Patent Publication Number: US-9424818-B1

Title: Travel guitar

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a non-provisional patent application claiming benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/685,760, filed on Mar. 24, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into this disclosure as if set forth fully herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     I. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to guitars and, more particularly, to travel guitars (i.e. guitars capable of being played anywhere, but configured to assume a reduced profile for ease of travel). 
     II. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     Guitars have enjoyed among the highest popularity among stringed instruments. Most guitars have a solid neck rigidly coupled to either a hollow or solid body. This construction, while aiding in predictable tuning and quality guitar play, render the guitar cumbersome for travel (e.g. air, train, auto, etc. . . . ), particularly given the additional bulk of the associated guitar case (hard or soft). While various travel guitars have been attempted, most are simply smaller or scaled down versions of their traditional counterparts, which still present challenges for travel and/or predictable tuning and quality guitar play. The present invention is directed at overcoming, or at least improving upon, the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention accomplishes this goal by providing a travel guitar wherein at least one of the neck and body may assume a reduced profile. 
     According to one aspect, the travel guitar may be configured to house or receive or otherwise couple to a tablet computer (e.g. iPad by Apple, Inc.) and/or a smart phone (e.g. iPhone by Apple, Inc.) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar. 
     According to one aspect, portions of the body and/or neck may be telescoping to facilitate configuring the travel guitar into a reduced profile. According to one aspect, portions of the neck may be foldable to facilitate configuring the travel guitar into a reduced profile. 
     According to one aspect, the travel guitar may be configured having a string assembly having a string spool configured to retract or otherwise receive or house at least a portion of the guitar strings within the body and/or neck to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into a reduced profile. 
     According to one aspect, the travel guitar may be configured having a string assembly configured to retract or otherwise receive or house at least a portion of the guitar strings and capable of being selectively removed from the neck and/or body to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into a reduced profile. 
     According to one aspect, the string assembly may include a detachable guitar head capable of being selectively attached and detached from the upper end of the neck of the travel guitar. When detached from the neck, the strings (or a portion thereof) and head may be coiled or otherwise nested near the body or, alternatively, retracted or otherwise received on a string spool (housed within the body or detachable from the body) to facilitate a reduced profile for the travel guitar. 
     According to one aspect, the string assembly may include a string spool housed within or otherwise capable of being coupled to the body of the travel guitar. The string spool is capable of retracting or otherwise receiving at least a portion of the strings while the travel guitar is in a reduced profile. The string spool may be spring-loaded, motor-driven, or manually operated to spool the strings. When implemented with a detachable head, the string spool may accept the strings (or a portion thereof) such that the detached head is capable of being situated at or near the string spool (whether disposed on-board the body or detached from the body) to enable or facilitate a reduced profile for the travel guitar. 
     In another aspect, the travel guitar may be configured such that the bridge assembly and/or string spool (if implemented) can be translated longitudinally towards the head of the guitar to allow sufficient de-tensioning of the guitar strings to enable an upper portion of the neck to be folded away from a lower portion of the neck and/or body to assume a reduced profile. When it is desired to deploy the travel guitar for playing, the upper portion of the neck may be unfolded into alignment with the lower portion of the neck and/or body, and the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly translated longitudinally away from the head and locked in position to allow the guitar to be tuned for playing. The longitudinal translation of the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly may be accomplished in any number of suitable translation mechanisms, including but not limited to coupling the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly to slidable rail(s) within the travel guitar and/or slidable plate(s) on the surface of the travel guitar, etc. . . . . In one aspect, one or more pick-ups may be translated longitudinally with the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly. 
     In another aspect, the travel guitar may be configured with one or more translating truss rods housed within at least a portion of the neck to bolster its strength and rigidity for more accurate and prolonged tuning and fret alignment. 
     In one aspect, the translating truss rods are rigid, unitary structures capable of being translated longitudinally within one or more passageways formed in the upper portion and/or lower portion between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, each unitary truss rod is disposed at least partially within both the lower portion and upper portion of the neck, which locks the upper neck portion in alignment with the lower neck portion. In the unlocked position, each unitary truss rod is disposed within the lower neck portion and/or body portion, and removed from the upper neck portion, which unlocks the upper neck portion and thereby allows it to be folded into a reduced profile. 
     In one aspect, the translating truss rods are rigid, hinged structures capable of being translated longitudinally within one or more passageways formed in the upper portion and/or lower portion between a locked position and an unlocked position. Each truss rod is constructed from a rigid upper portion hingedly coupled to a rigid lower portion. In the locked position, the upper portion of each hinged truss rod is disposed at least partially within the upper portion of the neck, the lower portion of each hinged truss rod is disposed at least partially within the lower portion of the neck, and the hinge or hinged section is disposed within either the upper portion or lower portion of the neck. By disposing the hinged portion of the truss rod in the upper or lower portion of the neck, strut can no longer hinge and thus has strength and rigidity characteristics similar to that of a unitary truss rod. In the unlocked position, the upper portion of each hinged truss rod is disposed at least partially within the upper portion of the neck, the lower portion of each hinged truss rod is disposed at least partially within the lower portion of the neck, and the hinge or hinged section is disposed at the approximate junction or joint between the upper portion and lower portion of the neck. By disposing the hinge or hinged section of the truss rod at the approximate junction or joint between the upper and lower section of the neck, the upper section of the neck may then be folded to assume a reduced profile. 
     Each truss rod (unitary or hinged) may be translated with or independent of the translating bridge assembly and/or spool assembly. If translated with the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly, each unitary truss rod will be moved in the opposite direction as the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly, while each hinged truss rod may be translated in the either the same or opposite direction as the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly. The translation of each truss rod (unitary or hinged) may occur simultaneous with the translation of the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly, or slightly staggered in time. Staggering translation to assume a reduced profile first involves translating the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly towards the neck of the guitar in order to reduce the tension of the guitar strings, followed by translating each truss rod into the unlocked position such that the upper neck portion may be folded towards the lower neck portion. Staggering translation during deployment of the travel guitar first involves translating each truss rod into the locked position after the upper neck portion and lower neck portion have been brought into alignment, followed by translating the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly away from the neck of the guitar in order to increase the tension of the guitar strings in preparation for tuning. 
     Each truss rod may be constructed from a material having properties sufficient to bolster the strength and rigidity of the neck of the travel guitar, including but not limited to metal, carbon fiber, etc. . . . . Each truss rod may be manufactured having any number of solid cross-sectional shapes (e.g. circular, oval, triangular, etc. . . . ) and/or non-solid cross-sectional shapes (e.g. generally crescent-shaped, generally V-shaped, generally U-shaped, etc. . . . ). If configured having a non-solid cross-sectional shape, the “open” side of the truss rod may be disposed within the neck so as to face generally towards the underside of the neck (versus towards the fret board). This configuration will provide the greatest strength and rigidity for the strut to resist the tendency of the neck to bend under the tension of the guitar strings after they have been tuned. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art with a reading of this specification in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals are applied to like elements and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a travel guitar according to one aspect, with both a neck and body configured to assume a reduced profile due to telescoping construction, and an exemplary tablet computer (e.g. iPad) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar; 
         FIGS. 2-3  are front views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 1  in an expanded profile ( FIG. 2 ) and reduced profile ( FIG. 3 ), respectively, with a string assembly configured to retract or otherwise receive or house the guitar strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into the reduced profile; 
         FIGS. 4-5  are side views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIGS. 1-3  in an expanded profile ( FIG. 4 ) and reduced profile ( FIG. 5 ), respectively, wherein the string assembly includes a string spool disposed within the body to retract or otherwise receive the guitar strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into the reduced profile; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a travel guitar according to one aspect, with both a neck and body configured to assume a reduced profile due to hinged and telescoping construction, respectively, and an exemplary tablet computer (e.g. iPad) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar; 
         FIGS. 7-8  are front views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 6  in an expanded profile ( FIG. 7 ) and reduced profile ( FIG. 8 ), respectively, with a string assembly configured to retract or otherwise receive or house the guitar strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into the reduced profile; 
         FIGS. 9-10  are side views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIGS. 6-8  in an expanded profile ( FIG. 9 ) and reduced profile ( FIG. 10 ), respectively, wherein the string assembly includes a string spool disposed within the body to retract or otherwise receive the guitar strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into the reduced profile; 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of a travel guitar according to one aspect, wherein the neck has a combined telescoping and hinged construction and the body has a telescoping construction to collectively facilitate configuring the travel guitar in a reduced profile; 
         FIGS. 12-13  are front views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 11  during the process of assuming a reduced profile, with  FIG. 12  illustrating the result after moving the hinged section of the neck and with  FIG. 13  illustrating the result after moving the telescoping section of the neck; 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIGS. 11-13  in a fully reduced profile, wherein the string assembly includes a string spool disposed within the body to retract or otherwise receive the guitar strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into the reduced profile; 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of a travel guitar according to one aspect, with the body of fixed or non-telescoping construction and the neck configured to be partially telescoping to assume a reduced profile, and an exemplary tablet computer (e.g. iPad) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar; 
         FIG. 16  is a front view of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 15  in a reduced profile due to the partial retraction of the telescoping neck; 
         FIGS. 17-18  are side views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIGS. 15-16  in an expanded profile ( FIG. 17 ) and reduced profile ( FIG. 18 ), respectively, wherein the string assembly includes a string spool disposed within the body to retract or otherwise receive the guitar strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into the reduced profile; 
         FIG. 19  is a front view of a travel guitar according to one aspect, with the body of fixed or non-telescoping construction and the neck configured to be fully telescoping to assume a reduced profile, and an exemplary smart phone (e.g. iPhone) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar; 
         FIG. 20  is a front view of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 19  in a reduced profile due to the full retraction of the telescoping neck; 
         FIGS. 21-22  are side views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIGS. 19-20  in an expanded profile ( FIG. 21 ) and reduced profile ( FIG. 22 ), respectively, wherein the string assembly includes a string spool disposed within the body to retract or otherwise receive the guitar strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar into the reduced profile; 
         FIG. 23  is a front view of a travel guitar of the type shown in  FIGS. 19-22  according to one aspect, with the neck configured to be fully telescoping to assume a reduced profile ( FIGS. 20 and 22 ) or expanded profile ( FIGS. 19 and 21 ) and having a recess upon being fully expanded to receive an insertable fret board of hinged or solid construction; 
         FIGS. 24A-24D  are side views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 23  according to several aspects, illustrating the insertion of a hinged fret board into the recess formed in the telescoping neck (from bottom of neck in  FIGS. 24A-24C  and from top of neck in  FIG. 24D ); 
         FIGS. 24E-24G  are side views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 23  according to several aspects, illustrating the insertion of a solid fret board into the recess formed in the telescoping neck (from bottom of neck); 
         FIG. 25  is a front view of a travel guitar according to one aspect, wherein the neck is configured to receive a detachable head ( FIG. 26 ) and the base is configured to receive a detachable string spool assembly ( FIG. 26 ); 
         FIG. 26  is a front view of a detachable string assembly according to one aspect, including a detachable head to be coupled to the neck of  FIG. 25  and a detachable string spool assembly to be coupled to the base of  FIG. 25 ; 
         FIGS. 27-28  are side views illustrating one manner of attaching the detachable string assembly of the type shown in  FIG. 26  to a travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 25  according to one aspect, involving: (a) attaching the detachable head to the neck; (b) engaging the string spool assembly into the base ( FIG. 27 ); and (c) locking the string spool assembly into the base ( FIG. 28 ); 
         FIGS. 29-30  are side views illustrating another manner of attaching the string assembly of the type shown in  FIG. 26  to a travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 25  according to one aspect, involving: (a) engaging the string spool assembly to the base; (b) attaching the detachable head to an angled and hinged strut coupled to the neck ( FIG. 29 ); and (c) locking the string assembly by: (i) rotating the head as shown in  FIG. 30  and (ii) locking the string spool assembly into the base (before, during or after rotating the head as shown in  FIG. 30 ); and 
         FIG. 31  is a front view of a travel guitar according to one aspect, with the neck configured to be foldable such that an upper portion of the neck folds away from a lower portion, and an exemplary smart phone (e.g. iPhone) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar; 
         FIGS. 32-34  are side views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 31 , illustrating the manner of folding the upper portion of the neck away from the lower portion of the neck as enabled via the longitudinal translation of the bridge assembly and/or spool assembly; 
         FIG. 35  is a top view of a section of a travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 31 , in partial cross section, illustrating a pair of translating truss rods of unitary construction positioned within recesses across a joint in the neck for the purpose of locking and providing rigidity to the upper and lower neck sections; 
         FIG. 36  is a top view of a section of a travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 31 , in partial cross section, illustrating a pair of translating truss rods of unitary construction retracted within recesses from across a joint in the neck for the purpose of unlocking and folding to the upper and lower neck sections; 
         FIG. 37  is a top view of a section of a travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 31 , in partial cross section, illustrating a pair of translating truss rods of hinged construction positioned within recesses such that the hinge of each truss rod is not aligned with the joint in the neck for the purpose of locking and providing rigidity to the upper and lower neck sections; 
         FIG. 38  is a top view of a section of a travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 31 , in partial cross section, illustrating a pair of translating truss rods of hinged construction positioned within recesses such that the hinge of each truss rod is aligned with the joint in the neck for the purpose of unlocking and folding to the upper and lower neck sections; 
         FIG. 39  is a perspective and partially exploded view of a travel guitar according to an aspect, wherein the neck includes a telescoping cylinder, along with a foldable fret board and foldable neck bottom which collectively enclose the telescoping cylinder when the guitar is deployed for use and which fold onto and/or within a portion of the body when the guitar is in a reduced profile; 
         FIG. 40-43  are side views of the travel guitar of the type shown in  FIG. 39 , illustrating the manner of configuring the foldable fret board and foldable neck bottom into a reduced profile as the head is moved towards the body by operation of the telescoping cylinder; 
         FIG. 44  is a diagrammatic view of exemplary electrical components associated with the travel guitar according to one aspect. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. The travel guitar disclosed herein boasts a variety of inventive features and components that warrant patent protection, both individually and in combination. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a travel guitar  10  according to one aspect. The travel guitar  10  includes a neck  12  and a body  14 . The neck  12  and body  14  are each configured to assume a reduced profile by virtue of their telescoping construction. The telescoping functionality of the neck  12  is accomplished by constructing the neck  12  from a plurality of neck portions, in this case (by way of example only) lower neck portion  16 , middle neck portion  18 , and upper neck portion  20 , wherein (as will be described in detail below) the middle and upper neck portions  18 ,  20  can be telescoped into or otherwise towards lower neck portion  16 . The telescoping action of neck  12  is represented generally by arrow A. The neck portions  16 ,  18 ,  20  may be equipped with locking features (not shown) to lock the portions  16 ,  18 ,  20  relative to one another upon being fully expanded as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The telescoping functionality of the body  14  is accomplished by constructing the body  14  from an upper base unit  22  and lower base unit  24 , wherein (as will be described in detail below) the lower base unit  24  can telescope relative to the upper base unit  22  by virtue of arms  26  extending there between. The telescoping action of body  14  is represented generally by arrow B. According to one aspect, the lower base unit  24  may be spring-loaded relative to the upper base unit  22  such that the lower base unit  24  may be moved a sufficient distance away from the upper base unit  22  in order to receive a tablet computer  30 , after which point the spring loading will draw the lower base unit  24  back towards the upper base unit  22  in order to help capture or retain the tablet computer  30  to enable its use as part of the travel guitar  10 . 
     The travel guitar  10  is configured to receive or otherwise be coupled to the tablet computer  30  (and/or a smart phone, not shown in  FIG. 1 ) having one or more applications (apps) for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar  10 . By way of example only, an exemplary tablet computer  30  (e.g. iPad) is shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein the base  14  is configured to receive the tablet computer  30  at least partially in between the upper base unit  22  and lower base unit  24  as described above. 
     The upper base unit  22  and/or lower base unit  24  may contain any of a variety of electronics for driving the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar  10 , in addition to or in lieu of the capabilities or functionalities of the apps from the tablet computer  30  and/or smart phone (not shown). Such electronics may include, but is not necessarily limited to, pick-ups (e.g. coil-based and/or microphone-based), electrical connectors and/or circuitry for amplifiers, headphones, MIDI, connecting with external computers/tablets/smart phones, and power (AC and/or DC), etc. . . . . In one aspect, the travel guitar  10  may be equipped with a number of servo motors (not shown) to automate the movement or adjustment any of a variety of components, including but not limited to: (a) adjusting the tuning machines  23  on the neck  12  to help tune the travel guitar  10 ; (b) rotating the string spool described below to help retract or otherwise house the guitar strings to enable or facilitate configuring the travel guitar  10  into a reduced profile (and vice versa); (c) adjusting the height of the individual frets  36  and/or bridge on the body  14  and/or nut on the head of the neck  12  to aid in the tuning the travel guitar  10  and/or adjusting the action of the strings  32  according to user preference; and (d) telescoping or otherwise moving the neck  12  and/or body  14  to configure the travel guitar  10  into a reduced profile for travel and an expanded profile for playing. 
     Although strings are not shown in  FIG. 1 , but it will be appreciated and clearly set forth below that the travel guitar  10  includes strings, which has the advantage of allowing a user to enjoy a true guitar planning experience, not only from the action of the user&#39;s fingers against the strings along the neck, but also due to the physical picking and/or strumming of the actual strings. In this manner, the travel guitar  10  is particularly suited to help a user consistently practice, irrespective of travel schedule, in that the ability of the travel guitar  10  to assume a reduced profile allows it to be easily transported, while at the same time providing a true “string-based” experience notwithstanding the fact the travel guitar  10  is electronic in nature being operated or enabled at least in part by a tablet computer and/or smart phone. 
     This can be seen in  FIGS. 2-5 , wherein a set of strings  32  extends between a head  34  of the neck  12  and the lower base unit  24  passing over a plurality of frets  36  disposed along the neck  12 . In the fully extended configuration (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ), the strings  32  pass over lower, middle and upper sections  16 ,  18 ,  20  of the neck  12 , as well as the upper base unit  22  and gap  40  (extending between upper and lower base units  22 ,  24 ) before terminating within the lower base unit  24 . 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, the lower base unit  24  is equipped with a string spool  42  configured to house the terminal ends of the guitar strings  32  and selectively retract or otherwise receive the strings  32  into the lower base unit  24  to facilitate configuring the travel guitar  10  in a reduced profile (shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 ). The strings  32 , head  34  and string spool  42  collectively form a string assembly. 
     To enable amplification and/or recording, the travel guitar  10  may be equipped with any number of picks-up, whether coil-based and/or microphone-based and/or any others currently available or later developed. By way of example only, one or more coil-based pick-up (not shown) may be disposed within or otherwise associated with the lower base unit  24  and/or upper base unit  22  for purposes of picking up the vibration generated by wire-wound strings  32  passing over or near the coil-based pick-ups. Similarly, one or more microphone-based pick-up may be disposed at, on or near the lower base unit  24  and/or upper base unit  22  (e.g. adjacent the gap  40 ) for purposes of picking up the sound generated by wire-wound or nylon strings  32  passing near the microphone-based pick-up. 
     The travel guitar  10 , when in a reduced profile ( FIGS. 3 and 5 ), is substantially smaller than when in a fully expanded configuration ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ). This advantageously allows the travel guitar  10  to be carried or otherwise transported in a substantially more convenient manner than traditional guitars and existing travel guitars. The reduced profile of  FIGS. 3 and 5  is enabled by the telescoping construction of the neck  12  and the body  14  according to an aspect of the invention. 
     The telescoping action of the neck  12  and/or the body  14  may be manual, automated or a combination thereof. For example, manual telescoping of the neck  12  may be accomplished by moving by hand the upper section  20  and middle section  18  downward into a nested position within the lower section  16  (and vice versa). This telescoping action may be facilitated by enabling the frets  36  to be retracted within the respective section of the neck  12  when telescoping action is desired to configure the travel guitar  10  into a reduced profile. Manual telescoping of the body  14  may be accomplished by moving by hand the lower base unit  24  over the arms  26  towards the upper base unit  22  (and vice versa). Automated telescoping may be accomplished, for example, by performing those actions by actuating one or more servo motors housed within or coupled to the neck  12  and the body  14 . Actuation of the servo motors (not shown) may be accomplished via the on-board electronics and/or apps contained on the tablet computer  30  and/or smart phone (not shown). The string spool  42  facilitates the process of configuring the travel guitar  10  in a reduced profile by retracting or otherwise receiving the lower section of the strings  32  within the lower base unit  24 . This also advantageously prevents the need to remove the strings  32  from the travel guitar  10  during storage or travel, which increases the convenience of the travel guitar  10 . The operation of the string spool  42  may be manual or automated or a combination thereof. 
     Manual operation may be accomplished, for example, by providing an external crank  50  coupled to the string spool  42  disposed within the lower base unit  24  operable to rotate the string spool  42  to retract or otherwise receive the lower section of the strings  32  within the lower base unit  24  (and vice versa). The crank  50  may be coupled to the string spool  42  is any number of manners, including fixed, hinged, and removable. 
     Automated operation may be accomplished, for example, by providing one or more servo motors (not shown) within or otherwise associated with the lower base unit  24  and operable (via, for example, a switch  52 ) to rotate the string spool  42  to retract or otherwise receive the lower section of the strings  32  within the lower base unit  24  (and vice versa). 
     In either embodiment (automated or manual), the string spool  42  may be equipped with any of a variety of springs for adding tension to the strings  32  for the purpose of drawing them into the base unit  24  while bringing the guitar  10  into a reduced profile and enabling an orderly dispensing of the strings  32  from the string spool  42  while bringing the guitar  10  into the fully expanded profile for use. 
     Although not shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , it will be appreciated that the tablet computer  30  of  FIG. 1  is configured to be retained by the upper base unit  22  and lower base unit  24 . With reference to  FIG. 4 , this is accomplished by forming the upper base unit  22  with a groove  44  configured to receive one end of the tablet computer  30  and the lower base unit  24  with a groove  46  configured to receive an opposite end of the tablet computer  30 . The upper base unit  22  and lower base unit  24  may be provided in any number of different shapes than that shown depending upon the size and shape of the tablet or smart phone device used with the guitar  10 . Any of a variety of electrical connectors may be provided for connecting the tablet computer  30  to the base  14  in order to connect it to on-board electronics within or coupled to the travel guitar  10  to drive or augment the operation of the travel guitar  10 . By way of example, a tablet connector  48  (e.g. proprietary Apple connector for iPad, iPhone, etc. . . . ) may be provided within the groove  46  of the lower base unit  24 . Once connected, any of a variety of apps on the tablet computer  30  may be employed to help drive the operation, functionality and/or effects associated with the travel guitar  10 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a travel guitar  100  according to another aspect. The travel guitar  100  is virtually identical in construction to the travel guitar  10  of  FIGS. 1-5 , except that the neck  12  is hingedly coupled to the body  14  via a hinge  102  (vs. the telescoping neck  12  in  FIGS. 1-5 ). Based on the commonality of construction and components, and for the sake of brevity, only those features and functions varying from the travel guitar  10  of  FIGS. 1-5  will be described. The neck  12  is of unibody construction. The hinged motion of the neck  12  about the hinge  102  is represented generally by the arrow C. With reference to  FIGS. 7-10 , this hinged motion allows the neck  12  to rotate approximately 180 degrees such that the head  34  and part of the neck  12  extends beyond the lower base unit  24 . This hinged action of the neck  12 , together with the telescoping construction of the body  14 , allows the travel guitar  100  to assume a reduced profile according to the present invention. Although not shown, it will be appreciated that the body  14  may be configured or formed with a recess formed longitudinally along its upper surface having a shape corresponding to the shape of the neck  12 , such that the neck  12  may be nested at least partially within the top surface of the body  14  to lower the overall height profile of the travel guitar  100 . The ability to nest the neck  12  in this manner may be augmented by altering the operation or location of the hinge  102  (e.g. disposing the hinge  102  below the top surface of the neck  12 ). 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a travel guitar  200  according to another aspect. The travel guitar  200  is virtually identical in construction to the travel guitar  100  of  FIGS. 6-10 , except that the neck  12  is not only hingedly coupled to the body  14  via hinge  102 , but also includes a telescoping neck  12  (akin to those shown in  FIGS. 1-5 ). Based on the commonality of construction and components, and for the sake of brevity, only those features and functions varying from the travel guitar  100  of  FIGS. 6-10  will be described. The neck  12  is of telescoping construction, with a lower section  202  and an upper section  204 . With reference to  FIGS. 12-14 , the hinged motion enabled by hinge  102  allows the neck  12  to rotate approximately 180 degrees such that the head  34  and part of the neck  12  extends beyond the lower base unit  24 . The upper section  204  of the neck  12  may thereafter be moved in a telescoping manner into the lower section  202  ( FIGS. 12-13 ). Although shown in this progression, it will be understood that the upper section  204  of the neck  12  may be telescoped into the lower section  202  before the neck  12  is hingedly moved relative to the body  14 . In either event, the hinged and telescoping actions of the neck  12 , together with the telescoping construction of the body  14 , allows the travel guitar  200  to assume a reduced profile according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a travel guitar  300  according to another aspect. The travel guitar  300  is virtually identical in construction to the travel guitar  10  of  FIGS. 1-5 , except that the body  14  is of unibody construction and thus is not telescoping. Based on the commonality of construction and components, and for the sake of brevity, only those features and functions varying from the travel guitar  10  of  FIGS. 1-5  will be described. As shown in  FIG. 16 , the body  14  includes a static recess  302  configured, by way of example only, to receive computer tablet  30  as shown in  FIG. 15 . With reference to  FIGS. 15-18 , the neck  12  (e.g. middle section  18  and upper section  20 ) may be moved in a telescoping manner into the lower section  16 . The telescoping action of the neck  12  allows the travel guitar  300  to assume a reduced profile according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 19  illustrates a travel guitar  400  according to another aspect. The travel guitar  400  is virtually identical in construction to the travel guitar  300  of  FIGS. 15-18 , except that the entire neck  12  is telescoping and the body  14  is configured to receive the lower section  16 , the middle section  18  and the upper section  20  in a telescoping manner. Based on the commonality of construction and components, and for the sake of brevity, only those features and functions varying from the travel guitar  30  of  FIGS. 15-18  will be described. As shown in  FIGS. 19-20 , the body  14  includes a static recess  402  configured, by way of example only, to receive a smart phone  404  (e.g. iPhone by Apple, Inc.). With reference to  FIGS. 19-22 , the neck  12  (e.g. lower section  16 , middle section  18  and upper section  20 ) may be moved in a telescoping manner into the base  14 . To accommodate this telescoping, the body  14  may be equipped with a recess (shown in dashed lines at  410 ) having a shape and size sufficient to receive the lower section  16 , middle section  18 , and upper section  20  as shown generally in  FIG. 22 . The telescoping action of the neck  12  allows the travel guitar  400  to assume a reduced profile according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 23  illustrates a travel guitar  500  according to another aspect. The travel guitar  500  is virtually identical in construction to the travel guitar  400  of  FIGS. 19-22 , except that the neck  12  has a fret board recess  502  upon being fully expanded configured to receive an insertable fret board  504 . As will be described in detail below, the insertable fret board  504  may take the form of a hinged fret board  504   a  or a solid fret board  504   b . Based on the commonality of construction and components, and for the sake of brevity, only those features and functions varying from the travel guitar  400  of  FIGS. 19-22  will be described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 23 , the lower section  16 , middle section  18  and upper section  20  of the neck  12  each have an open or hollow construction which collectively defines the fret board recess  502 . The fret board recess  502  is configured to receive either fret board  504   a  or  504   b , from either the top or bottom of the recess  502  as will be described below. The hinged fret board  504   a  includes a lower section  506  hingedly coupled to an upper section  508  via a hinge  510 . The solid fret board  504   b  has the same general shape and profile as the hinged fret board  504   a , except that is of solid construction (i.e. non-hinged or non-telescoping). 
       FIGS. 24A-24C  illustrate a “bottom loading” technique of inserting the hinged fret board  504   a  into the neck  12  by accessing the recess  502  from the bottom. As shown in  FIG. 24A , the hinged fret board  504   a  may be introduced into the recess  502  of the neck  12  such that the lower section  506  and upper section  508  start in an angled relationship with the distal ends in general abutment with the base  14  and head  34 , respectively. The medial ends of the lower and upper sections  506 ,  508  may thereafter be pushed upward to force them into a flat and rigid configuration within the recess  502  in the neck  12  as shown in  FIG. 24B . As shown in  FIG. 24C , an optional cover  514  may be positioned over the sections  16 ,  18 ,  20  of the neck  12  to cover up those telescoping components and/or bolster the structural rigidity of the neck  12 . The cover  514  may be generally curved on the lower surface to mimic the shape of the neck of a traditional, non-travel guitar. The cover  514  may be slidably disposed within the base  14  such that it can be quickly and easily deployed from the base  14  after the hinged fret board  504   a  is introduced as shown in  FIGS. 24A-24B . Alternatively, the cover  514  may be a free-standing component (i.e. not housed within the base  14 ) and simply coupled over the sections  16 ,  18 ,  20  when desired. 
       FIG. 24D  illustrates a “top loading” technique of inserting the hinged fret board  504   a  into the neck  12  by accessing the recess  502  from the top. The hinged fret board  504   a  may be introduced into the recess  502  of the neck  12  such that the lower section  506  and upper section  508  start in an angled relationship with the distal ends in general abutment with the base  14  and head  34 , respectively. The medial ends of the lower and upper sections  506 ,  508  may thereafter be pushed downward to force them into a flat and rigid configuration within the recess  502  in the neck  12 . This top-loading technique may require the removal of the strings (not shown) or simply that the strings be loose enough to allow the hinged fret board  504   a  to be positioned as shown in  FIG. 24D . Other than these distinctions, the features and operation of the hinged fret board  504   a  in the top loading configuration are essentially identical to that described above with respect to the bottom-loading configuration such that their description need not be repeated here. 
       FIGS. 24E-24G  illustrate a “bottom loading” technique of inserting the solid fret board  504   b  into the neck  12  by accessing the recess  502  from the bottom. This “bottom loading” technique is virtually identical to that described above with reference to  FIGS. 24A-24C , except that the fret board  504   b  is solid and the neck  12  is configured to extend a greater distance from the body  14  to accommodate the solid fret board  504   b , as will be discussed in more detail below. Based on the commonality of construction and components described above with reference to the “bottom loading” technique of the hinged fret board  504   a , and for the sake of brevity, only those features and functions varying from that shown in  FIGS. 24A-24C  will be described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 24E , neck sections  16 ,  18 ,  20  may be moved farther away from the body  14  than shown in  FIG. 24A . This may be accomplished by providing one or more of the neck sections  16 ,  18 ,  20  having spring-loaded features to allow the neck  12  to be over-extended relative to the body  14 , for example, by a distance E, sufficient to allow the solid fret board  504   b  to be introduced as shown in  FIG. 24E . Once introduced into the recess  502 , the neck  12  may be allowed to retract towards the base  14  such that the length of the neck  12  shortens relative to the base  14  by the distance E as shown in  FIG. 24F . Depending upon the bias of the spring-loaded features, the neck  12  may or may not require to be locked in that position. It will be appreciated that, although spring-loaded features are but one way to adjust the neck  12 , it may be done manually with no assistance of any spring loading features within the neck  12  and/or body  14 . It will also be appreciated that, although the spring-loaded features are described with reference to the solid fret board  504   b , this same functionality may be employed with the travel guitar  500  as shown in  FIGS. 24A-24D  without departing from the scope of the invention. Lastly, the optional cover  514  may be employed in the same manner as described above with reference to  FIGS. 24A-D . 
       FIGS. 25-26  illustrate a travel guitar  600  according to a still further aspect. The travel guitar  600  is virtually identical in construction to the travel guitar  10  of  FIGS. 1-5 , except for the provision of a detachable string assembly  602  ( FIG. 26 ) as will be described below. Based on the commonality of construction and components, and for the sake of brevity, only those features and functions varying from the travel guitar  10  of  FIGS. 1-5  will be described. As shown in  FIG. 26 , the detachable string assembly  602  includes the head  34 , the string spool  42  and the strings  32 , wherein the string spool  42  forms part of a string spool assembly  606  including end portions  608  disposed on either end of the string spool  42  which are fixedly coupled together via a cross bar (not shown) disposed within the string spool  42 . The end portions  608  may be equipped with rotation levers  610 , the function of which will be described in greater detail below. 
     With reference to  FIG. 25 , the neck  12  includes a coupling arm  604  extending from the upper section  20  dimensioned to slide into a corresponding recess (not shown) formed within the head  34  of the detachable string assembly  602 . The lower body unit  24  includes a recess  612  dimensioned to receive the string spool assembly  606 , as will be described in greater detail below. 
       FIGS. 27-28  illustrate one manner of attaching the string assembly  602  to the travel guitar  600  according to one aspect. In particular, the head  34  is first coupled to the neck  12  by disposing the coupling arm  604  into the recess (not shown) formed within the head  34 . The string spool assembly  606  may then be moved towards the lower base unit  24  so the string  32  unspools from the string spool  42  as shown generally in  FIG. 26 . This unspooling continues until the string spool assembly  606  is positioned such that the end portions  608  can be at least partially engaged within the recess  612  as shown in  FIG. 27 . At this point, the rotation levers  610  may be rotated to fully seat the string spool  42  within the recess  612  as shown in  FIG. 28 . Preferably, the length of the strings  32  are such that, when the string spool  42  is fully seated in the recess  612  as shown in  FIG. 28 , the strings  32  are generally taut such that it will only take a minimal amount of tuning to ready the strings  32  for use. 
       FIGS. 29-30  illustrate another manner of attaching the string assembly  602  to the travel guitar  600  according to one aspect. In particular, the string spool assembly  606  is engaged and locked to the lower base unit  24  as a first step. The head  34  may then be moved towards the arm member  604  extending from the neck  12  so the string  32  unspools from the string spool  42 . This unspooling continues until the head  34  is coupled to the arm member  604  as shown in  FIG. 29 . In one aspect, the arm member  604  may be angled and hinged to the upper section  20  of the neck  12  via a hinge  614  as shown in  FIG. 29 . At this point, the head  34  may be rotated about the hinge  614  such that the head  34  is fully rotated and locked in the position as shown in  FIG. 30 . Preferably, the length of the strings  32  are such that, when the head  34  is fully rotated and locked in the position as shown in  FIG. 30 , the strings  32  are generally taut such that it will only take a minimal amount of tuning to ready the strings  32  for use. 
       FIG. 31  illustrates a travel guitar  700  of a still further aspect of the present invention. The travel guitar  700  is configured such that the bridge assembly  702  (and/or string spool  42 , if implemented) can be translated longitudinally towards the head  34  to allow sufficient de-tensioning of the guitar strings  32  to enable the upper portion  704  of the neck  12  to be folded away from the lower portion  706  of the neck  12  about a hinge  710  to assume a reduced profile (see  FIGS. 32-34 ). In one aspect, the bridge assembly  702  includes a handle member  708  capable of being rotated or otherwise actuated to allow or force the bridge assembly  702  to move towards the head  34 , as illustrated by distance F in  FIGS. 32-34 . Although not shown, it will be appreciated that the translation of the bridge assembly  702  and/or the spool assembly  42  may be accomplished through the use of servo motors disposed with the body  14  which, when actuated, will move the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42  either towards or away from the head  14  for the purpose of detensioning or tensioning, respectively, the strings  32 . 
     When it is desired to deploy the travel guitar  700  for playing, the upper portion  704  of the neck  12  may be unfolded back into alignment with the lower portion  706  of the neck  12 , and the bridge assembly  702  (and/or spool assembly  42 , if implemented) translated longitudinally away from the head  34  and locked in position to allow the guitar  700  to be tuned for playing. As described above, this may be accomplished manually through the use of the handle member  708  to bring the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42  in its original position ( FIGS. 31 and 32 ) or, alternatively, through the use of servo motors disposed with the body  14  which, when actuated, will move the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42  to its original position ( FIGS. 31 and 32 ). 
     In either embodiment (manual or automated), the physical movement of the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42  may be effectuated by coupling the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42  to slidable rail(s) within the body  14  and/or slidable plate(s) on the surface of the body  14  of the travel guitar  700 . In one aspect, one or more pick-ups may be translated longitudinally with the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42 . 
     In another aspect, the travel guitar  700  may be configured with one or more translating truss rods housed within at least a portion of the neck  12  to bolster its strength and rigidity for more accurate and prolonged tuning and fret alignment. As shown in  FIGS. 31-34 , a handle member  712  is coupled to the body  14  and capable of translating along a track  714  from a position closest the head  34  ( FIG. 31-32 ) to a position farthest away from the head  34  ( FIG. 33-34 ). As will be described in detail below, the handle member  712  is coupled to one or more unitary truss rods and/or hinged truss rods for the purpose of selectively locking and unlocking the upper neck portion  704  relative to the lower neck portion  706  depending on the location of the handle member  712  (e.g. locked in  FIGS. 31-32  and unlocked in  FIGS. 33-34 ). 
     In one aspect shown in  FIGS. 35-36 , two translating truss rods  716  are provided, each of which is a unitary structure capable of being translated longitudinally within one or more passageways or recesses  718  formed in the upper portion  714  and/or lower portion  706 . The translation takes place between a locked position shown in  FIG. 35  and an unlocked position shown in  FIG. 36 , based on the selective movement by a user of the handle member  712  which is coupled to the truss rods  716  via a connecting rod  720  which traverses along track or groove  714  in the body  24 . In the locked position ( FIG. 35 ), each unitary truss rod  716  is disposed at least partially within both the lower portion  706  and upper portion  704  of the neck  12 , which locks the upper neck portion  704  in alignment with the lower neck portion  706 . In the unlocked position ( FIG. 36 ), each unitary truss rod  716  is disposed within the lower neck portion  706  and/or body portion  14 , just as long as its removed from the upper neck portion  704  a sufficient distance below the hinge  710  such that the upper neck portion  704  may be folded into a reduced profile as shown in  FIG. 34 . 
     In one aspect shown in  FIGS. 37-38 , two translating truss rods  722 , each of which is a hinged structure capable of being translated longitudinally within one or more passageways or recesses  718  formed in the upper portion  704  and/or lower portion  706  between a locked position shown in  FIG. 38  and an unlocked position shown in  FIG. 39 . Each truss rod  722  is constructed from a rigid upper portion  724  hingedly coupled to a rigid lower portion  726  coupled together by a hinge  728 . 
     In the locked position ( FIG. 37 ), the upper portion  724  of each hinged truss rod  722  is disposed at least partially within the upper portion  704  of the neck  12 , the lower portion  726  of each hinged truss rod  722  is disposed at least partially within the lower portion  706  of the neck  12 , and the hinge or hinged section  728  is disposed within either the upper portion  704  or lower portion  706  of the neck  12 . By disposing the hinged portion  728  of the truss rod  722  in the upper portion  704  or lower portion  706  of the neck  12 , the truss rod  722  can no longer rotate about hinge  728  and thus has strength and rigidity characteristics similar to that of a unitary truss rod  716 . 
     In the unlocked position ( FIG. 38 ), the upper portion  724  of each hinged truss rod  722  is disposed at least partially within the upper portion  704  of the neck  12 , the lower portion  726  of each hinged truss rod  722  is disposed at least partially within the lower portion  706  of the neck  12 , and the hinge or hinged section  728  is disposed at the approximate junction or joint  710  between the upper portion  704  and lower portion  706  of the neck. By disposing the hinge or hinged section  728  of the truss rod  722  at the approximate junction or joint  710  between the upper section  704  and lower section  706  of the neck  12 , the upper section  704  of the neck  12  may then be folded to assume a reduced profile ( FIG. 34 ). 
     Each truss rod (unitary  716  or hinged  722 ) may be translated with or independent of the translating bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42 . If translated with the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42 , each unitary truss rod  716  will be moved in the opposite direction as the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42 , while each hinged truss rod  722  may be translated in the either the same or opposite direction as the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42 . The translation of each truss rod (unitary  716  or hinged  722 ) may occur simultaneous with the translation of the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42 , or slightly staggered in time. 
     Staggering translation to assume a reduced profile first involves translating the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42  towards the neck  12  ( FIG. 32  to  FIG. 33 ) in order to reduce the tension of the guitar strings  32 , followed by translating each truss rod  716 / 722  into the unlocked position ( FIG. 32  to  FIG. 33 ) such that the upper neck portion  704  may be folded towards the lower neck portion  706 . Staggering translation during deployment of the travel guitar  700  first involves translating each truss rod  716 / 722  into the locked position ( FIG. 33  to  FIG. 32 ) after the upper neck portion  704  and lower neck portion  706  have been brought into alignment, followed by translating the bridge assembly  702  and/or spool assembly  42  away from the neck  12  ( FIG. 33  to  FIG. 32 ) in order to increase the tension of the guitar strings  32  in preparation for tuning. 
     Each truss rod  716 / 722  may be constructed from any number of materials having properties sufficient to bolster the strength and rigidity of the neck  12  of the travel guitar  700 , including but not limited to metal, carbon fiber, etc. . . . . Each truss rod  716 / 722  may be manufactured having any number of solid cross-sectional shapes (e.g. circular, oval, triangular, etc. . . . ) and/or non-solid cross-sectional shapes (e.g. generally crescent-shaped, generally V-shaped, generally U-shaped, etc. . . . ). If constructed having a non-solid cross-sectional shape, the “open” side of the truss rod  716 / 722  may be disposed within the neck  12  so as to face generally towards the underside of the neck (versus towards the fret board). This configuration will provide the greatest strength and rigidity for the truss rod  716 / 722  to resist the tendency of the neck  12  to bend under the tension of the guitar strings  32  after they have been tuned. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 35-38 , each truss rod  716 / 722  should preferably be equipped with a leading end  730  which is tapered or otherwise configured to facilitate introduction into the recess  718  of the upper section  704  of the neck  12  during the process of deploying the travel guitar  700  for use. By providing such a tapered leading end  730 , the upper neck portion  704  and lower neck portion  706  need not be perfectly aligned in order to begin to receive the truss rods  716 / 722 . Rather, the tapered leading end  730  will be able to enter a non-perfectly aligned recess  718  of the upper neck portion  704 . Once in this initial position, the truss rod  716 / 722  may thereafter be advanced more fully into the recesses  718 , which will bring the recesses  718  (and thus upper section  704  and lower section  706 ) into co-alignment. 
     It should be noted that the recesses  718  are shown having a larger diameter than the truss rod  716 / 722  in  FIGS. 35-37  solely for the sake of delineating between the two structures in the interest of clarity. It will be appreciated, however, that the diameter of the recesses  718  and truss rods  716 / 722  may be much closer so as to ensure a snug fit between the two during full deployment, akin to that shown in  FIG. 38 . 
       FIG. 39  illustrates (in an exploded view) a travel guitar  800  according to yet another aspect, wherein the neck  12  includes a telescoping cylinder  802 , along with a foldable fret board  804  and foldable neck bottom  806  which collectively enclose the telescoping cylinder  802  when the guitar  800  is deployed for use and which fold onto and/or within a portion of the body  14  when the guitar  800  is in a reduced profile. The telescoping cylinder  802  extends from the body  14  to the head  34  and, as will be described in more detail below, is capable of positioning the head  34  in a fully extended position (shown in  FIG. 39 ) to a fully retracted position adjacent to the body  14  (shown in  FIG. 43 ). The function of the foldable neck bottom  806  is to create a smooth surface on the underside of the neck  12  to create the same feel as the underside of a traditional (i.e. non-telescoping, non-folding) guitar neck. 
     The foldable fret board  804  includes an upper section  808  and a lower section  810  which are hingedly coupled together at a joint  812 . Although not shown based on the exploded view of  FIG. 39 , the end of the upper section  808  opposite the joint  812  is hingedly coupled to the head  34  (or the section of the telescoping cylinder  802  adjacent to the head  34 ), while the end of the lower section  810  opposite the joint  812  is hingedly coupled to the base  14 . The underside of the foldable fret board  804  includes a semi-circular recess  814  dimensioned to receive the telescoping cylinder  802  when the travel guitar  800  is fully deployed for use. Although not shown, the hinges contemplated for use between the body  14  and lower fret board section  810 , between the lower and upper fret board sections  810 ,  808 , and between the upper fret board section  808  and the head  34  may comprise any number of suitable hinges which allow for the various types of folding described below with reference to  FIGS. 40-43 . 
     The foldable neck bottom  806  includes an upper section  816  and a lower section  818  which are hingedly coupled together at a joint  820 . Although not shown based on the exploded view of  FIG. 39 , the end of the upper section  816  opposite the joint  820  is hingedly coupled to the head  34  (or the section of the telescoping cylinder  802  adjacent to the head  34 ), while the end of the lower section  818  opposite the joint  820  is hingedly coupled to the base  14 . The foldable neck bottom  806  includes a semi-circular recess  822  dimensioned to receive the telescoping cylinder  802  when the travel guitar  800  is fully deployed for use. Although not shown, the hinges contemplated for use between the body  14  and lower section  818 , between the lower and upper sections  816 ,  818 , and between the upper section  816  and the head  34  may comprise any number of suitable hinges which allow for the various types of folding described below with reference to  FIGS. 40-43 . 
       FIGS. 40-43  illustrate the manner of configuring the foldable fret board  804  and foldable neck bottom  806  into a reduced profile as the head  34  is moved towards the body  14  by operation of the telescoping cylinder  802 .  FIG. 40  shows the travel guitar  800  in a fully deployed configuration with the foldable fret board  804  and foldable neck bottom  806  extending in alignment between the body  14  and head  34 . In this configuration, the foldable fret board  804  and foldable neck bottom  806  are abutting with the upper sections  808 ,  816  and lower sections  810 ,  818  positioned generally adjacent to and flush with one another. One or more locking mechanisms (not shown) may be provided to maintain the telescoping cylinder  802 , the foldable fret board  804  and/or the foldable neck bottom  806  in the fully deployed configuration as shown in  FIG. 40 . 
       FIGS. 41-43  illustrate the travel guitar  800  during the process of configuring it into a reduced profile. This involves shortening the telescoping cylinder  802  while moving the middle of the foldable fret board  804  away from the middle of the foldable neck bottom  806  ( FIG. 41 ) until the foldable fret board  804  folds towards the upper surface of the body  14  and the foldable neck bottom  806  folds towards the lower surface of the body  14  ( FIG. 42 ). This continues until the upper section  808  and lower section  810  of the foldable fret board  804  are positioned within a portion of the body  14  and the upper section  816  and lower section  818  of the foldable neck bottom  806  are positioned within a portion of the body  14  ( FIG. 43 ). Although not shown, it will be appreciated that some or all of the foldable fret board  804  and/or foldable neck bottom  806  may simply fold on top of the body  14 , as opposed to being partially or fully housed within a cavity or recess in the body  14  as shown in  FIG. 43 . 
     While strings are not shown in  FIGS. 39-43  for the sake of brevity, it will be understood that the travel guitar  800  may employ any of the string-related features previously described with respect to any of the previous figures, including (by way of example only) the string spool  42 , translating bridge assembly, removable string assemblies, etc. . . . . 
       FIG. 44  is a diagram illustrating the electrical components associated with any of the travel guitars described herein, according to one aspect. The tablet computer and/or smart phone described herein may be coupled to the control electronics (e.g. via a 32-pin Apple connector if tablet is an iPad and/or smart phone is an iPhone) to electrically connect any of the components forming the control electronics or otherwise coupled to the control electronics. 
     The on-board electronics and/or electronics or software on the tablet and/or smart phone may operate any of the servo motors contemplated as part of the travel guitar of the present invention, including but not limited to servo motors for telescoping the neck and/or body, for tuning the travel guitar, for spooling the guitar string, for adjusting the height of the individual frets on the fret board and/or the bridge on the body and/or the nut on the head of the neck (such height adjustment of the frets, bridge and/or nut may be performed to help tune the travel guitar and/or adjust the action of the strings according to user preference), as well as adjusting the location of the translating bridge assembly and/or translating truss rods according to certain aspects. 
     A power connector is preferably provided so that a suitable AC/DC power converter can be connected an AC power source (e.g. wall outlet) to power the electrical components of the travel guitar. Any number of connectors may be provided (e.g. USB, Firewire, etc. . . . ) so that the tablet computer and/or smart phone can be connected to an external computer, video game console, or the like to either interact with such or be powered therefrom. A MIDI connector is preferably provided so that the travel guitar can be connected to any MIDI compatible equipment. Connectors may also be provided for headphones (and/or external speakers), as well as for a guitar amplifier. Any such electrical connectors can be utilized in any combination and/or any other suitable type of electrical connection can additionally be provided. 
     The memory and/or processor of the tablet computer and/or smart phone may be provided with suitable software to graphically display any number of different graphics or images on the touch screen, e.g. a tuning device such as found with the PitchBot app, animation or graphics that change in response to the tempo, beat, volume, strumming pattern, etc. . . . . The software on the computer tablet and/or smart phone can also display a whammy bar, volume control knob or any other desired element on the touch screen to visually simulate a traditional (non-travel) guitar. 
     The software can enable the travel guitar to be used as a music synthesizer and provide a musical output signal that is sent to a tablet computer speaker, an external speaker or headphones, an external amplifier, an external MIDI capable component, an external computer, and/or any other suitable device. The software can have a midi output that can be used to create music and/or can permit playing along with music files located on the tablet computer and/or smart phone. The software application may also upload files to video games such as, for example Guitar Hero, Second Life, etc. It is also noted that the software can also enable the travel guitar to be used in any other desired manner. 
     Any of the features or attributes of the above the above described embodiments and variations can be used in combination with any of the other features and attributes of the above described embodiments and variations as desired. 
     The travel guitars set forth herein overcome or at least improve upon the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a reduced profile for ease of travel and predictable tuning and quality guitar play. Moreover, by using commercially available a computer tablet and/or smart phone, the effective cost of the travel guitar is reduced to the user because those devices are available for other uses. 
     From the foregoing disclosure and detailed description of certain preferred embodiments, it is also apparent that various modifications, additions and other alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the true scope and spirit. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the present invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the benefit to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.