting of 
twelve-stringed guitars, six-stringed guitars, bass guitars and mandolins. 
According to the invention, any mixture of the above enumerated 
instruments may be flexibly connected. 
These and other and further objects and features of the invention are 
apparent in the disclosure, which includes the foregoing and following 
specification, claims and drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an assembly as depicted 
in FIGS. 10 and 11. Referring to those figures, there is a six- stringed 
electric guitar 7 connected to a twelve-stringed electric guitar 1 by 
flexible connectors 38, 39, 40, and 41. The flexible connectors may be 
anything which is not rigid, e.g., cords (both elastic and non-elastic). 
Belt-like material is especially preferred as this type of structure is 
amenable to adjustment mechanisms 35,36,37 and 46. These mechanisms may be 
buckles or anything for shortening and lengthening the flexible connectors 
38, 39, 40 and 41. Strap means 34 connects the various flexible connectors 
such that guitars 1 and 7 may be positioned in a depending position about 
the neck of a guitarist. The various connecting points 35, 36, 37, 46, on 
the flexible connector can be constructed out of any fastening means, 
e.g., staples, rivets buckles, bonding agents etc. The various connecting 
points 42, 43, 44 and 46 for connecting the flexible connector to the 
plural instruments 1, 7 can be any means for fastening such as strap 
locks, buttons etc. Moreover, points 42, 43, 44, and 46 need not be 
connected at the places indicated in the figures. 
Referring to FIG. 1 there is indicated a reverse-strung twelve-stringed 
guitar 1, having mounted rearward of the bridge 10 angularly recessed 
tuners 4 and 8. These tuners are conventional worm gear tuners as shown in 
FIG. 5. The preferred worm gear tuners are made by GROVER. 
FIG. 2 shows the preferred mounting of the tuners. There is a slot 6 having 
located therein winding pins 8. Winding pins 8 extend through angular 
surface 26. The gear box 25 is mounted on the back side 26. (See also, 26 
on FIG. 3.) Broken line 28 shows the through-hole through which the 
winding peg extends. 
FIG. 3 shows the input and output means 27 and 28 for electrically 
communicating with the electronic producing means 12. Element 12 may be 
any type of sound producing means, e.g., pickup, microphone, transducer, 
etc. The electronic control means 15, 16, 17 and 18 are recessed in 
longitudinal edge 14 of guitar 1 as shown on FIG. 1. It should be noted 
that the recessing of most of the hardware of the invention is essential 
to plural instrument configurations as is depicted in FIGS. 11 and 12. 
Lack of recessing makes the instruments difficult to maneuver about. 
Typical of reverse strung guitars, the strings 33 as best shown in FIG. 4 
are anchored beyond the nut 30. However, not so typical of reverse strung 
guitars is the headstock 21 providing holes 22 for anchoring the strings 
30 on the back side 31 as shown in FIG. 6. Recessing of the string ends 33 
in holes 32 is preferred in accordance with an object of the invention, 
namely, to provide non-interfering surfaces for playing convenience. The 
providing of a little bit of head stock beyond the nut is preferred by 
most guitarists to enable string bending of open string notes. 
Referring now to FIG. 7, there is provided another component of the system 
shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Six-stringed guitar 7 only one side of the body 
36. The top edge 35 is free of tuning means 4 and 8. It is generally 
preferred that guitar 7 be the top guitar so that a players arm may rest 
on edge 35 just forward of back piece. A slight indentation may be placed 
on edge 35 to provide for more comfortable arm resting. 
Referring to FIG. 8, there is mounted gear box 25 on the back angular side 
26. As in guitar 1 there is input and output means 27 and 28. 
Interchangeability is an important feature of the present invention. It is 
noteworthy that either of the guitars 1 and 7 may function as a relay for 
the other guitar. They may both be played at the same time or first one 
then the other. 
FIG. 9 shows the angularly recessed tuner means of guitar 7. Downward 
facing face 26 has mounted thereon tuning gear 25. Projecting through face 
26 is the winding peg 8. It is to be noted that turning knob 4 is at least 
even with the front body surface. 
Those ordinarily skilled in the art will readily understand that the 
materials used to construct the invention are available in the 
marketplace. Woods, composites of plastic and fiber, laminates, various 
hardware described hereinabove are all suitable for use in constructing 
the above described invention. 
As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from 
the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is 
therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the 
invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within 
the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well 
as their conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be 
embraced by those claims.