The company pioneered the use of electronic circuitry on the fretboard of the instrument with the introduction of its first product, the Fretlight , in 1989. A series of 132 inlaid LED lights on the fretboard illuminate chords, notes and scale fingerings in all twelve keys. Users learn and play the guitar by looking only at the fretboard, rather than referring back and forth between the guitar and chord charts or song books. Until the introduction of the Fretlight, playing a guitar was like learning to type on a keyboard that had no letters on it. Optek's visual display system enables people to understand and retain information in a very intuitive and interactive manner that is much more efficient than conventional methods.
Players can turn off the lights at any time to further enhance memorization.
In 1996, Optek introduced a new product line based on the same technology, but which employs a PC or Macintosh as the driver of the guitar via a MIDI cable and a connection box. Each guitar has an Intel processor capable of handling the most advanced software. They can select chords, scales and notes along with the key, type and position that they want displayed on the neck of the guitar. Users can create and store scales and patterns, link chord and scale patterns, loop sequences and play them back at their own pace using a footswitch. The software maps the notes to the fretboard and lights up the guitar.