Patent ID: 7592528

Claim:
A stringed musical instrument, comprising: a musical string having first and second ends; a first receiver adapted to receive the first end and hold the first end in an adjustably fixed position; a string mounting system adapted to receive the second end, the string mounting system comprising a spring assembly, said spring assembly comprising a spring that applies a tension to the second end of the string so as to hold the string at a perfect tune tension; a force modulating member interposed between the second end of the string and the spring assembly, the force modulating member mounted so as to pivot about an axis, the spring assembly connected to the force modulating member so that the spring assembly applies a spring assembly force along a line of action that is a lever arm length from the axis; wherein the force modulating member pivots as the second end of the musical string moves longitudinally over time due to string elongation or contraction, and as the force modulation member pivots, the spring assembly force changes and simultaneously the lever arm length changes, and wherein the change of lever arm length counteracts the change of spring assembly force so that the resulting string tension remains within a desired range defined about the perfect tune tension.