Tremolo mechanism for an electric guitar

A tremolo mechanism for adjusting the string tension in a stringed musical instrument, the instrument including a body, a neck portion, a plurality of strings each anchored at one end to said neck portion and extending over at least a portion of said neck portion and said body, the mechanism comprising:

• a support attached to said body;
• means pivotally mounted on said support for detuning said strings substantially evenly and for maintaining said strings in substantially the same pitch relative to each other when said detuning means is pivoted with respect to said support, including means for anchoring the other end of each said string;
• and
• bridge means positioned between said detuning means and said neck,
• said support being channel-shaped and including a pair of opposite side walls, and said detuning means including a pair of pivot arms mounted on an angle to the opposite side walls of said support, and a pair of pins for pivotal attachment to said pivot arms.

A tremolo mechanism for adjusting the string tension in a stringed musical instrument, the instrument including a body, a neck portion, a plurality of strings each anchored at one end to said neck portion and extending over at least a portion of said neck portion and said body, the mechanism comprising:

• a support attached to said body;
• means pivotally mounted on said support for detuning said strings substantially evenly and for maintaining said strings in substantially the same pitch relative to each other when said detuning means is pivoted with respect to said support, said pivotally mounted means including means for anchoring the other end of each said string, said means for anchoring the other end of each said string including a plurality of tuning sliders, each said string including a ball on one end thereof, and each said slider including an opening for receiving one of said balls;
• bridge means positioned between said detuning means and said neck;
• and
• a threaded member corresponding to each said string, each said ball including a threaded opening therethrough for receiving the threaded member for individual adjustment of the position of each said ball in said openings.

A tremolo mechanism for a stringed musical instrument, the instrument including a body, a neck portion, and a plurality of strings attached at one end to said neck portion and extending over at least a portion of said neck portion and said body, the mechanism comprising:

• means for anchoring the other end of each said string;
• means pivotally mounted on said instrument for detuning said strings when said detuning means is pivoted with respect to said instrument including pivot means having a pivot axis which is oblique with relation to a plane generally defined by said strings for simultaneously moving said strings by varying distances relative to each other when said detuning means is pivoted on said instrument;
• and
• locking means for securing said detuning means against pivotal movement on said instrument.

A tremolo mechanism for a stringed musical instrument, the instrument including a body, a neck portion, and a plurality of strings attached at one end to said neck portion and extending over at least a portion of said neck portion and said body, the mechanism comprising:

• means for anchoring the other end of each said string;
• means pivotally mounted on said instrument for detuning said strings when said detuning means is pivoted with respect to said instrument;
• and
• locking means for securing said detuning means against pivotal movement on said instrument,
• said locking means including means for locking said mechanism in multiple locking positions corresponding to fixed pitch intervals of said strings.

A method for rapidly tuning a stringed musical instrument having a tremolo mechanism thereon, comprising the steps of:

• locking the tremolo mechanism in a fixed position on said instrument;
• anchoring one end of the strings of the instrument to the neck thereof;
• anchoring the other end of the strings of said instrument to said locked tremolo mechanism;
• individually tuning each string of the instrument to a desired pitch;
• unlocking the tremolo mechanism for pivotal movement of a portion thereof with respect to said instrument about a pivot axis which is oblique with relation to a plane generally defined by the strings for simultaneously moving the strings by varying distances relative to each other;
• adjusting the position of said portion against a bias for simultaneously retuning all said strings to said desired individual pitches.

A stringed musical instrument comprising:

• a body;
• a neck portion;
• a plurality of strings each anchored at one end to said neck portion and extending over at least a portion of said neck portion and said body;
• means pivotally mounted on said instrument for detuning said strings substantially evenly and for maintaining said strings in substantially the same pitch relative to each other when said detuning means is pivoted with respect to said instrument, including means for anchoring the other end of each said string, and pivot means having a pivot axis which is oblique with relation to a plane generally defined by said strings for simultaneously moving said strings by varying distances relative to each other when said detuning means is pivoted on said instrument;
• and
• bridge means positioned between said detuning means and said neck.