A docking system for an electromagnetic pickup of a musical instrument comprises an electromagnetic pickup mounting plate upon which the electromagnetic pickup is mounted and a body mounting plate. The electromagnetic pickup mounting plate includes a first electrical contact configured to be electrically connected to the electromagnetic pickup. The body mounting plate includes a second electrical contact configured to electrically connect to the first electrical contact of the electromagnetic pickup mounting plate and configured to be electrically coupled to external electronics for receiving electrical signals from the electromagnetic pickup and a mechanical detent configured to mechanically interface with the electromagnetic pickup mounting plate to detachably secure the electromagnetic pickup mounting plate to the body mounting plate.

An apparatus for selecting between sets of pickups for a stringed musical instrument including a top plate with two sets of pickups embedded therein that is rotationally attached to a back plate. The apparatus includes an electrical connector that enables electrical connection between the pickups and the instrument. The apparatus further includes attachment structure enabling fastening of the instrument to a backside of the instrument. The apparatus is configured to extend through a body of the instrument such that the top plate is adjacent strings of the instrument.

A pickup with variable coil windings for string instruments is described herein. In one aspect, the pickup including a coil including a first subsection wound around a first subset of pole pieces of a plurality of pole pieces; and a second subsection wound around a set of pole pieces of the plurality of pole pieces, the set of pole pieces selected from the group of: the plurality of pole pieces in its entirety and a second subset of pole pieces different than the first subset of pole pieces.

A reconfigurable electronic musical instrument includes physically separate removable and replaceable pickup and control modules facilitating rapid changes to instrument functionality. Pickup modules may contain one or more electric pickups with different response characteristics, and different control modules may be used with the different pickup modules for a nearly unlimited range of tonal variations. Pickup modules are removably received within a back cavity of the body, and control modules are coupled to the side of the body forming a portion of the instrument's peripheral profile, with front and back surfaces of the modules being flush with the front and back surfaces of the body. Self-aligning connectors on the pickup and control modules automatically establish reliable electrical signal paths upon assembly. The system may be used to configure an electric guitar, bass, 12-string, extended range, multiscale, or any other type of fretted or fretless electric stringed instrument.

The disclosure seeks to describe a system and method for transmitting acoustic energy to a listener. The system includes a flexible pick-up, at least one acoustic energy transmisson member and at least one audio output. The flexible pick-up has an interior, at least one opening, and is configured for compression against strings of a stringed instrument for direct energizing by the strings. The at least one acoustic energy transmission member has a first end coupled to the interior of the pick-up through the opening. The at least one audio output is mounted on a second end of the energy transmission member and is configured to transmit acoustic energy therefrom to a listener.

A stringed instrument pickup with multiple selectable coils can be utilized in a system to provide a diverse range of sound characteristics from at least one moving string under tension. A first wire can be connected to a first terminal of a first bobbin body prior to the first wire being wound around the first bobbin body a first number of times and then connecting the first wire to a second terminal of the first bobbin body. A second wire may be connected to the second terminal of the first bobbin body before winding the second wire around the first bobbin body a second number of times and then connecting the second wire to a third terminal of the first bobbin body. The first bobbin body is subsequently mounted onto a stringed instrument.

An apparatus, system, and method for a magnetically and releasably attachable trigger for an instrument is provided. Additionally, the trigger provides for an increased sensitivity of sound by being in direct physical contact with the surface on which it is attached.

The disclosure seeks to describe a system and method for transmitting acoustic energy to a listener. The system includes a flexible pick-up, at least one acoustic energy transmisson member and at least one audio output. The flexible pick-up has an interior, at least one opening, and is configured for compression against strings of a stringed instrument for direct energizing by the strings. The at least one acoustic energy transmission member has a first end coupled to the interior of the pick-up through the opening. The at least one audio output is mounted on a second end of the energy transmission member and is configured to transmit acoustic energy therefrom to a listener.

A connector device for electronic musical instruments. The connector device comprising input electrical connector means that receives electrical signals generated by pickup means for an instrument. The instrument being played and a vibration transducer mechanically attached to the input electrical connector means or provided as an integral part of the input electrical connector means, such that vibrations from the instrument are transferred to the vibration transducer. The vibration transducer generates an electrical output signal based on the vibrations. The connector device comprises electrical output connector means that receives the electrical signals generated by the pickup means and the electrical output signal from the vibration transducer and provides these signals to equipment. The connector device further comprises a mixer that combines the signals v.sub.g(t) from the pickup means and the signal v.sub.vib(t) from the vibration transducer. The mixer provides output signal v.sub.o(t) that is a weighted combination of the input signals.

The present invention discloses a modular pickup system that is integrated into an electric guitar that facilitates quick change-out of pickups, free form repositioning of pickups, switch assignment of pickups to the guitar's pickup switch positions or phase (polarity) selection of the pickups.