Abstract: A device for use in tuning a string of a musical instrument includes a pinion gear which is connected with a rotatable shaft. A worm gear is rotated to effect rotation of the pinion gear and shaft about a central axis of the shaft. A sleeve encloses a portion of the shaft and is rotatable relative to the shaft. The sleeve includes string holes which are alignable with string holes in the shaft. The shaft has recesses formed at end portions of the string holes in the shaft. The sleeve extends across and encloses the recesses formed in the shaft. The sleeve and shaft are relatively rotatable from a first spatial relationship in which the string holes in the sleeve are aligned with the string hole in the shaft and a second spatial relationship in which the string holes in the sleeve are offset from the string hole in the shaft. Knurling is provided on the outside of the sleeve.

Abstract: A string support assembly for use with a musical instrument includes a base member which is connected with the musical instrument adjacent to a connection between head and neck portions of the musical instrument. A plurality of pairs of string support members are connected with the base member. Each of the string support members includes a string positioning section having an arcuate outer side surfaces which engages one of the strings. A blocking section extends from the string positioning section to block movement of the string from between the string support members.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in tuning a string of a musical instrument includes a shaft which extends from a pinion gear. A sleeve is fixedly connected to the shaft and encloses an end portion of the shaft. The sleeve has an end portion which receives a string of a musical instrument. The shaft may be integrally formed as one piece with the pinion gear. A force transmitting member may be provided between an end portion of the sleeve and a housing. A retainer portion of the sleeve may extend into a recess in the shaft. A grommet may extend around the sleeve to retain the sleeve against transverse movement.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in tuning a string of a musical instrument includes a shaft which extends from a pinion gear. A sleeve is fixedly connected to the shaft and encloses an end portion of the shaft. The sleeve has an end portion which receives a string of a musical instrument. The shaft may be integrally formed as one piece with the pinion gear. A force transmitting member may be provided between an end portion of the sleeve and a housing. A retainer portion of the sleeve may extend into a recess in the shaft. A grommet may extend around the sleeve to retain the sleeve against transverse movement.

Abstract: A device for tuning a string of a musical instrument includes a pinion which is connected with a string post and a worm which is disposed in meshing engagement with the pinion. An annular groove may extend around the string post. A slot may extend inward from an end of the string post. A string passage includes a central passage which extends only part way through the string post and has an end surface area disposed in the string post at a location adjacent to a bottom surface of the slot. A transverse passage extends only part way through the string post and intersects the central passage. The transverse passage has an opening in the annular groove. The bottom of the slot in the string post may be skewed at an acute angle relative to a central axis of the string post.

Abstract: An improved musical instrument includes a plurality of strings which are connected string posts of tuning devices on a head portion of the musical instrument. The string posts of the tuning devices are disposed in a linear array on the head portion of the musical instrument. A linear edge of the head portion extends parallel to a plane containing the central axes of the string posts in the linear array. In addition, the head portion has a nonlinear edge with arcuate recesses. Actuators for some of the tuning devices are movable in the recesses along the nonlinear edge during manual rotation of the actuators. Actuators for some of the tuning devices are disposed along the linear edge. At least some of the actuators along the nonlinear edge are longer than actuators along the linear edge.

Abstract: A musical instrument has a plurality of strings connected with string posts having central axes disposed in a single plane which extends perpendicular to opposite sides of a head portion of the musical instrument. A string tuning device is connected with each of the strings. The string tuning device is operable to tension the string of a musical instrument to obtain a predetermined initial tension or pitch. A plurality of detuning actuators are provided in association with the tuning devices. The detuning actuators are manually operable to change the tension in a string of the musical instrument from the initial tension by a predetermined amount. Each of the tuning devices includes a worm which is disposed in meshing engagement with a pinion connected with a string post. The detuning actuator is connected with one end of the worm by a coupling which allows the worm to be rotated relative to the detuning actuator during the obtaining of the predetermined tension in the string.

Abstract: An improved musical instrument includes a plurality of strings which are connected string posts of tuning devices on a head portion of the musical instrument. The string posts of the tuning devices are disposed in a linear array on the head portion of the musical instrument. A linear edge of the head portion extends parallel to a plane containing the central axes of the string posts in the linear array. In addition, the head portion has a nonlinear edge with arcuate recesses. Actuators for some of the tuning devices are movable in the recesses along the nonlinear edge during manual rotation of the actuators. Actuators for some of the tuning devices are disposed along the linear edge. At least some of the actuators along the nonlinear edge are longer than actuators along the linear edge.

Abstract: An improved tuning device includes a housing which a least partially encloses a worm, pinion gear and shaft or string post. The housing includes a main member which encloses the worm and an extension member which is formed separately from the main housing member and encloses the shaft. The extension housing member has a head end portion which is disposed in the main housing member and a shank portion which extends outward from the head end portion. The shank portion of the extension housing member is indented to engage a groove in the shaft. When the tuning device is to be assembled, the extension housing member is deformed into engagement with the groove in the shaft and is then connected with the main housing member. When the extension housing member is to be connected with the main housing member, the extension housing member, shaft and pinion are inserted through an opening in an outer side of the main housing member and then through an opening in an inner side of the main housing member.

Abstract: A string support assembly for a musical instrument includes a base member and a pair of string support members which cooperate to support a string. The string support members have cylindrical shank sections which are received in openings in a base member. Head sections are connected to the shank sections. The head sections have arcuate side surfaces which engage the string. In one embodiment of the invention, the arcuate side surfaces on the head sections are conical. In another embodiment of the invention, the arcuate side surfaces on the head sections are hemispherical. The base member may be machined from a block of metal or formed from sheet metal.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument of the guitar type has a plurality of strings which extend from tuning devices on a head portion, along a neck portion, to a body portion of the instrument. A string support includes a base which extends beneath the strings. A plurality of spheres have lower segments which are disposed in apertures in the base. The base is positioned in a groove with centers of curvature of the spheres in a plane which contains a flat front side surface of the groove. Positioning members engage the bottom of the groove to locate the base relative to the groove. The base can be resiliently deflected to have a curvature which is the same as the curvature of an upper side surface of the neck portion of the guitar. To facilitate deflection of the base, slots are formed part way through the base. To enable the position of the base to be adjusted relative to the groove when the base is in the groove, the positioning members are accessible from an upper side of the base.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument of the guitar type has a plurality of strings which extend from tuning devices on a head portion, along a neck portion, to a body portion of the instrument. A plurality of string supports are mounted adjacent to a connection between the head and neck portions. Each of the string supports includes a pair of spheres which are held in engagement with each other. One of the strings presses against each pair of the spheres to position the string relative to the head and neck portions of the instrument. In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of string support assemblies are mounted on a metal base disposed on the musical instrument. In another embodiment of the invention, the string support assemblies are mounted in spaced apart openings formed in the material of the musical instrument.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument of the guitar type has a plurality of strings which extend from tuning devices on a head portion, along a neck portion, to a body portion of the instrument. A plurality of string support assemblies are mounted in the material of the musical instrument adjacent to a connection between the head and neck portions of the instrument. Each of the string support assemblies includes a pair of spheres which are held in engagement with each other. One of the strings presses against a pair of spheres to position the string relative to the head and neck portions of the instrument. In one embodiment of the invention, the spheres have different diameters. In this embodiment of the invention, the string bends around the larger one of the two spheres. The spheres, whether of the same diameter or of different diameters, are disposed in a recess which extends part way through the string support. An end of the recess is blocked by material which is received in the recess.