Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/794,528 filed on Mar. 15, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to guitar necks and methods for making them. In particular, a fretboard may be operably secured between walls formed in the guitar neck to enhance playability, durability, and appearance of the guitar and to improve manufacturing efficiency. 
     SUMMARY 
     Bound guitar necks are common. Binding on a guitar neck enhances the playability of a guitar and contributes to the look and feel of the guitar with a desirable decorative embellishment. Binding is often found on the necks of high-end guitars that are sold for premium prices. 
     During construction of a traditional bound guitar neck, the edges along the length of the unfinished guitar neck and fretboard are removed by machining. A binding, usually consisting of plastic or wooden strips, is then glued to the neck and machined and sanded to appropriate tolerances. This process of binding a guitar neck in this manner is both time-consuming and labor intensive, thereby increasing the cost of the guitar. In addition, the binding material may have coefficients of expansion that differ from the coefficient of expansion of the neck material. This can lead to separation and/or cracking of the binding material. Further, plastic binding material can become loosened from the guitar neck and/or may deteriorate over time. Also, plastic binding materials are subject to becoming discolored over time. 
     SUMMARY 
     The advantages and features of novelty characterizing aspects of the invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. To gain an improved understanding of the advantages and features of novelty, however, reference may be made to the following descriptive matter and accompanying figures that describe and illustrate various configurations and concepts related to the invention. 
     Rather than removing material from the edge of the guitar neck and replacing it with a binding strip as known in the art, disclosed embodiments of the present invention provide a look and feel of a bound guitar neck by inserting a fretboard into a recess between upper and lower walls of the neck portion of the instrument. The integral nature of the walls eliminate the need for binding materials for securing the fretboard to the neck portion and provide a more durable and more aesthetically instrument. 
     The geometry of the upper and lower walls may be optimized to define a wedge-shaped slot for slidably receiving and securing the mating fretboard therein. Alternatively, the walls may provide inwardly extending protrusions that allow the fretboard to be “snapped” in place on the neck portion of the instrument. The fretboard may be rigidly secured to the neck portion with glue or the like or it may be detachably secured within the slot, thereby allowing fretboards to be changed as desired for aesthetic or performance purposes. 
    
    
     
       FIGURE DESCRIPTIONS 
       The foregoing Summary and the following Detailed Description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a stringed-instrument showing a possible substantially planar insert operably received between upper and lower walls in a neck portion thereof in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the neck portion of the stringed-instrument of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded cross-sectional view of the neck portion of  FIG. 2  taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the neck portion of  FIG. 2  taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the neck portion of  FIG. 1  taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an alternative possible neck portion of a stringed-instrument with a fretboard insert operably secured thereto showing an alternative possible wall configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged, partial view of the alternative possible wall configuration of  FIG. 6  that has been enlarged to show greater detail. 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the neck portion of  FIG. 6  showing a possible fretboard insert installation thereto. 
         FIG. 9A  is a cross-sectional view of a first possible fretboard having a substantially planar top surface with upper and lower edges that are operably engageable with the angled upper and lower walls of the neck portion of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9B  is a cross-sectional view of a second possible fretboard having a substantially curved top surface with upper and lower edges that are operably engageable with the angled upper and lower walls of the neck portion of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9C  is a cross-sectional view of a third possible fretboard having a small curved top surface with upper and lower edges that are operably engageable with the angled upper and lower walls of the neck portion of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 10A  is a cross-sectional view of a second alternative possible neck portion of a stringed-instrument with an insert operably secured thereto showing an alternative possible wall configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and with the insert in a possible detached position relative to the neck portion. 
         FIG. 10B  is a cross-sectional view of the neck portion and fretboard insert of  FIG. 10A  showing a possible movement toward from an uninstalled to an installed position of the insert between the walls of the neck-portion. 
         FIG. 10C  is a cross-sectional view of the neck portion and fretboard insert of  FIG. 10A  showing a possible installed position of the insert between the walls of the neck portion. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A stringed-instrument  20 , such as a guitar or the like, having a fretboard  22  insert operably received between a longitudinal upper wall  24  and a longitudinal lower wall  26  extending along the edges of the neck portion  28  of the stringed-instrument is shown in  FIGS. 1-10C . A first possible embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , a second possible embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 6-9C , and a third possible embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 10A to 10C . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , the stringed-musical instrument  20 , here a guitar is shown. Such instruments typically include a body portion  30  with the neck portion  28  extending therefrom thereby defining a longitudinal length  32  of the instrument  20 . A head stock portion  32  is positioned toward the distal end  34  of the neck portion  28 . 
     Strings  34 , usually six, extend from the head stock portion  32  toward the body portion  30  along the longitudinal length  32  of the instrument  20 . The strings  34  are held in tension between a nut  36  mounted toward the head stock portion  32  and a bridge  38  mounted on the base portion  30 , and they are tuned by adjusting their tension using tuning pegs  40  positioned in the head stock portion  32 . 
     The body portion  30  can include a hollow that allows the air within to resonate with vibrations from the strings when plucked or strummed thereby amplifying the sound produced by the strings of the instrument. This type of guitar is commonly referred to as an acoustic guitar. Alternatively, one or more electronic pickups  42  may be provided to allow collection and amplification of the sound produced. This type of guitar is commonly referred to as an electric guitar. 
     If desired, one or more stabilizing and adjustable truss rods  44  ( FIG. 5 ) may be operably received within an interior portion of the neck portion  28  to improve rigidity and durability of the neck portion  28  of the instrument  20 . Such stabilizing rods  44  and their uses are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,028, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Other materials have also been positioned within the neck portion to improve neck portion rigidity. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,073, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, teaches laminating a strip of graphite into an interior portion of the neck portion. 
     A fretboard  22  containing a plurality if individual frets  46  is positioned on the outer face surface  48  of the neck portion  28  facing the strings  34 . The fretboard  22  may be formed of another material than that of the neck portion  28 . The fretboard  22  can be made of wood, plastic, metal or the like for desired aesthetic and acoustic benefits. Exemplar woods include ebony, rosewood, maple and the like. They may also be made with non-traditional materials such as plastic, aluminum, steel and the like. Fretboards  22  can have a substantially flat outer surface  50  as shown in  FIGS. 3, 6, and 9A . Alternatively, fretboards may have a curved outer surface  52  as shown in  FIGS. 9B and 9C . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the neck portion  28  of the instrument  20  can be machined to form an upper wall  24  and a lower wall  26  along the exterior upper side  51  and lower side  53 , respectively, and thereby define a recess  54  along the longitudinal length  32  of the instrument  20 . The neck portion  28  can be made from any suitable wood, such as maple, mahogany, cedar, rosewood or other suitable woods. And the machining can be accomplished with conventional tools and processes such as routing equipment or the like. The walls  24 ,  26  have interior sides  60 ,  62  respectively, that are substantially perpendicular to the outer face surface  48  as best shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The fretboard  22  is sized and shaped to be tightly and operably received within the recess  54  and between the walls  24 ,  26 . The upper edge  70  and lower edge  72  of the fretboard  28  are shaped to tightly engage the walls  24 ,  26 , respectively. 
     The fretboard  22  is inset into the recess  54 , positioned between the upper and lower walls  24 ,  26 , and secured in place preferably with glue or the like. Accordingly, the fretboard  28  is tightly constrained in the recess  54  by the upper and lower walls  24 ,  26  thereby eliminating the need for plastic or wooden binding materials to secure the fretboard  22  to the neck portion  28 . 
     After the fretboard  22  is secured to the neck portion  28 , the face of the fretboard is machine to the desired radius. A suitable finish is then applied to the neck portion  28  and frets  46  are secured onto the fretboard  22 . 
     Inlaying the fretboard  22  into the recess  54  in the neck portion  28  creates a solid connection between the fretboard  22  and the neck portion  28  and eliminates the need for neck binding and associated pitfalls associated with traditional binding methods and construction. In addition, the inlaid fretboard as described provides a clean, one-piece look that eliminates contrast between the binding material and the wood of the neck portion. In addition, the walls provide additional strength to the neck portion  28 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the interior sides  60 ′,  62 ′ of the upper and lower walls  24 ′,  26 ′ between the recess  54  of the neck portion  28  can define an angled or wedge shape that extends slightly inwardly as they extend toward the outer face surface  48  of the instrument  20 . The upper and lower edges  70 ′,  72 ′ of the fretboard  22 ′ are similarly angled so as to tightly mate with the angle of the upper and lower walls  24 ′,  26 ′ as best shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the fretboard  22 ′ configured with mating wedge-shaped upper and lower edges  70 ′,  72 ′ can be secured to the neck portion  28  by sliding it into the recess  54  from the base side  80  toward the head stock portion  32  until the fretboard  22 ′ is operably received within the walls  24 ′,  26 ′ and recess  54 . It can appreciated that inserting the fretboard  22 ′ in this manner allows a tapered neck portion and fretboard to be produced whereby the neck portion  28  and/or fretboard  22 ′ may be narrower towards the head stock as shown. 
     After the fretboard  22  is inserted as described, the neck portion  28  may be operably secured to the base portion  30  thereby securing the fretboard  22  in place between a wall at the head stock portion  32  and a wall at the base portion. If desired, glue or other fasteners may also be added to the engaging surfaces between the underside of the fretboard and the neck portion to further hold the fretboard in position on the neck portion. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9A-9C , it can be appreciated that a variety of fretboard  22 ′ shapes and styles may be inserted into the neck portion recess  54  between the walls  24 ,  26 . The fretboard  22 ′ may have a substantially flat face as shown in  FIG. 9A . Or it may have a curved face as shown in  FIGS. 9B and 9C , with a larger curve being shown in  FIG. 9B . 
     It can be appreciated that the slot  100  ( FIG. 8 ) defined by the recess  54  and wedge-shaped walls  24 ′,  26 ′ in the neck portion  28  allow a manufacturer to provide a common neck portion  28  and select from a variety of different fretboards  22 ′ as needed by a particular customer. This allows the manufacturer to quickly and easily “customize” a particular instrument  20  for a particular customer. 
     Moreover, in cases where the installed fretboard  22 ′ is detachably secured within the slot  100 , a user or instrument servicer may easily remove and replace the fretboard  22 ′ as desired or needed. For example, an instrument owner may change from a flat-faced fretboard  22 ′ ( FIG. 9A ) to a curve-faced fretboard  22 ′ ( FIGS. 9B and 9C ) simply by sliding the flat-faced fretboard  22 ′ out of the slot and inserting a curve faced fretboard  22 ′ into the open slot and reinstalling the neck portion  28  onto the base portion  30  of the instrument  20 . Changing the material of the fretboard  22 ′ and its surface ornamentation may also be accomplished in the same manner. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10A-10C , an alternative possible upper and lower wall  24 ″,  26 ″ shape is shown that allows a fretboard  22 ″ with mating shaped upper and lower edges  70 ″,  72 ″ to be “snapped” into position on the neck portion  28 . The upper and lower walls  24 ″,  26 ″ on the neck portion  28  have an angled protrusion  102  extending inwardly toward the recess  54  defining an upper angle  104  extending from the outer face surface  48  inward toward the protrusion  102  and a lower angle  106  extending from the protrusion  102  outward toward a lower edge  108  of the recess  54 . 
     A fretboard  22 ″ having mating upper and lower edges  70 ″,  72 ″ can be installed within the recess  54  and between the walls  24 ″,  26 ″ of the neck portion  28  by first positioning one edge  70 ″ of the fretboard  22 ″ between a protrusion  102  in the upper wall  24 ″ of the neck portion  28  as shown in  FIG. 10A . Then, urging the fretboard  22 ″ in the direction of arrow  110  toward the opposing lower wall  26  as shown in  FIG. 10B , and then applying pressure to slightly deflect the lower wall  26  outward in the direction of arrow  112  thereby “snapping” the fretboard  22 ″ in place as shown in  FIG. 10C  when the lower edge of the fretboard  22 ″ passes by the protrusion  102  in the lower wall  26  and the lower wall  26  returns to its neutral position. 
     One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the configurations described above without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 3