Abstract:
A string instrument includes a body portion having a first longitudinal axis, an elongate neck portion having a second longitudinal axis and first and second opposing ends located along the second longitudinal axis, and a fastener that secures one of the first or second ends to the body portion, wherein the first and second axes are misaligned from each other in a same plane.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/207,295, filed on Feb. 10, 2009, and entitled “ANSIR,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The following generally relates to string instruments. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A string instrument generally includes a body portion having longitudinal axis and an elongate neck portion having first and second opposing ends. One of the ends of the neck is attached to the body via a joint such as a glue or bolt, and the neck extends along the longitudinal axis. A headstock is attached to the other end of the neck. A fretboard is attached to the neck, and a plurality of frets are affixed to the fretboard. A bridge is attached to the body along the longitudinal axis. A set of strings are strung along the longitudinal axis and hence the neck between the headstock and the bridge. 
         [0004]    Unfortunately, the above-note physical layout of the neck with respect to the body tends to cause the user of the string instrument to re-position the string instrument off a generally vertical or horizontal axis with respect to the ground to position the neck for playing the instrument. Examples are shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  2 A and  2 B. In  FIG. 1A , the instrument is held in an ordinary upright vertical position along a vertical axis  100 , and in  FIG. 1B  the instrument is tilted off the vertical axis  100  by the user for a more comfortable position for playing the instrument. In  FIG. 2A , the instrument is held in an ordinary horizontal position along a horizontal axis  200 , and in  FIG. 2B  the instrument is tilted of the horizontal axis  200  by the user for a more comfortable position for playing the instrument. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Aspects of the application address the above matters, and others. 
         [0006]    In one aspect, a string instrument includes a body portion having a first longitudinal axis, an elongate neck portion having a second longitudinal axis and first and second opposing ends located along the second longitudinal axis, and a fastener that secures one of the first or second ends to the body portion, wherein the first and second axes are misaligned from each other in a same plane. 
         [0007]    In another aspect, a method for aligning a neck of a string instrument with a body of the instrument in a same plane and angularly offset from a longitudinal axis of the body is discussed. The method comprises positioning the instrument in a generally vertical or horizontal position, loosening or removing a fastener securing the neck to the body, pivoting or rotating, with respect to the body and in the plane, the neck out of the generally vertical or horizontal position, and securing the neck to the body via the fastener. 
         [0008]    In yet another aspect, a method for determining a desired misalignment between a neck of a string instrument with a body of the instrument is discussed. The method comprises positioning a string instrument simulator having first and second members, respectively corresponding to a neck and body of a corresponding string instrument, in a generally vertical or horizontal position, loosening or removing a fastener securing the first neck member to the second body member, pivoting or rotating, with respect to the second body member and a same plane, the first neck member to a desired angular position, determining an angle of the first neck member with respect to the second body member, and misaligning the neck of the string instrument with respect to the body of the string instrument based on the determined angle. 
         [0009]    Those skilled in the art will recognize still other aspects of the present application upon reading and understanding the attached description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  2 A, and  2 B illustrate prior art. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6  illustrate various non-limiting example embodiments of a string instrument and/or string instrument simulator. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate non-limiting example methods. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The following generally relates to string instruments such as a guitar, violin, cello, viola, bass, mandolin, banjo, harp, and/or other string instruments. However, for brevity and clarity, the following is described in connection with a guitar. 
         [0014]    Initially referring to  FIG. 3 , an example string instrument  300  is illustrated. The string instrument includes a neck  302  and a body  304 . The illustrated body  304  has an irregular shape. In other embodiments, the body  304  is otherwise shaped. A headstock  306  is affixed to the neck  302 , and a bridge  308  is attached to the body  304 . When strings are installed on the string instrument  300 , they extend between the headstock  306  and the bridge  308 , along the neck  302 . 
         [0015]    The neck  302  is attached to body  304  via a fastener  310  such as a screw, a bolt, or the like. The fastener  310  secures the neck  302  at a fixed location. The fastener  310  can also be loosened (or removed) to allow the neck  302  to pivot about the fastener  310  (or a pivot point). The illustrated neck  302  can pivot through an angle (α)  312 , which is in a range of about negative forty-five (−45) to about positive forty-five (+45) degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis  314  of the body  304  which extends along a length of the body  304 . The illustrated neck  302  is being transitioned from a first position corresponding to α=0 to a second position where α&gt;0. In this position, a longitudinal axis  316  of the neck  302 , which is in a same plane as the longitudinal axis  314  of the body  304 , is misaligned or angularly offset from the longitudinal axis  314  of the body  304  in the same plane. 
         [0016]    The bridge  308  is affixed to body  304  based on the angle α. In one instance, the bridge  308  is mounted on a slide track and can be slid along the track to a position in accordance with the angle α. In another instance, the bridge  308  is removably attached at a fixed location. In this instance, the bridge  308  is removed and re-attached to a suitable position in response to pivoting the neck  302  to a different position. The illustrated bridge  308  is shown being re-positioned in accordance with the neck  302  being moved from the first position (α=0) to the second position (α&gt;0). 
         [0017]    Turning to  FIG. 4 , a string instrument  400  is substantially similar to the string instrument  300  except that the neck  302  extends and is attached to the bridge  308  to form a single member  402 . In this configuration, the neck  302  and bridge move together in coordination as member  402  and hence the neck  302  rotates about the fastener  310  through the angle α. As such, the bridge  308  is automatically re-positioned based on the angle α as the neck  302  is re-positioned. Depending on the type of string instrument, pickups and/or other electrical and/or mechanical components may or may not be located on the structure  402  and move with the neck  302  and the bridge  308 . 
         [0018]    Turning next to  FIG. 5 , a string instrument  500  is substantially similar to the string instrument  300  except that the neck  302  and the bridge  308  are fixedly mounted to the body  304 . In this instance, the fastener  310  can be an adhesive such as a glue, epoxy, etc., a bolt, a rivet, and/or other fastener. The angle α can be predetermined based on the general angle or the particular user. 
         [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates a string instrument simulation apparatus  600  for facilitating determining the angle α for a user of a string instrument. The apparatus includes first and second portions  602  and  604 , respectively representing the neck and the body of a string instrument. 
         [0020]    The neck  602  is pivotally mounted to the body  604  via a fastener  606  (which may be substantially similar to fastener  310 ) or the like. The fastener  606  allows the neck  602  to be pivoted about the fastener  606  or other pivot and selectively locked at an angle α desired by the user. An angular scale  608  is affixed to the body  604 . The scale  608  maps the angular position of the neck  602  with respect to a longitudinal axis  610  of the body  604  and a longitudinal axis of the neck  618 . The illustrated scale  608  includes n to m angular positions (α n  to α m ). 
         [0021]    By way of example, at a position  612 , the scale indicates α=α 0 =0, which corresponds to the angle of a conventional string instrument with a fixed neck. At this position, the longitudinal axes  614  and  618  coincide. At a position  614 , the scale indicates α=α j &gt;0, and the longitudinal axis of the neck  602  no longer coincide with the longitudinal axis of the body  604 , but instead is angularly offset therefrom. At a position  616 , the scale indicates α=α i &lt;0, and again the longitudinal axis of the neck  602  does longer coincide with the longitudinal axis of the body  604 , but instead is angularly offset therefrom. The positions  614  and  616  correspond to neck positions as determined by a user of a string instrument to be customized in accordance with preferences of the user. The angular position can then be used when installing a neck on the string instrument. 
         [0022]    It is to be appreciated that where the string instrument is an acoustic instrument, the sound hole can be configured based on the angular range of α for the instrument and/or can be adjustable in size and/or location. 
         [0023]      FIG. 7  illustrates a method for determining a string instrument neck position for a user of an instrument based on the string instrument simulation apparatus  600 . 
         [0024]    At  702 , the apparatus  600  is configured so that the neck portion  602  is located at an initial reference position at which the angle α is about zero. 
         [0025]    At  704 , a user positions the apparatus  600  in a generally vertical or horizontal position. 
         [0026]    At  706 , the fastener  606 , which secures the neck  602  to the body  604 , is loosened or removed. 
         [0027]    At  708 , the neck  602  is pivoted or rotated to a desired position, including a position where α is greater or less than zero. 
         [0028]    At  710 , the fastener  606  is tightened. 
         [0029]    At  712 , the angle α is determined for the position of the neck  602 . 
         [0030]    At  714 , the angle α is used to mount a neck to an instrument for the user. 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  illustrates a method for setting a string instrument neck position for a string instrument with a pivotal or rotatable neck. 
         [0032]    At  802 , a user positions the instrument in a generally vertical or horizontal position. 
         [0033]    At  804 , the fastener  310  securing the neck  302  to the body  304  is loosened or removed. 
         [0034]    At  806 , the user selectively pivots or rotates the neck  302  about the fastener  310 , while keeping the body at the vertical or horizontal position, until at a desired position. 
         [0035]    At  808 , the fastener  310  is tightened, securing the neck  302  to the body  304  at the desired angle α. 
         [0036]    The application has been described with reference to various embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading the application. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations, including insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.