Electric bowed string instrument structure

Abstract

An electric bowed string instrument structure comprises a longitudinally elongated frame (2) having a central recess (8) provided with a bottom (9), a fingerboard (5) anchored to the neck (4), a tailpiece (7) anchored to the rear end portion (6) of the frame (2), a plurality of strings (13) extending between the fingerboard (5) and the tailpiece (7), a bridge (12) adapted to support the strings (13), a pick-up (14) adapted to intercept the vibrations produced by the strings (13) and to be connected to sound amplifying means, a soundboard (11) interlocked in the recess (8) in a transversely offset position with respect to the bottom (9), the soundboard (11) being convex with a convexity facing towards the strings (11), the pick-up (14) being arranged below the soundboard (11).

Claims

1. An electric bowed string instrument structure, comprising: a longitudinally elongated frame (2) having a front end portion (3) provided with a neck (4) and a rear end portion (6), said frame (2) having a central recess (8) provided with a bottom (9); a fingerboard (5) anchored to said neck (4); a tailpiece (7) anchored to said rear end portion (6) of said frame (2); a plurality of strings (13) extending between said fingerboard (5) and said tailpiece (7); a bridge (12) which extends transversely with respect to said frame (2) and is adapted to support said strings (13); a pick-up (14) adapted to intercept the vibrations produced by said strings (13) and to be connected to sound amplifying means; wherein said frame (2) comprises a soundboard (11) inserted between said fingerboard (5) and said tailpiece (7); characterized in that said soundboard (11) interlocked in said recess (8) in a transversely offset position with respect to said bottom (9), said soundboard (11) being convex with a convexity facing towards said strings (11), said pick-up (14) being arranged below said soundboard (11).

2. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said recess (8) comprises a front face (18) and a rear face (19) facing each other and provided with respective grooves (20, 21) for snugly fitting respective front (22) and rear (23) longitudinal edges of said soundboard (11).

3. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that at least one of said grooves (20, 21) houses one or more elastomeric elements adapted to define a thickness for the interlocking insertion of the respective of said longitudinal edges (22, 23) of said soundboard (11).

4. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said bridge (12) rests on said soundboard (11) to transfer to it the pressure generated by said strings (13) during tuning.

5. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said soundboard (11) is formed with a sheet of wood or a similar flexible material.

6. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the groove (21) made in said rear face (19) of said recess (8) comprises a stop element (24) removably anchored to said frame (2) and suitable to prevent the raising of the rear edge (23) of said soundboard (11).

7. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said bridge (12) is movable on said soundboard (11) to allow adjustment of its longitudinal and/or transverse position.

8. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said pick-up (14) is of the piezoelectric type and is displaceable with respect to said soundboard (11).

9. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said frame (2) comprises a seat (15) for housing said pick-up (14) at said rear edge (23) of said soundboard (11), beneath thereto.

10. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said soundboard (11) and said bottom (9) of said frame (2) have respective concave surfaces (25, 10) reciprocally facing and having opposite concavities.

11. Instrument structure as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said reciprocally facing concave surfaces (25, 10) have a maximum width substantially equal to each other.

Description

BRIEF DISCLOSURE OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in the light of the detailed description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of an electric bowed string instrument structure according to the invention, shown by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the attached drawing tables in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the structure of the invention according to a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of the structure of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the structure of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the structure of FIG. 1 in a particular variant;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the structure in a second embodiment;

(7) FIG. 6 is a side view of the structure in a third embodiment.

BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(8) With reference to the attached drawings, some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of an electric bowed string instrument according to the invention are illustrated.

(9) In these embodiments, the instrument structure will be designed for manufacturing a violin, in particular an electric violin, but the same innovative concepts expressed below may be used to make further bowed string instruments, such as, by way of example and not limited to, violas, cellos, double basses, archtop guitars and the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the structure, globally indicated as 1, essentially comprises a frame 2 which extends along a main longitudinal development direction L from a front end portion 3, provided with a neck 4 having a keyboard 5, to a rear end portion 6 to which the tailpiece 7 is instead anchored.

(10) The frame 2 is also centrally shaped to define a central recess 8 open both laterally and upwardly and closed by a bottom 9, so as not to define any volume of air enclosed therein and which otherwise could enter into resonance, generating the undesired Larsen effect or feedback phenomenon.

(11) The bottom 9 will have a slightly concave upper surface 10 similar to what happens with traditional instruments, as shown in FIG. 3.

(12) At the central recess 8 there is arranged a soundboard 11 transversely offset from the bottom 9 and associated with a bridge 12 which extends orthogonally thereto and therefore transversely with respect to the frame 2 to support the strings 13 which extend from the keyboard 5 to the tailpiece 7.

(13) These last two elements may be designed according to any typical mode for the sector and therefore will not be further described.

(14) Similarly, the bridge 12 may also have any configuration according to the preference of the luthier, even if the instrument structure will be appropriately designed to allow the use of a standard bridge, shaped by the luthier based on the preferences of the musician.

(15) According to a particularly advantageous aspect, the bridge 12 will be positioned resting on the soundboard 11 to be held in position by the strings 13 which will press it against the soundboard 11.

(16) In this way the bridge 12 may be displaced longitudinally and transversely to adjust, at will of the musician, the centering of the strings 13 on the keyboard 5 and the tuning fork, that is the length of the string in a vacuum vibration.

(17) In a preferred manner, the structure 1 according to the invention will be designed for manufacturing an electric type instrument and for this purpose the frame 2 will also comprise means for the electrical connection to sound amplification means, not shown as of the type known per se and not limiting the present invention.

(18) In particular, the electrical connection means will comprise a pick-up 14 or transducer, preferably of a piezoelectric nature, associated directly with the soundboard 11 and placed in a position dislocated with respect to the bridge 12 so as to directly intercept the vibrations of the soundboard 11 after the resonance effect between bridge 12, soundboard 11 and bottom 9, made possible thanks to the structure, has already been established.

(19) It will be precisely this resonance that will make up a spectrum in which there will be an optimal balance between high and low components, without having to provide for filters of any kind, either mechanical or electronic.

(20) Preferably, the pick-up 14 will be movable with respect to the soundboard 11 to allow the musician to choose the preferred position and vary the picked components of the sound and obtain different tonal results.

(21) Advantageously, the frame 2 may comprise a seat 15 for housing the pick-up 14 at the rear longitudinal end 16 of the soundboard 11, below it, since it represents the best point for picking up the vibrations. Alternatively, the pick-up 14 may simply be placed on the frame 2.

(22) The pick-up 14 is connected to a plug-in socket 17 of the amplification means made on a side of the frame 2. In particular, the plug-in socket 17 will be designed to be coupled to a common pin or jack for connection to an amplifier.

(23) The connection between the pick-up 14 and the plug-in socket 17, not shown, may be made either by cables passing inside the frame 2 or by external cables.

(24) According to a not shown variant, the connection between the pick-up 14 and the amplification means may be carried out wirelessly to avoid the use of connection cables and to improve the ease of use of the instrument. In this case it will be possible to use electronic filters in order to eliminate any disturbances but which will not affect the nature of the sound.

(25) As can be seen more clearly from FIG. 3, the soundboard 11 is defined by an arcuated body having a convexity facing opposite to that of the bottom 9 and from which the bridge 12 extends along a substantially orthogonal direction, positioning itself along the bisector of the angle formed by the strings 13.

(26) Conveniently, the arcuated body 11 will be defined by a sheet of wood or similar material suitable for being flexed to be inserted by interlocking or with slight play inside the recess 8.

(27) In the construction phase the soundboard 11, after having been shaped in its curved shape, will be planed laterally so that it can be tuned since the quantity of wood that is removed contributes to determining its natural resonance frequency.

(28) The recess 8 comprises a front face 18 and a rear face 19 which are reciprocally facing and longitudinally offset, each of which is provided with a respective groove 20, 21 for the insertion of respective front edge 22 and rear edge 23 of the soundboard 11, which can be inserted in a forced manner or with minimum play between the grooves 20, 21.

(29) In the event that the soundboard 11 is inserted with play, albeit minimal, its position will be blocked due to the pressure exerted on it by the strings 13 brought into tension during tuning, which will thus block it pushing the two edges 22, 23 against the grooves 20, 21.

(30) This particular embodiment of the soundboard 11, together with the method of connection with the bottom 9, will make it possible to have a soundboard 11 adapted to optimally resist to the pulling and squeezing action of the strings 13.

(31) Possibly, as shown in FIG. 4, for greater stability of the soundboard 11, the groove 21 formed in the rear face 19 may comprise a clip 24 or similar stop element removably anchored to the frame 2 so as to close upwardly the rear end 16 of the soundboard 11 and prevent it from rising during use.

(32) Finally, the soundboard 11 and the bottom 9 of the frame 2 will have surfaces 25, 10 facing each other, both concave with opposite curvatures and having a substantially equal maximum width, so as to present an optimal ratio between the surface exposed to the re-entry sound waves and mass, also establishing a play of resonance between the two parts that approximates what happens in a traditional violin in a more efficient way than the known traditional instruments.

(33) According to a particularly preferred variant, one or more rubber elements or other elastomeric material suitable for increasing the stability of the front end 22 of the soundboard 11 will be inserted inside the front groove 20, being also adapted to absorb the vibrations and further improving the global acoustic effect.

(34) In this way the soundboard will be housed in an even more stable manner in order to prevent the formation of vibrations due to a possible oscillation motion.

(35) FIG. 5 shows a particular variant which differs from the preceding ones essentially in that both the grooves 20, 21 are designed for snugly fitting the edges 22, 23 of the soundboard 11 which will be preferably interlocked in the recess 8.

(36) In all the illustrated embodiments, the arcuated shape of the soundboard 11 and the aforementioned position constraints imposed on its end edges 22, 23 will allow the perfect counterbalance to the crushing action produced by the strings 13 and will make it unnecessary to use props or other lower supports, which on the contrary would be counterproductive since they would inhibit the natural vibration motion of both the soundboard 11 and the bottom 9 which, precisely in that position, find the maximum of oscillations.

(37) The frame 2 may be completed by one or more appendixes, such as a backrest 26 fixed in a stable or removable manner, a chin-guard, not shown, or other types of structures configured according to the needs of the musician, without particular limitations in the scope of protection. of the present invention.

(38) FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment which differs from the previous ones essentially in the fact that both the front groove 20 and the rear groove 21 have a longer length to increase the contact surface between frame 2 and soundboard 11.

(39) Moreover, the pick-up 14 is arranged towards the front edge of the same groove 21 in a more advanced position with respect to the previous embodiment. Moreover, the pick-up 14 also has an increased thickness, as well as the frame 2 and the soundboard 11.

(40) According to a not shown variant, an element adapted to facilitate the locking of the soundboard 11 within the recess 8 may be arranged at the pick-up 14. For example, a screw adjustment system may be provided which will allow the clamping of the soundboard 11 after its insertion into the recess 8.

(41) From above it is evident that the instrument structure according to the invention achieves the intended objects.

(42) The instrument structure according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the inventive concept expressed in the appended claims. All the details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials may be different according to requirements, without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

(43) Although the instrument structure has been disclosed with particular reference to the attached figures, the reference numbers used in the description and in the claims are used to improve the intelligence of the invention and do not constitute any limitation to the claimed scope of protection.