- Rockin’ Patent®: US Patent No. 7,968,778
- Filed: 6 April 2010
- In the name of: D’Addario & Company, Inc.
- Title: Tuner With Capo
- What’s claimed: “A combination capo and tuner, comprising: a capo connectable to the neck or headstock of a stringed instrument with sufficient contact to mechanically transmit a spectrum of mechanical vibrations commensurate with the acoustic vibration of a string; and a tuner mechanically integrated with the capo and including a sensor such that mechanical vibrations transmitted through the capo are received by the sensor, and a tuning display system coupled to the sensor that displays a tuning figure of merit commensurate with the acoustic vibration of the string wherein, the capo has a top jaw, spaced apart from a bottom jaw, and an actuator for selectively moving the jaws closer and farther apart, thereby securing the capo on and releasing the capo from the neck or headstock; at least one of the jaws is supported on a rigid shank; and the shank engages the tuner”.
- Why this patent rocks:
- The patent summarises the invention as follows: “The inventive concept is to provide the combination of a capo with attached tuner having a sensor that picks up vibrations through the capo. The capo and tuner are connected together as a unitary accessory that is attachable along the neck of the guitar, in the manner of a conventional capo, but with the significant advantage of automatic and continuous visibility of the tuner display while tuning at a particular capo position and while pausing between songs”.
- This patent appears to relate to the Planet Waves NS Dual-Action Capo Tuner (see e.g. here).
- Here’s a product demo video of the capo-tuner:
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