US520651A - Guitar-zither - Google Patents

Description

2 sheets-sheet 1.

(No Model.)

I'. MENZENHAUER. GUITAR ZITHER.

No. 52o,651. Patented May 29, 1894.

TTHNEYS.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. MENZENHAUER. GUITAR ZITHER.

No. 520,651. Patented May 29, 1894.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED MENZENHAUER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

GUlTAR-ZITH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,651, dated May 29, 1894.

Application filed April 20, 1893. Serial No.4'71,147. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Referring to the drawings, A represents Be it known that I, FRED MENZENHAUER, the sounding-board of my improved musical a citizen of the United States, residing in instrument, to which I have given the name Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and of guitar-Zither, because it partakes to some 55 5 State of New Jersey, have invented certain extent of the character of both the guitar new and useful Improvements in Guitar-Zithand Zither. The general shape ofthe sounders, of which the following is a specification. ing-board and its supporting-frame is like This invention has reference to an imthat of a harp. An open scale of strings is proved musical instrument, which combines arranged at the right hand side of the in- 6o I to some extent the advantages of a guitar strument, while a number of strings C are and a Zither, and which can be played with arranged according to a number of chords, great facility `without special knowledge of in groups of four at the left hand side of the the ordinary notation of music, the accorninstrument. The strings of each chord are paniment being played in the nature of a tuned so as to be in harmony with the cor- 65 I guitar while the tune is played on an open responding strings C of the open scale. The

scale of strings. Y different groups of strings C furnish the ac- The invention consists of a Zither-like incompaniment for the strings of the open strument, in which an open scale of strings Scale and produce by vibrating of any one n are arranged, and a number of strings argroupafull and harmonious accompaniment 7o 2o ranged in groups so as to produce the correto the strings of the open scale. The chordsponding chords for the strings of the open strings C are arranged as stated, in groups, scale. At the front end of the instrument there being four strings c b c d in each group, is arranged a rest-board for the hands while of which the string d is the leading string or across the strings extends an inclined delowest in tone ot each group. The several 7'5 tachable bracket on which the numbers of strings CZ are all located in the same plane the strings of the open scale and the numabove the sounding-board and the strings c bers of the groups of strings playing the b a of each group are arranged one slightly chords corresponding to the same are placed. lower than the one preceding it, as shown in A music-rack is ,attached to the inclined Fig. 5, the bridge e being provided with tri- 8o 3o bracket for supporting the music of the inangular recesses e for receiving said strings strnment. and with straight portions c2 for the lead- The invention further consists of the aring strings. Above the bridge e at the front rangement in connection with the sounding end ot' the sounding-board is arranged a l board of the instrument, of a separate tunrest board D which extends transversely 85 ing string and a fret-board below the same, over the ends of the strings, so that it does said fret-board being provided with frets, on not touch the strings. The rest-board D which the tuning string is pressed, so as to serves to support the hands while in the act give thereby the different tones to which the of vibrating the strings. The thumb of the strings of the open scale are to be tuned, right hand sounds the strings of the open 9o 4o whereby the timing of said strings is greatly scale, while the fingers of the left-hand vifacilitated. brate the chord-string. A detachable bracket In the accompanying drawings, Figure l F with an inclined face is attached by means representsa perspective view of myimproved of dowels into mortises or socket-holes of guitar-Zither. Fig. 2 is a top view of the the sounding-frame, said bracket extending 95 same, drawn on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a transversely across the strings and being provertical transverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 2. vided with the numbers of the strings of the Fig. 4 is a top View of the same on a larger open scale and with the numbers of the groups scale the rest-board being omitted, and Fig. composing the different chords, the numbers 5 is a front end view of the same. of the chords corresponding to the strings of roo 5o Similailetters of reference indicate correthe open scale being placed above the same sponding parts, so as to readily indicate thereby what corre sponding chord is to be sounded in connec tion with any one ot' the strings of the open scale. Besides the number representing the value of the string, the pitch of the string may be indicated on the bracket F. The bracket also forms a support for the musicrack F which is preferably bent of wire and inserted detachably into socket-holes of the brackets. The lower ends of the miisic-sheets rest against the projecting portion of the bracket F. The pieces of music are not printed in the ordinary musical notation, but are printed so as to indicate the number of the string of the open scale, and the number of the corresponding chord, and are produced simply by printing the numbers ot the chords above the corresponding strings C. In this manner the art of playing on this musical instrument can be soon acquired with comparatively little practice and without study of the ordinary musical notation.

At the point where the strings of the open scale and the strings of the chords meet, is interposed an independent string S which serves as a so-called tuning string. This string extends over a fret-board G which is located on the sounding-board and provided with frets gfor theleading strings of the open scale. By pressing the timing-strings with the fingers on the different frets of the fretboard G and then vibrating the corresponding string C, a sound is produced which corresponds to the sound of the corresponding string C, so that the latter when out of tune can be readily retuned by means of the timing-string in connection with the tune fretboard. This is an important accessory to my improved musical instrument, as thereby the tuningof the leading strings ofthe open scale, which always is a difficult thing for an inexperienced player, is rendered comparatively easy, so that the instrument can be kept properly tuned. The strings of the chords are tuned in harmony with theleading strings of the open scale, so that the music played on the instrument is of a pleasant character and devoid to some extent of the harshness of the sound of the Zither, while possessing the soft full tone of the guitar.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A musical instrument or guitar-Zither, provided with an open scale of leading-strings at one side of the sounding-board, and a number of groups of strings arranged at the other side of the sounding-board, the strings of each group being tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords for the leading strings, and each group being composed of a bassstring and additional strings tuned in a harmonic chord with the bass-string, siibstantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the soundingboard of a musical instrument or guitar- Zither, of an open scale of strings, and groups of strings for playing chords in harmony with the string of the open scale, each group being formed of a leading string and th'i'ee chord-strings, all the leading strings being arranged in one plane while the chord-strings of each group are arranged successively below the preceding string, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the soundingboard of a musical instrument or guitarzitlier, having a bridge with straight portions and inclined recesses, and groups of strings for playing chords, the leading strings being stretched over the straight portions, and the chord-strings on the inclined portions ot' the recesses, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the soundingboard of a musical instrument or guitar- Zither, and a rest-boai'd above the front end of the same, an open scale of strings arranged at one side of the sounding-board and a number of groups ot strings for playing chords corresponding to the several strings, of the open scale, substantially as set forth. u

5. The combination, with a musical instrument or guitar-Zither having an open scale of strings and a number of groups of strings for playing chords corresponding to thestrings of the open scale, of a bracket extending across the strings and provided with characters indicating the numbers of the strings and chords so as to indicate the chords to be played with the strings of the open scale, substantially as set forth. v

6. The combination, with a musical instrument having an open scale of strings at one side and a number of groups of strings for playing chords corresponding to the strings of the open scale, a transverse bracket extending bridge-like across all the strings, and a music-rack attached to said bracket, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a musical instrument having an open scale of strings and a number of corresponding groups of strings for playing chords, a tuning-string interposed between the strings of the open scale, and groups of chord strings and a fret-board below said tuning-string, so as to produce different tones corresponding to the leading strings of the open scale and permit thereby the easy tuning of the latter, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRED MENZENHAUER.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, H. WILLARD GRiFiriiris.

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