The magnetic pickup positioning mechanism for electric musical instruments is mounted beneath the strings between the neck and bridge of an electric musical instrument like the electric guitar or bass. It includes a length of “C” profile track fastened to the guitar and one or more slide-swivel assemblies that twist-lock into, slide and rotate along the track. Magnetic pickups are mounted to the slide-swivel assemblies that allows the player to use their hand to slide and rotate the pickups to various positions and angles between the neck and bridge in order to get a wide variety of tones.

The present invention relates to a mixer apparatus (30) for mixing audio signals from a musical instrument (10). The mixer apparatus (30) comprises plural input circuits (34) and an audio signal mixer (36). Each of the plural input circuits (34) has an audio signal input which, in use, is coupled electrically with and thereby receives an audio signal from a different one of plural musical instrument pickups (32) comprised in the musical instrument. The audio signal mixer (36) receives audio signals from the plural input circuits (34) and mixes the received audio signals with one another. Each of the plural input circuits (34) comprises a linear active circuit in an audio signal path between the audio signal input and the audio signal mixer (36).

An acoustic device includes an audio recording playback unit, an analysis unit, and an acoustic effect imparting unit. The audio recording playback unit records and plays back string independent acoustic signals for each string independent acoustic signal. The string independent acoustic signals respectively correspond to different strings of a stringed instrument and being independent from each other. The analysis unit analyzes at least one string independent acoustic signal from among the recorded string independent acoustic signals. The acoustic effect imparting unit imparts an acoustic effect to the at least one string independent acoustic signal for each string independent acoustic signal, based on a result of the analysis by the analysis unit.

In several embodiments of the invention, a pickup saddle for a stringed instrument includes a U-shaped top cap having two legs, each leg including a receiving portion configured to mate with a mating portion of a base, a base fitted to the interior of the top cap, where two surfaces of the base include a mating portion matching with and affixed to a receiving portion of the top cap, a piezoelectric transducer placed between the top cap and the base and electrically connected to the base, a positive wire connected to the piezoelectric transducer, and a ground wire connected to the base.

Mechanical methods for temporarily securing the pickup selector switch of an electronically amplified string musical instrument with multiple electromagnetic pickups into anyone of its available position.

An electric guitar comprising a rotatable disc positioned underneath the guitar strings and comprising a plurality of attachment points; at least one pic comprising a body configured to be received by an attachment point of the rotatable disc and a flexible wire member extending from the body away from the rotatable disc; drive means configured to rotate the rotatable disc relative to the guitar body such that each time the at least one pic passes the at least one string it engages therewith causing the at least one string to vibrate and the at least one pickup generates an electrical signal; and an output jack for outputting the electrical signal to an amplifier.

An electric guitar comprising a rotatable disc positioned underneath the guitar strings and comprising a plurality of attachment points; at least one pic comprising a body configured to be received by an attachment point of the rotatable disc and a flexible wire member extending from the body away from the rotatable disc; drive means configured to rotate the rotatable disc relative to the guitar body such that each time the at least one pic passes the at least one string it engages therewith causing the at least one string to vibrate and the at least one pickup generates an electrical signal; and an output jack for outputting the electrical signal to an amplifier.

Wirelessly programmed and controlled switching system for use with stringed musical instruments (e.g., guitars) to enable a user to seamlessly change pickup coil settings without having to adjust the physical connections between the switch and the pickups.

An electronic effects device comprising: an input circuit for receiving an input audio signal; a gas discharge tube in communication with the input circuit; wherein the input circuit comprises a transducer for converting the input signal into a signal suitable for producing a discharge in the gas discharge tube; an output circuit in communication with the gas discharge tube for converting the gas discharge into an output signal. A corresponding method for producing electronic effects for musical instruments is also described.

Mechanical methods for temporarily securing or stopping the pickup selector switch of an electronically amplified string musical instrument with multiple electromagnetic pickups.