Patent ID: 7189908

Claim:
A tremolo assembly for a stringed instrument having a body with a cavity defined therein and an aperture extending between the cavity and a top surface of the body, the tremolo assembly comprising: a base plate mounted on the top surface of the body adjacent to the aperture in the top surface of the body; a plurality of saddles coupled to the top surface of the body in front of the aperture in the top surface of the body for receiving a plurality of strings; a tone block pivotally coupled at an upper portion thereof to the base plate, the tone block extending downwardly through the aperture in the body into the cavity, the tone block having a vibrato bar coupled to an upper portion thereof and a plurality of string holders therein for receiving ends of the plurality of strings, the plurality of strings being strung over a top of the tone block and attached to the string holders such that tension in the strings causes a torque on the tone block resulting in a rearward force on the bottom portion of the tone block; at least one tone block spring attached between the bottom portion of the tone block and the body for exerting a first forward force on the bottom portion of the tone block; a tension bar positioned behind the tone block; stopping means for preventing the tension bar from moving the bottom portion of the tone block forward of a neutral position wherein the tension bar abuts the bottom portion of the tone block; and, at least one tension bar spring coupled between the tension bar and the body for exerting a second forward force on the tension bar, wherein the first forward force has a magnitude less than a magnitude of the rearward force, and the first and second forward forces together have a magnitude greater than the magnitude of the rearward force, such that the tone block may be moved toward a sharp position by pulling the vibrato bar away from the body, the tone block may be moved toward a flat position by pushing the vibrato bar toward the body, and the tone block is returned to the neutral position when no force is exerted on the vibrato bar.