Patent ID: 8536430

Claim:
An apparatus for a stringed musical instrument, the stringed musical instrument comprising a body and a neck, a plurality of strings extending from the body to the neck, a nut for supporting the strings on the neck forming a first critical point for each string, a bridge element for supporting the strings on the body forming a second critical point for each string, the apparatus comprising: a base comprising: a first side furthest from the body, a second side closer to the body, a tailpiece, a string clamping element connected to the base comprising: a forward end closer to the nut, and a rearward end further from the nut; an enlarged recess to receive at least one string therethrough, the enlarged recess comprising: a lower surface generally parallel to the strings extending between the first critical point and the second critical point and closer to the first side; and an upper surface generally parallel to the string extending between the first critical point and the second critical point and further from the first side; a clamping portion variably connected to the string clamping element comprising: a first surface extending generally parallel to the strings extending between the first critical point and the second critical point closer to the upper surface of the enlarged recess; and a second surface extending generally parallel to the strings extending between the first critical point and the second critical point closer to the lower surface of the enlarged recess; and a clamping screw transverse the direction of the strings threadedly connected to the string clamping element in variable contact with the first surface of the clamping portion; wherein threading the clamping screw is operable to position the first second surface of the clamping portion relative to the lower surface of the elongated recess to secure a string, wherein the clamping element further comprises an additional opening extending through the upper surface of the enlarged recess, the clamping portion further comprises an L-shaped form comprising an upper leg extending away from a lower leg transverse the direction of the strings through the additional opening, the lower leg comprising the first and second surface; wherein the upper leg is operable to manipulate a position of the clamping portion.