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

A musical instrument slide for a stringed instrument and a method of manufacturing the same includes a slide body defining an outer wall, the outer wall configured to affect sound produced by the instrument when applied to one or more strings of the instrument. The slide includes an inner wall within the slide body creating a space between the slide body and the inner wall and further includes fluid, slurry or the like within the space between the slide body and the inner wall, which may further affect the sound produced by the instrument when the outer wall is applied to a string. A removable collar may be included with an aperture or opening that may vary in size to accommodate multiple users.

A musical instrument slide for a stringed instrument and a method of manufacturing the same includes a slide body defining an outer wall, the outer wall configured to affect sound produced by the instrument when applied to one or more strings of the instrument. The slide includes an inner wall within the slide body creating a space between the slide body and the inner wall and further includes fluid, slurry or the like within the space between the slide body and the inner wall, which may further affect the sound produced by the instrument when the outer wall is applied to a string. A removable collar may be included with an aperture or opening that may vary in size to accommodate multiple users.

This invention comprises a novel mechanical system for adjusting downward and side-to-side pressure of strings on the bridge of stringed musical instruments. The system comprises a threaded female element, to which an instrument's tailgut is attached, and a threaded mounting bolt which freely spins in a socket joint, which is incorporated into a mounting bracket secured to the instrument's end block, thereby allowing the tailgut's position at the point of the saddle to be adjusted higher, lower, or side-to-side relative to the instrument's table. These features allow the instrument's volume, resonance, and playing response to be adjusted in small increments, without detuning the instrument, to allow musicians to adapt quickly to different environmental playing conditions and musical repertoire.

A stringed instrument pickup and feedback system, comprising a sound pickup device disposed on a string instrument. The sound pickup device comprises a transducer and at least one pickup, a sound processing circuit and a power supply. The pickup activates the transducer to realize resonance enhancement on the instrument body. The transducer is disposed on the string instrument unrestricted by internal bracing. The instrument can be any of pickup, guitar, ukulele, violin, Guqin, Guzheng and Mandolin. The present invention enables the construction of stringed instrument to add vibration and amplify sound of a stringed instrument using the transducer and thus reduce the dependence on rare woods in manufacturing these instruments.

A connector device for electronic musical instruments. The connector device comprising input electrical connector means that receives electrical signals generated by pickup means for an instrument. The instrument being played and a vibration transducer mechanically attached to the input electrical connector means or provided as an integral part of the input electrical connector means, such that vibrations from the instrument are transferred to the vibration transducer. The vibration transducer generates an electrical output signal based on the vibrations. The connector device comprises electrical output connector means that receives the electrical signals generated by the pickup means and the electrical output signal from the vibration transducer and provides these signals to equipment. The connector device further comprises a mixer that combines the signals v.sub.g(t) from the pickup means and the signal v.sub.vib(t) from the vibration transducer. The mixer provides output signal v.sub.o(t) that is a weighted combination of the input signals.

A connector device for electronic musical instruments. The connector device comprising input electrical connector means that receives electrical signals generated by pickup means for an instrument. The instrument being played and a vibration transducer mechanically attached to the input electrical connector means or provided as an integral part of the input electrical connector means, such that vibrations from the instrument are transferred to the vibration transducer. The vibration transducer generates an electrical output signal based on the vibrations. The connector device comprises electrical output connector means that receives the electrical signals generated by the pickup means and the electrical output signal from the vibration transducer and provides these signals to equipment. The connector device further comprises a mixer that combines the signals v.sub.g(t) from the pickup means and the signal v.sub.vib(t) from the vibration transducer. The mixer provides output signal v.sub.o(t) that is a weighted combination of the input signals.

Improved endpin block apparatus for stringed instruments are provided. The endpin block apparatus comprises an endpin support for securing and connecting an endpin to a stringed instrument. The endpin block apparatus may be fixedly attached to the instrument or may be able to rotate about an attachment location, allowing for adjustment of the angle of the instrument relative to the axis defined by the endpin and the musician. The endpin block apparatus provides one or more endpin insertion locations, allowing for one or more angles of the endpin relative to the axis of the instrument, which angle may be adjustable, and may allow for more of the instrument's weight to be borne by the endpin. The adjustable endpin angle and the adjustable endpin block apparatus rotation allow for a greater range of instrument location and angle, and more support of the instrument by the endpin, removing weight from the musician.

An improved Bigsby vibrato device for a guitar. The improved device includes a mechanical stop which ensures that the device returns to its original neutral position after being used, thereby preventing mistuning of the guitar. The mechanical stop may be a hard stop which prevents the device from increasing tension on the guitar strings (thereby raising the pitch) beyond the neutral position, or it may be a spring stop which allows the user to increase the tension on the strings beyond the neutral position by pulling upward on the device arm with a force sufficient to overcome the spring stop.

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