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.

Abstract: A set of strings for use with a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The set of strings may include one string or a plurality of strings wherein each string has a predetermined length selected to correspond with a convergence length at which harmonic and pitch tuning are simultaneously obtained.

Abstract: A method of determining the length of one or more strings to be manufactured for use with a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. In accordance with the invention, a string is initially placed across and in contact with effective nut and bridge critical contact surfaces. The string is then tuned and while the string in its tuned condition, the length between the effective nut and bridge critical contact surfaces is determined. A compensation length, which represents a combined desired total distance beyond the effective nut and bridge critical contact surfaces, is added to the length between the nut and bridge critical contact surfaces so that an overall convergence length at which simultaneous harmonic and pitch tuning of the associated string can be obtained when the string is arranged in assembled position on a stringed instrument.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The stringed instrument comprises a body, a fretboard mounted on the body, a nut mounted on the body at one side of the fretboard, a bridge including a plurality of bridge critical contact surfaces mounted on the body at an opposing side of the fretboard and being arranged at a selectively adjustable distance with respect to the nut. The stringed instrument also comprises a plurality of strings each of which has a first end and a second end and a predetermined length extending between the first and second ends. The plurality of strings are arranged in contact with corresponding bridge critical contact surfaces and the nut and are arranged to extend across the contact surfaces.

Abstract: A set of strings for use with a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The set of strings may include one string or a plurality of strings wherein each string has a predetermined length selected to correspond with a convergence length at which harmonic and pitch tuning are simultaneously obtained.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The stringed instrument includes a tuning mechanism operatively associated with a plurality of saddles and corresponding bridge critical contact surfaces which permits pivotable adjustment of the saddles along a predetermined arcuate path. The bridge critical contact surfaces are normally arranged behind the top of the predetermined arcuate path whereby actuation of the tuning mechanism in a manner which causes at least one of the plurality of saddles on the corresponding bridge critical contact surfaces to move toward an associated nut will cause the height of corresponding strings of the instrument to increase with respect to the fretboard of the instrument. Similarly, actuation of the tuning mechanism in a manner which causes one or more of the saddles and the corresponding bridge critical contact surfaces to move away from the nut will cause the height of the corresponding strings to decrease with respect to the fretboard.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The instrument includes a body, a fretboard mounted on the body, a bridge having a plurality of bridge critical contact surfaces mounted at one side of the fretboard, a nut mounted on the body at an opposing side of the fretboard, and a plurality of strings. Each of the strings has a first end and a second end and a predetermined length extending between the first and second ends. The strings are arranged in contact with corresponding bridge critical contact surfaces and the nut, and are arranged to extend across the contact surfaces. Each of the strings is anchored at a location wherein the first end is spaced from a corresponding bridge critical contact surface by no greater than approximately one inch and the second end is spaced from the nut by no greater than approximately one inch.

Abstract: A nut assembly for use with a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The nut assembly includes a string holder for retaining one end of an associated string. The nut assembly also includes a nut having one or more critical contact surfaces for supporting associated strings when placed in assembled position on the stringed instrument. The nut is arranged to substantially abut the string holder when mounted in assembled position on the stringed instrument. The nut may be releasably secured to the string holder.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The stringed instrument includes a body, a fretboard mounted on the body, a nut assembly mounted on the body on one side of the fretboard wherein the nut assembly comprises a plurality of individually pivotable string holders in combination with a fixed nut which has a plurality of corresponding nut critical contact surfaces. The stringed instrument also comprises a bridge including bridge critical contact surfaces mounted on the body at an opposing side of the fretboard. The bridge critical contact surfaces are arranged at a selectively adjustable distance from corresponding nut critical contact surfaces. A plurality of strings are arranged across the corresponding bridge and nut critical contact surfaces. The bridge includes a tuning mechanism for obtaining at least harmonic tuning upon adjusting the distance between the bridge and nut critical contact surfaces.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The stringed instrument includes a body, a fretboard mounted on the body, a nut mounted on the body on one side of the fretboard, and a bridge mounted on the body at an opposing side of the fretboard. The bridge includes a plurality of bridge critical contact surfaces each arranged at a selectively adjustable distance from the nut. The instrument also includes a plurality of strings arranged in contact with the nut and corresponding bridge critical contact surfaces. The strings are placed in tension so that desired tones may be obtained upon playing of the instrument. The bridge includes a tuning mechanism for obtaining at least harmonic tuning of the strings by causing pivotable movement of the bridge critical contact surfaces so that a desired distance between the bridge critical contact surfaces and the nut is obtained.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The stringed instrument comprises a body, a fretboard mounted on the body, a nut mounted on the body at one side of the fretboard, and a bridge having a base mounted on the body at an opposing side of the fretboard. The bridge includes a plurality of pivotable saddles secured to the base and a plurality of corresponding critical contact surfaces associated with the saddles. The stringed instrument also includes a plurality of strings arranged in contact with corresponding bridge critical contact surfaces and the nut. The bridge includes a shaft connected to the base which is rotatably mounted within the body so that the entire bridge can pivot about an axis extending through the shaft. Each of the plurality of saddles is pivotally connected to the shaft so that the plurality of saddles and the associated bridge critical contact surfaces pivot about the same axis as the base of the bridge.

Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is provided. The stringed instrument comprises an automatic biasing mechanism for automatically urging associated anchor members affixed to corresponding ends of a string into a secured position so that the associated string will not come loose during playing of the stringed instrument. The anchor elements may comprise bullet-shaped elements. The automatic biasing mechanism is adapted to urge the bullet-shaped elements forward substantially along the longitudinal axis of the associated strings.

Abstract: A musical instrument such as a guitar including a structure such as a guitar body and a vibratory element such as one or more guitar strings mounted to the structure is provided with a pickup for detecting vibrating motion of the vibratory element and providing a pickup signal representing such vibration and having a predetermined phase relationship thereto. A driver is provided for applying a drive force to the vibratory element or string so that the drive force has a predetermined phase element relationship to a drive signal. A feedback circuit accepts the pickup signal and provides a drive signal to the driver in such fashion that the drive force supplied by the driver is substantially in phase with the vibration. Thus, the feedback circuit may be arranged to accept the pickup signal and convert the pickup signal to the drive signal so that, for at least some frequencies of the pickup signal, the drive signal differs in phase from the pickup signal.

Abstract: A sustainer for providing sustained sounds from a musical instrument has a feedback circuit for converting a pickup signal representing a vibration of a string or other vibratory element to a drive signal and applying drive forces to the vibratory element responsive to the drive signal. The sustainer is arranged to compensate for the phase lag of the pickup signal relative to motion of the vibratory element and to compensate for the phase lag of the drive forces provided by the driver relative to the drive signal. The feedback circuit may be arranged to provide a phase difference between the drive signal and the pickup signal such that the phase difference varies with frequency towards a drive signal leading phase difference with increasing frequency. This phase compensation provides enhanced response of the strings in the fundamental mode of vibration. The driver preferably is arranged so that the drive forces applied to the strings do not vary with lateral movement of the strings.

Abstract: A music synthesizer is constructed according to a modular scheme with plural, substantially interchangeable voice units. During operation, these voice units are used to simulate different instruments. The voice units operate under control of a master computer, and take waveform data from a common memory through a common digital data bus. The actions of each voice unit in simulating a note are controlled according to a plurality of control parameters. These control parameters are derived by interpolating between plots of each control parameter versus time for a weak actuation (soft note) and a strong actuation (hard note) condition. The synthesizer is arranged to simulate the effects caused by the interactions between closely spaced excitations of the same instrument such as closely spaced strikes upon a drumhead, by varying the qualities of the sound. The synthesizer may also serve as a mixer or as a multichannel signal processing device.

Abstract: An improved tremolo and tuning apparatus for stringed musical instruments is disclosed which presents a relatively low profile when mounted on the stringed musical instrument, and yet possesses string locking and fine tuning capabilities. The tremolo and tuning apparatus includes a tremolo for simultaneously changing the pitch of all of the strings of the instrument, and which includes a base plate having a support surface. A rotatable string support block for each of the strings is rotatably mounted on the base plate so as to provide a string support area above the support surface of the tremolo. A string clamp is connected to each of the rotatable string support blocks for holding each of the strings relative to the rotatable string support block. A pivot arm is connected to each of the rotatable string support blocks and includes an extended portion which is at an elevation below the support surface of the base plate when the tremolo is mounted on the stringed musical instrument.

Abstract: A sustainer for providing sustained sounds from a musical instrument has a feedback circuit for converting a pickup signal representing a vibration of a string or other vibratory element to a drive signal and applying drive forces to the vibratory element responsive to the drive signal. The sustainer is arranged to compensate for the phase lag of the pickup signal relative to motion of the vibratory element and to compensate for the phase lag of the drive forces provided by the driver relative to the drive signal. The feedback circuit may be arranged to provide a phase difference between the drive signal and the pickup signal such that the phase difference varies with frequency towards a drive signal leading phase difference with increasing frequency. This phase compensation provides enhanced response of the strings in the fundamental mode of vibration. The driver preferably is arranged so that the drive forces applied to the strings do not vary with lateral movement of the strings.

Abstract: An improved tremolo apparatus for stringed musical instruments is provided.