Ron Hoag releases his K-Max optical pickup guitars that deliver maximum kinetic energy and sustain. The optical pickups in these guitars have more audio range than other pickups and are more responsive to the touch. The instrument's pure, natural sound is what you hear! Optical sensors have been with us from the early part of the 20th century. They have been used successfully in many applications, from opening doors to reading bar codes at the check-out counter. With many improvements and miniaturization, the technology is now ready for a new, possibly revolutionary application in stringed instruments.