A tuning mechanism for a stringed instrument , the stringed instrument including: - a body ; - a substantially elongate neck extending from the body ; - a plurality of elongate strings , each string secured to a headstock at a distal end of the neck by a headstock string retainer and to the body by a body string retainer , said strings being tensioned over a span formed between, - a first and a second string supports, respectively located on the body and at, or adjacent, said headstock ; - a tailpiece formed from a plurality of the body string retainers ; said tuning mechanism including: - a string deflector guide surface , - a manually adjustable tensioning mechanism , locatable on the body and connected to, - at least one movable string deflector , contacting a string between said first string support and the tailpiece along a deflection path co-incident with the longitudinal axis of the string between said first string support and the tailpiece , characterised in that said string deflector includes; • a first roller bearing providing rolling contact between the string deflector and the string deflector guide surface , and • a second roller bearing providing rolling contact between the string deflector and the string between the first string support and the tailpiece along said deflection path , wherein, said first and second roller bearings are mutually contra-rotating in use as the string deflector moves along the string deflector guide surface and for each string , manual adjustment of the tensioning mechanism produces a commensurate movement of the string deflector generating lateral deflection of the string along the deflection path from contact with the string deflector , said commensurate movement of the string deflector being at least partially along the string deflector guide surface . - a body ; - a substantially elongate neck extending from the body ; - a plurality of elongate strings , each string secured to a headstock at a distal end of the neck by a headstock string retainer and to the body by a body string retainer , said strings being tensioned over a span formed between, - a first and a second string supports, respectively located on the body and at, or adjacent, said headstock ; - a tailpiece formed from a plurality of the body string retainers ; - a string deflector guide surface , - a manually adjustable tensioning mechanism , locatable on the body and connected to, - at least one movable string deflector , contacting a string between said first string support and the tailpiece along a deflection path co-incident with the longitudinal axis of the string between said first string support and the tailpiece , characterised in that said string deflector includes; • a first roller bearing providing rolling contact between the string deflector and the string deflector guide surface , and • a second roller bearing providing rolling contact between the string deflector and the string between the first string support and the tailpiece along said deflection path , wherein, said first and second roller bearings are mutually contra-rotating in use as the string deflector moves along the string deflector guide surface and for each string , manual adjustment of the tensioning mechanism produces a commensurate movement of the string deflector generating lateral deflection of the string along the deflection path from contact with the string deflector , said commensurate movement of the string deflector being at least partially along the string deflector guide surface . • a first roller bearing providing rolling contact between the string deflector and the string deflector guide surface , and • a second roller bearing providing rolling contact between the string deflector and the string between the first string support and the tailpiece along said deflection path , <EOS>