Patent Publication Number: US-6664453-B2

Title: Guitar neck attachment structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a guitar and more particularly to a structure for attaching a neck to a guitar body particularly to a solid type electric guitar body. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Ordinarily, electric guitars are classified into two types according to differences in the structure of the guitar body: a solid type and a semi-acoustic type. The body of the solid type electric guitars is worked into a particular shape from, ordinarily, a single slab of wood; and such solid type electric guitars are further classified into two types. In one type, the body is completely solid as shown in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication (Kokoku) No. S55-36872. In another type, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication (Kokoku) No. S55-36872, a part of the guitar body is removed so that the guitar body has a hollow interior. 
     In semi-acoustic type guitars, the body is formed in the same manner as the resonating body of an acoustic guitar from outer plates (a front plate and a back plate) and side plates consisting of a wooden material. An example of this type of guitar is found in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication (Kokoku) No. S55-2460. 
     A conventional solid type electric guitar is shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. 
     In this prior art electric guitar  10 , the guitar body is referred to by the reference numeral  1 . The reference numeral  2  is a neck,  3  refers to strings, and  4  refers to tuning pegs. In addition, the reference numeral  5  is a tremolo mechanism,  6  refers to pickup units that convert the vibrations of the strings  3  into electrical signals,  7  is a tremolo arm, and  8  refers to knobs that for adjusting the sound volume, tone quality, etc. 
     The interior of the guitar body  1  is completely solid as seen from FIG.  3 B. The heel portion  2 A of the neck  2  is fastened to the center of the upper surface of the front-end part of the guitar body  1  by a plurality of fastening screws  11 . The strings  3  ordinarily consist of six (or twelve) strings; and one end of each string  3  is anchored by being wound on one of the tuning pegs  4 , while the other end of each string is anchored to the bridge base  12  of the tremolo mechanism  5 . 
     In the neck attachment structure of this conventional electric guitar  10 , as seen from FIG. 3B, a neck joining part  14  to which the heel portion  2 A of the neck  2  of the guitar body  1  is joined comprises a receiving plate  15  and a recess  16 . The heel portion  2 A is engaged with the recess  16  and is fastened to the upper surface of the receiving plate  15  by a plurality of fastening screws  11 . 
     However, in this neck attachment structure, the receiving plate  15  must be formed long so as to increase the strength of the connection between the guitar body  1  and the neck  2 . As a result, the length L of the heel portion  2 A of the neck  2  is inevitably long also, having the same length as the receiving plate  15 . Thus, playing is difficult when the guitar is played by pressing the portions of the strings that are close to the guitar body  1 . 
     More specifically, the neck  2  is formed so that the thickness and width of the heel portion  2 A are the greatest in order to ensure sufficient strength, and the neck  2  gradually becomes more slender toward the head  2 B. Accordingly, a player who has small hands and short fingers cannot sufficiently reach the strings  3 , and the strings  3  are not accurately pressed. This is significant when playing in a high position, i.e., when the player grips the area near the heel portion  2 A with his hand and plays the strings near the heel portion  2 A with fingers of such hand gripping the heel portion. 
     The above neck attachment structure has further problems. The joined area of the heel portion  2 A of the neck  2  and the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body is visible. Since the pickup units  6  are fitted in attachment holes  17  formed in the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body  1  and fastened by screws, these screws are exposed at the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body  1  and are thus visible to the player. Thus, the external appearance is spoiled. 
     Furthermore, prior art electric guitars includes balance springs  18 . The balance springs  18  apply a rotational moment, which is oriented in the opposite direction from the rotational moment created by the tension of the strings  3 , to the bridge base  12  of the tremolo mechanism  5 . One end of each balance spring  18  is connected to the bridge base  12  and another end to the guitar body  1  as best seen from FIG.  3 B. When the string vibrations that transmitted to the tremolo mechanism  5  (among the vibrations of the strings  3  generated during playing) are further transmitted to the neck  2  via the guitar body  1 , a vibration transmission loss occurs between the guitar body  1  and the neck  2 . As a result, a good sound volume and tone quality is not obtained. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a guitar neck attachment structure that improves playability in a high position, improves the sound volume and tone quality, etc., and also provides a clean external appearance. 
     The above object is accomplished by a unique structure for an attachment structure for attaching a guitar neck to a guitar body, and in the present invention, the neck has a connecting plate at its heel portion, and this connecting plate is fastened to the underside of the guitar body. 
     In this structure, since the connecting plate disposed on the heel portion of the neck is fastened to the underside of the guitar body, there is no need to form a large recess in the upper surface or in the front of the guitar body for accommodating the heel portion. 
     In addition, in the present invention, the guitar body is a solid type body, and a recess for attaching the connecting plate of the neck therein is formed in the underside of the guitar body so that the connecting plate of the neck engages with the recess. 
     Accordingly, the connecting plate is engaged with the recess that is for attaching the neck, and it is prevented from protruding from the underside of the guitar body. 
     Furthermore, in the present invention, a tremolo mechanism is provided on an upper surface of the guitar body so that it positionally corresponds to the connecting plate of the neck, and a balance spring connected at its one end thereof to the tremolo mechanism is connected at another end thereof to the connecting plate. 
     Accordingly, with this structure, the string vibrations transmitted to the tremolo mechanism is further transmitted to the neck directly via the balance spring. 
     In addition, in the present invention, pickup units are installed on the upper or front surface of the guitar body from the underside or from the back of the guitar body, so that the pickup units are positioned so as to correspond to the connecting plate of the neck. 
     In this structure, since the pickup units are mounted from the underside or from the back of the guitar body, the fastening screws are screwed in from the back so as not to be seen from the front. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the guitar neck attachment structure according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the guitar neck attachment structure of the present invention thereof; and 
     FIG. 3A is a top view of a conventional solid type electric guitar, and 
     FIG. 3B shows the neck attachment structure of this prior art guitar. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to one embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The constituting elements described with reference the prior art guitar in FIG. 3 are labeled with the same reference numerals, and a description of such elements is omitted. 
     In FIGS. 1 and 2, the solid type electric guitar that is referred to by the reference numeral  20  is comprised of a guitar body  1 , a neck  2 , strings  3 , a tremolo mechanism  5 , pickup units  6 , and other elements. 
     The guitar body  1  is made of wood and is thus substantially solid in its interior part. The neck  2  has a heel portion  2 A. The heel portion  2 A is fastened to the underside or to the back of the top end or the head side end of the guitar body  1  by a plurality of fastening screws  11 . An engagement recess  22  is formed in the center (with respect to the direction of width) of the undersurface (or of the back surface)  1   b  of the guitar body  1 . One end of the engagement recess  22  opens in the top end surface  1   c  of the guitar body  1 , and the other end of the engagement recess  22  extends to the vicinity of the rear end of the guitar body  1 . 
     Substantially semicircular side recesses  23  are formed in both side walls of the engagement recess  22  so that the side recesses  23  engage with fastening portions of the pickup units  6 . 
     A top end recess  24  is formed in the center of the top end surface  1   c  of the guitar body  1 . The top end recess  24  and the engagement recess  22  are the same in width, and the top end recess  24  and the engagement recess  22  are formed continuously so as to communicate with each other. The depth W of the top end recess  24  is set so to be shallower than the length L of the heel portion  2 A of the neck  2 . 
     The heel portion  2 A of the neck  2  that is joined to the guitar body  1  has a width that allows the heel portion  2 A to be engaged with the top end recess  24 . The height of the heel portion  2 A is substantially equal to the thickness of the guitar body  1 . 
     Furthermore, the neck  2  has a connecting plate  26  integrally formed so as to extend from the lower portion of the end surface  25  of the heel portion  2 A, the end surface  25  facing the guitar body  1 . The connecting plate  26  has substantially the same width as the heel portion  2 A of the neck  2  and is smaller (or thinner) than the depth of the engagement recess  22  of the guitar body  1 . The connecting plate  26  is engaged with the engagement recess  22  from below or from the back of the guitar body  1  and is fastened in place by fastening screws  11 . 
     More specifically, in the neck connecting structure of the present invention, the neck  2  has the connecting plate  26  disposed on the heel portion  2 A, and the guitar body  1  is not formed with the receiving plate  15  shown in FIG. 3B at the front end; and this connecting plate  26  is fastened to the underside of the guitar body  1 . This connecting plate  26  is brought to engage with the engagement recess  22  and positioned on the underside or in the back of the guitar body  1 . Accordingly, the length L of the heel portion  2 A can be made shorter compared to prior art neck heel portion regardless of the length of the connecting plate  26 . 
     Three attachment holes  27  that communicate with the engagement recess  22  are formed at specified intervals in the stringing direction of the strings  3  in the center (with respect to the direction of width) of the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body  1 . The pickup units  6  are respectively engaged with these attachment holes  27  from the undersurface  1   b  side so that the pickup units  6  are prevented from slipping out of the attachment holes  27  toward the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body  1 . The pickup units  6  are fastened in place by fastening screws (not shown); and each one of the pickup unit  6  is electrically connected to an output jack  29  embedded in the guitar body  1 . 
     Furthermore, a hole  30  to which the tremolo mechanism  5  is attached is formed in the center (with respect to the direction of width) of the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body  1  near the rear end of the guitar body  1 . The hole  30  is opened so as to pass entirely through the guitar body  1  from the upper surface  1   a  to the undersurface  1   b . The hole  30  communicates with the rear end of the engagement recess  22 . 
     The tremolo mechanism  5  raises and lowers the musical interval by repeatedly varying the tension of the strings  3  with a short period, thus producing a special acoustical effect known as the so-called tremolo effect. This tremolo mechanism  5  has a bridge base  12  that is disposed on the guitar body  1  so as to swing in the direction indicated by the curved arrow in FIG.  1 . 
     The bridge base  12  supports one end of each string  3  by means of a bridge main body (not shown) which is disposed on the upper surface; and a tremolo arm  7  is attached near one side of the bridge base  12 . 
     The front end of the bridge base  12  is pressed against two fulcrum screws  31  (which are installed in upright positions on the left and right on the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body 1) by the tension of the strings  3  and the spring force of a balance spring  18 . 
     The balance spring  18  is a tension coil spring. One end of the spring  18  is anchored by means of an attachment fitting  32  and a fastening screw  33  to the tip end of the connecting plate  26 . The other end of the spring  18  is anchored to the lower end of a spring-anchoring portion  36  that extends downward from the undersurface of the bridge base  12 . Thus, the balance spring  18  is positioned inside the hole  30  and engagement recess  22  of the guitar body  1 . As a result, the spring  18  causes a moment, which is oriented in the opposite direction from the moment created by the tension of the strings  3 , to be applied to the bridge base  12 . 
     As seen from the above, in the tremolo mechanism  5 , the bridge base  12  is balanced by the balance spring  18  with the moment created by the tension of the strings  3 . When the bridge base  12  is repeatedly pivoted by the tremolo arm  7  in the vertical direction about the fulcrum screws  31  so as to destroy the balanced state of the bridge base  12 , the tension of the strings  3  are repeatedly changed. As a result, the tremolo effect is applied to the playing sound. 
     The above described structure of the tremolo mechanism  5  is well known as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Nos. H2-119300, S63-44864 and S63-33242, etc.). Accordingly, a further description of the tremolo mechanism  5  will be omitted. 
     The reference numeral  40  is a cover that covers the engagement recess  22  and hole  30 . The cover  40  is fastened to the undersurface  1   b  of the guitar body  1  by a plurality of fastening screws  41 . 
     As seen from the above, in the neck attachment structure of the present invention, the connecting plate  26  is integral to the heel portion  2 A of the neck  2 , and this connecting plate  26  is fastened in place by being engaged with the engagement recess  22  formed in the undersurface  1   b  of the guitar body  1 . Accordingly, the length L of the heel portion  2 A can be shortened compared to the conventional neck attachment structure as shown in FIG.  3 . Thus, the heel portion  2 A can be smaller, and the strings  3  can be assuredly pressed by the fingers upon when playing high position, thus improving the playability of the guitar. 
     Also, it is only necessary to form the small top end recess  24  in the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body  1  so that a part of the heel portion  2 A of the neck  2  is engaged therewith. Accordingly, the upper surface  1   a  of the guitar body  1  has a clean appearance, and thus the guitar has an improved external appearance. The top end recess  24  prevents inclination of the neck  2  in the left-right direction, but it is not absolutely necessary. 
     Furthermore, in the guitar of the present invention, the pickup units  6  are mounted from the undersurface side of the guitar body  1 . Accordingly, there is no need to attach fastening screws for fastening the pickup units  6  from the upper surface side of the guitar body. Thus, the guitar has a clearer external appearance in this respect either. 
     In addition, in the present invention, since one end of the balance spring  18  of the tremolo mechanism  5  is anchored to the connecting plate  26 , the string vibrations transmitted to the tremolo mechanism  5  can be transmitted directly to the neck  2 . Accordingly, the transmission loss of the string vibrations is small, the sound is kept for a long duration, and the sound volume and tone quality can be improved. 
     As described above, the guitar neck attachment structure of the present invention is simple in structure and improves the playability of the guitar in a high position. Furthermore, the guitar neck attachment structure improves the sound volume, tone quality and sound duration time, and also it provides the upper or front surface of the guitar body so as to have a clean appearance. Accordingly, the present invention is suitable for use in solid type electric guitars.