Apparatus and associated methods relate to acoustic-electric sensor system including a main acoustic sensor operably coupled to detect string vibrations of an acoustic-electric instrument and a feedback suppression acoustic sensor configured to primarily detect sound board vibrations of the acoustic-electric stringed instrument at a location with a substantially attenuated string vibration signal relative to its sound board vibration signal. In an illustrative example, a mixing circuit may at least partially cancel out sound board vibration signatures output by the main and feedback suppression acoustic sensors with one another to produce a mixed output signal. The feedback suppression acoustic sensor may be spaced outside of an ellipse substantially centered around a sound board string coupling point. The main acoustic sensor may be arranged in close proximity to receive the string vibration signal. The mixed output signal may substantially reject audio feedback disturbances while retaining the unique characteristic sound of the instrument.

An onboard electronic system and associated method enables a player of an acoustic stringed instrument to control an electronic signal for modifying and amplifying sound while playing an instrument. The onboard electronic system is embedded in the tailpiece and/or the chinrest portions and/or shoulder-rest portion of the stringed instrument, and includes at least one pickup, a battery-powered amplification unit and at least one controller. The method includes steps for controlling sound amplification and tonal modification onboard an acoustic stringed instrument. The steps include sensing vibration from strings with a pickup, generating an electrical signal and transmitting the electrical signal to an amplification unit via an input cable, and modifying the electrical signal in response to one or more controllers located onboard the instrument.

An integrated transducer-processor unit for use with a stringed instrument having one or more strings. When the instrument is played, the unit produces electrical output signals for conversion into musical sounds. A transducer converts mechanical vibrations of each of the strings into corresponding electrical signals, and a processor processes the electrical signals to produce selected analog or digital output signals for conversion into musical sounds. The unit processor is integrated with the transducer into a pickup, for mounting on the instrument in proximity to the strings without modification of the instrument. In addition, a gesture pad-processor system provides an interface for a user to send control signals to a device to control at least one function of the device. A touch pad receives positional and pressure inputs entered by the user making a selected predefined manual gesture for conversion into a control signal by the system processor.

An arched top bridge upper section including a wood top section slotted to accept a string saddle that may be plastic, bone or similar material. The wood section is laminated or affixed to a lower metal section. A slot completely through the wood section exposes a top flat surface of the metal section. A piezo pickup element installed in the slot below a solid or segmented string saddle element is pressed uniformly against the metal section by string pressure on the string saddle to ensure even response on all strings. Transfer of string energy is more efficient than standard all-wood construction, resulting in greater sustain of plucked notes and a broader frequency response. An arch top guitar utilizing this bridge construction has more similar tonal and sustain characteristics to a typical flattop acoustic guitar while consistent contact with the piezo element results in even string-to-string output and response.

A touch-sensitive or pressure-sensitive pad located near the bridge of a guitar allows a guitarist to adjust tone, adjust volume, or blend in an additional pickup with his or her palm without removing his or her hand away from the strings. To operate the pad, the guitarist presses on the pad, varying the pressure according to the degree of adjustment to tone or volume desired. A switch on the guitar's control plate allows for selection of the desired effect of pressing on the touch pad.