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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8173881 | Musical instrument utilizing illuminated position markers as status indicators A stringed musical instrument has a sound chamber and a neck attached to the sound chamber. A fingerboard is attached along the neck. The musical instrument has an electronic device such as a chromatic tuner or a preamplifier, which is either mounted inside or on th... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8119893 | Magnetic bridges and tailpieces for stringed instruments Improved bridges and tailpieces for stringed instruments, such as guitars and banjos. The bridge and tailpiece each include a void at each end of their respective base pieces, near the vertical hole or slot, into which is fixedly set a permanent magnet. The magnet a... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8101839 | Capo for stringed instruments A sliding capo for rapid changing of the pitch of musical instrument strings. The capo comprises a bar assembly for extending across and engaging the strings on the neck of an instrument, and a spring assembly connected to opposite ends of the bar assembly and exten... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8093475 | Tuning device A device for use in tuning a string of a musical instrument includes a pinion gear which is connected with a rotatable shaft. A worm gear is rotated to effect rotation of the pinion gear and shaft about a central axis of the shaft. A sleeve encloses a portion of the... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8044287 | Pitch adjustment device for string instruments A pitch adjustment device for selectively adjusting the pitch of the string(s) of a stringed musical instrument. Each string of the instrument is attached to a respective pitch adjustment device. Each pitch adjustment device includes a pivotable string puller wherei... | 10/25/2011 |
| 7973226 | Vibrato retrofit string tension kit A guitar sting tension device for an electrical guitar retrofitted with a vibrato unit to prohibit displacement of the strings on the bridge of the guitar consisting of a rotatable string retention bar, two rotatable connection arms, a pivotal anchor collar with rec... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7968778 | Tuner with capo A combination of a capo with attached tuner having a sensor that picks up vibrations through the capo. The capo and tuner are connected together as a unitary accessory that is attachable along the neck of the guitar, in the manner of a conventional capo, but with th... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7943839 | Tuning device Provided is a tuning device including: a tuning device main body including an electric circuit for computing a tuning state of a musical instrument; a clip portion including a pair of plate materials for attaching the tuning device main body to the musical instrumen... | 05/17/2011 |
| 7807908 | Method for automatic real-time variable performance intonation of chromatic instruments A method for automatic real-time performance intonation (ARPI) of electronic, digital, or computer-based musical instruments automatically adds the intonation characteristics of a variable-intonation instrument performance to an equal-tempered chromatic instrument p... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7799978 | Tuner mounting device A tuner mounting mounts a tuner to a musical instrument to indicate a tuning state of the musical instrument. The tuner mounting device has a hook-and-loop fastener that connects to a main body of the tuner and is configured to wrap directly around at least a part o... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7759568 | Pitch adjustment device for string instruments A pitch adjustment device for selectively adjusting the pitch of the string(s) of a stringed musical instrument. Each string of the instrument is attached to a respective pitch adjustment device. Each pitch adjustment device comprises a tuning key to which the strin... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7692079 | Stringed musical instrument A stringed musical instrument employs springs and/or one or more hanging masses to apply tension to corresponding musical strings. Each spring and/or mass is chosen and configured for its ability to impart a string tension generally matched to the appropriate tensio... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7674963 | String instrument with variable openings A removable insert for an opening in a wall board of a string instrument, includes a side wall having dimensions less than those of the opening for insertion in the opening, and a flange wall having dimensions greater than those of the opening so as to seat on the w... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7655851 | Tuning device of wireless communication type A tuning device has a sound collecting unit having an input section for receiving a sound or vibration signal produced by a musical instrument and outputting a sound signal, and a wireless communication section for converting the sound signal into a wireless signal ... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7645927 | Pitch adjustment device for string instruments A pitch adjustment device for selectively adjusting the pitch of the string(s) of a stringed musical instrument. Each string of the instrument is attached to a respective pitch adjustment device. Each pitch adjustment device comprises a pivotable string puller where... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7579536 | Tension equalizer In one embodiment, a device includes: first, second, and third paired-strand levers each configured to receive a pair of tensile strands at locations spaced apart from one another along the paired-strand lever; first, second, and third fulcrums each supporting a cor... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7541528 | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension A stringed musical instrument employs springs to apply tension to corresponding musical strings. Each spring is chosen and configured for its ability to impart a string tension generally matched to the appropriate tension of the string at perfect tune. Preferably, t... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7470841 | Tuning apparatus for stringed instrument A stringed musical instrument is provided with a tremolo with a unitary base plate formed from a single folded or bent plate including a spring attachment means portion so that the tremolo is connected directly to the biasing springs; such a folded construction also... | 12/30/2008 |
| 7465860 | String puller for string instruments A string puller for selectively adjusting the pitch of the string(s) of a stringed musical instrument. Each string of the instrument is attached to a respective string puller. Each string puller comprises a pivoting member rotatably mounted on a pivot at a pivot sup... | 12/16/2008 |
| 7446248 | Apparatus and method for self-tuning stringed musical instruments with an accompanying vibrato mechanism An automatic tuning system for a stringed instrument is provided having a string adjustment assembly comprising a motor and gear assembly, wherein the motor and gear assembly is pivotable on a housing for the tuning system. The system can also include a vibrato arm ... | 11/04/2008 |
| 7427703 | Releasable tremolo lock device A quick-release tremolo lock device for installation into a tremolo recess, and for mounting to a movable bridge or a tremolo block of a stringed instrument such as a guitar. The tremolo lock device includes a spring mount that is adapted to be fixedly attached to a... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7414184 | Alternative tuning device for stringed musical instruments A device which attaches to the non-vibrating part of specific string(s) of suitable stringed musical instruments and which enables the musician to repeatably apply alternative predetermined tension states to the string(s), so as to selectively apply a known incremen... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7390960 | Electronic signal processor An electronic signal processor for processing signals includes a complex first filter, one or more gain stages and a second filter. The first filter is characterized by a frequency response curve that includes multiple corner frequencies, with some corner frequencie... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7371955 | Drum tuning key A drum tuning key comprises a handle portion, a barrel portion defining an axis connected to the handle portion, the barrel portion having internal walls defining a cavity extending inwardly along the axis from an end of the barrel portion, the cavity being square i... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7339102 | Cam activated tremolo bridge An improved reverse tremolo bridge including a base plate attached to a guitar body, a camshaft connected to a slide plate, and cam stops connected to the base plate. Strings for the guitar are engaged to respective string saddles and pass through respective slots i... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7335831 | Brass instrument A brass instrument with improved tonal characteristics that includes a tonal material attached to the brass instrument. The instrument may be a trumpet. The tonal material may have a Mohs hardness of greater than about 6, such as a semi-precious stone. Also disclose... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7329808 | String bending device for stringed musical instruments A string bending device for stringed instruments and methods of use are claimed. The novel device permits the user to tension a string to change the pitch and tone by means of a tension arm and attached string pad. The string pad is unique in that it possesses an ar... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7326839 | Stringed instrument bridge and stringed instrument A stringed instrument bridge arrangeable on a body of a bass guitar. The bridge includes a plurality of saddle units, each corresponding to a string. Each saddle unit includes a base plate, a unit base, and a saddle. A screw pivotally supports the unit base on the b... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7304226 | Stringed instrument tuning device A stringed instrument tuning device is disclosed that is enhanced over the prior art by an included mechanism that enables the tuning knob to be positioned freely in any rotational position after a string has been tensioned or tuned. A worm gear drive tuning assembl... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7259309 | Tremolo actuator A simple “hands-free” electric guitar tremolo and tremolo actuator is provided. An actuator is pivotably attached to the guitar body within a rear cavity of the solid body of the instrument. A portion of the actuator bears against an external surface of the inst... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7256336 | Stringed instrument and associated fret mapping method A stringed instrument and associated fret mapping method. The instrument includes a neck having a fret board provided with a plurality of frets having offset string contact regions along their length, whereby accurate intonation of a note is achieved when a string i... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7247779 | Pitch changing arrangements for pedal steel guitar The invention as described herein consists of a pitch-changing arrangement as may be used in a pedal steel guitar to improve the quality of the sounds emanating therefrom. The invention incorporates a tone ring for transferring the string energy from the neutral pos... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7244882 | Drum key Apparatus and methods for rotating objects in accordance with the invention are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes a shaft including a socket opening in at least one end of the shaft and a handle connected to the shaft by a unidirectional bearing. A... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7238870 | Enhanced fret saving device and process A specialized at least bilayered device similiformic with the fretboard/fingerboard/keyboard of an instrument is designed to be removingly disposed between the strings and fretboard or frets of the instrument and prevents or mitigates fret damages (from, for example... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7238875 | Electronic musical instrument There is provided an electronic musical instrument which is capable of muting by a simple operation. A plurality of fret operating elements are provided on a fingerboard, for determining the pitch. Six stringed operating elements for determining sounding timing are ... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7235729 | String securing apparatus for string instrument The string securing apparatus for string instrument of this invention arranges a plurality of saddle-attaching members on the top face of a bridge base in correspondence with strings, and secures them to the bridge base so that they can be movably adjusted in the fr... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7183475 | Stringed instrument with adjustable string tension control A tension adjustment mechanism for a stringed musical instrument suitable for use on a tailpiece assembly comprises a pivoting member (such as a string receptor), an adjustable stop, and a lever handle engaged with the pivoting member. The pivoting member preferably... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7179975 | Method and apparatus for fully adjusting and providing tempered intonation for stringed, fretted musical instruments, and making adjustments to the rule of 18 The present invention involves a tempering formula which utilizes specific pitch offsets, which when applied to the guitar, result in extraordinarily pleasing intonation. ... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7122728 | String leveling device and method of use thereof A unison gauge for indicating levelness of a string set of a grand piano is described. The gauge has a contact block adjustably engageable with the lowermost tangential aspect of the string set. Battery powered indicators provide an indication for each string. With ... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7109405 | D tuner A tuner for a stringed instrument including a base unit, a pair of projections extending upwardly from the base unit, and a clamping bar for attachment to the base unit with a neck of the stringed instrument therebetween. The tuner also includes tuning screws for mo... | 09/19/2006 |
