Abstract:
An improved guitar bridge and tailpiece is provided for use in facilitating the tuning and retuning procedure for a guitar. The new guitar bridge and tailpiece each include a setscrew hole at each end of their respective base pieces. The setscrew holes are formed from an outer vertical edge to a vertical hole or slot therein. Into each setscrew hole is placed a setscrew which, upon fastening into the setscrew hole, contacts adjustment posts or studs which are mounted to a body of the guitar. By tightening the setscrews against the adjustment posts or studs, the bridge or tailpiece is fixedly mounted to the body of the guitar. Because the bridge and tailpiece remain fixed to the guitar body, once tuned, the strings do not require extensive tuning adjustment each time the strings are replaced.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/697,529, filed on Oct, 25, 2000 and entitled “Guitar Bridge and Tailpiece,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/178,452, filed on Jan. 27, 2000, and entitled “Guitar Bridge and Tailpiece,” both of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This present invention relates generally to guitar bridges and tailpieces and more particularly to mounted guitar bridges and tailpieces.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0005]    Steel string guitars generally have four separate structures in the string system. These four structures must be carefully installed and aligned for the strings to accurately reproduce the desired notes upon being plucked or strummed.  
           [0006]    Referring to FIG. 1, a tailpiece  100  is mounted on a body of a guitar and holds one end of strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 . The tailpiece  100  provides the mechanical strength for the tension of the stretched strings against the body of the guitar. These strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  then pass over a bridge  120  which is used to initially set the tuning of the guitar so the guitar plays in tune with the proper tone and timbre. In an electric guitar, the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  will also pass over one or more magnetic or other types of pickups  130 . The pickups  130  are used to convert the physical vibrations of the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  into electrical energy which can then be electrically amplified.  
           [0007]    The strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  then extend over, but do not contact, multiple frets, not shown, on the guitar. Towards a neck of the guitar the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  then pass over a nut to tuning pegs. The tuning pegs are adjustable to increase or decrease the tension of the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  in relation to each other. This raises or lowers the frequency of the tone of each string so that the proper notes are heard upon plucking or strumming the guitar. Between the nut and the bridge  120  are the various frets between which the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  are depressed so that the effective length of the string is shortened to thereby increase the frequency at which that particular string vibrates.  
           [0008]    An important factor in a quality electric guitar is the guitar sound.  
           [0009]    The material of the body, the quality of the magnetic or other pickups, the rigidity of the guitar itself, the accuracy of the placement and spacing of the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  above the fingerboard and associated frets, the actual placement of the frets, and the quality of the tuning bridge  120  are all important to the overall sound of the guitar.  
           [0010]    The strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  are stretched initially between the bridge  120  and the nut just to tune the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  to their proper respective note. Then the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  are stressed further by a guitar player, upon playing, by forcing the strings  102 ,  25   104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  down onto the fingerboard between frets. Because of the energy with which some players play their guitars, the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  stretch and often have to be replaced daily or even while playing. This requires that the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  be removed from the tuning pegs, the body of the guitar, and the tailpiece  100 , respectively.  
           [0011]    Since the bridge  120 , and possibly the tailpiece  100 , are only held down by the tension of the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 , the replacement of the strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  requires that the entire guitar be completely retuned every time a string or strings are replaced. This requires a very fine ear by the guitar tuner. Alternatively, s/he must utilize separate tuning equipment to reset the guitar bridge  120  and the tuning ramps (known as “saddles”) on the bridge  120 . In fact, when the guitar strings  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  are removed, the bridge  120  becomes freely removable. If the tuning person is not careful, the bridge  120  and other components may fall off the guitar and possible mar the guitar body. Further, without a complete retuning and adjustment of the guitar, the guitar will not play well, stay in tune, or resonate well. A complete readjustment of all the components of the guitar is typically required after every loosening and/or removal of strings for simple operations such as cleaning and simple maintenance, taking much time and effort to return it to a playable condition. Therefore, there is a need for an improved system and method for securing a bridge and tailpiece to the guitar.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention provides an improved system and method for securing a bridge and tailpiece to a guitar. The system includes a bridge having a long, narrow base piece with top, bottom, front, and rear surfaces. There is a vertical alignment hole at each end of the base piece formed from the top surface through the bottom surface. The bridge also includes a setscrew hole in each end of the base piece which may be formed from an outer vertical edge through the base piece to each vertical alignment hole. The guitar bridge also provides for a setscrew to be inserted into each of the setscrew holes, the setscrews being rotated into the base piece and into contact with adjustment posts placed into the vertical alignment holes to fixedly mount the guitar bridge to the adjustment posts.  
           [0013]    The present invention also includes a tailpiece having a long, narrow base piece with top, bottom, front, and rear surfaces. The base piece includes string holes in the base piece formed from the front surface through the rear surface. A vertical alignment hole or slot is provided at each end of the base piece formed from the top surface through the bottom surface. A setscrew hole is also provided in each end of the base piece extending from the edges through the base piece to each vertical hole or slot. The guitar tailpiece also provides for a setscrew inserted into each of the setscrew holes. The setscrews are rotated into the base piece and into contact with adjustment posts placed in the vertical hole or slot to fixedly mount the guitar bridge to the adjustment posts.  
           [0014]    The invention includes a method of mounting a guitar bridge to a guitar comprising fastening adjustment posts to a body of the guitar, placing the guitar bridge on the adjustment posts such that the adjustment posts are inserted into vertical alignment holes at each end of a base piece, and fastening setscrews into the base piece so that the setscrews contact the adjustment posts to fixedly mount the guitar bridge to the guitar.  
           [0015]    In an alternative embodiment of the tailpiece, the string holes include slots which extend from the string holes to the bottom surface. These slots allow guitar strings to be slipped out through the bottom surface rather than being completely withdrawn through the string holes.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    For a more complete understanding of the invention, as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference may be had to the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the drawings wherein:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is an exemplary top and side view of a conventional guitar upon which a guitar bridge and a tailpiece have been mounted;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is an exemplary top, side, and front view of a guitar bridge and associated parts of a standard electric guitar, according to the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is an exemplary top, side, and front view of a guitar tailpiece and associated parts of a standard electric guitar, according to the present invention; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is an exemplary front view of an alternative tailpiece for use with the guitar.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    The present invention relates to an improved guitar bridge and tailpiece for use in facilitating the tuning and retuning procedure for a guitar that requires a new string or strings, and also for improving the sound from the guitar by creating a more solidly mounted system for coupling the strings to a resonating guitar body. The solid connection afforded by the disclosed invention allows for the guitar instrument to resonate better, thus transferring the sound to the instrument body and enhancing the played notes. The sound quality is also enhanced due to the solid adjustment of the bridge components allowing for increased harmonic overtone transfer to the instrument pickups. After adjustment, as described hereinafter, the components are secured and cannot come loose even when the strings are removed, thereby preventing any damage to the instrument finish. Also, since the adjustments are secured, there is no need to readjust the string components after string removal, as the components do not come off or loosen during the string replacement process.  
         [0022]    The components described herein are also designed to fit or retrofit most instruments without any modification to the original instrument. Even expensive “vintage” instruments can be fitted with the new components without any modification to the instrument, and the use of the new components does not detract from the “intage” look of the instrument. The new components may be constructed to make visual detection of any difference between original stock components and the new components difficult. The new components are easy to use, install, and adjust by a purchaser. A professional installation and adjustment of the components is likely not needed after the first such installation and adjustment, as the instrument owner or user can perform the installation and maintenance.  
         [0023]    Referring now to FIG. 2, top, front, and side views of an improved, exemplary guitar bridge  210  are shown. The guitar bridge  210  comprises a long and narrow base piece that is typically formed of standard metal, such as steel or brass. A top surface  211  is generally flat, while a bottom surface  213  is generally concaved to match the curvature of a guitar  286 . Alternatively, the top and bottom surfaces  211  and  213  may consist of other shapes. Cut or formed in the bridge  210  are several square or rectangular holes  212 ,  214 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 , and  222  extending from the top surface  211  through the bottom surface  213 . Vertically through each end of the bridge  210  are vertical alignment holes  256  and  258  extending from the top surface  211  to the bottom surface  213 . Also formed along edges  248  and  250  of the bridge  210  are two threaded setscrew holes  253  and  255  extending from the edges  248  and  250  to the vertical alignment holes  256  and  258 . Setscrew  252  and  254  are placed into each threaded setscrew hole  253  and  255 , respectively, in the ends of the bridge  210 .  
         [0024]    In each of the square or rectangular holes  212 ,  214 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 , and  222  are shoulder wedges  224 ,  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234  which are formed with a threaded hole through the body of each shoulder wedge  224 ,  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234 . Adjustment screws  236 ,  238 ,  240 ,  242 ,  244 , and  246  pass through the threaded holes in each shoulder wedge  224 ,  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234 .  
         [0025]    In one embodiment, adjustment posts  270  and  271  are generally rounded longitudinal elements which are threaded on a bottom section  276  and  277  and smooth along an upper section  272  and  273 . These adjustment posts  270  and  271  are fixedly mounted on the guitar body at the factory or at the store from which the guitar  286  is purchased. Circular adjustment wheels  274  and  275  are made with threaded holes through the center of each wheel  274  and  275 . These threaded holes are mated with the adjustment posts  270  and  271 . Alternatively, the adjustment wheel  274  and  275  may be constructed in one piece with the adjustment posts  270  and  271 .  
         [0026]    When the guitar  286  is assembled, the adjustment posts  270  and  271  are placed into holes drilled or otherwise formed in the body of the guitar  286 . In one embodiment, a glue or other adhesive is placed in the drilled holes and on the bottom sections  276  and  277  of the adjustment posts  270  and  271  which permanently mounts the posts  270  and  271  to the guitar body. This procedure is commonplace in the guitar industry and any known glue or adhesive may be used as would be known to a guitar practitioner in the art. Alternatively, the adjustment posts  270  and  271  may be pounded into the holes with a mallet or similar device to form a tight friction bond. In yet another embodiment, the adjustment posts  270  and  271  may be screwed into holes  282  and  283  in grommets  280  and  281  which are permanently mounted in the body of the guitar  286 . Using grommets  280  and  281  would allow the adjustment posts  271  and  272  to be easily replaced, although this is rarely necessary. The adjustment posts  270  and  271  may then be rotated up or down along the threaded bottom sections  276  and  277  or the adjustment wheels  274  and  275  rotated up or down to adjust the height of the bridge  210  above the guitar body.  
         [0027]    After the adjustment posts  271  and  272  are mounted in the guitar body, the guitar bridge  210  is placed over the adjustment posts  270  and  271  and rests on upper surfaces of each adjustment wheel  274  and  275 . Even though the posts  270  and  271  and alignment holes  256  and  258  in the bridge  210  are manufactured with close tolerances, the bridge  210  is not yet fixedly mounted to the posts  271  and  272 . The setscrews  252  and  254  are now placed in the setscrew holes  253  and  255 . Alternatively, the setscrews  252  and  254  may be placed in the setscrew holes  253  and  255  before the bridge is placed on the adjustment wheels  270  and  271 . In either embodiment, the setscrews  252  and  254  are fastened into the setscrew holes  253  and  255 . After a few turns of the setscrews  252  and  254 , the setscrews  252  and  254  come into contact with the upper sections  272  and  273  of the adjustment posts  270  and  271 . If the height of the bridge  210  above the strings or surface of the guitar  286  has been adequately adjusted to meet the preference of the player, the setscrews  252  and  254  are tightened against the upper sections  272  and  273  of the adjustment posts  270  and  271 . This tightening action will fixedly mount the bridge  210  to the adjustment posts  270  and  271 . The guitar strings can now be properly tuned on the guitar  286 .  
         [0028]    The adjustment screws  236 ,  238 ,  240 ,  242 ,  244 , and  246  in the square or rectangular openings  212 ,  214 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 , and  222  are now adjusted to tune the strings to the particular guitar  286 . In one embodiment, the guitar shoulder wedges  224 ,  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234  may include a small notch  224   a ,  226   a ,  228   a ,  230   a ,  232   a , and  234   a  on which the strings may rest. This forms a virtual end of the string for tuning and playing purposes. The adjustment screws  236 ,  238 ,  240 ,  242 ,  244 , and  246  can be adjusted to move the shoulder wedge  224 ,  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234  along the adjustment screws  236 ,  238 ,  240 ,  242 ,  244 , and  246  within the rectangular holes  212 ,  214 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 , and  222 . Since each string passes over a separate shoulder wedge  224 ,  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234 , each string is individually adjustable. Each adjustment screw  236 ,  238 ,  240 ,  242 ,  244 , and  246  is closely manufactured to snugly fit within each adjustment screw hole, so there is little or no play between each adjustment hole and screw  236 ,  238 ,  240 ,  242 ,  244 , and  246 . Thus, once a shoulder wedge  224 ,  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234  has been adjusted to each guitar string, it should need little or no future adjustment. At this point the guitar  286  has adjusted shoulder wedges  224 ,  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234  on a guitar bridge  210  which is now fixedly mounted to the guitar  286 , and which will not fall or come off when strings are replaced.  
         [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 3, top, front, and side views of an exemplary, new guitar tailpiece  300  are shown. The guitar tailpiece  300  comprises a long and narrow base piece that is formed of standard metal, such as steel or brass. A top  302  and bottom  304  surfaces of the tailpiece  300  are generally curved in order to aesthetically match the surface curve of a guitar  286  upon which the tailpiece  300  is to be mounted. Several longitudinal string holes  324 ,  326 ,  328 ,  330 ,  332 , and  334 , generally evenly spaced apart along the width of the tailpiece  300 , are formed or machined through the tailpiece  300 . These string holes  324 ,  326 ,  328 ,  330 ,  332 , and  334  also have indentations  324   a ,  326   a ,  328   a ,  330   a ,  332   a , and  334   a  of a slightly larger diameter on both the front and rear entries of the string holes  324 ,  326 ,  328 ,  330 ,  332 , and  334 . These larger indentations  324   a ,  326   a ,  328   a ,  330   a ,  332   a ,  334   a  are formed in the tailpiece  300  to accommodate small balls which are manufactured at the ends of steel strings used in some guitars. These strings are placed through longitudinal holes  324 ,  326 ,  328 ,  330 ,  332 , and.  334  towards the bridge  210  (FIG. 2) and nut of the guitar  286 , not shown. It is these balls on the ends of the strings which absorb all of the tension on the strings after top ends of the strings are mounted on tuning screws on a neck of the guitar  286 .  
         [0030]    Vertical holes or slots  308  and  310  are formed on each end of the tailpiece  300 . These vertical slots or holes  308  and  310  are typically rounded and extend from the top surface  302  through the bottom surface  304 , and accommodate adjustment studs  312  and  314  upon which the tailpiece  300  is mounted. Alternatively, the slots  308  and  310  may comprise openings through a side of the tailpiece  300 .  
         [0031]    In one embodiment, the adjustment studs  312  and  314  are generally rounded longitudinal elements having threaded lower sections  336  and  338 . The upper sections of the studs  312  and  314  are typically of a larger diameter than the lower sections  336  and  338  except for a distance along a middle portion of the upper sections which is formed of a smaller diameter to receive the vertical holes or slots  308  and  310 . Since the vertical holes or slots  308  and  310  closely match the diameter of the smaller middle portion of the studs  312  and  314 , the vertical holes or slots  308  and  310  provide an upper and lower dimension for maintaining the tailpiece  300  in a snug fit on the adjustment studs  312  and  314 .  
         [0032]    Longitudinally through the tailpiece  300  are small threaded setscrew holes  316  and  318  formed through outer edges  306  and  307  into the vertical holes or slots  308  and  310  in the tailpiece  300 . A setscrew  320  and  322  is placed in each of these small threaded setscrew holes  316  and  318 . By fastening the setscrews  320  and  322  into the setscrew holes  316  and  318  and contacting the middle portion of the adjustment studs  312  and  314 , these setscrews  320  and  322  fixedly mount the tailpiece  300  to the adjustment studs  312  and  314 . This tightening action maintains the tailpiece  300  on the adjustment studs  312  and  314  until the setscrews  320  and  322  are loosened.  
         [0033]    The adjustment studs  312  and  314  are generally of a larger diameter or size than the adjustment posts  270  and  271  for the guitar bridge  210  of FIG. 2. This larger size or dimension is necessary because the tailpiece  300  absorbs the majority, if not all, of the tension of the strings upon mounting of the tailpiece  300  to the guitar body  286 . The tailpiece  300  and adjustment studs  312  and  314  must be of a size and strength to handle the large tension placed on the tailpiece  300  and adjustment stud  312  and  314  combination by the six or more tuned and stretched strings. The adjustment studs  312  and  314  are, upon guitar assembly, placed into holes drilled or otherwise formed in the body of the guitar  286 . Similarly, a glue or other adhesive may be placed in the holes and on the bottom portions of the adjustment studs  312  and  314  which permanently mount the adjustment studs  312  and  314  to the guitar body. This procedure is common, and any known glue or adhesive may be used as would be known to a guitar practitioner in the art. Alternatively, the adjustment studs  312  and  314  may be fastened into holes  340  and  342  in grommets  348  and  350  which may be permanently mounted in the body of the guitar  286 . Using grommets  348  and  350  would allow the adjustment studs  312  and  314  to be easily replaced.  
         [0034]    After the adjustment studs  312  and  314  are mounted in the guitar body, the guitar tailpiece  300  is guided into the narrower middle portion of the adjustment studs  312  and  314  if vertical slots  308  and  310  are formed on the tailpiece  300 . Alternatively, the tailpiece  300  may be placed over the studs  312  and  314  if the tailpiece  300  contains vertical holes instead of slots  308  and  310 . Even though the adjustment studs  312  and  314  and slots  308  and  310  on the tailpiece  300  are manufactured with close tolerances, the tailpiece  300  is not yet fixedly mounted to the adjustment studs  312  and  314 . The setscrews  320  and  322  are placed in the setscrew holes  316  and  318  in the tailpiece  300  at this time, or before the tailpiece  300  was placed on the adjustment studs  312  and  314 . These setscrews  320  and  322  are now fastened into the setscrew holes  316  and  318  in the tailpiece  300 . After a few turns of the setscrews  320  and  322 , the forward ends of the setscrews  320  and  322  come into contact with the narrow diameter of the middle portion of the adjustment studs  312  and  314 . The setscrews  320  and  322  are subsequently tightened against the middle portion of the adjustment studs  312  and  314  to fixedly mount the tailpiece  300  to the adjustment studs  312  and  314 .  
         [0035]    With the tailpiece  300  and bridge  210  fixedly mounted to the guitar body, the strings can now be tuned, and will remain in tune even if one or more strings are replaced. The fixedly mounted bridge  210  and tailpiece  300  maintain the string relationship even after complete restringing.  
         [0036]    An alternative tailpiece  400  is illustrated in FIG. 4. This tailpiece  400  is similar to the tailpiece  300  of FIG. 3. The difference is that the longitudinal string holes are now expanded to include slots  460 ,  462 ,  464 ,  466 ,  468 , and  470 . The slots  460 ,  462 ,  464 ,  466 ,  468 , and  470  extend from the longitudinal string holes  424 ,  426 ,  428 ,  430 ,  432 , and  434  to a bottom  404  of the tailpiece  400  which allow the strings to be slipped out through the bottom  404  of the tailpiece  400  rather than being completely withdrawn through the longitudinal string holes  424 ,  426 ,  428 ,  430 ,  432 , and  434 , as required with the embodiment of FIG. 3. The slots  460 ,  462 ,  464 ,  466 ,  468 , and  470  do not affect the rigidity and strength of the tailpiece  400 , but add to the ease with which the string or strings can be replaced. Since the tailpiece  400  is fixedly, but removably, attached to the body of the guitar  286 , the individual strings can be quickly and effectively replaced, as during a concert, for example, to maintain the string relationship for tone, and reverberation effects, etc.  
         [0037]    While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, modifications may be made without departing from the essential teachings of the invention.