(No Model.). 0, H. GIBSON, MANDOLIN, No. 598,245, Patented Feb, l 1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORVILLE II. GIBSON, OF KALAMAZOO, MICIIIGAN. MANDON SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,245, dated February 1, 1898. Application filed Mayll, 1895, Serial No, 548,931 (No model.) Zo al tvhon, it Inva concerºn, carved out of a single piece of Wood integral Beit known that I, ORVILLE H. GIBSON, a with each otherina mannertoleave the layer citizen of the United States, residing at the grains of the wood in the same position they 55 city of Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalama occupied in the natural growth, thus being Zoo and State of Michigan, have invented a contrasted with rinns bent Or veneered or certain new and useful Improved Mandolin, made separate from the neck and head. Thus of Which the following is a specification. made the entire integral structure hasa deli This invention relates to that class of cate resonance which is contributed to by stringed instruments known as“mandolins,º each of these integral parts in a manner that C) “guitars, º “mandolas, º and “ºlutes;º and it could not transpire if the parts were sepa specifically relates to the construction of the rately made and attached together or if this body, neck, and head Of Such instruments to part of the mandolin Was bent out of Strips gain the advantages set forth below. of Wood in a manner to interrupt the grain Heretofore mandolins andlike instruments layers, as stated. The rim, neck, and head have been constructed of too many separate thus made have a sort of common relation partsbent or carved and glued or veneered With each Other in their mutual contributions and provided with internal braces, bridges, to the peculiar tone of the instrument. The and splices to that eXtent that they have not frontboard or sounding-board Aandback A possessed that degree of sensitive resonance are also carved, notbent, from separate pieces and vibratory action necessary to produce the of Wood in a manner SO as not to disturb the power and quality of tone and melodyfound regular grain layers of the Wood in its natu in the use of the instrument below described. ral growth, as in the described. construction The object of this invention is to correct of theintegral rim, neck, and head. The idea 75 these objections and attain the results above is to dress these boards so their resonance 25 set forth, and I have attained that degree of and vibratory qualities Will at least be in ac success with continued experiments and man cord with those of the integral rim, neck, and ufacture that every portion of the Woody head, While at the Same time they cannot be structure seems to be alive with emphatic Said to beas Strictly in commonas they Would Sound at every touch of the instrument-a be Were it possible to make the rim, neck, character and quality of sound entirely new and head and the sounding-board and the to this class ofmusicalinstruments, and which backboard all'integral, but Ihave arrived as cannot be imparted to othersby a description nearly to this as is practical in the manufac in Words. . ture of the instrument. A construction embodying my invention is The front board or sounding-board and the 35 belOW described in detail. backboard are carved in a Somewhat conveX In the drawingsforminga partofthis speci form to give them proper stiffness andare fication, Figure I is a plan view of the instru preferably the thickest at and near the cen ment complete; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section ter. They are attached to the rimby gluimg 9o online 2 2 in Fig. 1, looking from a point be and forman upper and lovver closure to the low and showing the head of the instrument hollow body of the instrument. It will be broken away; Fig. 3, a section onlines 3 3 in observed that with the parts thus constructed Figs. 1 and 2, looking from a point at the and put together no braces, splices, blocks, right; and Fig. 4: is a broken detail from Fig. orbridgesare necessary in the interior of the 95 1, showing a portion of the rim. body of the instrument, Which, if employed, 45 Referring to the parts of the drawings Would rob the instrument of much of its pointed out-by letters, A is the front board volume of tone and the peculiar excellency or sounding-board, upon which rests the or thereof. dinary bridge D, which supports the strings. Another feature of the instrument which CC The back is shown at A', the neck at B, the contributes to its described qualities is the head at E", and the rim at B, This rim Bis forming of the hollowed-out portion E of the ofsuitable width, somewhat circular in form, neck B beneath the finger-board C, so that it and it and the neck Band the head Fare all communicates directly With the hollow inte

2 598,245 rior of the body, asseen in Fig. 2, thus vir 2. A musical stringed instrument, compris tually extending the hollowair-space into the ingarim, neckandhead, all formed integrally neck of the instrument, which increases its by being carved from a piece of Wood so as resonant and vibratory qualities. not to disturb the regular grain layers as 35 The rim is thickened up where it joins the grown, a front board and back board each neckat Hand also at the point where the tail carved from a piece of Wood so as notto dis piece is placed, to which one end of the strings turb the regular grain layers as grown, the are attached in the ordinary manner at I, neckhaving a hollowportion communicating Fig. 4. Thus the entire instrument, aside directly with the hollow interior of the body O from the finger-board, strings, bridge beneath of the instrument, said hollow interior of the them, and the tailpiece, is composed of only body being free from braces, splices, blocks three parts peculiarly constructed and hav and bridges, and the ordinary finger-board, ing the desired quality of vibratory and reso strings and bridge beneath them, substan nant characteristics. tially as set forth. 45 Just the degree and the graduation of the 3. In a musical stringed instrument, a rim, thickness of parts comesto an expertalmost neck, and head, all'integrally formed from a intuitivelyby long practice and cannot be single piece of Wood so as not to disturbor communicated to another in words. change the regular position of the grain lay Having thus described my invention, what ers as grown, said neckhaving a hollowpor I claimas new, and desire tosecure by Letters tion directly communicating with the hollow Patent of the United States, is interior of the body of the instrument be I. A musical stringed instrument, compris neath the finger-board, substantially as set ing a front board, a back board, the ordinary forth. finger-board, strings and bridge beneath, and In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 55 25 anintegrally-formed neck and rim carved hand and seal in the presence of two wit from a piece of wood soas not to disturb the eSSeS. regular grain layers as grown, the neckhav ingahollowed-out portion beneath the finger ORVILLE H. GIBSON. L. s. board communicating directly with the hol VVitnesses: low interior of the body of the instrument, MARIAN I. LONG YEAR, substantially as set forth. VVALTER S. VVOOD.