Abstract: Bamboo fibers uniformly extend in the longitudinal direction of a bamboo stem so as to impart good acoustic properties to bamboo plates formed from bamboo strips, and the bamboo plates are available for a component parts of a body and a neck both forming part of an acoustic guitar, because the bamboo is easily economically obtainable.

Abstract: A clam housed mechanical music box for stuffed toys and other amusement devices having two identical frame halves containing and supporting all of the components of the music box. The music box has cylinders which drive music rollers equipped with lifting cams. The lifting cams actuate spring pins to produce the notes of a tune. The drive mechanism for the cylinders is provided by at least one spiral spring attached at one end to a core attached to the central axis and at the other to the cylinder. The drive mechanism also includes a speed regulating mechanism to maintain a steady music tempo throughout the tune, a winding shaft to wind the spring and external power supply shafts to supply power to objects external to the music box mechanism.

Abstract: A keyboard apparatus with at least one key having a rotation fulcrum and an exterior front end face on the opposite side of the rotation fulcrum in a performer side. The exterior front end face of the at least one key defines a front lower section. An extended section is provided at the front lower section of the at least one key that extends from the exterior front end face of the at least one key toward the performer side, and a mass member is attached to the extended section. The mass member therefore extends forwardly from the external front end face of the at least one key toward the performer side.

Abstract: A guitar neck is formed with a protruding trapezoidal heel which extends into a pocket formed at the neck end of the body. The tendency of the strings to bend the neck is counteracted by a truss rod assembly which is positioned in a contoured channel formed in the neck beneath the fingerboard. The assembly has a threaded stainless steel rod which extends through an aluminum U-channel, with one end extending beyond the U-channel beneath and adjacent the first fret of the fingerboard, where it is fixed to the U-channel, and the other end extending out of the U-channel adjacent the neck-body joint, where an adjustable hex nut is threaded on the rod which bears on a washer. Two cylindrical spacers are fixed to the rod within the U-channel at positions upward of the neck joint which serve to hold the rod in the center of the U-channel between the U-channel legs, and also spaced outwardly from the base of the U-channel to thereby cause the rod to bow away from the base into the contoured channel in the neck.

Abstract: An swinging stand structure for pedal operated cymbals with a swinging stand unit which includes a universal joint connected to a central draw bar, a reversed L-shape swing stand having its top end connected to the universal joint and its bottom end set up an opening, a rod stand having a set-up of an opening at its center portion, set up at the bottom of the base stand of the pedal cymbals, a connecting bar with an upper connecting block contained in the opening of the swinging stand and a lower connecting block contained in the opening of the rod stand, pivoted with respect to pivoting rods respectively, and a chain link having its top end connected to a horizontal block of the swinging stand and its bottom end connected to an end of the pedal.

Abstract: A stringed instrument skeletal frame system is provided with an interchangeable soundboard and an interchangeable neck assembly of such an instrument. The soundboard includes a longitudinal slot. The neck assembly includes a headstock, a fingerboard, a bridge unit, a plurality of strings, and a support frame. The headstock includes a plurality of tuning peg screws. The fingerboard is attached to or may be integrally molded with the neck assembly, and may include a fretted and a fretless portion.The skeletal frame system includes a fastening device for securing the neck assembly to the soundboard.

Abstract: A drum includes a drum shell, a drum head, a counter-hoop and a shell hoop. A drum skin extends over the open end of the drum shell and has a circumferential bead. The counter-hoop has a downwardly and outwardly extending flange which bears on the bead. The shell hoop has a rim which extends upwardly and outwardly. An adjustable clamp ring engages the flange of the counter-hoop and the rim of the shell hoop through correspondingly inclined portions. The clamp ring has a breach and a tightening mechanism so that when the clamp ring is tightened, the counter-hoop is forced downwards, thereby tightening the skin.

Abstract: An internal, acoustic enhancement device attached to a standard, conventional stringed musical instrument without causing damage thereto. The internal acoustic enhancement device includes two or four tensioned springs disposed in a V-shaped or X-shaped configuration removably attached to vibration blocks secured within the soundbox of the stringed musical instrument.

Abstract: Passive electronic damping apparatus for a step motor of the type having a number of phase windings, comprising: a respective transconductance amplifier coupled to each phase winding for producing a phase drive current in the winding in response to a position command; each transconductance amplifier exhibiting an output impedance characteristic; and a circuit for changing the amplifier output impedance to effect motor damping.

Abstract: A height adjustable pivot point carrying device for a floating point tremolo, comprising: a base plate with a plurality of cylindrical seat housings extending the base plate. Each cylindrical seat housing defines a throughgoing bore and is threaded at its distal end to receive a threaded cap. A plurality of point support posts comprising a post and a conical pointed portion angularly extending from the post are slidably mounted in the cylindrical seat housing to pivotably receive a pivotable string carriage of the floating point tremolo on the conical pointed portion. An adjustment screw mounted in a threaded blind bore of the post moves the point support posts with respect to the base plate to raise or lower a pivotable string carrying portion of the floating point tremolo adjusting the height of the strings in relation to external surface of the musical instrument.

Abstract: The invention is an ergonomically constructed string instrument which is achieved by rotating both the nut and the bridge about a longitudinal axis in the direction from which the player's hand approaches, to the degree which is predetermined to accommodate a particular player. The invention addresses the high incidence of overuse or repetitive strain injuries suffered by players due to extreme wrist flexion.

Abstract: A music teaching aid having a number of reference rings that are positioned so as to have independent rotatable movement on a base member. Depending on the shape of the base member, the reference rings are either substantially coaxial cylindrical sleeves or concentric rings. Each reference ring has an outside surface which is divided into segments each of which displays indicia representing a note of the chromatic scale and which is identifiable by a predetermined color coding system such that when segments of the reference rings are aligned in accordance with the predetermined color coding system, corresponding segments of each successive ring will represent the notes of a non-chromatic scale.

Abstract: The present invention is a drum rim protection device designed to protect the rim of bass drums from damage when being struck by a musician. The invention comprises of two members having an outer surface, openings in their inner surfaces, one opening being holes that receives threaded rod which joins the members, the other hole being an arcuate groove sized to receive and receiving a drum rim therein. The members are joined by a pair of threaded rods which are received in a turnbuckle. The groove in each member deepens from the inner surface towards the outer surface, terminating in a cut surface to which is glued a layer of cushioning material, preferably foam rubber.

Abstract: A strap assembly designed to support a musical instrument or other electrically powered device on a person and including a body having an elongated configuration including a hollow interior extending along at least a majority of the length of the body, wherein a plurality of electronic components are designed and structured to enhance, supplement and/or transmit the sound or other output from the supported instrument or device. The body includes a plurality of access openings disposed in aligned relation to at least some of the plurality of electronic components so as to provide access thereto by the person on which the support strap and instrument are mounted so as to facilitate operative manipulation of the components during operation of the supported instrument.

Abstract: An L-shaped cushion for use with a stringed instrument having a concave lower surface in a body portion when the instrument is in playing position, is formed by a base pad containing a concavo-convex member overlying resilient foam material interposed between the musical instrument and a user's thigh for supporting the mass thereof. The leg pad of the L-shaped cushion similarly includes mass distributing planar plates and foam material interposed between the user's torso and the body of the instrument when in playing position.

Abstract: A drum beating assembly includes a foot operated pedal having inertia weights carried to increase the drum striking force of the drum beater operatively driven by the pedal.

Abstract: Presented is an elongated tubular drumstick incorporating an adjustable weight system mounted within the hollow interior of the drumstick and incorporating an elongated threaded spindle that extends nearly the entire length of the drumstick. Adjustably mounted on the threaded spindle are one or more weights. The weight or weights are locked in position between a pair of nuts threaded onto the spindle. A damper member is provided mounted on the distal end of the spindle at the tip-end of the hollow drumstick, and a plurality of annular ring absorbers or silencers are spaced along the length of the threaded spindle to retain the threaded spindle axially aligned within the hollow drumstick. A retainer plug and cushion member is mounted on the proximal end of the threaded spindle and is press-fitted into the open butt end of the drumstick to removably retain the adjustable weight assembly or system within the drumstick.

Abstract: The bracket assembly is a device for mounting accessories such as blocks or bells to drums. The assembly is secured to a drum rim by two plates that clamp on the rim. The assembly has a variety of fastening arrangements such that the assembly provides for accessory height adjustment as well as accommodating accessory mounting aperture location variations for accessories mounted on to the bracket assembly.

Abstract: A collapsible acoustic guitar has a body divided into upper and lower halves, a detachable neck and a detachable string assembly consisting of headstock with tuning pegs, strings and an anchor member. In the preferred version, the upper body half nests in the lower body half and holds the neck and string assembly. In another version, the upper half is hinged to the lower half. The anchor member is used with a tensioning clamp and pivoting handle to loosen the strings for removal of the headstock and to tension the strings when the guitar is re-assembled.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic switch system for controlling AC power to a load. The switch has ON, OFF and RAMP down modes that can be selected by means of momentary touch switches. When put into the RAMP down mode, the power to the load decreases slowly at a gradual continuous uninterrupted predetermined rate. This switch system has particular utility in brightness control of lamps. It has been found that the use of a lamp controlled by an electronic switch of the present invention often will induce sleep for people that have difficulty going to sleep, particularly young children and older persons. Thus the electronic switch system and devices embodying this system are particularly useful in a method to induce sleep.