The invention provides a stringed musical instrument comprising a guitar-type hollow body, a neck joined to the hollow body, and a banjo-type pot comprising a rim, a head and a tension hoop, positioned within a first interior chamber within the hollow body. The rim and head define a second interior chamber within the banjo-type pot. The banjo-type pot is affixed to a back surface of the hollow body such that the head of the banjo-type pot is proximal to a front surface of the hollow body and distal to the back surface of the hollow body. The banjo-type pot is positioned within the first interior chamber to form a path for sound waves generated by the head to travel from a second interior chamber within the banjo-type pot through the first interior chamber and out of at least one opening provided on the front surface of the hollow body.

The invention provides a stringed musical instrument comprising a guitar-type hollow body, a neck joined to the hollow body, and a banjo-type pot comprising a rim, a head and a tension hoop, positioned within a first interior chamber within the hollow body. The rim and head define a second interior chamber within the banjo-type pot. The banjo-type pot is affixed to a back surface of the hollow body such that the head of the banjo-type pot is proximal to a front surface of the hollow body and distal to the back surface of the hollow body. The banjo-type pot is positioned within the first interior chamber to form a path for sound waves generated by the head to travel from a second interior chamber within the banjo-type pot through the first interior chamber and out of at least one opening provided on the front surface of the hollow body.

A tuner for a stringed instrument, comprising: a housing mounted to the stringed instrument; a knob coupled to one end of the housing; a post coupled to the other end of the housing, the knob and the post positioned on a rotation axis, the post for receiving a string and the knob for causing rotation of the post; a gear assembly mounted in the housing between the knob and the post, the gear assembly having a first gear for rotating about the rotation axis and a second gear mounted on a gear body, the second gear having a center axis offset from the rotation axis, the first gear being meshed with the second gear, the gear body including a plurality of pins, being opposed to the second gear, for positioning in a respective plurality of cavities in the housing; wherein the second gear being coupled to the knob and the first gear being coupled to the post.

One aspect of the invention provides a pickup for a string instrument. The pickup includes: a plurality of pole pieces arranged along a non-linear path and a wire coil formed around said plurality of pole pieces and having a profile corresponding to said non-linear path. Another aspect of the invention provides a string instrument including: the pickup as described herein and a plurality of strings. Each string of said plurality of strings passes over a respective pole piece of said plurality of pole pieces.

The present invention is directed to a Contoured Banjo Bridge with a flat upper surface for making contact with and securing the strings present on a stringed instrument and one or more convex overall lower surfaces which makes contact with the head of said stringed instrument, to maintain a uniform pressure with the banjo head surface when the strings are tightened, whereby the convex lower portion of the banjo bridge has a curved lower surface to compensate for the stress applied onto the head of the stringed instrument when the strings are tightened. The Contoured Banjo Bridge may be constructed with one or more openings to achieve the intended purpose of this application.

The present invention is directed to a Contoured Banjo Bridge with a flat upper surface for making contact with and securing the strings present on a stringed instrument and one or more convex overall lower surfaces which makes contact with the head of said stringed instrument, to maintain a uniform pressure with the banjo head surface when the strings are tightened, whereby the convex lower portion of the banjo bridge has a curved lower surface to compensate for the stress applied onto the head of the stringed instrument when the strings are tightened. The Contoured Banjo Bridge may be constructed with one or more openings to achieve the intended purpose of this application.

One aspect of the invention provides a pickup for a string instrument. The pickup includes: a plurality of pole pieces arranged along a non-linear path and a wire coil formed around said plurality of pole pieces and having a profile corresponding to said non-linear path. Another aspect of the invention provides a string instrument including: the pickup as described herein and a plurality of strings. Each string of said plurality of strings passes over a respective pole piece of said plurality of pole pieces.

A non-electronic device which extracts energy otherwise lost in a banjo's body and converts it into audible sound that not only adds volume to the sound coming from the head, but also makes the sound waves' high frequency components more pronounced. Readily movable from one attachment site to the next along the inside surface of the banjo's cylindrical rim, the device includes a two-dimensional, made-from-cardstock body and, affixed thereto along one end, an elongated strip of acrylic adhesive tape. Suspended from it within the banjo pot, the body routes sound surface waves coming from the rim to various surface wave-amplifying elements including an asymmetrical array of branches and tiny offshoots extending from them, as well as a pair of staples fastened to one branch and a five-sided, irregular timbre polygon hingedly connected to another branch so as to form, with it, a tiny loudspeaker.

This disclosure relates generally to a kit or system for providing support to a rim of a banjo and can include: a dowel stick with two opposing notches disposed at a distal end; a threaded insert to be received by the distal end of the dowel stick; a neck brace having a body and two opposing protrusions extending from the body, the two opposing protrusions for interfacing with the two opposing notches of the dowel stick, the neck brace to be positioned between the dowel stick and an interior surface of the rim; and a bolt for securing the dowel stick and neck brace to the interior surface of the rim, the bolt extending through the rim of the banjo and the neck brace to be received by the threaded insert, the dowel stick providing support to a neck of the banjo in a vertical direction and a lateral direction.

This disclosure relates generally to a kit or system for providing support to a rim of a banjo and can include: a dowel stick with two opposing notches disposed at a distal end; a threaded insert to be received by the distal end of the dowel stick; a neck brace having a body and two opposing protrusions extending from the body, the two opposing protrusions for interfacing with the two opposing notches of the dowel stick, the neck brace to be positioned between the dowel stick and an interior surface of the rim; and a bolt for securing the dowel stick and neck brace to the interior surface of the rim, the bolt extending through the rim of the banjo and the neck brace to be received by the threaded insert, the dowel stick providing support to a neck of the banjo in a vertical direction and a lateral direction.