US 6,143,967 A · Tremolo for guitar

Abstract

A self-contained tremolo for a guitar or other stringed instrument provides exceptional ease of setup and operation. The tremolo has a base plate fastened to the guitar over a small cavity. A bridge is pivotally connected to the base plate by means of bridge pins that enter blind slots in the base plate. String tension is counteracted by a spring mechanism that includes studs received in the bridge and passing through holes in the base plate and entering the guitar cavity. Compression springs act between the studs and the base plate. Identical intonation blocks are held on steps in the bridge such that the contact points between the intonation blocks and the strings lie along a curved line that matches the curve of the guitar frets. Fine tuners have plugs with V-grooves that contact the strings. The plugs are held in threaded shanks, but they do not rotate with the shanks during fine tuner adjustment, thereby eliminating the tendency of the strings to twist or slip off the ends of the fine tuners. An arm employs friction to both enable rotation thereof within the bridge and to maintain a desired angular location.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A tremolo for a musical instrument having a plurality of longitudinally extending strings that lie in a selected plane and that have respective first ends secured to the instrument and respective second ends comprising:

a. a base plate lying in a flat plane and defining at least one hole therethrough;
b. means for immovably fastening the base plate to the instrument;
c. a bridge connected to the base plate for pivoting in first and second directions relative to the base plate, the second ends of the strings being anchored to the bridge with selected tensions in the strings that tend to pivot the bridge in the first direction;
d. a plurality of substantially identical intonation blocks each adjustably held to the bridge and in contact with the strings at respective contact points;
e. at least one stud joined to the bridge and passing through the hole in the base plate;
f. means for cooperating with said at least one stud to bias the bridge to pivot in the second direction with a force greater than the selected tensions in the strings until the bridge contacts the base plate;
and
g. means for manually pivoting the bridge in the first direction and thereby decrease the tensions in the strings,
so that the tremolo is self-contained and requires no fastening between the tremolo and the instrument other than the means for fastening the base plate to the instrument.

6 more elements

A method of tuning and playing a guitar comprising the steps of:

a. fastening a base plate having at least one hole therethrough to the guitar;
b. pivotally connecting a bridge to the base plate;
c. fixedly anchoring second ends of guitar strings to the bridge at respective anchor points, and adjustably attaching first ends of the strings to the guitar with respective tensions that tend to pivot the bridge in a first direction;
d. inserting at least one stud through the base plate hole and into the bridge;
e. placing a spring over said at least one stud and into contact with the base plate;
f. tightening a nut against the spring and causing the spring to act between the base plate and the stud and nut and thereby biasing the bridge to rotate in a second direction until the bridge contacts the base plate;
and
g. manually pivoting the bridge in the first direction and thereby loosening the tension in the strings.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tremolo for guitar

Life of this patent

Tremolo for guitar

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37