source file: m1438.txt Date: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 07:00:14 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: Tom Stone's "Novatone" From: mr88cet@texas.net (Gary Morrison) >I would like to know what Novatone means. >Does anybody know the Patent Number and date of presentation of the Thomas >Stone's on interchangeable fretboard, or other patents ? Tom Stone originally called his interchangeable-fretboard company "Intonation Systems" and later changed it to "Novatone". When Novatone cratered, Mark Rankin took over some of the remnants of the company and started selling interchangeable fretboards more or less as kits. Best I've been able tell though, Mark doesn't try to make a living off it. It's more of a spare-time hobby that more or less breaks even. I see what appear to be two similar patent numbers on my fingerboards: 4132143 and 4132149. I wouldn't be surprised if one of those two numbers is just a misprint (or that I'm misreading it).