Patent Publication Number: US-7709713-B1

Title: Mounting plate and vibrato assembly for vibrato system on a guitar

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to vibratos used on stringed instruments. More particularly this invention relates to an improved method of vibrato construction and/or mounting on a guitar. The apparatus and method greatly enhance resonance in a guitar by alleviating dampening pressure on the front face of the guitar. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor herein is a musician. He initially developed a vibrato mounting bracket for his guitar after he became aware that he would substantially devalue his guitar if he mounted a vibrato unit on the guitar. Drilling holes and turning screws into his $40,000 guitar to mount the vibrato unit directly thereon, would devalue the guitar by $6000. Accordingly, he developed a mounting bracket which carried the vibrato unit. The mounting bracket was attached to his guitar solely by the lower shoulder strap connection screw, as well as at a top of the bracket by the outer two string stop bar screw attachments on the guitar. He observed that his vibrato bracket guitar sounded substantially better than vibrato guitars to which the vibrato unit was directly mounted thereon. 
     The inventor attributed this improved sound quality and volume to the clamping effect which the vibrato unit had on the front face of the guitar. He subsequently further developed his mounting bracket, each bracket further reducing upward pulling and downward pressure on the front face of the guitar. The conventional vibrato, directly attached to the front face of the guitar, draws the highly tensioned strings of the guitar down thereby centrally lifting the front face of the guitar up, effectively dampening vibration on the central and entire front face of the resonating sound box of the guitar. The inventor&#39;s system resists string pull from the bottom of the guitar. Additionally the angle on which the strings are pulled down from the bridge of the guitar has also been refined so that the direction of string pull is towards a point above the bottom of the front face of the guitar. The downward component of force on the front face of the guitar is thereby even further reduced. With the use of this type of a mounting a bracket smaller inexpensive guitars have a sound box which produces substantially more resonance, depth and volume than the most expensive guitars having a vibrato directly unit directly mounted thereon. The sound volume is generally doubled with the use of the bracket. Sound sustain, the duration of vibration is also substantially increased. Sound attack, the speed which sound resonates from the guitar was also speeded. Improving sound attack, particularly in concert performances, reduces confusion caused by a multi-second delay. The quality and depth of sound with the herein disclosed vibrato mounting system on even an inexpensive guitar far surpasses anything available with any conventionally mounted vibrato unit on even the most expensive guitar. 
     Conventional vibrato units are most preferably mounted down, rearwardly as far as possible on the guitar, sacrificing operability, but thereby reducing downward clamping force on the face of the guitar. With the unit disclosed herein, the vibrato unit can be shifted upwardly on the guitar, allowing the vibrato arm to be more easily grasped and operated. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to disclose a mounting bracket for a vibrato unit which attaches to the guitar using only original screw anchor holes so that the guitar is not devalued by the mounting. It is an object of this invention to disclose a vibrato assembly for a guitar which utilizes only original screw anchor holes so that the guitar is not devalued by the mounting. It is an object of this invention to disclose a vibrato mounting assembly and/or bracket which applies minimal clamping pressure on the face of the guitar and thereby greatly enhances resonance, sound quality, sound volume, sound sustainability and sound attack. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a vibrato mounting bracket and/or assembly which facilitates more convenient access and greater operability of the vibrato arm. It is a final object of this invention to disclose a method of using the vibrato mounting bracket and/or vibrato assembly. 
     One aspect of this invention provides for a vibrato mounting bracket for mounting a vibrato unit on and above the a front face of a guitar, said vibrato unit having a frame having two lower mounting screw openings, two upper mounting screw openings, and carrying a lateral lower rotatable string anchoring member, and a tension arm assembly to rotate the rotatable lateral member, said bracket comprising: a) a generally flat central portion extending from a bottom peripheral edge portion of the guitar, said flat central portion having four vibrato unit attachment openings therethrough positioned to align with the openings on the vibrato unit; b) a bottom portion extending from the central portion over the bottom peripheral edge portion of the guitar and having a lower strap screw attachment opening therethrough; and, c) an upper portion extending above the central portion along the face of the guitar having two opposite lateral openings therethrough, said openings spaced to align with one of i) the two outer string stop bar screws on the guitar in all cases wherein said guitar has a screwed string stop bar, ii) the two outer bridge attachment screws on the guitar where said guitar has a bridge attachment screw and does not have a screwed string stop bar, and yet as another alternative with, iii) the bridge height adjustment screws were the guitar has a floating bridge and does not have a string stop bar. Then the vibrato unit is adequately attached to and minimally lifting/pressing on the front face of the guitar thereby consequently dampening vibration of the front face and sound box in the guitar. The front face and sound box maximally vibrate thereby producing maximum resonance and depth of sound. The vibrato unit is adequately secured to the guitar without devaluing the guitar by screwing to other than original screw attachment anchors therein. 
     In another aspect of this invention is a vibrato mounting assembly for producing vibrato on a guitar comprising: A) a frame portion having carrying a lateral rotatable string anchoring member, and a tension arm assembly to rotate the rotatable lateral member; and, B) a bracket portion. The bracket portion has a) a generally flat central portion carrying and having the frame portion attached thereto, said bracket portion extending from a bottom peripheral edge of the guitar along and over a front face of the guitar, b) a bottom portion extending from the central portion over the bottom peripheral edge portion of the guitar and having a lower strap bolt attachment opening therethrough; and, c) an upper portion extending above the central portion along the face of the guitar having two opposite lateral openings therethrough, said openings spaced to align i) most preferably with one of the two outer string stop bar screws on the guitar, ii) alternatively with the two outer bridge attachment screws on the guitar where said guitar has a bridge attachment screw and does not have a screwed string stop bar, and yet as another alternative, iii) the bridge height adjustment screws where the guitar has a floating bridge and does not have a string stop bar. Then when the bracket is attached to the guitar by the lower shoulder strap attachment screw the front face of the guitar is thereby minimally lifted/pressed and vibration on the front face of the guitar is consequently minimally dampened. The front face and sound box maximally vibrate thereby producing maximum resonance and depth of sound. 
     Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       FIGURES OF THE INVENTION 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a guitar having a conventionally mounted vibrato unit thereon. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a guitar having a mounting bracket carrying a vibrato unit thereon. 
     
    
    
     The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific embodiments of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It should be noted that such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the invention. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to  FIG. 1  we have a perspective view of a guitar  18  having a conventionally mounted vibrato unit  16  thereon.  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a guitar  18  having a mounting bracket  20  carrying a vibrato unit  16  thereon. One aspect of this invention provides for a vibrato mounting bracket  20  for mounting a vibrato unit  16  on and above the front face  17  of a guitar  18 , said vibrato unit  16  having a frame  14  having two lower mounting screw openings  12 , two upper mounting screw openings  10 , and carrying a lateral lower rotatable string anchoring member  8 , and a tension arm assembly  6  to rotate the rotatable lateral member  8 , said bracket  20  comprising: a) a generally flat central portion  22  extending from a bottom peripheral edge portion of the guitar  20 , said flat central portion  22  having four vibrato unit attachment openings  10 , 12  therethrough positioned to align with the openings  10 , 12  on the vibrato unit  16 ; b) a bottom portion  24  extending from the central portion  22  over the bottom peripheral edge portion of the guitar and having a lower strap screw attachment opening  26  therethrough; and, c) an upper portion  28  extending above the central portion  22  along the face of the guitar  18  having two opposite lateral openings  30  therethrough, said openings  30  spaced to align with one of i) the two outer string stop bar screw anchors  5  on the guitar  18  in all cases wherein said guitar  18  has string stop bar screw anchors  5 , ii) the two outer bridge attachment screws  4  on the guitar  18  wherein said guitar  18  has a bridge attachment screw  4  and does not have a screwed string stop bar screw anchor  5 , and yet as another alternative with, iii) the bridge height adjustment screws  4  were the guitar  18  has a floating bridge  2  and does not have a screwed string stop bar screw anchor  5 . 
     The vibrato unit  16  is then adequately attached to and minimally lifting/pressing on the front face  17  of the guitar  18  thereby consequently dampening vibration of the front face and sound box  17  in the guitar  18 . Within this specification lifting/pressing is defined to mean lifting and/or pressing. The front face and sound box maximally vibrate thereby producing maximum resonance and depth of sound. The vibrato unit  16  is adequately secured to the guitar  18  without devaluing the guitar  18  by screwing to other than original screw attachment anchors  27  therein. 
     For purposes of further clarification only it is noted that guitars  18  having string stop bar screw anchors  5  are generally Gibson™ or known as Gibson™ style guitars. The bracket  20  used for these guitars  18  has a top portion as described in claim  1 (c)(i). Guitars  18  having a bridge attachment screw  4  and not having a screwed string stop bar screw anchor  5 , are generally Fender™ guitars or known as Fender™ style guitars. The bracket  20  used for these guitars  18  has a top portion as described in claim  1 (c) (ii). There are numerous manufactures which use a floating bridge  2  and do not have a screwed string stop bar screw anchor  5 . The bracket  20  used for these guitars  18  has a top portion as described in claim  1 (c) (iii). 
     The broadest bracket claim described above can be narrowed with the following apparatus limitations. Most preferably the vibrato mounting bracket  20  comprises a plate. If the bracket  20  has a generally square turn  21  between the central  22  and bottom portion  24  thereof then a lower portion of the central portion  22  can be elevated above the front face  17  of the guitar  18  and so that the strings  13  thereby extend more parallel to the front face  17  of the guitar  18  and thereby apply minimal pressure thereon. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the vibrato unit  16  is positioned on an upper portion of the central portion  22  of the bracket  20  to thereby maximize ease of operability of the arm assembly  6  thereon. It should be noted that conventional methods prefer to mount vibrato unit  16  towards the bottom portion of the guitar  18  thus sacrificing operability but thereby reducing face  17  dampening, and accordingly benefiting sound quality. 
     Another aspect of the invention comprises a vibrato mounting assembly  21  for producing vibrato on a guitar  18 . The vibrato assembly  21  comprises: A) a frame portion  14  having carrying a lateral rotatable string anchoring member  8 , and a tension arm assembly  6  to rotate the rotatable lateral member  8 ; and, B) a bracket  20  portion. The bracket  20  portion has a) a generally flat central portion  22  carrying and having the frame portion  14  attached thereto, said bracket portion  20  extending from a bottom peripheral edge of the guitar  18  along and over a front face  17  of the guitar  18 , b) a bottom portion  24  extending from the central portion  22  over the bottom peripheral edge portion of the guitar  18  and having a lower strap screw attachment opening  24  therethrough; and, c) an upper portion  28  extending above the central portion  22  along the face  17  of the guitar  18  having two opposite lateral openings  30  therethrough. 
     As in the broadest bracket apparatus claim described above said openings  30  are spaced to align i) most preferably with one of the two outer string stop bar screw anchors  5  on the guitar  18 , ii) alternatively with the two outer bridge attachment screws  3  on the guitar  18  where said guitar  18  has a bridge attachment screw  3  and does not have a string stop bar screw anchor  5 , and yet as another alternative, iii) the bridge height adjustment screws  4  wherein the guitar  18  has a floating bridge  2  and does not have a string stop bar screw anchor  5 . When the bracket  20  is attached to the guitar  18  by the lower shoulder strap attachment screw opening  26  the front face  17  of the guitar  18  is thereby minimally lifted/pressed and vibration on the front face  17  of the guitar  18  is consequently minimally dampened. The front face  17  and sound box  19  maximally vibrate thereby producing maximum resonance and depth of sound. And again, the vibrato unit  16  is adequately secured to the guitar  18  without devaluing the guitar  18  by screwing to other than original screw attachment anchors  27  therein. 
     A method of mounting a vibrato unit on a guitar comprising the steps of: a) providing a mounting bracket  20  as described above; b) attaching the vibrato unit  16  to the mounting bracket  20 ; and then, c) attaching the mounting bracket  20  to the guitar  18  by removing and replacing the lower shoulder strap mounting screw  23  on the guitar  18  and attaching an upper portion  28  of the mounting bracket  20  to the guitar  18  using one of i) the two outer string stop bar screw anchors  5  on the guitar  18  in all cases wherein said guitar  18  has a string stop bar screw anchors  5 , ii) the two outer bridge attachment screws  3  on the guitar  18  where said guitar  18  has a bridge attachment screw  3  and does not have a string stop bar screw anchor  5 , and yet as another alternative with, iii) the bridge height adjustment screws  4  where the guitar  18  has a floating bridge  2  and does not have a string stop bar screw anchor  5 . Thereafter the guitar strings  13  are attached to the lateral lower rotatable string anchoring member  8 . Finally, the guitar strings  13  are tightened. As above the vibrato unit  16  is adequately secured to the guitar  18  without devaluing the guitar  18  by screwing to other than original screw attachment anchors  27  therein. Minimal pressure is applied on the front face  17  of the guitar  18 ; and accordingly, the resonance and tone quality of the guitar  18  is greatly enhanced. 
     A method of producing vibrato on a guitar  18  comprises the steps of: providing a vibrato mounting assembly  21  as described above; attaching the mounting assembly  21  to the guitar  18  by removing and replacing the lower shoulder strap mounting screw  23  on the guitar  18  and attaching an upper portion of the assembly  21  to the guitar  18  using one of i) the two outer string stop bar screw anchors  5  on the guitar in all cases wherein said guitar  18  has a string stop bar screw anchor  5 , ii) the two outer bridge attachment screws  3  on the guitar  18  where said guitar  18  has a bridge attachment screw  3  and does not have a string stop bar screw anchor  3 , and yet as another alternative, iii) the bridge height adjustment screws  4  where the guitar  18  has a floating bridge  2  and does not have a string stop bar screw anchor  5 . Thereafter the guitar strings  13  are attached to the lateral lower rotatable string anchoring member  8 . Finally the guitar strings  13  are tightened. The vibrato assembly  21  is adequately secured to the guitar  18  without devaluing the guitar  18  by screwing to other than original screw attachment anchors  27  therein. Minimal pressure is on the front face  17  of the guitar  18  thereby greatly enhancing the resonance and tone quality of the guitar  18 . 
     As the broadest bracket apparatus claim described above was limited by the apparatus limitations in the dependent claims thereafter; the vibrato assembly  21 , and the independent method claims may similarly be narrowed by using the apparatuses as specified and described following the broadest apparatus claim. 
     While the invention has been described with preferred specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.