Folded Horn Acoustic Guitar U.S. Patent #10,777,172

Problem:

Why is an acoustic guitar not loud enough when played with other acoustic instruments? How can it be made louder based on the beautiful sound of a wood instrument, not just played through an amplifier?

Solution:

This invention is an acoustic guitar with two internal machined folded horns (waveguides) built into the guitar body, with speakers and electronics.

How does it work?

The Folded Horn Explained

Capturing the Acoustic Sound

Each left and right horn is five feet long. The acoustic sound is captured by a magnetic pickup under the strings, and a piezo pickup under the bridge saddle, above the guitar upper chamber. This combination is critical for great sound. A sound hole microphone is also an option.

Material

The material for the body is Hard (Rock) Maple. The neck is also Hard Maple, and the soundboard can be Sitka Spruce or Baltic Birch. The fingerboard is Rosewood. Keep in mind this guitar is made for great sound, the wood is not stained or varnished yet. Guitar #2 and #3 will have these fine details included.

Speakers (Drivers)

The sound is then sent to an amplifier (internal battery powered or external), which sends the signal to left and right full range speakers inside the guitar, which are mounted to the compression chamber at the start of each folded horn (inside the guitar lower chamber, to avoid feedback).

Folded Horns

Folded Horns have been used successfully in high end audio systems for many decades. Nobody figured out how to put them in acoustic guitars, until now. They provide very high efficiency, low distortion and wide dynamic range. They are a perfect way to increase the power in an acoustic guitar, and actually improve the beautiful tone.

Left and Right Folded Horn

The sound then travels through the throat of each five foot long folded horn, which increases in size as it reaches the mouth of each horn. The sound waves are concentrated throughout this shape (does not lose sound energy), and are also directed to left and right exits out the end of the guitar.

Holy Grail

The holy grail of acoustic guitars has always been guitars described as “Cannons” - guitars with great power, that still maintain the beautiful tone. This guitar carries on that tradition with 112 dB coming from the guitar itself, not an amp with degraded tone “over there”. This is by comparison, a Beautiful Battleship: Unbelievable power combined with even more beautiful tone. Rich bass, strong midrange and brilliant highs. Hearing it live is stunning.