who is tom stone

for a while i was trying to find somebody who did this sort of hting
where can one get in touch with him
how much is it?
etc......

rodrigo

In a message dated 10/22/99 1:57:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
dcanright@nps.navy.mil writes:

>
> Tom Stone's magnetic system works like this: the original wooden
fingerboard
> is removed, and the neck planed down slightly. A thin, flexible stainless
> (?) steel sheet is attached. Each fingerboard is made of flat but flexible
> laminated layers: bottom is magnetic plastic, like on many refrigerator
> magnets; next a thinner stainless steel sheet for strength; then a
> translucent plastic layer, same height as the wide flat fret bottoms (the

> > Tom Stone's magnetic system works like this: etc...

The frets on Tom's system were welded to the steel sheet. He's no longer
making these devices. I called him in Mexico a few weeks ago to get the
skinny on the whole thing.

> From: Kriist@aol.com
>
> for a while i was trying to find somebody who did this sort of hting
> where can one get in touch with him
> how much is it?

I forget whose site this is from, but... Mark Rankin bought the patent from
Tom Stone. Mark says his permanent address is:

Mark Rankin
c/o U.S. Post Office
Greenbackville, VA 23356

As of 1996 he was marketing interchangeable fingerboard conversion kits at

PO Box 1464
Redway, CA 95560

I called information in these two towns and was unable to get a phone number
for him. I'm about to send him a letter. Unless someone on this list has
an active number for him, you'll have to do the same.

Tom Stone made a huge investment in special machinery for slotting the steel
and used aerospace technology to spot-weld the frets in place. I've seen
one of his neck/fingerboards and it really works great! Mark Rankin sells
kits where the frets are glued on. Don't know what his prices are.

Graphite epoxy (or carbon fiber if you prefer) was not available when Tom
designed his system. Using this material, I believe I can make a thin neck
strong enough to withstand the pull of the strings. I am hoping this will
enable me to use a thin wooden fingerboard instead of Tom's ultra-thin steel
one. The magnet in Tom's design didn't seem to affect the strings at all,
but a thicker fingerboard puts the magnet farther from the strings which
makes me feel better, if nothing else. I am working on a neck like this for
David Sethares right now. I'll give you more details as my work proceeds.

One of the many gems of information that Tom gave me is that his patents
have all expired, so I'm not violating anything by re-engineering his
system. Too bad that Vogt's patents are so recent!

---
Glen Peterson
Peterson Stringed Instruments
30 Elm Street North Andover, MA 01845
(978) 975-1527
http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson

> makes me feel better, if nothing else. I am working on a
> neck like this for
> David Sethares right now. I'll give you more details as my

Oops! Make that _William_ Sethares. Sorry Bill.

> From: Kriist@aol.com
> please resend the reply to my inquiry on who tom jones is

Done.

-Glen

I contacted Mark by snail mail to get his information on his kit. I believe
I used the California address.

He does request that folks not request the info until they are ready to
purchase the system. He lives in a very remote place and has no phone.

Darren Burgess
Gainesville FL

>
>I forget whose site this is from, but... Mark Rankin bought the patent
from
>Tom Stone. Mark says his permanent address is:
>
>Mark Rankin
>c/o U.S. Post Office
>Greenbackville, VA 23356
>
>As of 1996 he was marketing interchangeable fingerboard conversion kits at
>
>PO Box 1464
>Redway, CA 95560
>
>I called information in these two towns and was unable to get a phone
number
>for him. I'm about to send him a letter. Unless someone on this list has
>an active number for him, you'll have to do the same.
>