Jan. 6, 1970 M. TANSKY 3,487,740 VIOLIN WITH TIMBRE BASS BAR Filed May 9, 1968

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AORNEYS 3,487,740 United States Patent Office Patented Jan. 6, 1. 970 2 Still further objects and advantages of the present in 3,487,740 VIOLIN WITH TEMBRE BASSBAR Vention will readily become apparent to those skilled in the Michael Tansky, 541 Olive Ave., art to which the invention pertains on reference to the Long Beach, Calif. 90812 following detailed description. . . Filed May 9, 1968, Ser. No. 727,774 5 Description of the drawing ? . , Int. CI. G10d 1/02 0 The description refers to the accompanying drawing in U.S. C. 84-276 6 Claims which like reference characters refer to like parts through out the several views in which: FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sound ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE O box of a violin showing the bass bar embodying my in A violin having an elongated, internally mounted bass vention; , ; bar with a continuous series of conical cavities extending FIGURE 2 is a view of the preferred bass bar, sepa along its inner longitudinal edge and facing the back of rated from the instrument as along one of its longitudinal the instrument. The bass bar results in the violin pro edges; w ` ? - ...... ducing pure, limpid tones while the cavities reduce the FIGURE3 is a view of the opposite longitudinal edge weight of the bass bar. Y. of the preferred bass bar; and : ...... TSSSLSLSSSSLLLLL SLLS0L0LSLSTM SM FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the Background of the invention mid-section of the preferred bass bar...... 20 Description of the preferred embodiment This invention relates to stringed instruments, and more . . specifically to a novel form of bass bar for violins and Now referring to the drawings, a preferred violin is similar instruments. . . - . . . illustrated in FIGURE 1 as comprising a sound box, Stringed instruments, particularly those of the violin generally indicated at 10, having a neck 12 which ter family, employ a bass bar which is fixed to the inner 25 minates in a scroll (not shown) and a peg box (not surface of the belly of the instrument's sound box. Nor shown) in a conventional manner. A finger board 14 is mally the bass bar is mounted below the bridge parallel mouted on the neck 12 and extends partially across the to one of the strings. It functions to support the belly belly 16 of the instrument. A tail piece 18 extends from of the instrument against the force applied by the ten the opposite end of the belly in the conventional manner. sioning of the strings. 30 A bridge 20 is mounted on the outer surface of the belly It is well known that the particular configuration of the 16 and adapted to support four strings 18 which extend bass bar is a significant factor in the tonal qualities of the across the belly 16 of the instrument from the tail piece instrument because the sound producing vibrations from 18 to the peg box. The belly 16 of the instrument is the strings travel from the bridge through the belly of the Spaced from a back 22, both being bowed in cross-section instrument, which forms part of the sound box. Bass in the conventional manner. bars of the prior art which have been formed with special The preferred bass bar 24 is mounted on the inner sur shapes to improve the quality of the instrument are dis face of the belly 16 below and parallel to the strings 18. closed in Patent Nos. 155,333; 661,412 and 1,881,311. The bass bar is elongated and extends the major portion Each of the bars in the aforementioned patents have of the length of the belly 16 so that it provides support been formed with one or more openings in the body of 40 to the belly as the strings 18 are tensioned. The bass bar the bar which extend completely through the bass bar and 24 is, like the other components of the violin, formed of a suitable wood and has a slight taper from its mid face the sidewalls of the sound box. Section toward its opposite longitudinal ends. Summary The bass bar has three groups of cavities generally in The preferred embodiment of the present invention, dicated at 26, 28 and 30, formed in a continuous series which will subsequently be described in greater detail, is and regularly spaced along its inner longitudinal edge, the a violin having a sound box including a belly and a back cavities in each group facing the back of the instrument. and with a string supporting bridge mounted on the outer Each cavity has a conical cross-section and extends about surface of the belly in order to support the four strings half the thickness of the bar. The cavities in the first group which conventionally are mounted over the belly. The 50 26 and the third group 30 have a common side. The preferred bass bar is elongated and mounted on the inner cavities in the intermediate group 28 are all similar in surface of the belly below and parallel to the strings. The size but larger than the cavities in the groups 26 and 30. bass bar extends the major part of the belly's length in As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, each cavity in the order to support it against the force through the bridge intermediate group 28 bulges out from the opposite sides caused by the tensioning of the strings. The inner lon 55 of the bass bar as at 32 and 34. gitudinal edge of the bass bar is formed with a continuous A sound post 36 is mounted between the inner, longi series of conical cavities arranged in three groups. The tudinal edge of the bass bar 24 and the back 36 to trans cavities in each group have a conical cross-section and mit string vibrations from the bridge 20 to both the belly face the back of the instrument. The first group extends 16 and the back 22 of the instrument. from one end of the bass bar toward its mid-section, the The relatively novel configuration of the preferred bass cavities in the second group extend through the mid 60 bar 24 provides a better quality of tone, and longer tone section and the cavities in the third group extend from the vibrations than conventional bass bars and eliminates Second group to the opposite end of the bar. The cavities tuning which is customarily necessary after the initial in the first and third groups have a common size which is tuning. The many tiny holes, or cavities, along the inner Smaller than the cavities in the midsection of the bar. edge of the preferred bass bar multiply the fine tones of In addition to resisting the force caused by the tension 65 the instrument and give it great power, loudness, or a soft of the strings on the bridge to prevent cracking of the pianissimo tone. They make the instrument very sensitive belly, the preferred bass bar obviates tuning the instru and improve the resonance of the belly of the instrument ment after it has been initially tuned. The small holes or With respect to the resonance of the strings. The bar also cavities multiply the finer tones of the instrument so prevents the belly top from cracking. that it has improved tonal properties with respect to 70 Although I have described but one embodiment of my violins employing conventionally shaped bass bars. invention it is to be understood that various changes and 3,487,740 3 4 . revisions can be made therein without departing from the 4. The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein the spirit of the invention. cavities in the second group.are larger in size than the cavi I claim: ties in the first and third groups. 1. In a stringed instrument having a sound box with a 5. The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein the belly and a back, the combination comprising: first and third groups of cavities have an unequal number (a) a bridge mounted on the outer surface of the belly; of cavities. (b) a plurality of strings over said belly with sections 6. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein each intermediate each of their ends supported by the of said cavities has a conical cross-section and they are bridge in spaced relationship with the outer surface arranged in three groups formed in a continuous series be of the belly; and () tween opposite longitudinal ends of the bass bar, includ (c) an elongated bass bar mounted on the inner sur ing a first group of similarly shaped cavities, extending face of the belly parallel to said strings, said bass bar from one end of the bass bar toward its mid-section, a having a plurality of cavities aranged along its inner second group of similarly-shaped cavities extending from longitudinal edge, each of said cavities facing the the first group and through the mid-section of the bar, back of the sound box. and a third group of cavities extending from the second 2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein each group toward the opposite end of the bar, the cavities in of said cavities has a conical cross-section. the first and third groups having a similar size, smaller 3. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said than the cavities in the second group, and the first group cavities are arranged in three groups disposed in a con having a different number of cavities with respect to the tinuous series between the opposite longitudinal ends of 20 Second group. the bass bar, including a first group extending from one References Cited end toward the mid-section of the bass bar, a second group extending from the first group and through the FOREIGN PATENTS mid-section of the bass bar, and a third group extending 97,262 1924 Austria. from the second group to the opposite end of the bar, the cavities in the first and third groups being of one size and RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner the cavities in the second group of another size. JOHN F. GONZALES, Assistant Examiner