Abstract: A tremolo bridge for an electric guitar has a fine tuning mechanism installed thereon. Fine tuning screw heads 43 have coplanar top surfaces 44 which do not rise or fall as tuning is effected. When actuated, heads 43 move screws 47 vertically to act on strings 29 through string securing levers 35. With this structure, the tuning heads form an essentially flat surface providing a seat or rest for the hand or forearm of the guitarist.

Abstract: A tremolo plate is pivotally mounted on the guitar body, and a plurality of a combination bridge saddles and lever systems are mounted on such plate, there being one such saddle-lever system for each string of the guitar. The combination systems include saddles adapted to be pivoted by set screws to change string height. They further include levers adapted to be adjusted by screws to effect fine tuning of the strings. The heads for the fine tuning screws are captured by ears. The pivot means for the tremolo plate have a pivot axis so related to the string saddles that the intonation points of the saddles may be adjusted between positions closer to the guitar neck than is such axis, and positions farther from the guitar neck than is such axis.

Abstract: The pivoted bridge and string securing assembly (26) of a stringed guitar is operated to produce a vibrato sound by means of a handle (96) that is both detachable and rotatably adjustable. A hollow bolt (66) is rotatably mounted to a bridging plate (30) of the bridge assembly and provided with a controllably adjustable frictional restraint (80) against rotation. The vibrato handle has a mounting leg (100) received within the bore of the hollow bolt, is keyed (78, 102) to the bolt for frictionally restrained rotation therewith, and is detachably latched to the bolt by a latching spring (106).

Abstract: A guitar neck incorporating truss rod apparatus, in which a bowed truss rod sufficiently strong and rigid to withstand large compressive and tensile stresses is inserted through an anchor affixed centrally of the neck. One end of the truss rod is clamped for prevention of rotational or axial movement. The other end of the truss rod is threaded into an elongated adjustment nut the inner end of which bears against a shoulder in the neck body, and the outer end of which bears against a stop block located below and concealed by the topnut of the neck. The stop block is apertured to permit entrance of a wrench to adjust the nut, and thus effect either compressive or tensile loading of the truss rod for flexing of the neck in either direction. The means for securing the anchor are concealed below one of the face dots present on the finger board of the guitar neck.

Abstract: An electric bass guitar incorporating combination string-adjustment, fine-tuning, and bridge-elements. The bridge-elements are accurately adjustable to any position, and are so constructed and related that the lateral positions of the strings will be determined with great precision, regardless of the adjusted position of the saddles. Fine-tuning screws are interposed between the saddles and an anchor wall which both anchors the strings and anchors the ends of adjustment elements for the saddles. The strings are confined closely in vertical slots so that they may not move laterally but may move vertically as fine-tuning occurs. The fine-tuning screws engage the string portions in the slots.

Abstract: To adjust the characteristic sounds produced by electric guitars and other musical instruments, the present apparatus and method provide for varying the resistive loading on the electromagnetic pickups of such instruments. This changes the shape of the peak of the resonance curve caused by the self-resonance of the electromagnetic pickup. A predetermined fixed resistance is maintained in the circuit at all times, such that when a control element is at a certain known position, the output curve from the pickup will be substantially flat and, furthermore, the apparent volume generated by the instrument will not be reduced substantially. To change volume, a volume-control potentiometer is provided. In the preferred form, a single control element not only adjusts the characteristic sounds produced by electric guitars or other musical instruments having electromagnetic pickups, but also provides roll-off of higher frequencies at some desired region within the audio spectrum.