Patent ID: 7411120

Claim:
A string instrument, comprising: a. A resonant chamber and housing configured as a viola and defined by a back, curved sides having corresponding convex and concave configurations and a front having a pair of f holes positioned on opposing sides of a bridge support location on the front, said housing having a sound peg disposed between the front and back and a central axis extending between the f holes from an upper end of the housing to an opposing lower end; b. A fingerboard and neck attached to the upper end of the housing and having a longitudinal central axis in a laterally offset position from the central axis of the housing; c. A nut for supporting strings of the instrument above the fingerboard, said nut being coupled to a distal end of the fingerboard and neck; d. A tail piece attached to a lower end of the housing in a comparable offset position with the offset position of the fingerboard and neck, the tail piece being configured for supporting lower ends of the strings; and e. A scroll with string pegs laterally positioned in sides of the scroll for adjustably supporting upper ends of the strings, said scroll being attached to the nut in alignment with the fingerboard.