Pickup apparatus, having a winding with an adjacent closed circuit, for stringed musical instruments

• US 5,376,754 A
• Filed: 01/12/1993
• Issued: 12/27/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fleet Capital Corporation (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gibson Guitar Corporation (Gibson Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stich, Willi L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US08/003,457
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 84/726-728
• US Class Current: 84/728
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/182 using two or more pick-up means for each string

Abstract

A pickup apparatus for a stringed musical instrument includes an electromagnetic string vibration sensor, preferably including at least one winding, and a feature associated therewith, preferably a conductive closed circuit around the winding, to suppress resonant peaks and thereby equalize the harmonic reproduction. The apparatus preferably includes two such windings and circuits connected in a hum-canceling manner. A second hum-canceling pair of windings having a lower inductance to reproduce clean highs without phase cancellation can be added along with a resistive-capacitive network so that the combination can reproduce a wide variety of different sounds, all at a consistent high output level.

Claims

1. Pickup apparatus for a stringed musical instrument, comprising:

an electrically conductive winding for mounting on the instrument and for connecting into an amplification circuit; and

an electrically conductive closed circuit disposed adjacent said winding but permanently electrically unconnected from said winding, the amplification circuit and the strings of the instrument.

2. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive closed circuit consists of a closed loop of wire.

3. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an electrically conductive second winding, connected to the first-mentioned said winding; and

an electrically conductive second closed circuit, disposed adjacent said second winding.

4. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said first-mentioned winding and said second winding are connected in hum-canceling relationship.

5. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising a resistive-capacitive network connected in parallel with said hum-canceling connected windings.

6. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein:

said first-mentioned winding and said second winding define a first pair of windings;

said pickup apparatus further comprises third and fourth electrically conductive windings defining a second pair of windings; and

means for connecting said first and second pairs of windings.

7. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising a resistive-capacitive network connected to said first and second pairs of windings.

8. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said first and second pairs of windings are disposed adjacent each other.

9. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said first-mentioned winding and said second winding are connected in hum-canceling relationship and further wherein said third winding and fourth winding are connected in hum-canceling relationship.

10. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said closed circuit includes wire wound adjacent said winding.

11. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said closed circuit consists of said wire and at least one other passive component.

12. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said at least one other passive component is selected from the group consisting of resistors and capacitors.

13. Pickup apparatus for a stringed musical instrument, comprising:

electromagnetic means, having a nominal inductance, for providing a magnetic field and for enabling electrical current to be conducted with frequency responsive to vibration of at least one string of the instrument in the magnetic field; and

closed loop electrically conductive mid-range harmonic suppressing means, coupled to said electromagnetic means, for conducting electrical current in said electrically conductive means so that the inductance of said electromagnetic means is reduced in response to frequency throughout a range of frequencies.

14. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 13, further comprising second electromagnetic means, having a nominal inductance lower than said first-mentioned electromagnetic means, for providing another magnetic field and for enabling electrical current to be conducted with frequency responsive to vibration of at least one string of the instrument in said another magnetic field, said second electromagnetic means having a first end adapted for connecting to an amplification circuit and having a second end connected to said first-mentioned electromagnetic means.

15. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a series resistive-capacitive network connected to said second end of said second electromagnetic means.

16. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said first-mentioned electromagnetic means includes a first hum-canceling pair of electrically conductive windings and said second electromagnetic means includes a second hum-canceling pair of electrically conductive windings.

17. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said first and second hum-canceling pairs of windings are mounted adjacent each other.

18. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said suppressing means includes a first electrically conductive loop around one of the windings of said first pair and a second electrically conductive loop around the other of the windings of said first pair.

19. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said range of frequencies includes about 3,000 hertz to about 5,000 hertz.

20. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said electromagnetic means includes a pair of electrically conductive windings connected in series and wherein said suppressing means includes a first electrically conductive loop around one of said windings and a second electrically conductive loop around the other of said windings, and further wherein said range of frequencies includes about 3,000 hertz to about 5,000 hertz.

21. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said suppressing means includes wire wound adjacent said electromagnetic means.

22. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein said suppressing means consists of said wire and at least one other passive component.

23. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said at least one other passive component is selected from the group consisting of resistors and capacitors.

24. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein each of said first and second electrically conductive loops consists of a respective closed loop of wire wound adjacent the respective one of said windings.

25. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein each of said first and second electrically conductive loops consists of respective wire and at least one other respective passive component.

26. Pickup apparatus for a stringed musical instrument, comprising:

first hum-canceling electromagnetic means for responding to string vibrations, including first and second windings connected in series;

a first overwinding adjacent said first winding;

a second overwinding adjacent said second winding;

second hum-canceling electromagnetic means for responding to string vibrations, including third and fourth windings connected in series, said second hum-canceling electromagnetic means connected in series with said first hum-canceling electromagnetic means; and

a series resistive-capacitive network connected in series with said second hum-canceling electromagnetic means and in parallel with said first hum-canceling electromagnetic means.

27. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 26, further comprising a housing having at least said first and second hum-canceling electromagnetic means and said first and second overwindings disposed therein.

28. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein:

said first winding and said resistive-capacitive network have ends connected in common and adapted for connecting to an electrical ground;

said first winding has another end, connected to an end of said second winding;

said second winding has another end, connected in common with another end of said resistive-capacitive network and an end of said third winding;

said third winding has another end, connected to an end of said fourth winding; and

said fourth winding has another end, adapted for connecting to an amplification circuit.

29. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein:

said first overwinding includes a first wire, wound adjacent said first winding; and

said second overwinding includes a second wire, wound adjacent said second winding.

30. Pickup apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein:

said first overwinding consists of said first wire and at least one other passive component; and

said second overwinding consists of said second wire and at least one other passive component.