1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of electric guitars of the Spanish type, as distinguished from Hawaiian or steel guitars.
2. Description of Prior Art
It has long been conventional, in electric Spanish guitars, to stretch the strings over a bridge on the body of the guitar and over a nut located at the junction between the fingerboard and the head. Thus, the long operative or "working" portions of the strings are defined between the bridge and the nut. After passing over the nut, in notches or narrow grooves therein, the strings connect to tuning screws located on the head.
At least relative to two of the strings on one major type of electric Spanish guitar, there are "string guides" on the head, beneath which such strings pass after bending over the nut. The string guides are actually hold-down elements to make sure that the strings do not become even momentarily disengaged from the nut when the amplitudes of vibration are great.
The increasing of the dwell time of a vibrating guitar string is a major goal of guitar designers, since musicians want the sound produced by each plucking action to continue for a substantial time period. Stated conversely, it is desired that the decay rate (decrease in amplitude of vibration) be low. Prior-art attempts to increase dwell (or "sustain") and reduce decay have been unsuccessful to date, particularly because in Spanish guitars (as distinguished from conventional Hawaiian guitars), the thin, long wooden necks tend to vibrate (resonate) in response to string vibration and this represents lost mechanical energy which reduces dwell. For the same pitch, in the open-string condition, the string of a Spanish guitar is conventionally smaller in diameter--and under less tension--than is the string of a Hawaiian guitar.
It is possible to increase dwell substantially, even in Spanish guitars, by using heavy string-anchoring elements, unsightly elements, complex and expensive elements, etc. However, in no case known to applicant has the dwell been increased markedly by a simple, inexpensive, light, good-looking element which need have no movable parts. The present invention does achieve this long-desired result and, furthermore, achieves the advantage of making it possible to eliminate the above-indicated string guides with attendant cost saving.