Price Breaks While Times Are Tough
My name is Rusty Shaffer, CEO of Optek Music Systems, Inc. and inventor of the Fretlight Guitar. I wanted to speak to you, our customer, directly. We all know how difficult it has been lately with the economy being as challenging and uncertain as ever. Here at Optek, we certainly felt the crunch as did every other retailer around the world during the last quarter of 2008. That said, the irony here is that we should all be applauded for tightening our belts. I believe there is no “one” solution to this problem. Certainly some steadiness in the economy would allow us all to regain confidence and comfort that the world really isn’t ending. It’s going to take time, no doubt. It’s going to take all of us to think for ourselves and not be pulled this way and that by the media.
There is no particular “day” on which this economy will get better. But it will. You and I, your neighbor, your kid's teacher, the people that work at your local grocery store, your doctor, your mailman, etc. etc., will all start to regain some confidence. Remember, just as consumers are getting good deals on products these days, businesses are also getting good deals on lowered manufacturing costs related to those and future products.
During this time you’re going to see some great deals from Optek. I am as excited as ever about the future of Fretlight and the stuff we have on the drawing board for the future. But, I’m realistic at the same time. Forcing our customers to pay our full-value price at this time would be to ignore the realities of the world today and how we all really need a break. Therefore, we have guitars and software on sale at amazing prices. I wish we could keep our prices this low year round for you but that won’t be the case. In order for us to continue to develop this technology and bring all of you exciting products in the future we of course need to eventually raise our prices back to the level that is commensurate with the value of the product. I hope that this gesture toward you, our valued customer, helps you with your purchase decision. I hope that you will consider purchasing one of our amazing Fretlight Guitars in the near future.
Thank you and best regards,
J. Rusty Shaffer
CEO
Optek Music Systems, Inc.
Hello Rusty,
With regard to your blog comment; "just as consumers are getting good deals on products these days, businesses are also getting good deals on lowered manufacturing costs related to those and future products." Could you please take a look at patent #7,381,878 and see that it is a great idea for a "future product" direction for "Fretlight II". A color version of the fretlight... able to display the notes(color coded) for better mental absorption. The fingering, just like tablature... and in the unused portion of the display, it could show strumming or picking info, lyrics, sheet music or anything else for that matter because it is just a color display under the fretboard. The potential possibilities for this advancement are mind boggling and would most certainly stimulate your business and spark a renewed interest from the huge "Guitar Hero" and "Rockband" crowd. I have tried numerous ways to get a comment from you on this... could you please respond and tell me directly what you think of this idea. If you are interested, I would like to form a partnership and a cross licensing of patents based on your patent for the fretboard. Thanks for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.
Please contact me at 808.392.8498.
Thanks much.
Best regards,
randy cook
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May be the time tough but it hardly affects the importance or love for music, isn't it?
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Interesting,
Thanks for a very interesting post, i already have had a fretlight guitar in the past but no longer have it and i look forward to another purchase soon..., thanks for such a brilliant site
Thanks for writing about it
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Hello Rusty,
I must agree with Randy as well. I have mailed you a letter with the color code for the different notes showing anyone how to "upgrade" the Fretlight Guitar to take pitch into consideration and applying some color changing LED lights. As you probably know these lights just have one or more semiconductor chips that produce different colors. Real color changing LED lights incorporate several diodes into one unit making it hard to distinguish where the light is being emitted. Therefore different tuning systems could be handled on the Fretlight Guitar by using these color changing LEDs.
Colorizing a fretboard may sound like a novel idea but not to someone who cannot distinguish between pitches on a aural level. Color is emotion and music is the art of expressing emotion. At the present time I know color changing LEDS are expensive to utilize. These are practical times and I do realize it might not be practical to explore this idea yet. However, as an inventor you should also realize the obvious improvement it would have on the Fretlight Guitar. You would open up the whole world to a new way of looking at pitch. Once again I thank you for your time and appreciate the wonderful Fretlight Guitar you have created.
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