# US 8,772,616 B1 · Education guitar and method of manufacture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,616 B1 - Document ID: US8772616B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/764,321 - Filed: 2013-02-11 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-24 - Applicants: Kurt Jennings - Inventors: Kurt Jennings - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772616B1 ## CPC - B23K 26/361: for deburring or mechanical trimming (B23K26/351 takes precedence) - G10D 1/08: Guitars - G10D 3/06: Necks; Fingerboards, e.g. fret boards - G10D 3/22: Material for manufacturing stringed musical instruments; Treatment of the material - G10G 1/02: Chord or note indicators, fixed or adjustable, for keyboard of fingerboards - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - G10D: STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (organs, harmoniums or similar wind musical instruments with associated blowing apparatus G10B; pianos, harpsichords, spinets or similar stringed musical instruments with one or more keyboards G10C; automatic musical instruments G10F; electrophonic musical instruments in which tones are generated by electromechanical means G10H) - G10G: REPRESENTATION OF MUSIC; RECORDING MUSIC IN NOTATION FORM; ACCESSORIES FOR MUSIC OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. SUPPORTS (music stands A47B; non-musical aspects of musical toy instruments A63H5/00; metronomes G04F5/02; teaching music G09B15/00) ## Abstract A stringed instrument having a series of note references laser etched into a fingerboard. Each note reference is located respective to a position along a length of a respective string to generated the respective note. The note references are laser etched into the fingerboard using a laser wood removal system. The laser system is programmed to generate a series of recessions within the fingerboard in accordance with a programmed directive. The programming defines the location of each note reference adjacent to a respective fret and under the respective string. The programming accounts for the neck dimensions, fret locations (based upon the scale), string spacing, etc. The laser system can accommodate a neck (removed from the stringed instrument) or the entire instrument. The recessions can be left as formed or filled with a note reference filler to increase a contrast between the note reference and the fingerboard. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument, the method comprising steps of: obtaining a fingerboard for a fretted, stringed instrument; assembling a series of frets to said fingerboard along a lateral direction across said fingerboard, each fret being located in accordance with a predetermined spacing; creating a series of note identifiers by cutting a recession into said fingerboard using a laser, each note identifier is created proximate to a string and fret intersection and provided to identify a respective note defined by the adjacent string and fret intersection; assembling said fingerboard to a neck of said fretted, stringed instrument; and assembling said fretted, stringed instrument neck and fingerboard combination to a fretted, stringed instrument body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 1, the method further comprises the step of: applying a coating onto the fingerboard to preserve the integrity of the note identifiers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 1, the method further comprises the step of: assembling a series of positioning markers onto a playing surface of said fingerboard, wherein the each positioning marker would be located between a pair of adjacent frets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 3, the method further comprises the step of: applying a coating onto the fingerboard to preserve the integrity of the note identifiers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 1, the method further comprises the step of: assembling a series of side positioning markers onto a side surface of said fingerboard, wherein the each side positioning marker would be located between a pair of adjacent frets. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 1, the method further comprises the step of: creating a series of nut note identifiers by cutting a recession into said fingerboard using a laser, each nut note identifier is created proximate to a string and nut intersection, wherein each nut note identifier is representative of a respective note defined by the adjacent string and nut intersection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of creating a series of note identifiers identifies whole notes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 7, wherein the step of creating a series of note identifiers is limited to identifying whole notes. ### Claim 9 A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument, the method comprising steps of: obtaining a neck for a fretted, stringed instrument, said neck comprising a fingerboard assembled thereon, said fingerboard comprising a series of frets assembled thereto along a lateral direction across said fingerboard, each fret being located in accordance with a predetermined spacing; creating a series of note identifiers by cutting a recession into said fingerboard using a laser, each note identifier is created proximate to a string and fret intersection and provided to identify a respective note defined by the adjacent string and fret intersection; assembling said fingerboard to a neck of a fretted, stringed instrument; and assembling said fretted, stringed instrument neck and fingerboard combination to a fretted, stringed instrument body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 9, the method further comprises the step of: applying a coating onto the fingerboard to preserve the integrity of the note identifiers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 9, the method further comprises the step of: assembling a series of positioning markers onto a playing surface of said fingerboard, wherein the each positioning marker would be located between a pair of adjacent frets. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 11, the method further comprises the step of: applying a coating onto the fingerboard to preserve the integrity of the note identifiers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 9, the method further comprises the step of: assembling a series of side positioning markers onto a side surface of said fingerboard, wherein the each side positioning marker would be located between a pair of adjacent frets. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 9, the method further comprises the step of: creating a series of nut note identifiers by cutting a recession into said fingerboard using a laser, each nut note identifier is created proximate to a string and nut intersection, wherein each nut note identifier is representative of a respective note defined by the adjacent string and nut intersection. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of creating a series of note identifiers identifies whole notes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 15, wherein the step of creating a series of note identifiers is limited to identifying whole notes. ### Claim 17 A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument, the method comprising steps of: obtaining a neck for a fretted, stringed instrument, said neck comprising a fingerboard assembled thereon, said fingerboard comprising a series of frets assembled thereto along a lateral direction across said fingerboard, each fret being located in accordance with a predetermined spacing; creating a series of notes by cutting a recession into said fingerboard using a laser, each note is created proximate to a string and fret intersection, wherein each note is created as a human legible letter respective to a respective note defined by the adjacent string and fret intersection; and assembling said fretted, stringed instrument neck and fingerboard combination to a fretted, stringed instrument body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 17, the method further comprises the step of: applying a coating onto the fingerboard to preserve the integrity of the note identifiers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 17, the method further comprises the step of: creating nut notes by cutting a recession into said fingerboard using a laser, each nut note is created proximate to a string and nut intersection, wherein each nut note is created as a human legible letter respective to a respective note defined by the adjacent string and nut intersection. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) A method of creating an instrument for teaching a music student how to play a fretted, stringed instrument as recited in claim 17, the method further comprises the step of: applying a coating onto the fingerboard to preserve the integrity of the note identifiers.