ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 19 -- United States Patent no. 12,230,233, issued on Feb. 18, was assigned to Ciari Guitars Inc. (San Diego).
"Foldable stringed instrument" was invented by Jonathan Spangler (San Diego), James Lee (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Philip Simpson (Escondido, Calif.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A foldable stringed instrument having a neck and/or body that may assume a reduced profile by folding an upper neck portion away from the playing position through the use of a translating bridge assembly and a translating truss assembly, wherein the foldable stringed instrument is capable of housing or otherwise being coupled to any of a variety of electronics or electrical components (e.g....