Variable configuration guitar bridge

Abstract

A bridge for a musical instrument has a bridge body and a plurality of saddles disposed substantially upon the bridge body. A least a plurality of saddles are individually adjustable in height, so as to vary the height of a string supported thereby.

1 - 61 . (Cancel)  
   
   
       62 . A fixed combination bridge/tailpiece for a stringed musical instrument, the fixed combination bridge/tailpiece comprising: 
 a bridge body;    a plurality of saddles disposed substantially upon the bridge body; and    wherein at least a plurality of the saddles are individually adjustable in height, so as to vary a height of strings supported thereby.    
   
   
       63 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , wherein all of the saddles are individually adjustable in height, so as to vary a height of all of the strings supported thereby.  
   
   
       64 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , wherein each saddle is configured to support one string.  
   
   
       65 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , wherein the number of saddles corresponds to the number of strings supported by the bridge.  
   
   
       66 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , wherein the plurality of saddles comprises six saddles.  
   
   
       67 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , wherein the bridge body and saddles are configured for use on a guitar.  
   
   
       68 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , further comprising at least one adjustment screw configured to vary the height of each saddle.  
   
   
       69 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , further comprising two adjustment screws configured to vary the height of each saddle.  
   
   
       70 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , further comprising two adjustment screws configured to vary the height of each saddle, one adjustment screw being disposed on each side of a notch.  
   
   
       71 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , wherein each saddle is configured to move so as to vary intonation of a string supported thereby.  
   
   
       72 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , further comprising an adjustment screw configured to move each saddle so as to adjust intonation.  
   
   
       73 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , further comprising a support post at each end of the bridge body, the support posts configured to vary a height of the bridge.  
   
   
       74 . The fixed combination bridge/tailpiece as recited in  claim 62 , wherein the bridge body is configured such that strings of the musical instrument wrap around a portion thereof.  
   
   
       75 . A guitar comprising: 
 a guitar body;    a neck attached to the guitar body;    a plurality of strings extending substantially along the neck and the guitar body;    a fixed combination bridge/tailpiece attached to the guitar body for supporting the strings, the fixed combination bridge/tailpiece comprising: 
 a bridge body;  
 a plurality of saddles disposed substantially atop the bridge body; and  
 wherein the bridge body is adjustable in height and each saddle is individually adjustable in height, so as to vary a height of a string supported thereby.  
   
   
   
       76 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , wherein each saddle is configured to support one string.  
   
   
       77 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , wherein the number of saddles corresponds to the number of strings supported by the bridge.  
   
   
       78 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , wherein the plurality of saddles comprises six saddles.  
   
   
       79 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , wherein the bridge body and saddles are configured for use on a guitar.  
   
   
       80 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , further comprising at least one adjustment screw configured to vary the height of each saddle.  
   
   
       81 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , further comprising two adjustment screws configured to vary the height of each saddle.  
   
   
       82 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , further comprising an adjustment screw configured to move each saddle, so as to adjust intonation.  
   
   
       83 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , further comprising a support post at each end of the bridge body, the support posts configured to vary a height of the bridge.  
   
   
       84 . The guitar as recited in  claim 75 , wherein the bridge body is configured such that strings of the musical instrument wrap around a portion thereof.  
   
   
       85 . A method for adjusting a position of a string on a musical instrument, the method comprising: 
 moving a combination bridge/tailpiece so as to vary a height of a plurality of strings generally simultaneously;    moving one saddle of the fixed combination bridge/tailpiece so as to vary a height of one string supported thereby;    repeating the moving of a saddle for each string of the musical instrument for which varying the height thereof is desired; and    wherein moving each saddle does not substantially vary a height of other strings supported by other saddles.    
   
   
       86 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , wherein moving the saddles comprises turning at least one height adjustment screw.  
   
   
       87 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , wherein moving the saddles comprises turning two height adjustment screws.  
   
   
       88 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , wherein moving the saddles comprises turning two height adjustment screws, one adjustment screw being on each side of a string.  
   
   
       89 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , wherein all of the saddles are supported by a common bridge body.  
   
   
       90 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , wherein all of the saddles are supported by a common bridge body and further comprising varying a height of the common bridge body so as to simultaneously vary a height of all of the strings.  
   
   
       91 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , wherein the saddles are moved so as to provide a generally planar positioning of the strings proximate the saddles.  
   
   
       92 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , wherein the saddles are moved so as to provide an arced positioning of the strings proximate the saddles.  
   
   
       93 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , further comprising: 
 moving one saddle so as to vary an intonation of a string supported thereby;    repeating the moving of a saddle for each string of the musical instrument for which varying the intonation thereof is desired; and    wherein moving each saddle does not substantially vary the intonation of other strings supported by other saddles.    
   
   
       94 . A method for adjusting positions of strings on a musical instrument, the method comprising: 
 varying a height of a fixed combination bridge/tailpiece to provide coarse positioning of the strings; and    individually varying a height of a plurality of saddles to provide a fine positioning of the strings supported thereby.    
   
   
       95 . The method as recited in  claim 94 , wherein: 
 varying a height of a bridge comprises turning bridge height adjusting screws disposed at each end of the bridge; and    individually varying a height of each saddle comprises turning at least one screw disposed at least partially within each saddle.    
   
   
       96 . A method of making a fixed combination bridge/tailpiece for a musical instrument, the method comprising: 
 forming a bridge body which is configured to movably support a plurality of saddles;    forming a plurality of saddles; and    wherein the bridge and the saddles are configured to cooperate so as to facilitate individual adjustment of at least a plurality of the saddles in height, so as to vary a height of strings supported thereby.    
   
   
       97 . The method as recited in  claim 96 , wherein the bridge and the saddles are configured to cooperate so as to facilitate individual adjustment of all of the saddles in height, so as to vary a height of all of the strings supported thereby.  
   
   
       98 . The method as recited in  claim 96 , wherein the bridge and the saddles are configured for use on a guitar.  
   
   
       99 . A method of assembling a fixed combination bridge/tailpiece for a musical instrument, the method comprising: 
 providing a bridge body which is configured to movably support a plurality of saddles;    providing a plurality of saddles; and    movably mounting the saddles to the bridge body such that the bridge and the saddles are configured to cooperate so as to facilitate individual adjustment of at least a plurality of the saddles in height, so as to vary a height of strings supported thereby.    
   
   
       100 . The method as recited in  claim 99 , wherein the bridge and the saddles are configured to cooperate so as to facilitate individual adjustment of all of the saddles in height, so as to vary a height of all of the strings supported thereby.  
   
   
       101 . The method as recited in  claim 99 , wherein the bridge and the saddles are configured for use on a guitar.  
   
   
       102 . A method for making a musical instrument, the method comprising: 
 providing a body of the musical instrument; and    attaching a fixed combination bridge/tailpiece to the body of the musical instrument, the fixed combination bridge/tailpiece being configured to facilitate both overall height adjustment thereof and independent adjustment of a height of each string of the musical instrument.    
   
   
       103 . A method for making a guitar, the method comprising: 
 providing a body of the guitar; and    attaching a fixed combination bridge/tailpiece to the body of the guitar, the fixed combination bridge/tailpiece being configured to facilitate both overall height adjustment thereof and independent adjustment of a height of each string of the guitar.    
   
   
       104 . A method for making a guitar, the method comprising: 
 providing a guitar body;    attaching a fixed combination bridge/tailpiece to the guitar body, the fixed combination bridge/tailpiece being formed by: 
 providing a bridge body which is configured to movably support a plurality of saddles;  
 providing a plurality of saddles; and  
 movably mounting the saddles to the bridge body such that the bridge and the saddles are configured to cooperate so as to facilitate individual adjustment of at least a plurality of the saddles in height, so as to vary a height of strings supported thereby.