How Leo Fender's Tremolo Bridge Changes Guitar Pitch
A mechanical bridge system for electric guitars that allows players to temporarily change the tension and pitch of all strings simultaneously using a manual lever.
Original patent title: “Tremolo device for stringed instruments”
A mechanical bridge system for electric guitars that allows players to temporarily change the tension and pitch of all strings simultaneously using a manual lever. Granted to Individual in 1956 with 92 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The device functions as a movable bridge assembly for a stringed instrument. It uses a spring-loaded mechanism to anchor the strings, allowing the player to pivot the bridge using a connected arm or lever. When the player pushes or pulls this lever, the bridge tilts, which increases or decreases the tension on all strings at once. This action creates the signature vibrato or pitch-bending effect commonly heard in rock and blues music.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover fixed bridges that have no mechanism for pitch modulation.
- Does not cover electronic or digital pitch-shifting effects.
- Does not cover tremolo systems that lock the strings at the nut, such as the Floyd Rose.
- Does not cover non-stringed instruments.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
By synchronizing the movement of the bridge with the string saddles, the design maintains the relative tuning of the strings even while the overall pitch is being modulated.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Fender Stratocaster synchronized tremolo bridge
Modern vintage-style tremolo systems
Two-point tremolo bridges on contemporary electric guitars
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This invention is the foundation of the 'synchronized tremolo' found on the Fender Stratocaster. It fundamentally changed how electric guitarists perform, enabling expressive techniques like pitch dives and vibrato that define the sound of modern popular music.
Filed
August 30, 1954
Granted
April 10, 1956
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation continues to utilize and refine this design in their standard production models. Many third-party hardware manufacturers like Gotoh and Wilkinson also build improved versions based on these original mechanical principles.
Market impact
This patent enabled the mass production of the Stratocaster, which became one of the most iconic instruments in history. It established a standard for guitar hardware that remains the industry benchmark for playability and design in the electric guitar market.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The device functions as a movable bridge assembly for a stringed instrument. It uses a spring-loaded mechanism to anchor the strings, allowing the player to pivot the bridge using a connected arm or lever. When the player pushes or pulls this lever, the bridge tilts, which increases or decreases the tension on all strings at once. This action creates the signature vibrato or pitch-bending effect commonly heard in rock and blues music.
The clever bit
By synchronizing the movement of the bridge with the string saddles, the design maintains the relative tuning of the strings even while the overall pitch is being modulated.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover fixed bridges that have no mechanism for pitch modulation.
- Does not cover electronic or digital pitch-shifting effects.
- Does not cover tremolo systems that lock the strings at the nut, such as the Floyd Rose.
- Does not cover non-stringed instruments.
Patent Journey
From filing to expiry
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
39/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$27K – $86K
Midpoint $54K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Fender, C. L. (1956). How Leo Fender's Tremolo Bridge Changes Guitar Pitch (U.S. Patent No. 2,741,146). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2741146/fender-stratocaster-tremolo
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Leo Fender's Tremolo Bridge Changes Guitar Pitch cover?
A mechanical bridge system for electric guitars that allows players to temporarily change the tension and pitch of all strings simultaneously using a manual lever.
Who owns patent US 2741146?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 1956.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 2741146 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 92 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This invention is the foundation of the 'synchronized tremolo' found on the Fender Stratocaster. It fundamentally changed how electric guitarists perform, enabling expressive techniques like pitch dives and vibrato that define the sound of modern popular music.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover fixed bridges that have no mechanism for pitch modulation.
Same assignee
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