Passive electromagnetic string isolating pickup

• US 7,982,123 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Collin Mulvany
• Original Assignee: Collin Mulvany
• Inventors: Mulvany, Collin
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren; David S.
• Application Number:
  US12/421,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20090255397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 84725-728
• US Class Current: 84/726
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/515 Staggered, i.e. two coils side by side
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/181 Details of pick-up assemblies

Abstract

A passive pickup that utilizes electromagnetic coils comprising circuits that are connected in series and placed underneath and parallel to the strings of the electrical instrument. Each circuit within the passive pickup can be run through separate amplifiers in stereo or combined with standard guitar pickup signals and run through one or more amplifiers. The passive string isolating pickup is directed at allowing utilization of signal processing (guitar effects) in a string-isolated mono or stereo manner and the adjustment the volume and tone of isolated strings when wired in conjunction with volume and tone potentiometers.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a passive electromagnetic pickup for an electronic instrument having metal strings, the apparatus comprising:

a first circuit comprising a first coil arranged in series with a second coil;

wherein the first circuit is configured to isolate at least two strings of the electronic instrument; and

a second circuit comprising a third coil arranged in series with a fourth coil;

wherein the second circuit is configured to isolate at least two other strings of the electronic instrument, wherein each of the coils of the first circuit and the second circuit comprise thousands of wraps of wire wound on a bobbin, wherein the bobbins of the first circuit and the bobbins of the second circuit comprise a different number of wraps, wherein a number of wraps for each bobbin of the first circuit is determined from a number of coils that are included within each circuit of the apparatus, wherein a number of wraps for each bobbin of the second circuit is determined from the number of coils that are included within each circuit of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a third circuit comprising a fifth coil arranged in series with a sixth coil;

wherein the third circuit is configured to isolate at least two other strings of the electronic instrument.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the second circuit further comprises a fifth coil and a sixth coil that is arranged in series with the third coil and the fourth coil;

wherein the second circuit is configured to isolate at least four other strings of the electronic instrument.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first circuit further comprises a fifth coil that is arranged in series with the first coil and the second coil.

5. The apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the second circuit further comprises a sixth coil that is arranged in series with the third coil and the fourth coil.

6. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first coil, the second coil, the third coil and the fourth coil include an approximately equal number of wraps.

7. The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the first coil and the second coil have approximately a double number of wraps as compared to a number of wraps for each of the third coil, the fourth coil, the fifth coil and the sixth coil.

8. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first circuit and the second circuit are located within a standard guitar pickup cover.

9. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein each of the coils are located under and parallel to one of the strings of the electronic instrument.

10. An apparatus for an electromagnetic passive pickup for an electronic instrument having metal strings, the apparatus comprising:

a first circuit comprising coils that are configured to isolate a first set of strings of the electronic instrument;

wherein the coils are positioned parallel and underneath the first set of strings; and

a second circuit comprising coils that are configured to isolate a second set of strings of the electronic instrument;

wherein the second coils are positioned parallel and underneath the second set of strings, wherein each of the coils of the first circuit and the second circuit comprise thousands of wraps of wire wound on a bobbin, wherein the bobbins of the first circuit and the bobbins of the second circuit comprise a different number of wraps, wherein a number of wraps for each bobbin of the first circuit is determined from a number of coils of the first circuit and a number of coils of the second circuit, wherein a number of wraps for each bobbin of the second circuit is determined from the number of coils of the second circuit and the number of coils of the first circuit.

11. The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the first circuit further comprises a third coil arranged in series with the first coil;

wherein the third coil is positioned parallel and underneath to another string.

12. The apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the second circuit further comprises a fourth coil arranged in series with the second coil;

wherein the fourth coil is positioned parallel and underneath to yet another string.

13. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the first circuit further comprises a fifth coil that is arranged in series with the first coil and the third coil.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the second circuit further comprises a sixth coil that is arranged in series with the second coil and the fourth coil.

15. The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein an output of the first circuit is balanced with an output of the second circuit by adjusting a number of wraps of each coil within the first circuit and the second circuit.

16. The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the first circuit and the second circuit are located within a standard guitar pickup cover.

17. A method for isolating strings of an electronic musical instrument having strings, comprising:

creating a first circuit by connecting at least two coils in series;

creating a second circuit by connecting at least two coils in series, wherein each of the coils of the first circuit and the second circuit comprise thousands of wraps of wire wound on a bobbin, wherein the bobbins of the first circuit and the bobbins of the second circuit comprise a different number of wraps, wherein a number of wraps for each bobbin of the first circuit is determined from a number of coils of the first circuit and a number of coils of the second circuit, wherein a number of wraps for each bobbin of the second circuit is determined from the number of coils of the second circuit and the number of coils of the first circuit; and

placing each of the coils such that each coil runs parallel and is located beneath a string of the instrument.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising balancing an output of the first circuit with an output of the second circuit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein balancing the output comprises adjusting a number of wraps of each coil within the first circuit and the second circuit.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising locating the first circuit and the second circuit within a standard pickup cover.