Guitar pickup system for selecting from multiple tonalities

• US 5,311,806 A
• Filed: 01/15/1993
• Issued: 05/17/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fleet Capital Corporation (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gibson Guitar Corporation (Gibson Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Riboloff, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US08/003,983
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 84/726-728, 84/742
• US Class Current: 84/728
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/182 using two or more pick-up means for each string

Abstract

A switching system for an electric guitar using bridge and fingerboard humbucker pickups and an intermediate pickup provides for ready selection of distinct groups of Gibson tonalities and Fender tonalities. A four pole, five position switch for tone selection provides one-of-ten tonality selection in conjunction with a dual pole, double throw switch.

Claims

1. A guitar pickup system, comprising:

a dual coil bridge humbucker pickup;

an intermediate pickup;

a dual coil fingerboard humbucker pickup;

first switch means for selecting a desired pickup configuration and thereby selecting a desired tonality signal, said first switch means including a four pole, five position switch connected to said bridge humbucker pickup, said intermediate pickup and said fingerboard humbucker pickup so that any of a first set of five tonality signals is selected through first and second poles of said first switch means and so that any of a second set of five tonality signals is selected through third and fourth poles of said first switch means; and

second switch means for connecting to an output of said second switch means either the tonality signal selected through said first and second poles of said first switch means or the tonality signal selected through said third and fourth poles of said first switch means.

2. A guitar pickup system as defined in claim 1, wherein said four pole, five position switch further includes:

a first set of first through fifth terminals wherein the first, second and fourth terminals thereof are connected to an end of said bridge humbucker pickup and the fifth terminal thereof is connected in between the dual coils of said bridge humbucker pickup;

a second set of first through fifth terminals wherein the second and third terminals thereof are connected to an end of said fingerboard humbucker pickup, the fourth terminal thereof is connected to said intermediate pickup, and the fifth terminal thereof is connected in between the dual coils of said fingerboard humbucker pickup;

a third set of first through fifth terminals wherein the first and second terminals thereof are connected in between the dual coils of said bridge humbucker pickup and the fourth and fifth terminals thereof are connected in between the dual coils of said fingerboard humbucker pickup;

a fourth set of first through fifth terminals wherein the second, third and fourth terminals thereof are connected to the intermediate pickup;

first connector means for connecting a selected terminal of said first set to said first pole;

second connector means for connecting a selected terminal of said second set to said second pole;

third connector means for connecting a selected terminal of said third set to said third pole;

fourth connector means for connecting a selected terminal of said fourth set to said fourth pole; and

means for synchronously operating said first through fourth connector means so that the corresponding terminal of each set of terminals is connected to its respective pole at the same time.

3. A guitar pickup system as defined in claim 2, wherein said second switch means includes:

a first terminal connected to said first pole of said first switch means;

a second terminal connected to said second pole of said first switch means;

a third terminal connected to said third pole of said first switch means;

a fourth terminal connected to said fourth pole of said first switch means; and

means for selectably connecting either both said first and second terminals of said second switch means to said output thereof or both said third and fourth terminals of said second switch means to said output thereof.