GUITAR HAVING FRETBOARD CONSISTING OF HIGH-DENSITY BAMBOO

Abstract

A guitar is provided which has a guitar neck. At least the fretboard of the neck is made of a high-density bamboo, that is, a compressed grass, instead of a wood. The guitar may be an electric guitar. In an alternative, the entire neck can also be made of high-density bamboo. The high-density bamboo is planed from compressed raw strips horizontally or vertically glued together and pressed to form high-density bamboo, known as HDG bamboo or strand woven bamboo. The frets on the fretboard are inserted into milled grooves in the fretboard in the usual manner. The curvature between the guitar neck and the guitar head can be produced by bending a single-piece wooden workpiece after steaming so that the wood fibres running along the guitar neck run continuously into the guitar head.

Claims

1.-5. (canceled)

6. A guitar comprising: a body; a guitar neck coupled with the head, the guitar neck including a fretboard; and a head coupled with the guitar neck; wherein the fretboard of the neck is manufactured completely from bamboo, and wherein the fretboard is planed from horizontally or vertically glued and compacted raw strips and is pressed into high-density bamboo wood.

7. The guitar according to claim 6, wherein the guitar neck and the guitar head are at least partly manufactured of a single wood piece, by way of the wood piece being bent at the location of a nut located at and end of the fretboard, so that the wood fibres run along the guitar neck and run continuously into the guitar head.

8. The guitar according to claim 6, wherein the guitar neck and the guitar head are at least partly manufactured of a continuous laminate of wood, by way of the laminate being bent at the location of a nut located at and end of the fretboard, so that the wood fibres run along the guitar neck and run continuously into the guitar head.

9. The guitar according to claim 6, wherein the guitar neck and the guitar head are at least partly manufactured from a single piece of wood which is bent at the location of a nut located at and end of the fretboard, so that the wood fibres run along the guitar neck and run continuously into the guitar neck.

10. The guitar according to claim 6, wherein the guitar neck and the guitar head are constructed in a join-free manner partly of several laminated wood layers, by way of bent wood layers being glued together into a laminate, so that the wood fibres run along the guitar neck and run continuously into the guitar head.

11. The guitar of claim 6, wherein the guitar neck and the guitar head are constructed completely of several laminated wood layers, by way of bent wood layers being glued together into a laminate, so that the wood fibres run along the guitar neck and run continuously into the guitar head.

12. The guitar according to claim 6, wherein the guitar is an electric guitar.

13. The guitar according to claim 6, wherein the high-density bamboo wood is strand woven bamboo.

14. The guitar according to claim 6, wherein the high-density bamboo wood is manufactured from a mixture of bamboo grass, impregnated with phenol formaldehyde resin of the type DZT-5.

Description

[0010] In the figures, a guitar neck with a bamboo fretboard is represented and also the different basic manufacturing methods for a guitar neck are presented and explained. Herein are shown:

[0011] FIG. 1 a guitar neck seen from the side and with the head and the different constituents thereon;

[0012] FIG. 2 a guitar neck seen from the side, which is manufactured of two glued pieces, for the neck and for the guitar head;

[0013] FIG. 3 a guitar neck with a guitar head, seen from the side, which is milled from a wooden block out of a solid piece;

[0014] FIG. 4 a guitar neck seen from the side, with a guitar head, which is permanently arcuate in its shape by way of hot steam, whereupon a bamboo layer has been glued on as a fretboard.

[0015] As is previously known, bamboo has ideal characteristics for use in the fields of building technology. Concerning the discussion regarding ecological construction materials which at the same time meet the high technical specifications in the building trade, there is no getting around the use of bamboo. The fact that a giant grass, whose ratio of intrinsic weight to useable load exceeds even that of steel concrete and whose tensile strength even reaches two and a half times that of steel, is somewhat extraordinary. Even if one compares bamboo to wood, this on average is more superior. On the one hand, due to the extremely dense and fine-pored cell structure it has a very high surface hardness. At 4.0 HB Brinell hardness it is lies significantly above the hardness of for example oak wood which can only provide a hardness of about 3.4 Brinell. Peak values of up to 6.1 Brinell were measured, and this comes close to the hardness of concrete surfaces. One the other hand, its shrinkage and swelling behaviour is significantly lower than most woods. Bamboo is highly dimensionally stable and durable. When used as a flooring, the wear resistance of the surface is also important. This corresponds roughly to that of oak or beech. Further advantages are its high bending strength and weight-carrying strength as well as elasticity and herewith, considered as a whole, its loadability. Since bamboo as a grass has no bark, the protective characteristics with regard to UV light are quasi integrated, so that it also has an extraordinary colour stability. And since it contains no resins, tanning oils or oils, it can be worked particularly easily and treated with surface sealing coats.

[0016] Despite the knowledge of such characteristics and its use in the building field, until now high-density bamboo has surprisingly never before been used for guitar parts and particularly not for fretboards of guitar necks. The application for this is convincing, since it is a case of a sustainable raw material which is cultivated in ecological forestry. The technical details of bamboo can be specified as follows: [0017] raw density of bamboo: approx. 700 kg/m.sup.2 [0018] density of fibre bamboo: approx. 1.15 g/cm.sup.3 (for comparison: oak: approx. 0.8 g/cm.sup.3; pine: approx, 0.5 g/cm.sup.3; bangkirai: approx. 0.95 g/cm.sup.3) [0019] compressive strength: 71 N/mm.sup.2 [0020] bending strength: 151 N/mm.sup.2 [0021] tensile strength: 120 N/mm.sup.2 [0022] thermal conductivity of bamboo: 0.17 W/(m.Math.K) [0023] humidity share: 7% to 16% [0024] expansion rate given water absorption: 0.90% [0025] expansion rate in boiling water after one hour: 5% [0026] modulus of elasticity: 11870 Mpa [0027] fire resistance grade: B.sub.fl [0028] anti-slip factor dry: 66, wet: 37 [0029] UV durability: E*ab: 1.69

[0030] Bamboo grows quickly. This giant grass with a typically growth of 20-30 cm per day is often fully grown after a few months. As a rule, one can harvest it after three to six years if it is adequately wooded. Herewith, bamboo renews itself on average within five yearsin contrast to hardwoods which grow over decades. On account of its rapid growth, the enormous production of biomass and the CO.sub.2 balance which is herewith compensated for, bamboo is a very environmentally friendly material and at the same time high-quality raw material which in many characteristics is on par with hardwoods and as mentioned, is known as such in the building sector. Herein, bamboo is comparatively inexpensive. In Europe, it is applied above all in interior construction, thus for example for parquet flooring, and here it represents a very valid alternative to the similarly looking, endangered tropical woods such as teak, wenge or mahogany, but also to the native hardwood types. High-density bamboo as a rule is manufactured from highly compressed Mao bamboo from controlled forests in China For this, bamboo as a rule is planed from horizontally or vertically glued and compacted raw strips and pressed into high-density bamboo wood (HDG-bamboo) and is also known as strand woven bamboo.

[0031] This strand woven bamboo or China-HGD-bamboo is harder than most wood types and also significantly harder and more durable that known laminated bamboo woods which are delivered in vertical or horizontal embodiments. This hard, compact and tough material provides an attractive and functional solution for floor coverings, wall panelling, decorative objects and accessories. A parquet of HDG-bamboo is particularly hard, pressure-resistance and scratch-proof, shape-stable and is very durable. Two-layer and three-layer ready parquets as well as solid parquet floorboards and wide-plank floorboards of bamboo are known. These floors can be laid or glued in a floating manner and are also obtainable as tongue and groove boards. HDG-bamboo parquet is manufactured as horizontal and vertical lamellae in different colour tones from naturally light across middle wood tones to dark brown, selectively with a shining or matt surface finished surface or one which is oiled.

[0032] The horizontal and vertical lamellae of bamboo grass are preferably mixed with a liquid, reddish-brown phenol-formaldehyde resin of the type DZT-5 and are glued and pressed together into a solid building material, wherein the resin comprises 40-60% phenol-formaldehyde polymer, up to 0.3% free formaldehyde and up to 1% phenol. The phenol formaldehyde herein has the following characteristics: [0033] boiling point: approx. 100 C. [0034] density at 30 C.: 1.1-1.3 g/cm.sup.3 [0035] viscosity at 25 C.: 50 to 200 cps [0036] pH-value at 30 C.: 9.5-10.5 [0037] inflammation point above: 93 C. [0038] thermal decomposition: releases toxic smoke gases, containing carbon monoxides, carbon dioxides, formaldehydes and nitrogen oxides
Gloves, protective clothing and eye protection must be worn for processing bamboo with phenol-formaldehyde resin of the type DZT-5. Given body contacts, in particular eye contact, one its to rinse with copious amounts of water for 10 minutes and obtain medical aid. The storage is to be effected in sealed vessels at a cool location. The toxicity depends on the share of sodium hydroxides and on the small quantity of free formaldehyde phenol, which are released on processing/working, whereas the solid constituents or polymers can be seen as being harmless. Formaldehydes are seen as being weakly carcinogenic, according to EEC in Class 3 of the carcinogens, and the product is seen as being corrosive due to its pH-value. Bamboo which is treated and pressed with this product, according to TUV SUD Certification and Testing (China) Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Branch, TUV SUD Group, 5F, Communication Building, 163 Pingyun Rd, Huangpu West Ave., Guangzhou 510656 P. R. China and others, displays the following results: According to the EN 717-1:2004 test methods, the formaldehyde release was merely 0.0001 mg/m.sup.3. Placed in water, the treated bamboo swells by a mere 0.2% according to the method EN 317:1993 and a heat flux according to EN ISO 9239-1:2019 of 11 Kw/.sup.m2. The pressed bamboo chars in the case of fire. A density of 1.25 g/cm.sup.3 is achieved with a heat treatment of the bamboo with steam for approx. 72 hours and the expansion rate due to the water absorption is 5.396%. A hardness of 8.61 N/mm.sup.2 according to EN 1534-2010 is achieved. The highest durability class according to EU standard is herewith reached, so that this bamboo treated is such a manner is also suitable for outdoor applications and lasts for at least 20 years.

[0039] Considering all these advantages, it has being found to be a surprisingly ideal material for the manufacture of fretboards of guitar necks, indeed even for the manufacture of complete guitar necks. The high-density bamboo planed from horizontally or vertically glued and compacted raw strips and pressed into high-density bamboo wood can be cut to size, shaped and post-treated as with conventional hardwoods, but as a particularity is not a wood in the strict sense, is CO.sub.2 neutral and is still comparatively inexpensive. Its touch is like that of wood and it therefore has a comparable feel, wherein it is still far harder than hardwoods and is therefore excellently suitable as a fretboard material and provides an even better durability, even under highest loads.

[0040] A guitar neck 1 with its constituents is shown in FIG. 1. The guitar head 3, on which the tuning mechanism 7 is built, connects at the front to the guitar neck 1 after a transition location called the nut 2. The fretboard 4, here in the form of a bamboo fretboard 4 is glued at the top on the guitar neck 1. Transversely running frets or fretrods 5 are inserted into grooves which are milled into the material of the fretboard 4. Finally, the tensioned strings 6 run over these frets or fretrods 5. The guitar neck 1 is connected, preferably glued to the guitar body 8 at the rear end region of this neck.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a guitar neck, wherein the neck 1 and the guitar head 3 which connects thereto is manufactured of two glued pieces. It is to be understood that a joint or transition arises at the location of the nut 10, said joint always being a weak location irrespective of how the joint is designed or formed, for instance as a multiple tongue and groove connection or cut in oblique surfaces. An increased potential breakage risk exists at this location.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a guitar neck 1 with a guitar head 3 which is milled out of a single-piece wooden block out of solid material. A gluing of parts can herewith be avoided and one obtains a guitar neck 1 with a head 3 of a single-piece continuous part. The disadvantage is the high wooden material requirement, since much cutting waste arises. Furthermore, this manner of design has a potential breakage location, specifically along the course of the fibres 12 at the location 9 in the region of the nut 2. There, the head 3 will break off given too high a tensile load.

[0043] This danger of breakage can be remedied by a guitar neck 1 with a guitar head 3 which is either produced from a single-piece wooden board or a wood laminateor bamboo laminate, by way of steam bending. This is represented in FIG. 4. The fibres 12 of the wood run along the neck 1, and its frontmost region is bent away by way of a bending after a pre-treatment of the wood in steam, so that a bent guitar head 3 arises in a transitionless manner, and the wood fibres 12 run continuously along the curvature and therefore there, which is to say at the location 11 of the transition from the neck 1 to the head 3, have no increased risk of breakage.

[0044] The bending of wood is basically known and is explained hereinafter. One uses a closable steam box. The wood board or wood laminate to be bent is inserted into this. The steam box can consist of different materials. It preferably consists of wood, but however can also be a PVC box or even a hose, into which the board to be bent is pressed. The box at one side has a hole, through which steam can flow in and at the opposite side a further hole, through which the steam can flow out again. Best of all, one drills an exit hole so that it faces the floor. In this manner, excess condensed water can also escape out of the box with the steam. The boards to be bent are inserted into the steam box and are exposed to the steam for about an hour per 2.5 cm thickness. This is effected much more quickly given thinner necks.

[0045] Sycamore wood, but also other woods can preferably be applied for a guitar neck 1 and guitar head 3. Bamboo, which is to say compacted grass can also be applied as a material, and this can likewise bent after being treated by steam and be constrained into a desired bending which is permanent after drying out. The wooden board or bamboo board which has been softened by the steam can be removed from the steam box and be carefully placed into a press mould, in which it is constrained for bending the guitar head 3 away from the running direction of the guitar neck 1. The workpiece is held in the press mould by way of clamps or restrainers until it has completely dried out or the steam has escaped from the workpiece. The press mould can be provided at the inside with a thin cork layer which results in a supple surface of the bent workpiece. If the guitar neck 1 and guitar head 3 are produced from a wood laminate, which is to say of individual, previously bent wood layers, then best of all one applies a two-component glue of urea formaldehyde, in order to glue the laminate together. Although it lasts a while until this glue had dried, it however holds very well. Epoxides are also very effective, but relatively expensive. Normal wood glue cannot be applied in order to bend wood by way of lamination. Normal wood glue, although drying quite rapidly, however is still very flexible. One applies bent wood layers, layered onto one another, into the press mould until a later laminate from this achieves the desired thickness for the guitar neck 1 and the guitar head 3 and before the glue is dried. After pressing and as soon as the glue has dried, the produced laminate can be removed from the press mould and be worked/machined further. In the same manner, a guitar neck with a bent-away head can be manufactured from a laminate of bamboo layers which have been bent prior to this after a pre-treatment in steam. At the end, the fretboard 4 of bamboo is glued on and the tuning mechanism 7 as well as the frets 5 are inserted into the previously milled grooves.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0046] 1 neck [0047] 2 saddle [0048] 3 head [0049] 4 fretboard [0050] 5 fret or fretrod [0051] 6 strings [0052] 7 tuning mechanism [0053] 8 body [0054] 9 potential breakage location along the fibre course [0055] 10 potential breakage location on gluing [0056] 11 break-resistant nut thanks to the continuous fibre course [0057] 12 fibres of the wood workpiece