Abstract: An acoustic guitar having a soundboard and a head-plate made of a sheet of metal, such as a sheet of aluminum. The outward facing surfaces of the soundboard and head-plate are provided with a decorative appearance such as by etching or sanding a pattern thereon. The metal soundboard and head-plate provide the acoustic guitar with a unique appearance and enhance durability without adversely affecting the tonal qualities of the guitar.

Abstract: An acoustic guitar is combined with a cassette tape player carried inside of the body of the guitar and arranged for playing recorded music simultaneously with live music being played on the guitar by a musician. Necessary switches, wiring, and power supplies are also included. In one version of the assembly all components are carried inside or on the surface of the guitar so as to provide a self-contained assembly. Another version includes an external, large amplifier/speaker located away from the guitar but interconnected with controls and a pickup device on the guitar.

Abstract: A musical system for stringed instruments based on tuning in fifths in conjunction with component control reduces dissonance and discord while increasing harmony and consonance. In a stringed instrument, the main music-making portion of the string serves to drive the other non-music-making portions or supporting portions of the string. This is particularly true at the end of the string past the stop point toward the fixed end and upward past the nut towards the turnable post controlled by a key. By appropriately selecting and providing adjustment for the stop point, as well as the length of the strings past the bridge, less dissonance arises from the individual string as it is played. A string retainer or the like, as well as a compound head, may serve to provide adjustable or selectable means by which tension on a plurality of strings may be adjusted to provide uniform tension between individual strings. Tuning in fifths provides inter-string harmony.

Abstract: A stringed instrument such as a guitar with a thinner than traditional body is provided enhanced decibels measured by sound pressure level (DBSPL) response employing a combination of one or more of each of a passive radiator, tuned isolated resonating wave guide or guides in the body cavity and an equalized closeable sound opening in the front face configured to maximize volume at low frequencies and increasing low frequency response, e.g., at or less than 500 Hz. The passive radiator may be in either the front or rear or both faces. The wave guides each comprise elongated sheets in the body chamber spaced from the corresponding face by spaced posts. The wave guides may be in opposing cooperating pairs or may be staggered for directing low frequency waves to a sound opening in the front face and resonate to provide enhanced low frequency response and subsequent volume. The passive radiator in the rear face is recessed within the body chamber.

Abstract: A multi-plane headstock provides different planes to which strings of a stringed musical instrument may be attached to control the tension on the string and the angle at which the string breaks from the plane of the strings over the fingerboard. Advantageous musical characteristics are provided to such stringed musical instruments by implementation of the multi-planed headstock of the present invention in greater selectability and adjustability of stringed musical instrument characteristics, as well as increased internal harmony of the instrument.

Abstract: Musical instrument including a removable guitar body having a front side arranged to bear at least one string, a frame-shaped body support comprising a plurality of supporting elements, and at least one supporting element arranged as a bracing element positionable between two opposite supporting elements of the frame-shaped body support. Releasable connection elements are arranged to releasably connect the guitar body to the support body and to the at least one supporting element. The plurality of supporting elements are removably couplable to each other to fold the frame-shaped body support into a space saving unit.

Abstract: For enhancing the frequency response and sustain performance of a stringed musical instrument such as a guitar or electric bass, the present invention provides a mass-increasing device in the form of an adjustable metal U-shaped bracket forming a C-clamp that can be removably attached to the headstock of an instrument such as an acoustic guitar, electric guitar or electric bass. Clamping action is implemented by an screw-clamp assembly having a knurled thumb/finger knob at one end of a threaded shaft and a felt-padded pressure disc affixed at the other end, the threaded shaft traversing the major leg of the C-clamp. The device is normally clamped in place at an optimal location in the headstock near the instrument neck with the minor leg under the strings and the major leg and the screw-clamp assembly located on the reverse side of the headstock. Resilient pads are provided on the clamping pressure points to protect the finish on the instrument headstock.

Abstract: A stringed instrument has a body, a longitudinal neck attached to the body and extending therefrom, and strings extending between the body and a free head end of the neck, the strings attached so that they generate a tensile force tending to deform the neck. To prevent deformation of the neck, it receives a rigid reinforcing body provided with a groove that extends from a first end of the body and terminates at a distance from the opposite second end, so that the rigid body has a grooveless end region and a grooved end region. The grooved end faces the body of the stringed instrument. The grooveless end region and an upper part of the grooved end region are fixed to the top side of the instrument neck along their entire lengths, whereas a lower part of the grooved end region is detachably secured to the neck and generates a force counteracting the tensile force to minimize the deformation of the neck.

Abstract: An improved musical instrument includes a plurality of strings which are connected string posts of tuning devices on a head portion of the musical instrument. The string posts of the tuning devices are disposed in a linear array on the head portion of the musical instrument. A linear edge of the head portion extends parallel to a plane containing the central axes of the string posts in the linear array. In addition, the head portion has a nonlinear edge with arcuate recesses. Actuators for some of the tuning devices are movable in the recesses along the nonlinear edge during manual rotation of the actuators. Actuators for some of the tuning devices are disposed along the linear edge. At least some of the actuators along the nonlinear edge are longer than actuators along the linear edge.

Abstract: The instant device provides a method for enhancing the sound of any acoustic/electric guitar and other musical instrument by electronically oscillating and manipulating the sound emitted by the guitar or other instrument. The prior art utilizes a manually activated processor that when used, in conjunction with a guitar and sound amplifying device, is capable of creating a broad range of sounds. The processor has customarily been located upon the floor and is activated by a foot pedal. This presented method replaces the prior art pedal processors and the need to be physically in proximity to the processor to activate the pedal and the processor. It accomplishes this by providing electronic means integral with a guitar strap whereby upward and downward movements of the guitar neck or guitar body activate the electronic means creating variable electronic signals to an amplifier or other amplifying device enabling a wide range of distorted sounds to be emitted from the guitar.

Abstract: A musical system for stringed instruments based on tuning in fifths in conjunction with component control reduces dissonance and discord while increasing harmony and consonance. In a stringed instrument, the main music-making portion of the string serves to drive the other non-music-making portions or supporting portions of the string. This is particularly true at the end of the string past the stop point toward the fixed end and upward past the nut towards the turnable post controlled by a key. By appropriately selecting and providing adjustment for the stop point, as well as the length of the strings past the bridge, less dissonance arises from the individual string as it is played. A string retainer or the like, as well as a compound head, may serve to provide adjustable or selectable means by which tension on a plurality of strings may be adjusted to provide uniform tension between individual strings. Tuning in fifths provides inter-string harmony.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument having an extended range neck and a plurality of strings can include a body. The body can have a first attaching means for attaching the plurality of strings such that the plurality of strings can be spaced above and stretched across one side of the body. Also included can be a neck extending from the body having a nut attached to an end of the neck opposite the body for aligning and supporting the plurality of strings. The plurality of strings can extend from the first attaching means across the one side of the body, along the length of the neck across the nut, and can be attached to additional attaching means. The neck can have a length such that a first fret on the neck can be located a distance greater than approximately 1.964 inches from the nut.

Abstract: A protective cover, comprising one or more specially cut and perforated pieces of leather and a means whereby said protective cover can be attached tightly to the body of a stringed musical instrument, such as a solid-bodied electric guitar, which affords substantial protection to the body and any eventual finish on the body of said instrument against such scratches, cracks, dents, wear and other damage as can occur during normal usage, handling and transportation of said instrument, such protection being more comprehensive than known existing protective covers for such instruments by virtue of the proposed cover enclosing the entire visible surface of the body of said instrument and which, furthermore, affords desirable visual and tactile aesthetic qualities said stringed musical instrument.

Abstract: A stringed instrument comprises, in combination, a body with a neck extending forwardly therefrom The neck has a tuning portion mounted opposite the body which is adapted to receive one end of a plurality of strings. The tuning portion adjusts the tension on each of the plurality of strings. The other end of the plurality of stings is attached to the body. A plurality of pickup elements is positioned on the body proximate to the neck. The plurality of pickup elements is underneath the plurality of strings. The plurality of pickup elements are also in electrical communication with a position sensitive switch which determines which of the plurality of pickup elements is actuated in response to movement of the body. A plurality of tremolo mechanisms corresponding to the plurality of strings is attached to the end of the plurality of strings attached to the body. Also, interchangeable fret boards are mountable on the neck.

Abstract: A bag for a musical instrument, such as a guitar, has at least one carrying belt (19, 20) for shouldering the bag provided at a carrying case (14) in the bag for receiving the instrument. The at least one carrying belt may be inserted into a pocket at the exterior of the case (14) and, for this purpose, can be detached at least at one of its ends from the case.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a percussion addition for a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, comprised of a hollow disc with a face, and a hollow support adapted for connection to an off-set sound hole in a stringed instrument. The percussion addition may be provided as a kit with interchangeable percussion additions. Alternatively, the kit may include percussion additions with the discs that are removable from the support and allow different discs to be received by the same support. Further, this invention includes a combination stringed and percussion instrument comprised of a stringed instrument with one or more percussion additions affixed to select off-set sound holes.

Abstract: A stringed instrument with a plurality of strings arranged in a non-size sequential order to achieve new string arrangements. This invention teaches a tuned string arrangement for a stringed instrument or guitar with the tuned string arrangement utilizing a tuning sequence of ‘high e’, ‘high a’, ‘d’, ‘g’, ‘low B’, and ‘low E’. The standard prior art sequence of four guitar strings are reversed with ‘low E’ string and ‘high e’ string reversed in position, and the ‘low A’ string and ‘high b’ string reversed in position. The ‘low A’ string is tuned to a ‘low B’ note one tone higher than the original ‘low A’ note and the ‘high b’ string is tuned to a ‘high a’ note one tone lower than the original ‘high b’ note. Thus, a non-size sequence of strings is taught for new musical intervals between the strings.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument or guitar has a plastic foam body substantially covered by a shell of thermoplastic material, a wood base on the plastic foam body, a plurality of strings supported to extend above the wood base, and at least one electromagnetic pick-up at the base. Musical vibrations produced by strumming the strings are conducted via the plastic foam body and wood base are largely sensed by the electromagnetic pick-up.

Abstract: A combination guitar and bass guitar and method of playing is provided in which the bass strings are distributed between matched guitar strings so that adjacent bass and guitar strings can be plucked substantially simultaneously by a player, resulting in the simultaneous playing of bass and guitar by a single player. Various combinations of bass strings interspersed in or between guitar strings are disclosed. The guitar and bass can also be played independently of each other in the normal manner.

Abstract: A stringed instrument neck having finger slots for facilitating fingering chords when playing a guitar includes a main body portion having a bridge. A neck extends from the main body portion and includes a front face, a first end, a head portion and a medical portion extending between the first end and the head portion. The first end is coupled to the main body portion. A plurality of strings are coupled between the bridge and the head portion. The strings are positioned to extend substantially parallel to each other along the neck. The neck includes a plurality of finger slots extending substantially parallel to the strings. Each of the finger slots is positioned between an associated adjacent pair of the strings such that the neck is designed for permitting insertion of fingers of a user through the finger slots for facilitating selective clamping of the strings against the neck by the fingers of the user.

Abstract: A string instrument with one or more synthetic strings. The instrument includes (a) a tailpiece with at least one contact ridge and (b) a bridge spaced apart from the tailpiece. The synthetic string includes a conventionally not played, freely oscillating string segment between the contact ridge of the tailpiece and the bridge. The entire segment between the contact ridge of the tailpiece and the bridge has a uniform construction and a substantially constant diameter.

Abstract: A five-string guitar is tuned in fifths to provide better sound. A five-string guitar is tuned in fifths to provide better sound by providing better harmonic separation of the notes played and by reducing “muddiness” or lack of clarity in the heard note. A number of realized embodiments enable the five-string guitar to accommodate a wide variety of stringed-instrument musical needs and preferences.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument having an instrument body and an elongated neck along which the strings are stretched. A spring-loaded clamping device is provided by securing the neck to the body while permitting limited pivotal movement of the neck relative to the body. The clamping device includes a spring arranged to provide a biasing force for urging the neck toward a neck seating position on the body, and an adjustment member is moveably mounted on either the neck or the body so as to move in a direction opposing the biasing force of the spring in order to cause the neck to pivot away from the neck seating position, to thereby adjust the angular position of the neck relative to the body to adjust the action of the instrument. An intonation adjustment mechanism is also provided for adjusting the intonation of the instrument, and which advantageously provides for rigidity enhancement by urging the neck against a side of the neck recess to provide a firm, rigid and stable mounting of the neck to the body.

Abstract: A truss rod for selectively bowing the neck of a stringed instrument includes a segment of round stock having a pair of threaded ends, one set of threads in a first thread direction, and the other set of threads in the reverse direction. Complementary threaded blocks are threaded onto these threaded ends, and the blocks are secured to a length of flat bar stock. A head bearing a socket is fixed to an end of the round stock, so that turning of the head turns the round stock. The reversed nature of the respective threaded ends causes the length of the portion of the round stock between the fixed blocks to either increase or decrease when the round stock is turned, which correspondingly causes the flat bar to bend either in or out.

Abstract: An electric stringed instrument, e.g. an electric guitar, featuring a body having a rectangular shaped, through-the-body cutout between the neck and bridge, and having a connector in a portion of the cutout. Pins on the connector are wired to electronic control components that are permanently fixed in the body. A rapidly interchangeable pickup assembly containing one or more pickups, in any combination of single and dual coils, fits into the cutout. Many and varied pickup assemblies, each with different characteristics of tone, strength, and frequency range emphasis can be interchangeably installed into the cutout. A connector on the pickup assembly mates with the body connector, thus accomplishing an electrical connection between the pickups in the assembly and the control electronics. The pickup assembly, having no control electronics on it, is light, compact, and easily maneuvered with one hand into and out of the cutout from the rear of the instrument.

Abstract: A guitar construction having a complete body, neck, and head, formed as a single, integral wooden carving with tuning pegs, fingerboard, bridge, nut, and strings mounted thereon. The body portion is in the usual bell-shaped outline. Conventional pick-up means for an electronic amplification system may be mounted to the body.

Abstract: Guitars have traditionally been manufactured from a variety of wood combinations to produce the best sound possible. The advent of modem day CNC machining has allowed for the construction of a hollow, lightweight, metallic stringed musical instrument body. This body can be constructed as a hollow body or solid body, as are traditional wood guitars, with or without the incorporation of sound amplification devices. This construction technique allows for unlimited body designs and modifications to produce a sound customized for the customer.

Abstract: An electric guitar has two structurally independent components. A neck/tailpiece module (10) is set into a docking recess (14) in the body module (12). In operation, the two are simultaneously joined mechanically and electronically by an indexing pin (18) and a wiring connector (48 and 50). The two components are fastened by a single bolt (54). The structural independence of the two members makes possible the utilization of bodies which may be constructed of almost any shape, size or material.

Abstract: An improved stringed instrument soundboard system. The system includes a soundboard frame having a peripheral rim member, which extends from first and second ends of the soundboard frame. The peripheral rim member defines a peripheral shape of the soundboard frame. The soundboard system also includes an acoustic grill, which is made up of at least one grill sections, and which corresponds substantially to the shape of the soundboard frame. Each grill section has a peripheral rim, which is attached to the peripheral rim member of the soundboard frame.

Abstract: The improvement in an acoustical musical stringed instrument having a flat soundboard with opposite top and bottom surfaces employing a plurality of elongated struts secured to the bottom surface of the soundboard in spaced apart positions. The struts cause the first side of the top surface of the soundboard to function as if it were stiffer and relatively short and wide and cause the second side of the top surface to function as if it were more compliant and relatively longer and narrower. The struts are progressively graduated in width and length from shorter and wider struts secured to the first side of the bottom surface to longer and narrower struts secured to the second side of the bottom surface whereby when the strings of the instrument are plucked to produce sound, the resonant frequency is enhanced by increasing the number of harmonics of higher frequency of the resonant frequency and the richness of sound is substantially enhanced.

Abstract: A guitar construction having a complete body, neck, and head, formed as a single, integral wooden carving with tuning pegs, fingerboard, bridge, nut, and strings mounted thereon. The body portion is in the usual bell-shaped outline. Conventional pick-up means for an electronic amplification system may be mounted to the body.

Abstract: A stringed-instrument practice device for improving a player's rhythm-hand technique involved in playing a stringed instrument. Such a device may have a generally rectangular base including a plurality of tunable strings. The base has two rests thereon with a series of fixed screws for fixing one end of each string and a series of adjustable screws for attachment to the other end of each string. Adjustment of the adjustable screws allows adjustment of the tension in each string. The practice device is desirably fitted with a transducer/microphone that allows connection of the instrument to an external amplifier and may have an in-built rhythm generator, amplifier, earphone jack or speaker, and controls therefor incorporated into the device.

Abstract: A string musical instrument having a body portion and one or more strings secured thereto, thereby defining a stringed portion. The stringed portion being composed of a polymeric material, includes a surface which comes into contact with the strings when a musician plays the musical instrument. The surface having thereon a first composite layer being operatively engaged to the surface and including one or more intermediate layers and an outer hard and low friction diamond-like carbon layer.

Abstract: A single instrument can be played as a guitar or a banjo with a simple adjustment. It has six guitar strings (1 to 6), plus a seventh, shorter string (7). Its neck (12) is widened for part (12W) of its length, starting from the body (10) and then narrows. The six strings run over the pickups (28 and 30) and tuning bridge (24) and are anchored on the backside. Their opposite ends are wound around the tuning pegs at the end of the neck. A shift lever (38S) is attached to the first peg for rapidly changing the tuning from its normal pitch, E, down to D. The seventh string is tuned to G, as with the fifth string of a banjo. Its ball or stopped end is captivated by a knurled adjustment nut (42) under the body. It passes through the body and over the bridge (24), the pickups (28 and 30), over the body and widened part of the neck. Its free end is anchored at an anchor hole (12H) in the neck. To play the instrument as a guitar, the player uses the first six strings, which are tuned to the guitar pitches, i.e.

Abstract: A neck for a stringed musical instrument includes a foam core formed with a peghead and layers of reinforcing material positioned over the foam core. A surfacing material is bonded to the layers of reinforcing material and to the foam core to establish an external surface for the neck. The musical instrument includes a body attached to the neck and a truss rod assembly that is embedded in the foam core is adjustable to move the peghead relative to the body for tuning purposes. In manufacture, the foam core is molded in a primary mold. The layers of reinforcing material are then positioned over the foam core to create a preform assembly. Next, a surfacing material is shaped by the cavity surface of a secondary mold and the preform assembly is placed in the secondary mold. When the secondary mold is closed, a vacuum is drawn in its cavity and resin is injected into the cavity to bond the preform assembly to the surfacing material for manufacture of the neck.

Abstract: A tremolo device for adjusting the tension in a stringed musical instrument including a body having an upper surface, a neck portion, a tuning head having a plurality of tuning devices, a plurality of strings each anchored at a first end to a respective one of said plurality of tuning devices and extending over at least a portion of said neck portion and said body. The tremolo device includes a bridge plate having a leading and trailing edge, the leading edge being tapered so as to form a knife edge. The tremolo device further includes a elongated receiving bar mounted to the body of the guitar, the receiving bar including a groove along its length adapted to receive the knife edge and forming a pivot axis at the interface of the knife edge and groove to permit the rotation of the bridge plate about the pivot axis in a first direction.

Abstract: A solid instrument body of a stringed musical instrument is provided with a tail, disposed at the body end of the instrument, which can be extended or retracted. The tail is held in place by adjustable fastening means that allow it to extend up to about ten inches beyond the body portion for purposes of balanced feel and design, or to retract to a concealed location, to reduce the instrument to a compact size such that its total length is only slightly greater than the string length. For playing in a standing position a support strap is attached to the end of the tail. The tail may be shaped to have a slight taper and squared-off end so as to balance and complement a similar but more elongated design of the "headless" neck portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to musical instruments and methods and apparatus for producing notes of a musical scale with real strings. More particularly, it relates to the division by frets, of the fingerboard, or neck, of a fretted stringed musical instrument, to obtain a desired musical scale with a specific set of strings. One embodiment of the invention is described in which the 12-tone equal-tempered scale is accurately produced on a guitar with steel strings having sufficient bending stiffness to cause audible intonation errors inherent in steel-stringed guitars of prior art. According to another embodiment of the invention, the musical scale is additionally tempered to approximate the 12-tone, equal-tempered scale while minimizing audible beats that occur when playing intervals and chords due to inharmonic frequency components inherent in tones generated by vibrating guitar strings. Manufacturing methods with respect to wound strings, and with respect to boundary conditions, are also explained.

Abstract: Device for Guitar Weight and Tone Adjustment is made of lead sheets sandwiched between two brass plates screwed into the back of electric guitars, designed to affect their tone by varying the mass according to the player's specifications.

Abstract: A protective device for the rear surface of a guitar, especially an electric guitar, comprising a flat pad of protective material adapted to be removably secured to the rear surface of the guitar to protect areas likely to be scratched by a player's clothing, for example by a belt buckle. In a preferred form the pad comprises a vinyl or leatherlike material with a plurality of elastic loops sized to be secured to existing guitar strap studs on the body of the guitar, or to be looped directly over the upper and lower horns of the typical electric guitar body.

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: A stringed instrument such as a hollow body guitar has a neck portion that extends under the tail of the fretboard. The body of the instrument has a pair of recesses which mate with respective tail and heel surfaces on the neck portion. Spacers are placed in the recesses in order to adjust the spacing and angle of the neck portion relative to the instrument's body. If the neck and body are connected to each other by bolts, then any misalignment between the neck and body can be cured by removing the bolts, replacing the spacers with spacers of a different thickness and/or wedge shape, and replacing the bolts. Additional structural components can be added to the neck and inside the body of the instrument in order to further enhance its structural integrity.

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: 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 method of manufacturing an acoustic guitar having a pre-finished resin laminate soundboard, sidewall and backboard. The contoured sidewall of the guitar is provided by a relatively flexible strip of the laminate material which is formed into a loop-shaped preform before being positioned within a multi-part fixture. The fixture is closed on the preform to conform the shape of the preform into a contoured shape. Subsequently, ribbon linings, a soundboard and a backboard are adhesively secured to the preform to complete the assembly of the hollow body portion of the acoustic guitar. Since he laminate material is pre-finished, numerous time consuming finishing steps typically preformed in known methods are eliminated.

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: 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: A stringed musical instrument having a neck assembly, a body portion, and a plurality of strings, the neck assembly having a composite central structure made of a composite material which is sufficiently strong to withstand the entire load imposed on the neck assembly by the tension of the strings without deformation or the need for structural reinforcement. The neck assembly also includes at least one non-structural, non-load bearing wooden insert carried by the composite central structure and extending substantially along the length of the neck assembly, for enabling the stringed instrument to have the response and tonal coloration of stringed instruments with traditional wooden neck assemblies, a fingerboard carried by the composite central structure, and a non-structural, non-load bearing truss rod assembly for relief adjustment of the neck.

Abstract: There is disclosed a stringed musical instrument of the type having a neck projecting from a body, and strings arranged alongside each other and extending along the neck and a face of the body in use. In one form, the instrument is provided with support means moveable from a retracted condition to an extended condition and incorporating a strap for providing support for a user or the instrument itself. In another form, the instrument is provided with at least one display plate moveable from a retracted position whereby a width of the instrument is minimized to an extended position to thereby increase the width of the instrument.

Abstract: Indicators for a stringed musical instrument having a fingerboard and strings stretched over the fingerboard. The indicators indicate the pitch produced when the string is pressed down against the fingerboard and plucked or bowed. There may be indicators for some or all of the twelve half steps of a chromatic scale (A; A.music-sharp., which is equivalent to B.music-flat.; B; C; C.music-sharp., which is equivalent to D.music-flat.; D; D.music-sharp., which is equivalent to E.music-flat.; E; F; F.music-sharp., which is equivalent to G.music-flat.; G; and G.music-sharp., which is equivalent to A.music-flat.). The indicators may be colored black and white like a piano keyboard. The invention includes a method for making portions of musical instruments having such indicators.