Abstract: A bridge for supporting the strings of a musical instrument including an instrument body and an acoustic transducer, for example, a diaphragm microphone and an air space chamber which is closed airtight and located in front of the sound receiving side of the transducer, wherein the air space chamber extends transversely of the longitudinal extension of the strings and over the zone in which the strings are located next to each other, and wherein the bridge supporting the strings forms a boundary surface of the air space chamber or the bridge is mounted on a wall which forms a boundary surface of the air space chamber.

Abstract: A stringed instrument having a hollow body including a top wall, a spaced apart bottom wall, and a side wall interconnecting the top and bottom wall, each of the walls having a plurality of strategically located sound holes which efficiently release sound vibrations generated within the hollow body of the instrument. The stringed instrument also includes an extended bridge disposed internally of the hollow body and interconnecting the top and bottom walls in a manner to transmit vibrations formed in the top wall to the bottom wall thereby making two sound boards increasing vibration and in so doing increasing sound dynamics and volume of the instrument.

Abstract: A stringed instrument having a hollow body including a top wall, a spaced apart bottom wall, and a side wall interconnecting the top and bottom wall, each of the walls having a plurality of strategically located sound holes which efficiently release sound vibrations generated within the hollow body of the instrument. The stringed instrument also includes an extended bridge disposed internally of the hollow body and interconnecting the top and bottom walls in a manner to transmit vibrations formed in the top wall to the bottom wall thereby making two sound boards increasing vibration and in so doing increasing sound dynamics and volume of the instrument.

Abstract: A guitar bridge bias converter is described which provides the means of converting a right-handed steel strung electric or acoustic guitar to a left-handed instrument. The bridge bias converter for an acoustic guitar consists most simply of an integral one-piece unit comprising a central plate, a lower tongue, and an upper bridge-bone. The tongue locates in the groove vacated by removal of the original right-handed bridge-bone. The plate sits on top of the bridge and the bridge-bone is situated on the plate at an angle which is diametrically opposed to the original bridge-bone. This has the effect, in conjunction with reversal of the string positions, of converting the guitar from right-handed to left-handed playing. An alternative embodiment appropriate to conversion of electric guitars is also described, comprising a replacement bridge block incorporating mounting hole protrusions so offset as to convert the instrument from right-hand to left-handed string bias.

Abstract: A tremolo system for a stringed musical instrument, comprising an arm member rotatably connected to the instrument body; a first fluid member, operatively connected to the arm member, for moving a bridge of the instrument in response to rotation of the arm member so as to change a pitch of a tone generated by the instrument; and a mechanism for rotating the arm member relative to the instrument so that rotation of the arm member in a first direction substantially raises a pitch of a tone generated by the instrument, and rotating the arm member in a second direction substantially lowers the pitch of a tone generated by the instrument.

Abstract: A bi-directional vibrato mechanism for use with a stringed musical instrument is capable of being mounted to an instrument body without the need for providing additional holes or recesses in the instrument body for receiving portions of the mechanism. A front part of the mechanism is attachable to the guitar by two mounting posts and includes bridge type support members for the strings. A rear part is pivotally supported on the front part and anchors the lower ends of the strings. Two sets of springs located entirely above the top surface of the instrument body resiliently resist pivotal movement of the rear part relative to the front part in both pivotal directions away from a normal tuned position.

Abstract: The guitar string holder can effectively convert a twelve-string guitar into either a six-string guitar or a Nashville guitar by lowering six of the twelve strings below the operative plane. The base of the guitar string holder fits onto the body or through a slot in the top of the guitar for solid top designs, or fits into the sound hole and is held upward against braces located beneath the top surface of the guitar. Alternatively, the guitar string holder can be slid onto opposing edges of the sound hole. When the base is slid onto opposing edges of the sound hole, a frictional fit is achieved and wood screws are not needed. Six arms extend from the base of the guitar string holder and accommodate corresponding hooks. Each hook can hold one of the guitar strings beneath the operative plane. It is also possible to use the guitar string holder to hold selected strings, to thereby provide a standard six-string guitar and a Nashville guitar pretuned to different open tunings.

Abstract: A violin tuning arrangement and method is provided in which the bridge of the violin may be moved longitudinally along the violin by a mechanical mechanism which will automatically bring the bridge to predetermined points where a predetermined change in sound will be emitted by the violin. The mechanical arrangement includes two tuning wheels which are journaled in the sides of bridge holding brackets and may be moved discreet distances along the rack on the surface of the violin to change the tone or tuning of such violin. Discreet arrangements of teeth or detentes are provided so that the tuning wheel will tend to automatically cease movement at a point which provides a desired tuning of a violin.

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 musical instrument, such as a guitar, having strings across a bridge, a finger board and a nut wherein the bridge, finger board, and nut have a concave curvature. Preferably, the concave curvature is a hyperbolic curve. The resulting string arrangement is designed to minimize wrist and finger strain associated with playing the instrument.

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: My device applies to acoustic guitars which have bridges glued to the guitar top. My device securely joins the bridge to the guitar top. Sometimes the tension of the strings pulling on the bridge separates it from the guitar top. My device attacks this problem by using a cross member support bar, which bears upon braces glued to the underside of the guitar top. Screws or other fasteners, threaded through the cross member support bar, guitar top, and bridge, joins them securely. The cross member support bar and fasteners may be installed during the original manufacturing process or added later after the musician has dislodged or separated the bridge partially or wholly from the guitar top. The effect of the cross member support bar, fastened to the bridge in the above manner, is to improve the sound of acoustic guitars.

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: Improved bridge for stringed musical instruments having a single unitary member configured in a somewhat comblike structure, the backbone portion of which forms a string-engaging and supporting surface. The teeth-forming portions form a plurality of sound-coupling and supporting pedestals, each of which lies directly beneath a string and terminates in a distal end which is flared to form an enlarged base that is adapted to bear against the soundboard of the instrument.

Abstract: An intonation adjustment system is provided for a stringed instrument. A saddle setup tool has a plurality of selectable, distinctly spaced intonation points so that a preferred one of the selectable, distinctly spaced intonation points can be determined for each string of the instrument. Then a bridge saddle is constructed from a set of prefabricated candidate saddle segments by selecting a group of selected saddle segments making up the instrument saddle and providing the desired combination of intonation points as determined with the saddle setup tool. A pickup for an amplified instrument provides adjustable positioning of individual piezo-electric transducer elements so that relative volume outputs of the strings may also be adjusted.

Abstract: A fully adjustable acoustic guitar bridge is claimed that allows the strings (nylon or steel) of an acoustic guitar to be separately and continuously intonated accurately and easily whenever necessary. The bridge system employs a minimum of alterations to the traditional non-adjustable acoustic guitar bridge to retain the acoustic qualities of the instrument. Recessed, rear-loaded cap screws utilize the forward pull of the guitar strings to stabilize the adjustable saddles. A threaded saddle capture on each saddle provides stability, continuous threading capability, and the freedom to use acoustically resonant materials (bone, phenolic, composites, etc.) for saddles. These features eliminate the need for springs or other fasteners, which would have a negative effect on the acoustic guitar's tone and sustain. A rosewood shim is employed on acoustic/electric guitars over the internal bridge pickup.

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 musical instrument, such as a guitar, which includes a bridge which does not stress the top of the guitar either vertically or laterally. Vertical and lateral forces due to string tension are balanced out within the bridge assembly. Also disclosed is an adjustable height tailpiece and means for adjusting the intonation of the instrument by adjusting the distance that the neck projects out of the body.

Abstract: A bridge device is provided for a stringed musical instrument having a body, a neck extending from the body, and a set of tensioned strings extending along the neck and over at least a portion of the body. The bridge device comprises a bridge plate mounted adjacent a front surface of the body, a plurality of saddles secured to the bridge plate, and a plurality of armatures pivotably secured to the bridge plate. The saddles are individually adjustable to vary the effective length height of each of the strings and to vary the distance between each of the strings from the bridge plate. Each of the armatures individually engage the strings and are selectively manipulable to change the tension of each of the strings between one of three predetermined tension levels.

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 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 musical instrument bridge (50) is supporting a set of strings (22) above a front face (14) of a musical instrument (12). The bridge has a plate (60), a mounting block (80), and a plurality of fingers (100). The plate is attachable to a rear face of the instrument. The plurality of fingers are cantilevered from the plate and extend outwardly therefrom. Each finger has a resonant frequency or rigidity that is related to a predetermined pitch of the string supported by the finger. Each finger is designed to vibrate in a plane that is parallel to the front face of the instrument but to reduce vibration in a plane perpendicular to the front face of the instrument.

Abstract: An adjustable bridge for a stringed musical instrument comprising of a base member including a first section, which is fixedly mounted to the body of the instrument, with a second section at the rear of the first section extending some distance above the top surface of the first part. The base member including a plurality of slots for receiving individual engagement devices corresponding to and aligned for supporting each of the strings. Each engagement device generally comprising of a string engager and a mount. The string engager having a second section for support of the string. The engagement devices are positioned in their individual slots and both sections of the engagement device are held in frictional contact with each other and the assembly is in frictional contact with the base member.

Abstract: An apparatus by which both tremolo action and string clamping and string intonation adjustment are achieved effectively and in a very small space. Adjustment screw shanks are threaded into bores in the inertia bar or block of the tremolo, and bear against the heads of pull screws that are connected to string-clamping saddles. The heads of the pull screws are received in recesses in the inertia bar; the inertia bar is connected to the bridge plate by several screws that do not interfere with the screw shanks. To adjust intonation, the bridge plate is pivoted upwardly and a wrench is employed to rotate the screw shanks, which in turn bear against the heads of the pull screws. Furthermore, the pull screws are rotated to release positions while the bridge plate is in its upwardly-pivoted position. After intonation is adjusted, the pull screws are rotated to lock the saddles in their desired positions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a musical instrument bridge for supporting a set of strings above a front face of a musical instrument. The bridge comprises a plate, a mounting block, and a plurality of fingers. The plate is attachable to a rear face of the instrument. The plurality of fingers are attached to the plate and extend towards a front face of the instrument. Each finger has a resonant frequency that is related to a predetermined pitch of the string supported by the finger. Each finger is designed to vibrate in a plane that is parallel to the front face of the instrument but to reduce vibration in a plane perpendicular to the front face of the instrument.

Abstract: A fully adjustable acoustic guitar bridge is claimed that allows the strings (nylon or steel) of an acoustic guitar to be separately and continuously intonated accurately and easily whenever necessary. The bridge system employs a minimum of alterations to the traditional non-adjustable acoustic guitar bridge to retain the acoustic qualities of the instrument. Recessed, rear-loaded cap screws utilize the forward pull of the guitar strings to stabilize the adjustable saddles. A threaded saddle capture on each saddle provides stability, continuous threading capability, and the freedom to use acoustically resonant materials (bone, phenolic, composites, etc.) for saddles. These features eliminate the need for springs or other fasteners, which would have a negative effect on the acoustic guitar's tone and sustain. A rosewood shim is employed on acoustic/electric guitars over the internal bridge pickup.

Abstract: A structure for holding a guitar string including a base plate at the guitar body near the bridge, a saddle above the base plate, a saddle height position adjusting screw and a front-back position adjusting screw for the saddle. The latter screw is held in a groove in a holding member. The holding member is rotatable in a fixed member on the base plate. The rotatability of the holding member enables the height of the saddle to be set, with corresponding adjustment in the tilt angle of the front-back position adjustment screw and the holding body in the hole. A screw clamps a holding part against the front-back position adjusting screw and to also clamp the holding part at a selected rotative position to which the holding part has been adjusted in conformity with the height of the saddle.

Abstract: A bridge assembly for a guitar mounted on a soundboard cover of a resonating box, the bridge assembly comprising a bridge fixed on the soundboard cover, a block-like platform secured to the bridge and transversely spaced saddles on which the guitar strings pass under tension. The strings contact the saddles at points of support and establish vibration lengths of the strings. The strings undergo change of angle at their points of support to apply force along a line of action passing through the platform to the soundboard cover and the resonating box. The saddles are connected to the platform for adjustment longitudinally of the strings to vary the vibration length of the strings and thereby effect string length fine tuning. At the end positions of adjustment of the saddles, and for all positions therebetween, forces applied by the strings will be directed to pass to the soundboard cover either directly through the platform or through a thin portion of the bridge on which the platform rests.

Abstract: A device for installing one end of a string on a string musical instrument. A track on the body of the instrument has a first depression for receiving the bridge of the instrument for that string. The bridge has a string raising saddle on it, which can be adjusted in height and can be adjusted parallel to the length of the string. The installed end of the string extends past the saddle to a slide supported in a second depression on the track. A bolt on the slide receives a nut supported at the track to adjust displacement of the slide between a position where the supported string is at highest pitch and a position to which the slide can shift for the string to be at lowest pitch. A pivotable eccentric lever has two cam surfaces on it at different distances from the pivot axis of the lever. The different high and low pitch levels of the string are established by the different pivot positions of the lever cooperating with the displacement slide. Displacement range is adjustable.

Abstract: A guitar bridge assembly includes a first base body receiving a second base body capturing a bridge angularly oriented relative to an anchor plate at an acute angle relative to one another for securement of guitar strings about a top surface of a guitar body.

Abstract: An adjustable saddle mechanism for a guitar string comprises upper and lower saddle elements. A compound lever system is provided to lock the saddle elements in any one of an infinite number of positions.

Abstract: A sound enhancing insert for stringed instruments in general and for guitars, in particular. The insert is readily mountable between the string supporting bridge saddle and the string tie-down members without repair, alteration of, or replacement of instrument parts. One or more rigid members, constructed of metal, wood, rigid plastic or ceramic, are mounted with a top surface of the rigid member contacting a respective string and the bottom surface of the rigid member contacting the sound table of the instrument. The rigid members are preferably mounted within a pliant soft plastic material such as Neoprene for supporting the rigid members in place and making the insert adaptable to different string heights. The rigid members, in their engagement between string and sound table, provide a second reverberation signal, a change in sustain, and a change in timbre, depending upon the particular material used.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatuses, and methods for their use, for reversing or preventing warpage in the top plates of guitars and similar musical instruments attributable to the tensile forces within the strings of such instruments. The apparatus employs a compression block attached within the interior of an instrument's sound box, upon the interior side of the top plate and opposite the bridge, a compression rod between the compression block and the tail block of the instrument, and means within the interior of the sound box for adjusting the movement of the compression rod. When installed, the apparatus of the invention may be manipulated to induce a compressive force upon the interior side of the instrument's top plate, thus arresting or reversing the undesirable warpage in the top plate caused by the tension in the instrument's strings.

Abstract: A bridge assembly for a guitar in which a saddle is mounted on the body of the guitar for contact with the strings extending longitudinally above the body of the guitar for holding the strings above the body of the guitar under tension and producing a double change in angle of the strings on the saddle. The saddle has a fulcrum end supported on the guitar from which an inclined lever portion extends at an acute angle with respect to the body of the guitar and has a free end on which the string passes and applies force to the saddle. The inclined lever portion defines a tapered space with the body of the guitar so that the applied double force of the string is transmitted via the inclined lever portion to its fulcrum end forwardly at the acute angle. For bass strings, the saddle can be formed with multiple angularly spaced legs and for treble strings with a solid, triangular cross section.

Abstract: An improved acoustic guitar bridge having string intonation, height, and tilt adjustment and comprising an anchor joined to and protruding downwardly from a chassis housing a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly adjustable saddles. Stabilizer legs 20 for height adjustment and chassis 10 tilt control extend down from the chassis.

Abstract: Apparatus, such as a stringed musical instrument, is provided with at least one free-to-vibrate portion tightly coupled to a vibrating object. A member forming the free-to-vibrate is tuned to at least one specific resonant frequency related to the vibrating object. In a guitar the bridge assembly can include the free-to-vibrate portion. The bridge assembly can be a fulcrum tremolo with individual intonation modules each having a free-to-vibrate portion.

Abstract: A bearing of a roller string guide for a musical instrument, such as a roller bridge saddle, is urged into a seating by elastic member whose spring force preferably is greater than the lateral force exerted on the roller by the vibration of the string. The seating of the bearing is formed in a rigid structure of the bridge saddle. With this arrangement since the bearing is urged into a rigid seating the vibrational energy of the string cannot vibrate the roller laterally relative to the bridge saddle and therefore no vibrational energy of the string is lost in the connection between the roller and the saddle structure. With a bridge having a bearing saddle according to the invention string sustain is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: A string bender apparatus is provided for a guitar. The guitar has a guitar body with a plurality of guitar strings mounted thereon, and also includes a protruding structure such as a bridge or tail piece defined on the guitar body and operably associated with the guitar strings. The string bender apparatus includes a frame having an actuating lever pivotally attached thereto. The actuating lever is attached to one of the guitar strings for varying the tension on the string by pivoting the actuating lever relative to the frame. An adapter is provided for removably attaching the frame of the string bender apparatus to the protruding structure of the guitar.

Abstract: A bridge assembly for a stringed musical instrument having a block-like platform member secured to a bridge member which is fixed with respect to a sound board cover of the instrument the bridge member has an upper surface with a groove therein seating of the platform member. The platform member has a lower portion fixedly inserted in the groove and an integral upper portion extending out of the groove and above said upper surface of the bridge member. A string of the instrument passes on a saddle under tension, the contact of the string with the saddle establishing the vibration length of the string. The saddle is connected to the platform member for longitudinal adjustment thereon to effect string length fine tuning.

Abstract: Bridge for improving volume, power and sustaining quality in a stringed musical instrument of the type having a hollow body over which are stretched substantially parallel strings, each string being stretched. The string height is raised over the sound board. One end of string may be anchored to a crossbrace on the underside of the sound board so as to directly vibrate this sound board. It also incorporates a means for string length fine tuning. The result is increased sound, volume and resonance persistence which is without distortion that may result in increased amplification when applied to guitars or other stringed instruments.

Abstract: An improved saddle assembly for a guitar having a vibrato bridge assembly is disclosed. The improved saddle assembly has two parallel legs joined by a shoulder portion, one of the legs being longer than the other and the shoulder portion being provided with opposing string support grooves. The radius of curvature of the support grooves is larger than the radius of the largest guitar string, and the sides of the support groove are flared. The saddle assembly is reversible for positioning on the guitar so that the longer saddle assembly leg is closer to the centerline of the guitar neck, thereby providing a centering action and sustaining the guitar string upon flatting.

Abstract: A fine tuning mechanism in a tremolo unit of an electric guitar which includes a body section having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion rising from a rear end side of the horizontal portion and formed in an L-like shape, and a block section extending downward from the horizontal portion of the body section. The horizontal portion has a bridge saddle held thereon, a slider is held on the bridge saddle and is slidable in a longitudinal direction and a fine tuning screw is provided for sliding the slider in the longitudinal direction. The fine tuning mechanism allows a muted performance to be accomplished smoothly and the fine tuning can be performed smoothly at a light touch while obtaining a large adjustment width.

Abstract: An adjustable saddle insert for individual strings of a musical instrument. The insert may be installed upon the bridge of an existing instrument without any alteration of the bridge or of the instrument, and provides for precise selection of vibrating length of the string and its height above the instrument for precise intonation of each string. Each saddle is clamped upon the insert in selection position longitudinally to the string, and the height of each is adjusted by removal of material from its upper ridge.

Abstract: A tremolo bridge for an electric guitar has a fine tuning mechanism installed thereon. Fine tuning screw heads 43 have coplanar top surfaces 44 which do not rise or fall as tuning is effected. When actuated, heads 43 move screws 47 vertically to act on strings 29 through string securing levers 35. With this structure, the tuning heads form an essentially flat surface providing a seat or rest for the hand or forearm of the guitarist.

Abstract: An improved fulcrum tremolo is disclosed, characterized by a unique mounting system and a novel adjustable bridge and fine turning assembly. A pair of screws having a blade-like heads are connected with the body of a musical instrument. The tremolo is arranged in a recess in the body of the instrument and includes in its forward edge tapered recesses to receive the screw head edges for pivotal movement thereabout. An adjustable bridge and fine turning assembly for the instrument strings is connected with the tremolo. For each string there is provided a body portion having a pair of rollers for supporting the string, and a tubular member for receiving the string. The tubular member is arranged in a recess within the tremolo. Harmonic tuning is adjusted by sliding the body portion and tube within its recess longitudinally, essentially without altering the tuning of the string. A string securing member is connected with the tremolo to vary the tension of each string.

Abstract: A fine tuning apparatus, for a stringed musical instrument, is constructed with: a base plate adapted to be attached to a body of the stringed musical instrument; a plurality of saddle plates mounted on the base plate; a pivotable saddle mounted on the respective saddle plate and having in its surface a groove for receiving the respective string; a string anchoring member mounted on each saddle plate rearwardly of the saddle, the anchoring member having an arm pivotable toward and away from the base plate and a hook connected to the arm and adapted to catch a ball attached to a rear end of the string, the hook being pivotable longitudinally of the string in response to pivoted movement of the arm; and a first adjusting means mounted on the arm of the anchoring member for adjusting the distance between the arm and the base plate to change the position of the hook and to thereby fine tune the string.

Abstract: The bridge of a guitar includes a movable bridge plate normally pivotable relative to the body of the guitar so as to change the string tension and produce a tremulous tone effect. Alternatively, the bridge-mounting plate can be locked in fixed position relative to the remainder of the guitar. A low friction mounting for the bridge-mounting plate consists of a linear, sharpened leading end or ends of the plate received in a linear transverse groove or grooves of a mounting flange. Preferably, the pivot axis of the bridge plate lies in a vertical plane closely adjacent to the location where the guitar strings cross the bridge so that pivoting movement of the bridge plate to produce the tremulous tone effect does not result in a large change of the height of the strings above the guitar body. A separate saddle is provided for each string and gear-actuated adjustment mechanism is operable to adjust the longitudinal position of each saddle.

Abstract: A string instrument particularly such as a guitar is provided with an improved vibrato assembly to obtain a vibrato/tremolo effect, and further including improved tuning adjustment mechanisms for maintaining the guitar in tune and for rapid adjustment to one of several preset tuning configurations. The vibrato assembly comprises an improved tuning machine and an improved bridge unit respectively on the head and body of the guitar with the guitar strings extended therebetween. The tuning machine and bridge unit support the guitar strings independently with each string under selected tension at a primary tuning set position. At the bridge unit, the strings are supported by individual rocker arms engaged by respective cams which are movable together by a manual spring-loaded control lever to achieve the vibrato/tremolo effect with raised or lowered pitch, as desired, with the cams displacing the rocker arms and thus altering tension individually for each guitar string.

Abstract: A vibrato device for guitars which is easily omnidirectionally adjustable by a clamp screw and a pivot screw concentric therewith, both conveniently accessible from the rear of the device, and by elevation screws mounted in the string-supporting saddles and conveniently accessible from the top of the device. The brass saddles are provided with a steel block insert for improved resonance and damping, and the control lever can be conveniently either locked in one position, or allowed to swing freely, at any time during play. The device is provided with self-centering straight knife-edge bridge pivots. The free ends of the strings are clamped to the bottom of a steel sustain block depending from the bridge of the device, and the clamp screws for both the strings and the lateral saddle position adjustment are turnable with coins.