US 201701 10097A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2017/0110097 A1 Sperr (43) Pub. Date: Apr. 20, 2017 (54) GUITAR CONVERSION SYSTEMAND (57) ABSTRACT METHOD Aguitar conversion system for the assembly of a guitar in an easy quick manner, from conventional guitar designs to (71) Applicant: Eric Sperr, South Plainfield, NJ (US) hybrid guitars. The guitar conversion system includes at least one main body portion and at least one side body (72) Inventor: Eric Sperr, South Plainfield, NJ (US) portion. Preferably a pair of side body portions is provided. The main body portion includes a headstock, machine heads (or pegheads, or tuners), a neck, and pickups in communi (21) Appl. No.: 13/844,781 cation with electronic controls located on the side body portion. The main body portion includes left and right edge walls having attachment means for releasably attaching at (22) Filed: Mar. 15, 2013 least one other main body portion or at least one side body portion to the main body. The side body portion includes at least one electrical control integrated therein for electronic Publication Classification communication with the main body portion. The side body portion comprising a top side wall and at least one side (51) Int. Cl. attachment portion that is adapted to mate with the attach GIOD L/08 (2006.01) ment means of the main body portion. The guitar conversion GIOH 3/8 (2006.01) system provides the ability to interchange the body portion (52) U.S. Cl. and/or each of the side body portions to change any resultant CPC ............... G10D I/085 (2013.01); G10H 3/18 guitar thereof ranging from conventional constructs to (2013.01) hybrid constructs. SOb 25b 50a 2O 22 61 25b Patent Application Publication Apr. 20, 2017. 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Sheet 7 of 9 US 2017/0110.097 A1 Figure 7 -> (neck plate used as template) 4' 17/64' hole Route front only Dril 13/64” hole Tap W, X 20 NC 3/8” exposed Patent Application Publication Apr. 20, 2017. Sheet 8 of 9 US 2017/0110.097 A1 Figure 8 810 Signal from vol. jack 6 %' 2.-- wire 9' %' extend out from pipe Patent Application Publication Apr. 20, 2017. Sheet 9 of 9 US 2017/0110.097 A1 Figure 9 rOute US 2017/01 10097 A1 Apr. 20, 2017 GUITAR CONVERSION SYSTEMAND 0008 Another problem with current guitars is that of METHOD transportability and storage. Many musicians and consumers spend a great deal of money on transportation of instrument BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION and, specifically guitars. 0009 Various guitar constructs have been provided that 0001 1. Field of the Invention provide the ability to fold or otherwise collapse or disas 0002 The present invention relates to a guitar conversion semble guitars. These constructs are generally associated system and method, and more particularly to a guitar that with the purpose of making the instrument more compact for can be readily assembled and disassembled. travel and/or storage. Typically, the assembly includes a 0003 2. Description of the Prior Art guitar body with a neck that can be removed from the body 0004. The guitar is one of the most popular instruments to make the instrument more compact. Other assemblies utilized in the music industry, covering a vast array of music. provide a neck that is pivotally connected to a guitar body In genres including blues, bluegrass, country, flamenco, so that the neck can be rotated downward or folded over the folk, jazz, jota, mariachi, metal, punk, reggae, rock, Soul, guitar body to create a compact manner for storage and or and many forms of pop, guitars are considered a primary travel. These attempts have had limited Success and are instrument. Guitars can be divided into two broad catego costly while posing risks to vigor of the instrument as the ries, acoustic and electric. There are three main types of instrument is frequently taken reassembled with String re modern acoustic guitars, the classical guitar (nylon-string assemblage requiring re-tuning of the instrument each time. guitar), the steel-string acoustic guitar, and the arch top What is more, many of the assemblies include costly mate guitar. Vibration of strings produces the tone of an acoustic rials and complex joints or string placement issues making guitar, amplified by the body of the guitar, acting as a them impractical. resonating chamber. Another type of guitar is the electric 0010. There remains a need in the art for a guitar system guitar. Electric guitars utilize an amplifier adapted to elec and method that provides the ability to interchange guitar tronically manipulate tone. Electric guitars have had a bodies with minimal manipulation of the instrument. Fur continuing profound influence on popular culture. ther, there exists a need in the art to provide the ability to 0005 Electric guitar bodies can be constructed having construct a hybrid guitar, and deconstruct that same hybrid, solid, semi-hollow, or hollow bodies. Conventional electric in an easy manner so that a user has the ability to change the guitar bodies are constructed of solid wood. Without the use look and feel and Sound of the instrument. Lastly, there is a of an amplifier, electric guitars produce little sound. Elec need in the art for a guitar conversion system and method tromagnetic pickups convert vibration of the steel strings that provides for easy compact transport of the instrument. into signals. Signals are then fed to an amplifier through a cable or radio transmitter. Sound is frequently modified by SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION other electronic devices or the natural distortion of valves 0011. The following presents a simplified summary of (vacuum tubes) in the amplifier. Magnetic pickups, passive some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a or active, include two main types, single- and double-coil basic understanding of the invention. This Summary is not an (humbucker). Electric guitars utilize techniques less fre extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to quently used on acoustic guitars owing to the electric guitars identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate having lower fretboard action (the height of the strings from the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some the fingerboard), lighter (thinner) strings, and its electrical embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a amplification. Such techniques include tapping, extensive prelude to the more detailed description that is presented legato use through pull-offs and hammer-ons (also known as later. slurs), pinch harmonics, Volume Swells, and use of a tremolo 0012. The present invention is intended to overcome at arm or effects pedals. Hybrids of acoustic and electric least the above-described disadvantages. The objects and guitars, including varieties of guitars with two, three, or advantages of the present invention, more specifically, are to rarely four necks, have been provided with all manners of provide a guitar conversion system and method that provides alternate String arrangements. the ability to instantly modify or change the look, style, feel, 0006 Guitars can be a costly purchase for musicians and and music or tune of a guitar or other chord instrument hobbyists, and many guitar enthusiasts are confronted with having a like construct. Further advantages of the present the cost. Bodies of electric guitars come in an array of invention are to provide the further ability to pack and store designs, colors, shapes and sizes. Hybrid guitars and the like the instrument in a convenient manner for carrying and have become increasingly popular for musicians, however traveling. Another advantage of the present invention is to due to the specialty and custom nature of these guitars they provide the ability to not only change the look and feel of a can be quite costly and represent a Substantial investment. guitar, but also to provide the ability to create a ready 0007 Costs can immediately be prohibitive when dealing assembles guitar hybrid in a lower cost manner. with hybrid instruments or custom made guitar instruments. 0013 Facilitating the above-mentioned objectives, the Expending large Sums of money for a custom or hybrid Subject invention is directed to a guitar conversion system guitar may not be feasible or practical for many musicians and method that can be readily assembled and disassembled or consumers for many reasons, including cost consider to provide a variety of different guitar constructs and designs ations as well as change in tastes. Specifically, ones tastes with minimal reconstruction. The Subject guitar conversion can change over time so that what was once considered a system provides for the assembly of a guitar from conven “hot” custom guitar style or design may become “dated just tional to a hybrid constructs with minimal construction to a short time later.