Musical instrument

Abstract

A stringed musical instrument that can be played in a manner similar to a piano or organ and yet sounds like a guitar. It includes a plurality of string sets extending between and across a pair of string bridges that are mounted on and extend transversely of the instrument body, each string set constituting an octave and being disposed laterally adjacent on the body. Each string set includes a single string that is reversely looped and mounted so that each side of the string can be individually tensioned to provide a different pitch. A plurality of manually operated slide bars are provided, each slide bar extending across and slidably engaging the strings of one string set to achieve selectively the key for the associated string set. Finger-actuating elements are operatively connected to a plurality of string strikers mounted for selectively strinking the strings, the finger-actuating elements selectively moving the string strikers into engagement with the strings. Each string striker is a resilient spring strip having one end attached to the body and an opposite free movable end disposed in an initial position spaced from yet adjacent to one of the strings. A finger-actuated element is operatively engageable with each spring strip to move the free strip end under spring loading into striking engagement with the string.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.