GB2364425A

GB2364425A - A capodastro

Info

Publication number: GB2364425A
Application number: GB0004254A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Gould
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-24
Filing date: 2000-02-24
Publication date: 2002-01-23
Also published as: GB0004254D0

Abstract

A Capodastro for stringed musical instruments has a pressure bar (C) with a lower face (L) adapted to work effectively on fingerboards which are flat, and on fingerboards which are transversely convex. The lower face of the pressure bar has one long edge (K) which is vertically concave, and the other long edge (I) is straight. The curvature of the lower face reduces from curved to flat. The pressure bar is removably attachable to the neck (A) of the instrument by means of a strap (D) furnished with the two elements of a 'touch and close' material, the surface of one element having multiple small hooks, and the other having multiple small loops. The strap is attached to one end of the pressure bar. In order to apply the Capodastro to the instrument the pressure bar is laid across the strings (E) and the loose end of the strap is passed around the said neck, and threaded through a transverse slot at the loose end of the pressure bar. When pulled back on itself the strap my be fastened by pressing the two elements of the 'touch and close' material together. The Capodastro may be released by peeling the said two elements apart.

Description

2364425

T Gould's Specification

Improved Capodastro ADPNo - 01085745001 IntClass - GIOD31/04 Reference 98/1 VelStrap Date - 23 February 2000 Description

A Capodastro is also known as a Capo Tasto, or simply as a Capo. It is a device used on the fingerboard of plucked stringed instruments such as guitars or banjos. It is similar in effect to a clamp which may be removably fitted around the neck of the instrument in order to press the strings onto the fingerboard at any desired position, so that the portion of the strings which vibrates when plucked may be shortened or lengthened, in order to raise or lower the pitch without requiring the player to alter the fingering.

In order to achieve this aim a Capodastro must at least consist of a member which acts as a pressure bar upon the strings, and a means of attachment around the neck of the instrument.

Some stringed instruments have fingerboards with flat surfaces, and some have fingerboards with transversely convex surfaces. The degree of curvature of a convex fingerboard, while not great, is sufficient to preclude the maintenance of equal pressure over all the strings by a Capodastro the pressure bar of which is straight.

My United Kingdom Patent No GB 2047939 describes my invention of a Capodastro which has a pressure bar which is adapted to be effective in an improved manner on instruments having a flat fingerboard, and also on instruments having a convex fingerboard. The lower face of the pressure bar has two generally parallel long edges, one of which is straight, and the other of which has a vertical concave curvature sufficient to complement a fingerboard convexity of maximum curvature. The longitudinal contour lines of the said lower face decrease progressively in curvature from the concave edge to the opposite straight edge, A second version of the invention has a pressure bar with a number of longitudinal ridges on its lower face..

The means of attachment of a Capodastro is commonly made either of metal, or of a convenient flexible woven material.

My present improvement concerns the combination of my improved pressure bar, -,Arith a flexible woven strap which holds the pressure bar firmly in position on the neck of the instrument in a manner which permits ease of adjustment, and which is also inexpensive to manufacture.

2.

Flexible straps on Capodastros are normally attached at one end to an end of the pressure bar, and the other end of the strap is usually removably fastened to the other end of the said pressure bar.

The novelty of my present improvement is that it combines my invention which is described in my United Kingdom Patent referred to above, with a strap incorporating a releasable fastener of 'touch and close' material, for example, of the type sold under the Trade Mark 'Velcro'. The preferred type of fastener embodies the following features. It is a flexible material made in two forms, each having a fastening element on one side of the material, such that when the fastening elements of each type are pressed together they bond in a manner which will resist lateral tension, but the bond is released when the two elements are peeled apart from each other. This temporary bonding occurs because the surface of one element incorporates multiple small hooks and is referred to as the 'hook type', and the second element incorporates multiple small loops into which the hooks temporarily engage. The said second element is referred to as the 'loop type'. The bonding facility remains in the elements when they are separated, and they may therefore be reused any number of times.

The said strap is attached at one of its ends to one end of the said pressure bar. The other end of the strap may be passed around the neck of the said instrument, threaded through a transverse slot at the other end of the pressure bar, pulled tight by the user, doubled back, and removably fastened to that part of the same strap which is already in position around the neck of the instrument.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the strap consists of a suitable base of woven flexible material to which the elements of the "touch and close" materials are secured at appropriately spaced locations. Alternatively, the entire strap may be made of suitable "touch and close" material.

In this manner, when required, the pressure bar may be held firmly against the strings of the instrument, and may be easily released as desired. The added advantage is that the said pressure bar is effective on flat and also on convex fingerboards, The invention will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure I is a perspective view of part of the neck of a plucked instrument with a Capodastro mounted thereon Figure 2 is a perspective view of the pressure bar of the Capodastro of my United Kingdom patent GB-A-2047939,- Figure 3 is a view in elevation of a modification of the pressure bar of Figure 2; and Figure 4 illustrates in perspective view an embodiment of Capodastro in accordance with the present invention, In Figure 1, neck A has fingerboard F on which the pressure bar C of a Capodastro is held in place on strings E, by strap D.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of my invention described in United Kingdom Patent No GB 2047939, in which lower face L has straight edge I and curved edge K. This pressure bar C may be attached to the neck of the instrument 3.

by a variety of means, which are not specified in the patent specification. Similarly the internal structure of the pressure bar may be solid, or may consist of a body which conforms to the external description specified in the patent, but which internally has a convenient number of hollows to facilitate the manufacture of such a pressure bar which will maintain its shape when in use.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of either end of the pressure bar, demonstrating a second embodiment of the lower face, having a convenient number of ridges K which ridges may improve the contact of the pressure bar with the strings, and reduce buzzing or other undesirable noises when the instrument is being played.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of my improved Capodastro in which strap D, being made of a convenient flexible material, is provided with conveniently positioned patches X and Y, of the two elements of the said touch-andclose material.

Claims

Claims

I A Capodastro for stringed musical instruments having a pressure bar which is adapted to be effective on both flat fingerboards and fingerboards having a transverse convexity with a range of curvature up to a maximum, the pressure bar having a lower face with two generally parallel long edges one of which edges is straight and the other of which edges has a vertical concave curvature to complement a fingerboard convexity of said maximum curvature, the longitudinal contour lines of which lower face decrease progressively in curvature from the concave edge to the opposite straight edge, which Capodastro has as its fastening means a strap made of flexible material furnished with the two elements of a 'touch and close' fastener, in such a manner that the said strap, being fastened at one of its ends to one end of the said pressure bar, may be passed around the neck of the said musical instrument, and the loose end of which strap, threaded through a transverse slot at the loose end of the pressure bar, to be doubled back on itself, to bring the two elements of the 'touch and close' fastener together.
2 A Capodastro as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the lower face of the pressure bar is provided with a convenient number of longitudinal ridges.
3 A Capodastro as claimed in Claim I wherein the strap comprises a flexible base to which discreet elements of touch and close material are secured