Patent ID: 8536431

Claim:
An apparatus for a stringed musical instrument, the stringed musical instrument comprising a body, a neck extending outwardly from the body, a plurality of strings extending in a direction from the body to the neck, a nut to form a first critical point for each of the strings, a fulcrum tremolo pivotally mounted on the body, the fulcrum tremolo comprising: a pivot axis, a plurality of intonation modules comprising a base plate, and a bearing arrangement to pivotally support the fulcrum tremolo on the pivot axis transverse to the direction of the strings comprising at least one bearing element connected to the base plate, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of bearing arrangement elements comprising: at least one bearing axle element having an axis transverse the direction of the plurality of strings, at least one riser post to further adjustably mount the fulcrum tremolo relative to the body, the at least one riser post further comprising a first threaded portion having a riser post axis extending generally perpendicular to the body, at least one bearing housing element for receiving at least one bearing element having an axis transverse the direction of the plurality of strings extending from the body to the neck, and at least one bearing axle housing element having an axis transverse the direction of the plurality of strings, the at least one bearing axel housing formed for receiving at least one bearing axle element, and wherein one of the plurality of bearing arrangement elements comprises at least one integrated riser post combining at least one riser post and at least one bearing axle housing element, wherein the at least one integrated riser post comprises a first integrated riser post associated with a first end of the bearing housing element and a second integrated riser post associated with a second end of the bearing housing element, wherein the first integrated riser post comprises a smooth bore opening portion having an axis generally aligned to at least one bearing axle element axis and the second integrated riser post comprises a threaded opening portion having an axis aligned to at least one bearing axle element axis.