Abstract: A removable cover or protective device has been developed for the lower bout area of a guitar or like musical instrument, especially a classical or acoustic guitar, where the arm meets the instrument in a normal performing position. The device protects the instrument surface from perspiration and also can alleviate potential nerve damage created by resting the forearm on the edge of the instrument. In a typical form, the protective covering can be comprised of leather, faux leather, or leather like polymer, and can be secured to the instrument by the optional use of suction cups attached to the topside of the lower bout of the instrument in a removable manner.

Abstract: A sound dampening modification means for a musical drum comprising, in combination with a drumshell, a drumhead with a playing surface and a rim, and a drumhead fastening means with a bottom edge, an annular base, and a means joined integral with the annular base to mount the annular base upon the drumhead rim. The means to mount the annular base upon the drumhead rim is positioned so that it may be suspended above the playing surface and held there between the bottom edge of the drumhead fastening means and the drumhead rim. Also provided is a means to muffle drumhead sounds comprised of sound absorbing material positioned between the drumhead fastening means and the drumhead rim.

Abstract: A drumhead and a method for coating a drumhead membrane comprising applying a coating having cross linkable polymeric material to the membrane and applying energy to cross link the polymeric material and thereby permanently adhere the material to the membrane as a play surface. The cross-linking not only hardens the coating to improve durability, but also improves the adhesion of the coating to the base film. Actinically cured coatings can completely harden in a matter of 3 to 5 seconds, with UV cured inks being especially desirable.

Abstract: A protective system includes a protective multi-layered body portion for protecting an instrument from debris, wind, temperature extremes, and visual observation. The body portion encapsulates the instrument fully assembled, so that a user has to remove the cover to utilize the instrument. The body portion minimizes contact with instrument. The body portion includes multiple layers. Each layer provides a unique, novel function for protection of the instrument. An inner layer engages the instrument. An intermediate layer contours to the shape of the instrument and provides insulation. An exterior layer forms the exterior protective surface and includes a pouch and a handle. Outside the body portion, a fastener regulates access to the inside. Inside the body portion, an instrument enhancing device, such as silica packs help protect the instrument. At least one wire carries a current along the body portion to provide heat for the instrument from an external source.

Abstract: A removable sleeve that encloses and protects the neck of a fretted musical instrument is provided. The bottom edge of the sleeve can be tightened about the neck of the fretted musical instrument with a closure to form a discrete environment inside the sleeve. The sleeve has one or more chutes on the inside of the sleeve into which a humidifying device can be inserted to impart and regulate the humidity level inside the sleeve. The control of humidity prevents damage to the neck of the musical instrument, such as cracking or warping, as well as loosening of the frets. A method for using the sleeve to protect and to control humidity levels around the neck of a fretted musical instrument or of other wood structures is also provided.

Abstract: A tremolo device for static retention of a plurality of musical instrument strings in a stringed instrument. The tremolo device has a body with an upper surface, a neck portion, and a plurality of strings anchored at a first end of the neck and extending over at least a portion and secured to the tremolo device at the other end of the neck portion and the body and possesses an inertia block mechanism with substantially solid construction disposed to receive and securely retain a plurality of raw instrument strings without removal of a ball end from each string. The inertia block has an upper portion, a lower portion, and a plurality of internal, longitudinally displaced, cylindrically shaped, string retaining chambers designed to pass through an entirety of the block mechanism. The string retaining chambers have an upper and lower portion corresponding with the upper and lower portions of the block.

Abstract: A string adjustment apparatus includes an outer shell, an adjustment stem member, a winding shaft member and a base. The outer shell includes a housing recess and a recess opening. The adjustment stem member includes a stem and a turning peg. The winding shaft member includes a shaft, a worm gear portion and a string hole portion. The base includes a plate corresponding to the recess opening and a first tube extended from the plate towards a direction remote from the outer shell. The worm gear portion and the stem are located in the housing recess and coupled with each other. The shaft runs through the first tube to make the string hole portion to pass through the first tube and also make the plate to cover the recess opening. Thus, a simpler structure is formed to make assembly easier.

Abstract: A tremolo device is provided. The tremolo device has a base plate with a leading edge that comprises a bearing surface. The base plate also comprises a bracket for attachment of a lever. The tremolo device also includes a pivot rail comprising a pivot bearing surface that matingly engages the bearing surface of the leading edge. When matingly engaged, the bearing surface of the leading edge and the pivot bearing surface defines 3 or more contact surfaces having a length of from about 20% to about 100% of the length of the leading edge.

Abstract: Slide guitar for providing various improvements and advantages including instant accurate string height adjustments simultaneously at the nut and bridge. The slide guitar has a marked adjustment knob adjacent a graduated scale under the headstock to visually determine with repeated mathematical accuracy the exact distance between the bottom of the strings and the top of the first fret as a point of reference. The improved string musical instrument includes a leveling head embedded into portions of the headstock and neck wherein the leveling head contains a slide selector having a sloped surface for contacting the nut combined with a dual bridge for instantly changing the instrument's string height and bridge type. The slide guitar instantly changes from a conventional type guitar to a steel type guitar creating an improved variable string action slide guitar.

Abstract: A bore-variable leadpipe includes a mouthpiece receiver integrally formed on a tube body of a brass instrument and a mouthpiece adaptor detachably assembled to the mouthpiece receiver. The mouthpiece receiver internally defines a first bore, in which an assembling section, a tapered section and an air-guiding section are sequentially formed. The mouthpiece adaptor has a receiving end for receiving a mouthpiece therein and an assembling end for engaging with the assembling section, and internally defines a second bore between the two ends. When the mouthpiece adaptor is assembled to the mouthpiece receiver, the second and the first bore are aligned and communicable with each other to form a conical passage and a cylindrical passage. The leadpipe can be changed in its bore size by assembling a mouthpiece adaptor of a different bore size to the mouthpiece receiver, so that the same brass instrument can be used with differently sized mouthpieces.

Abstract: A shoulder rest for a stringed instrument includes a resting element configured to rest on a shoulder or chest of a player. The resting element has a base which is made of compressed wood. The base of the resting element is formed by a workpiece cut from a block of compressed wood having a cross direction which is substantially normal to a fiber orientation of the block of compressed wood.

Abstract: An adjustable pick or plectrum for a stringed musical instrument is characterized by a top grip portion and a bottom tip portion, the top grip portion adapted to matingly receive the bottom tip portion through an engagement means. The top grip portion preferably has at least one slot or channel which is adapted to receive and retain at least one leg from the bottom tip portion. Preferably, each leg has one or more protrusions, so that selective holes or slots in the top grip portion are adapted to selectively receive, engage and retain each protrusion. The pick is adapted for height adjustability and/or angular adjustability as desired by the musician. The height adjustability can be set in selected positions for different flexibilities. It is seen that this pick has a multi use capability, adjustable from a solid pick through several different flexibilities, heights and angles.

Abstract: A musical instrument stand includes a base, a resting member, and two support units. The base includes two elastic units and two slideways. Each of the slideways has a folding recess and an expanding recess. Each of the elastic units includes two elastic strips. Each of the support units includes a pivot rod which has two opposite locking ends and a slide. The locking ends press the elastic strips, and the pivot rod is retained on the base by an elastic restoring action of the elastic strips. The slide slides reciprocally in one of the slideways and is detachably positioned in the folding recess and the expanding recess, so that each of the support units is positioned at a folded position and an expanded position.

Abstract: A fanciful shaped rosin and protective element for use in connection with the bow of a stringed instrument, wherein said fanciful shape is selected from one or more of the following shapes: heart, star, flower, plant, cross, letter, number, animal, football, soccer balls, baseball, basketball, human shape, shamrock, skull, Christmas tree, wreath, six pointed star, crucifix, planet, crescent moons, clef symbols, notes, rests, fermata, punctuation symbols, QWERTY keyboard symbols, percent symbol, ampersand, LOL, and a smiley face. The protective element preferably comprises a protective fabric attached to said rosin.

Abstract: A silencer includes: a hollow main body to be inserted in a bell of a wind instrument and including (a) a rear end portion serving as an opening portion and (b) a front end portion serving as a closing portion; and a flow-path adjuster supported by the main body in the bell and configured to narrow a path through which a breath of a player of the wind instrument is delivered into the main body. The front end portion of the main body is located near a frontmost portion of the bell or at a rear of the frontmost portion in a state in which the main body in mounted in the bell.

Abstract: A device for depressing the strings of a musical instrument, including a foot-operated pedal portion having a plurality of pedals operatively coupled to a control device, the pedals arranged chromatically and corresponding to major chords; a second foot-operated portion including toggles for modifying the major chords; and a hands-free string-engaging portion operatively coupled to the pedal portion. The string-engaging portion includes a plurality of actuators configured to overlie and depress the strings of the stringed musical instrument. The pedal portion also may include a control device operably coupled to and configured to receive input signals from the pedals and toggles, and the control device may be operably coupled to and configured to send output signals to the actuators, such that depressing one of the pedals causes the actuators corresponding to a predetermined chord to be depressed.

Abstract: The invention helps build a practical telescopic gauge to measure length and end angles needed for sound post in stringed instrument. It shows improvements of telescopic type gauge where, first adding a spring to control force while extending or reducing length and second adding rounded members at least one end of the gauge overcome difficulties in measuring the length. Further a three part swivel end consisting of ball, swivel cap and resolution plate held together by magnetic force allow satisfactory angle measurement. Because magnetic force is used, the swivel end parts can be removed leaving rounded ball end open for length measurements, then other components are added as required. This type of swivel end is also useful in improving currently available caliper type gauge.

Abstract: Apparatus for preventing a foot pedal assembly from moving away from a seat includes a mat having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface. The mat is shaped and dimensioned to receive the foot pedal assembly and to receive the seat. One of hook and loop material is disposed on the top surface of the mat, the one of hook and loop material positioned, shaped, and dimensioned to removably connect to the foot pedal assembly. The other of hook and loop material is disposable on the bottom surface of the foot pedal assembly, so that the foot pedal assembly can be removably connected to the mat.

Abstract: A string for a musical stringed instrument includes (a) a core wire and (b) a wrap wire coiled tightly around the core wire. The wrap wire is an aluminum-copper alloy having between about 2 wt % and about 10 wt % aluminum.

Abstract: A back plate attachable to the back of a guitar is provided. The plate includes screw holes and string ferrule holes. The screw holes of the plate align with the screw holes on a guitar, and the string ferrule holes of the plate align with the string ferrule holes of the guitar. The plate may be bolted or screwed to the back of the guitar via the screw holes. Guitar strings may run through the string ferrule holes of the plate and guitar and attach to the pegs of the guitar.