Here are some of my favorite patents.
2,087,106 Guy Hart/ Walt Fuller designed the EH-150 pickup for Gibson. Also called The Charlie Christian Pickup by many players and collectors.
2,089,171 George D. Beauchamp designed the horseshoe pickup for the Rickenbacker Frying Pan.
2,455,046 H. DeArmond designed a floating pickup commonly used in Jazz Guitars.
2,567,570 T. M. McCarty got the patent for Gibson for a pickguard with a pickup.
2,573,254 C. L. Fender designed the bridge unit as used on the Broadcaster, No-Caster, Telecaster and Esquire.
2,714,326 T. M. McCarty got the patent for the stud tail piece used on Gibson Les Paul guitars.
2,737,842 L. W. Polfuss (Les Paul) designed the tail piece for the Gibson Les Paul guitar.
2,740,313 T. M. McCarty got the patent for the Gibson Tune-A-Matic bridge.
2,741,146 C. L. Fender designed the tremolo unit for the Fender Stratocaster.
2,896,491 S. E. Lover designed the humbucking pickup for Gibson Guitars. Even though the patent for the humbucker was granted on July 28, 1959, Gibson used the number 2,737,842 on the decal and number stamp on the bottom of their humbuckers. The number is a tailpiece design by Les Paul and used on the early Les Paul guitars. Seth told me it was done to keep other competitors from looking at the design and patent claims.