The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 16, 1991
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1989
Jerrold S Tiers, St. Louis, MO (US);
Thomas E Kieffer, St. Louis, MO (US);
St. Louis Music, Inc., St. Louis, MO (US);
Abstract
A preamplifier for audio frequecy electrical signals generated by a musical instrument such a guitar having distortion characteristics simulating those of a vacuum tube amplifier. A solid state amplifier has an input for receiving electrical signals generated by the musical instrument and has an output for providing an output signal. Circuitry asymmetrically clips the output signal to provide as the output signal a nonlinear asymmetrically clipped signal having harmonic content which varies as a function of the amplitude and duration of the received electrical signals. The clipped signal has musically desirable harmonic overtones and produces different tonal responses simulating the characteristics of an overdriven vacuum tube amplifier.