Abstract: A float angle adjustment apparatus for use with a stringed musical instrument including a lower block, attachable within the instrument, and an upper block. The lower block includes top, bottom, front, side, and rear surfaces, and a lower tailpiece extending outwardly from the lower block. The upper block includes top, bottom, front, side, and rear surfaces, and an upper tailpiece extending outwardly from the upper block. The upper tailpiece is spaced apart from the lower tailpiece. The upper block is pivotally attached to the lower block such that moving the upper and lower tailpieces relative to one another, such as via an adjustable screw, pivots the upper block relative to the lower block and, in turn, adjusts a float angle of a baseplate attachable to the top of the upper block.

Abstract: A guide plate configured to be coupled to or integrally formed with a guitar within a playing area of the guitar between a bridge and a base end of a neck. The guide plate can be configured to reveal, or cover over, the pickups and includes a body having an upper surface with a radius of curvature that substantially matches the fretboard radius of curvature of the guitar. The upper surface of the guide plate is elevated above a top surface of the guitar body by a predetermined distance to be substantially coextensive with the fretboard to provide a curved, depth limiting playing surface that matches the fretboard radius of curvature to limit the depth of travel of a pick between guitar strings and the upper surface of the guide plate in the playing area of the guitar.

Abstract: A tremolo and tuning apparatus is provided for a stringed musical instrument having a body, a neck extending from the body, a nut on an end of the neck remote from the body, and a string extending over the neck. The string makes a first critical contact at a point on the nut of the instrument and a second critical contact at a point on the apparatus. The apparatus includes a mounting frame configured for mounting on the surface of the body, an attachment post secured to the body, a base plate pivotally mounted with respect to the attachment post and having a surface adapted to receive a force, a string mounting assembly mounted on the base plate for holding the string, and a resilient member assembly for engagement with the mounting frame outside the body of the instrument and supplying a force to the base plate surface.

Abstract: A tremolo and tuning apparatus is provided for a stringed musical instrument. The apparatus includes a mounting frame configured for mounting on the surface of the body of the instrument, an attachment post secured to the body, a base plate pivotally mounted with respect to the attachment post and having a surface adapted to receive a force, a mounting assembly mounted on the base plate for holding a string of the instrument, and a first resilient member assembly for engagement with the mounting frame outside the body of the instrument and supplying a stabilizing force to the base plate against a tension force in the string. The apparatus includes a second resilient member assembly configured to be engaged with the mounting frame outside the body of the instrument and to supply a force to the base plate surface adapted to receive the force.

Abstract: A tremolo and tuning apparatus is provided for a stringed musical instrument. The apparatus includes a mounting frame configured for mounting on the surface of the body of the instrument, an attachment post secured to the body, a base plate pivotally mounted with respect to the attachment post and having a surface adapted to receive a force, a mounting assembly mounted on the base plate for holding a string of the instrument, and a first resilient member assembly for engagement with the mounting frame outside the body of the instrument and supplying a stabilizing force to the base plate against a tension force in the string. The apparatus includes a second resilient member assembly configured to be engaged with the mounting frame outside the body of the instrument and to supply a force to the base plate surface adapted to receive the force.

Abstract: A tremolo and tuning apparatus is provided for a stringed musical instrument having a body, a neck extending from the body, a nut on an end of the neck remote from the body, and a string extending over the neck. The string makes a first critical contact at a point on the nut of the instrument and a second critical contact at a point on the apparatus. The apparatus includes a mounting frame configured for mounting on the surface of the body, an attachment post secured to the body, a base plate pivotally mounted with respect to the attachment post and having a surface adapted to receive a force, a string mounting assembly mounted on the base plate for holding the string, and a resilient member assembly for engagement with the mounting frame outside the body of the instrument and supplying a force to the base plate surface.

Abstract: Disclosed are high-throughput methods for sequencing nucleic acid, which entail identifying the complete set of SNPs in a genome of interest in comparison to a wild type or reference DNA whose sequence is known or substantially known. The methods may also entail use of solid supports containing colonies of amplified nucleic acid fragments e.g., prepared by digesting genomic nucleic acid having substantially known sequence, wherein the sequence of the fragments at each coordinate is known. The supports, per se, and apparati containing them, are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf swing trainer. The golf swing trainer includes a body member including a first surface; a first elongated array of light emitting elements arranged in a longitudinal direction on the first surface of the longitudinal body member; and a controller configured actuate the first elongated array of light emitting elements to generate a moving light pattern representing a position of a simulated golf club head during a simulated swing with at least one of the light emitting elements of the first elongated array.

Abstract: Various tuning and bridge systems for stringed musical instruments are disclosed for facilitating release of the tension on the strings to enable disassembly and removal of the strings from the instrument. In embodiments for release of the strings from individual string holders, the string holders are mounted for pivotable movement, and a latch is provided for holding the string holder against rotation in one direction, the latch being moveable to a release position to permit free rotation to release the string. In embodiments for release of tension on all the strings, a bridge latch is provided for latching the bridge base to the instrument so that the strings are placed under tension to permit play, the bridge latch being moveable to a release position to permit movement of the bridge base to release the tension on all the strings.

Abstract: A removable nut assembly for stringed musical instruments is disclosed for facilitating release of the tension on the strings to enable disassembly and removal of the strings from the instrument. In certain embodiments, the bridge assembly and the nut assembly of the stringed instrument are readily removable so that an entire set of strings can be quickly removed and replaced. Kits and methods of replacing the strings of a stringed musical instrument are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various tuning and bridge systems for stringed musical instruments are disclosed for facilitating release of the tension on the strings to enable disassembly and removal of the strings from the instrument. In embodiments for release of the strings from individual string holders, the string holders are mounted for pivotable movement, and a latch is provided for holding the string holder against rotation in one direction, the latch being moveable to a release position to permit free rotation to release the string. In embodiments for release of tension on all the strings, a bridge latch is provided for latching the bridge base to the instrument so that the strings are placed under tension to permit play, the bridge latch being moveable to a release position to permit movement of the bridge base to release the tension on all the strings.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar is provided. The stringed instrument includes a body and a neck adjustably and releasably mounted on the body so that the action of associated strings can be customized to a user's liking and then locked into a selected position.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar is provided. The stringed instrument includes a tremolo having a “hidden” tremolo plate for activating the tremolo.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar is provided. The stringed instrument may include a tuning system in which harmonic and pitch tuning are simultaneously obtained. A bridge assembly is provided on the stringed instrument which includes a force conversion assembly capable of converting nonlongitudinal forces into longitudinal forces such that selective adjustment of a tuning knob or similar control by a user results in slidable movement of saddle members.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for synthesizing polynucleotide molecules such as genes or gene segments. A primer having 5' and 3' ends is incubated with a relatively shorter template having a 5' region non-complementary to the primer, a 3' region complementary to the 3' end of the primer, and a non-reactive 3' terminus to allow the 3' region of the template to anneal to the primer. The annealed product is reacted with at least one nucleotide in the presence of a template-dependent polynucleotide polymerase to produce a primer extended at its 3' end by at least one nucleotide complementary to the 5' region of the template. The extended primer is then dissociated from the template. The extended primer is further extended by repeating this cycle for sufficient cycles, wherein the templates and enzymes may differ from cycle to cycle, to obtain the object polynucleotide. Also disclosed are template libraries and kits containing said libraries for use in conjunction with the polynucleotide synthesis method.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar having unique string assemblies is provided. The string assembly includes a string and anchor elements arranged on at least one end of the string. A method of manufacturing string assemblies which include a string and one or more anchor elements arranged at the ends of the string is also provided.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar is provided. The stringed instrument includes one or more covers mounted on the body of the instrument between the strings thereof and one or more associated slidable pick-ups.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar is provided. The stringed instrument includes a body, a neck mounted to the body and a headstock releasably mounted to the neck. The headstock may be replaced with an alternate headstock.