Counter pressure system for stringed instruments

Apparatus for extending the volume and the tonal quality of a stringed instrument of the type having a finger board, a main tailpiece and a main bridge for supporting the melody strings above the belly of the sound box between the finger board and the main tailpiece, the apparatus including

• a floating tailpiece suspended between one end of the melody strings and the main tailpiece,
• a series of counter pressure strings that are passed through the main tailpiece and which are anchored at one end in the floating tailpiece and at the other end in the finger board to provide a suspension system that is supported beneath the melody strings,
• a counter pressure bridge interposed between the melody strings and counter pressure strings so that a portion of the melody string pressure is transferred to the counter pressure strings, and
• an auxiliary bridge mounted between the counter pressure strings and the belly of the sound box, with said auxiliary bridge spaced apart from said main bridge so as to contact said sound box at a different point from the main bridge, whereby the pressure exerted on said counter pressure strings is transferred to the sound box.