US 8,569,603 B2Granted

Tremolo structure for stringed instrument

OwnerMichael A. Parilloinventor

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Abstract

A tremolo device for use on a musical instrument having a neck extending between a body and head, and a plurality of strings under tension aligned with the neck includes a bridge structure resiliently supportable relative to the body for rotation about a pivot axis transverse to the neck. String retaining elements of the bridge structure are movable therewith, each being dimensioned and arranged to engage a corresponding string. An actuating lever extends rearwardly from a point of attachment to the bridge structure to a point further from the neck and pivot axis than the point of attachment. Lifting of the actuating lever by an upward force exerted by a strumming or plucking finger reduces tension in the strings and lowers the tone of the musical element and exertion of a downward force upon the actuating lever increases tension in the strings and increases the tone of the musical instrument.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A tremolo device for use on a musical instrument having a body, a head, and a neck extending therebetween to define a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of strings under tension aligned with the neck, said device comprising:

a bridge structure resiliently supportable relative to the body for rotation about a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis;
a plurality of string retaining elements positioned on said bridge structure and movable therewith, each respective string retaining element being dimensioned and arranged to engage a corresponding one of said plurality of strings wherein pivoting of said bridge structure in a first direction relative to the body increases tension in said strings and pivoting of said bridge structure in a second direction relative to the body decreases tension in said strings whereby on vibration of said strings a tremolo effect is produced;
and
an actuating lever attached to said bridge structure and movable therewith, said actuating lever extending rearwardly from a point of attachment to said bridge structure to a point further away from the neck and pivot axis than the point of attachment,
wherein said actuating lever defines a joining surface and an abutment engageable with a rear edge surface of the bridge structure, said abutment and joining surface being dimensioned and arranged to maintain the actuating lever in a fixed rearwardly extending position relative to the bridge structure.

2 more elements

A musical instrument comprising a body, a head, a neck extending therebetween to define a longitudinal axis, a plurality of strings under tension aligned with the neck, and a bridge structure resiliently supported relative to the body for rotation about a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis, the bridge structure including a plurality of string retaining elements each dimensioned and arranged to engage a corresponding one of the plurality of strings wherein pivoting of the bridge structure in a first direction relative to the body increases tension in the strings and pivoting of the bridge structure in a second direction relative to the body decreases tension in said strings whereby on vibration of the strings a tremolo effect is produced, and wherein the improvement comprises:

an actuating lever attached to the bridge structure and movable therewith, said actuating lever extending rearwardly from a point of attachment to said bridge structure to a point further away from the neck and pivot axis than the point of attachment,
wherein said actuating lever defines a joining surface and a protruding abutment engageable with a surface of the bridge structure, said abutment and joining surface being dimensioned and arranged to maintain the actuating lever in a fixed rearwardly extending position relative to the bridge structure.

A method comprising:

providing a musical instrument comprising a body, a head, a neck extending therebetween to define a longitudinal axis, a plurality of strings under tension aligned with the neck, and a bridge structure resiliently supported relative to the body for rotation about a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis, the bridge structure including a plurality of string retaining elements each dimensioned and arranged to engage a corresponding one of the plurality of strings wherein pivoting of the bridge structure in a first direction relative to the body increases tension in the strings and pivoting of the bridge structure in a second direction relative to the body decreases tension in said strings whereby on vibration of the strings a tremolo effect is produced;
and actuating lever attached to the bridge structure and movable therewith, said actuating lever extending rearwardly from a point of attachment to said bridge structure to a point further away from the neck and pivot axis than the point of attachment;
and
attaching an actuating lever to the bridge structure for movement therewith, the actuating lever extending rearwardly from a point of attachment to the bridge structure to a point further away from the neck and pivot axis than the point of attachment, wherein said actuating lever defines a joining surface and a protruding abutment engageable with a surface of the bridge structure, said abutment and the joining surface being dimensioned and arranged to maintain the actuating lever in a fixed rearwardly extending position relative to the bridge structure.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.