Patent Publication Number: US-7586029-B2

Title: Guitar and strap for playing in a standing configuration

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a guitar and related apparatus for permitting a player to suspend the guitar from his or her shoulders in a horizontal orientation or a vertical orientation. 
   It is again becoming popular to play lap steel guitars, which are played using a bar (or steel) to engage the strings of the guitar instead of pressing down on the string to engage the frets of the guitar. A popular variant of lap steel guitar is slide guitar, where a tube (a slide) is slipped over a finger and used instead of the solid bar to engage the strings. The lap steel guitar was developed in Hawaii in the late 1800s and various people have been credited with the innovation. The instrument was hugely popular in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. The popularity of lap steel guitar remained strong enough to sustain manufacturers in the U.S. through the middle 1950&#39;s. 
     FIG. 1A  is an illustration of a Chandler electric lap steel guitar having a solid body and a Weissenborn profile. One of the distinguishing features of a lap steel guitar is that the strings are raised at both the nut and bridge ends of the fingerboard, typically to about half an inch. This makes the frets unusable in the usual way of playing a conventional guitar. Other lap steel guitars are designed to be adapted between lap and conventional playing, or are modified versions of conventional guitars, with the differences usually being the action height. Guitars designed for lap playing typically have modified necks that make conventional playing impossible. The electric lap steel guitar typically incorporates the entire neck into the solid body of the guitar, providing extra strength to allow a greater variety of string gauges and tunings. The neck is of a square cross section and very thick, which also gives the neck extra strength. 
   Lap steel guitars are designed to be played horizontally, typically placed on the player&#39;s lap, or on a stool or platform in front of the player, who is seated. Thus, one rarely if ever sees strap mounting hardware on a lap steel guitar. (Contrast this to the slide guitar, which is played vertically using a conventional two-point strap.) It is difficult if not impossible to play a lap steel instrument standing up using a conventional strap. Indeed, the lap steel guitar is a solid body instrument of only about two inches thickness. Thus, when a lap steel guitar is suspended from a conventional two-point strap, there is very little thickness to provide stability to maintain the horizontal orientation. If suspended from a two-point strap, the lack of body thickness of the lap steel guitar would tend to result in rotation back to the vertical position. 
   In 1928 the Dopyera Brothers introduced a new type of acoustic slide guitar in which they placed a metal resonator in the middle of the soundboard. These slide guitars were very successful, so much so that they are still known today as a “DoBro” (a contraction of Dopyera and Brothers). The DoBro has become a generic term for guitars having a metal resonator on the soundboard. The DoBro guitars are slide guitars played in the horizontal position (i.e., not played with the face of the guitar in the vertical position but, rather, in the horizontal position), and are played in a standing position. Playing standing up permits the full output from the acoustic instrument because the backside of the guitar is free to resonate (as opposed to being pressed against the player&#39;s body or lap). The DoBro is played using a solid steel (as opposed to a tube) to adjust the effective string length. 
   One of the major problems with DoBro guitars is the fact that they are somewhat difficult to keep stable in the horizontal position because they are always slung from a strap around the player&#39;s neck and/or shoulders with a conventional two-point strap. The thicker acoustic body of the DoBro provides more stability than the solid-body lap steel guitar (discussed above) when slung from the two-point strap. (The DoBro, being an acoustic instrument, includes a fairly thick body—approximately four to five inches thick.) However, stability of the DoBro is still a problem and, thus, players tend to stabilize the guitar with the underside of their right forearm (if they are right-handed players), or with the heel of their right hand. This is a significant limitation to playing the DoBro, as the player&#39;s hand is not as free to move as it might otherwise be. 
   Another problem with suspending the DoBro guitar from a conventional two-point strap relates to the shape of the body. Since the DoBro is an acoustic instrument, and is an adaptation of conventional acoustic guitars, it has a very similar shape to regular acoustic guitars, usually manifesting the traditional figure-8 shape with a rounded, butt-end. This body shape is problematic in presenting the playing surface (fret board) to the left of center of the player&#39;s body (for a right handed player). Indeed, the DoBro tends to center itself on the two-point strap, which does not place the fret board to a left-of-center position (for a right-handed player). Instead the fret board is positioned too far to the right (for right handed players) such that the players fret-hand (the hand that moves the bar or slide—often the left hand of right-handed players) cannot easily access the higher frets of the guitar. The fret board of the guitar aligns too far opposite to the fret-hand, which requires the player to reach across his or her body at a drastic angle to access the higher frets. 
   Another problem with both the DoBro guitar and the lap steel guitar is that they have really no practical ability to be played hanging vertically on a two-point strap. This is so for two reasons: first, the action of the strings is usually set very high; and second, the DoBro and lap steel guitars have a very thick, square neck (for example as seen  FIG. 1B ). Thus, if a DoBro or lap steel guitar were suspended vertically from a conventional strap, the player would not be able to comfortably work the strings with a slide or his fingers. 
   The lap steel guitar and the DoBro guitar are associated most closely with Hawaiian music, country music and bluegrass, though some players have used them in rock, jazz, blues, and other musical genres. The round neck, metal-bodied resonator guitar, on the other hand, is used almost exclusively by Blues, Rock, or Blues-Rock musicians. 
   In short, the convention guitar design, whether lap steel guitars, slide guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, etc., is not easily played standing up in the horizontal orientation. Further, those guitars that are designed for horizontal playing cannot easily be played in the vertical orientation suspended from a conventional strap. The problems associated with playing DoBro guitars standing up have limited the commercial acceptance and use of the instrument. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, a guitar is adapted to be suspended from a strap about a player&#39;s shoulder with a front plane of the guitar oriented generally horizontally. The guitar includes a neck; a body coupled to the neck; and a horn extending from the body transversely with respect to the neck to a tip of the horn, the horn including a curvate edge extending from the tip toward a bottom of the body for engaging a fret-hand side of the player. The tip and the curvate edge of the horn are sized and shaped such that the body and neck are offset towards the fret-hand side of the player when suspended, thereby giving the player ready access to higher frets of the neck. 
   The curvate edge may be sized and shaped to engage the player&#39;s midsection starting from the fret-hand side thereof and extending past a center thereof. Alternatively or additionally, the horn is sized and shaped such that the body and neck are offset towards the fret-hand side of the player such that a center of the player is positioned substantially perpendicular to an end of a fret-board of the neck. Further additions and/or alternatives includes that the horn is sized and shaped such that the body is offset towards the fret-hand side of the player such that a center of the player is positioned substantially axially aligned with a horizontal bisecting axis of the body. 
   Still further additions and/or alternatives includes that the tip of the horn faces in a direction substantially perpendicular to the neck. Still further additions and/or alternatives includes that a center line of the horn, between the leading and curvate edges, is positioned substantially adjacent to frets 6-12 of the neck (such as substantially adjacent to frets 8-10 of the neck). Still further additions and/or alternatives includes that the tip of the horn extends transversely from the body on a first side of the neck a distance from the neck farther than any other portion of the body on the first side of the neck. 
   In accordance with one or more further embodiments of the present invention, the guitar preferably includes at least three strap buttons disposed about the neck and body; and a strap coupled to the strap buttons such that the guitar is suspended from the strap at three points. A first of the strap buttons is located near an end of the neck opposite the body, and second and third strap buttons are spaced apart from one another at a bottom edge of the body. The strap is operable to extend over a player&#39;s shoulder such that a front plane of the guitar is oriented generally horizontally when the player is standing. 
   The strap includes a central section disposed to engage the player&#39;s shoulder or shoulders; a first end coupled from the central section to a first of the three strap buttons located on the neck; and a second end coupled from the central section to second and third strap buttons located on the body. The second end of the strap includes first and second legs extending from an origin and terminating at the second and third strap buttons, respectively. The second and third strap buttons are spaced apart from one another at a bottom edge of the body such that the first and second legs cooperate to maintain an orientation of a front plane of the guitar when the player is standing. 
   The strap may include an adjustment mechanism operable to increase and/or decrease a length of at least one of the first and second legs such that an angle of the front plane with respect to true horizontal may be adjusted. 
   Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the description herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For the purposes of illustration, there are forms shown in the drawings that are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are front and rear views of a lap steel guitar and a DoBro guitar, respectively, in accordance with the prior art; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of a guitar in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the guitar of  FIG. 1  including a schematic view of a strap in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 4-5  are side views of the guitar of  FIG. 1  and more detailed illustrations of the strap in accordance with one or more further aspects of the present invention; and 
       FIGS. 6A-6B  are rear and side views, respectively, of an optional chamfer feature on the neck of the guitar of  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in  FIG. 2  a guitar  100  in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. The guitar  100  is adapted to be suspended from a strap (not shown) about a player&#39;s shoulder or shoulders with a front plane of the guitar  100  oriented generally horizontally. Preferably, the guitar is a lap steel guitar, a slide guitar, an acoustic, or an electric guitar that has been adapted for horizontal playing. 
   The guitar  100  includes a neck  102 , and a body  104  coupled to the neck  102 . The features of the guitar  100  have been adapted to position the guitar  100  in an ergonomically advantageous way to maintain the orientation of the front plane of the guitar  100  (the plane of the illustrated page of  FIG. 2 ) in a desirable, substantially horizontal, configuration with respect to the player  10  and to permit the fret-hand  12  ready access to higher frets  106  of the neck  102 . The fret-hand  12  is the hand that moves the bar or slide (or presses the strings against the frets), which is often the left hand of right-handed players. In particular, the size and shape of the body  104  are such that the body  104  and neck  102  are offset towards the fret-hand  12  side of the player  10  when suspended from the strap (which will be discussed in more detail below). 
   It is noted that the frets  106  of the neck  102  may be actual elevated frets that may be engaged by pressing the strings, or, preferably, the frets are mere markings on the neck  102  to provide the player with an indication of where the slide or steel should be placed to achieve the desired effective length of the string. 
   The body  104  includes a horn  108  extending from the body  104  transversely with respect to the neck  102 . The horn  108  includes a curvate edge  110  (e.g., a concave edge) that engages a midsection (gut area) of the player  10  in a way that offsets the body  104  and neck  102  towards the fret-hand  12  side of the player  10 . The curvate edge  110  extends from the horn to a bottom edge  112  of the body  104 . More particularly, the horn  108  includes a leading edge  114  that extends transversely from the body  104  on a first side of the neck  102  and terminates at a tip  116 . The curvate edge  110  extends from the tip  116  toward the bottom of the body  104  and engages a substantial portion of the player&#39;s midsection to offset the guitar  100 . 
   The horn  108  extends a sufficient distance from the body  104  to support the curvate edge  110  such that the player  10  has ready access to higher frets  106  of the neck  102 . For example, the tip  116  of the horn  108  may extend transversely from the body  104  on the one side of the neck  102  a distance farther than any other portion of the body  104  on that side of the neck  102 . Indeed, it can be seen in  FIG. 2  that the tip  116  extends beyond a minor tip  120  of the body  104  near the bottom edge  112 . Additionally or alternatively, the horn  108  may be sized and shaped such that the tip  116  thereof faces in a direction substantially perpendicular to the neck  102 . 
   Preferably, there is substantial engagement of the curvate edge  110  and the player&#39;s midsection in order to ensure desirable offset of the guitar  100  towards the fret-hand  12  of the player  10 . For example, in one or more embodiments, the curvate edge  110  is sized and shaped to engage the player&#39;s midsection starting from the fret-hand side of the midsection and extending past a center line  14  of the player  10 . Additionally or alternatively, the horn  108  and curvate edge  110  are sized and shaped such that the body  104  is offset towards the fret-hand side of the player  10  in such a manner that the center line  14  of the player  10  is positioned substantially axially aligned with a horizontal bisecting axis  118  of the body  104  of the guitar  100 . Further additions and/or alternatives include that the curvate edge  110  of the horn  108  is sized and shaped such that the body  104  and neck  102  are offset towards the fret-hand side of the player  10  such that the center line  14  of the player  10  is positioned substantially perpendicular to an end  122  of a fret-board of the neck  102 . Still further additions and/or alternatives include that the curvate edge  110  of the horn  108  is sized and shaped such that a center line  124  of the horn, between the leading and curvate edges,  114 ,  110 , is positioned substantially adjacent to frets 6-12 of the neck  102 , such as adjacent to frets 8-10 of the neck  102 . 
   The features of the curvate edge  110  of the guitar body  104  discussed above may stand alone or be combined with one or more further features of the present invention. The guitar  100  preferably includes a strap  200  (shown schematically in  FIG. 3  and in more detail in  FIGS. 4-5 ) The strap  200  is operable to extend over the player&#39;s shoulder or shoulders such that the front plane of the guitar  100  is oriented generally horizontally when the player  10  is standing. The strap  200  is designed for a three-point connection to the guitar  100 . In this regard, the strap  100  includes a central section (a shoulder strap portion)  202  sized, shaped, and positioned to engage the player&#39;s shoulder or shoulders; and first and second ends  204 ,  206  coupled from the central section  202  to the guitar  100 . More particularly, the second end  206  includes first and second legs  206 A,  206 B extending from an origin  208  and terminating at the guitar  100 . 
   The guitar  100  includes at least three strap buttons  210 ,  212 ,  214  disposed about the neck  102  and the body  104 , and the strap  200  is coupled to the strap buttons  210 ,  212 ,  214  such that the guitar  100  is suspended from the strap  200  at three points. The first strap button  210  is located near an end of the neck  102  opposite the body  104 , and the second and third strap buttons  212 ,  214  are spaced apart from one another at the bottom edge  112  of the body  104 . The first end  204  of the strap  200  is coupled from the central section  202  to the first strap button  210  of the neck  102 . The first and second legs  206 A,  206 B of the strap  200  extending from the origin  208  and terminate at the second and third strap buttons,  212 ,  214 , respectively. 
   As the second and third strap buttons  212 ,  214  are spaced apart from one another at the bottom edge  112  of the body  104  and the strap  200  includes a Y-shaped terminal end  206 , the first and second legs  206 A,  206 B of the strap cooperate to maintain the orientation of the front plane of the guitar  100  when the player  10  is standing. As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , one such orientation is substantially horizontal to the ground on which the player  10  is standing. The orientation, however, may be adjusted without departing from the scope of the instant invention. The strap  200  may include an adjustment mechanism  220  operable to increase and/or decrease a length of at least one of the first and second legs  206 A,  206 B (preferably the second leg  206 B) such that an angle A (see  FIG. 5 ) of the front plane with respect to true horizontal may be adjusted. By way of example, the adjustment mechanism  220  may include suitable fasteners that change the length between the origin  208  and the terminal end of the second leg  206 B. The fasteners may include buttons/holes, hooks/eyes, belt buckle(s), Velcro™, etc. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 6A ,  6 B, in one or more alternative embodiments, the guitar  100  may include a strap button  216  on the leading edge  114  of the horn  108  (see  FIG. 3 ). The additional strap button  216  permits the guitar  100  to be suspended from a convention two-point strap in the vertical orientation. For example, the conventional two-point strap may be coupled from strap button  216  to either of the butt-end strap buttons  212 ,  214 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, the neck  102  of the guitar  100  may be of substantially square cross-section and alternatively or additionally include a chamfer  250  on the backside of the neck  102  (opposite to the fret board). The chamfer  250  provides relief for the user&#39;s hand when playing the guitar  100  in the vertical orientation. The chamfer  250  extends the length of the neck  102  and may be in a sloped configuration, sloping from the edge  102 A (at which the neck  102  is of minimum thickness) to a maximum thickness at  102 B. 
   Advantageously, the features of the present invention address the shortcomings of convention guitar design and strap design such that a guitar may be suspended from the strap with a front plane of the guitar oriented generally horizontally and with the higher frets of the guitar easily accessed by the player&#39;s fret-hand. 
   Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.