SMARTLIGHT

Optek Music Systems was formed by Rusty Shaffer in 1989 as a means to help educate new and existing guitarists through the use of the SmartLIGHT Interactive System(TM) for guitar. The SmartLIGHT guitar has LED lights in the neck that light up guitar fingerings to show guitarists precisely where to place their fingers. The SmartLIGHT connects to a personal computer. Players can learn to play specific songs which have been recorded on MIDI albums by using the company´s MIDI driver in conjunction with a general sequencer program. They can also learn chord fingerings of their choice by using software that allows them to choose chords, scales, or notes in any of twelve musical keys and illuminate those fingerings on the guitar, (Company information courtesy Michelle Gouldsberry). It looks like the name changed to Fretlight.
Three SmartLIGHT electric guitars and one SmartLIGHT bass guitar are offered for all playing levels. The entry level 30-A electric (factory direct $379.95) has a solid black body with one piezo pickup. The intermediate 30-B electric ($479.95) in Natural or Translucent Blue has one piezo pickup and two single coil pickups. The advanced 30-C electric ($679.95) in Orange Sunburst has a bird´s-eye maple top and back, Seymour Duncan pickups, and gold hardware. The advanced 40-C electric bass ($699.95) is made of the same materials as the 30-C, and includes the Seymour Duncan Lightnin´ Rod bassline active/passive pickup system. The Smartlight guitars are produced in the same Korean factory that makes guitars for companies like Fender, Gibson´s Epiphone brand, and Washburn. The U.S. Optek facility checks quality control, assembly, and set-ups prior to shipping.