String support and method

A string support for use in a stringed musical instrument of the guitar type and across which a string extends, said string support comprising a first spherical member, a second spherical member, said second spherical member having a larger diameter than said first spherical member, and means for holding said first and second spherical members adjacent to each other while the string presses against said first and second spherical members.

A method comprising the steps of providing a housing having a recess with an open end portion, inserting a plurality of spherical members having different diameters into the recess through the open end portion of the recess, and blocking the open end portion of the recess with the plurality of spherical members in the recess, said step of blocking the open end portion of the recess including the steps of removing material from a sheet of material and inserting the material removed from the sheet of material into the open end portion of the recess.

A method comprising the steps of providing a housing having a recess with an open end portion, inserting a plurality of spherical members into the recess through the open end portion of the recess, and blocking the open end portion of the recess with the plurality of spherical members in the recess, said step of blocking the open end portion of the recess including the steps of removing material from a sheet of material and inserting the material removed from the sheet of material into the open end portion of the recess, said step of blocking the open end portion of the recess includes aligning an opening in a die with the open end portion of the recess and positioning the sheet of material adjacent to the opening in the die, said step of removing material from the sheet of material includes engaging the sheet of material with a punch and forcing a portion of the material of the sheet of material into the opening in the die with the punch, said step of inserting the material removed from the sheet of material into the open end portion of the recess including pressing the material removed from the sheet of material into the open end portion of the recess with the punch.

A stringed musical instrument of the guitar type, said musical instrument comprising a body portion, a neck portion connected with and extending outwardly from said body portion, a head portion connected with said neck portion, a plurality of tuning devices mounted on said head portion, a plurality of strings each of which extends from one of said tuning devices along the neck portion to the body portion of said instrument, and a plurality of string supports mounted on said musical instrument adjacent to a connection between said head and neck portions, each of said string supports including a first convex arcuate surface which forms at least a portion of an outer side of a first sphere, said first convex arcuate surface having a first radius of curvature, a second convex arcuate surface which forms at least a portion of an outer side of a second sphere, said second convex arcuate surface having a second radius of curvature which is greater than said first radius /f curvature, and support means for supporting said first and second convex arcuate surfaces, said plurality of string supports being disposed in a linear array with each string of said plurality of strings being disposed in engagement with said first and second convex arcuate surfaces of one of said string supports.

A method comprising the steps of providing a housing having a recess with an open end portion, said step of providing a housing having a recess with an open end portion including providing a housing having a second opening, inserting a plurality of spherical members into the recess through the open end portion of the recess, said step of inserting a plurality of spherical members into the recess in the housing including positioning the spherical members in the housing with portions of each of the spherical members exposed through the second opening, blocking the open end portion of the recess with the plurality of spherical members in the recess, said step of blocking the open end portion of the recess including the steps of removing material from a sheet of material and inserting the material removed from the sheet of material into the open end portion of the recess, and moving a portion of a string of the musical instrument through the second opening in the housing into engagement with each of the spherical members after performing said step of blocking the open end portion of the recess.

A string support for use in a musical instrument, said string support comprising a housing, said housing having a first end portion adapted to be connected with the musical instrument and a second end portion, first surface means in said housing for forming a recess having an open end portion, first and second spherical members disposed in said recess in abutting engagement, said second spherical member having a larger diameter than said first spherical member, means disposed in the open end portion of said recess to block the open end portion of said recess, one of said spherical members being disposed in abutting engagement with said means for blocking the open end portion of said recess, surface means for forming a slot which extends across said second end portion of said housing and which receives a string of the musical instrument, said slot intersecting said recess at a portion of said recess where said spherical members are disposed in abutting engagement to enable the string to engage said first and second spherical members adjacent to where said first and second spherical members are disposed in abutting engagement.