Back in the '90s, Jim Plamondon used to push Windows on software developers. Now he's trying to stir up capital to back the Thummer, his venture into musical instruments. It's supposed to be easier to learn and more expressive due to Wii-like motion sensitivity. But so far, not so good. Plamondon's Wall Street Journal profile points out it's been nearly a half-century since the electric guitar took off. Before that, Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone for the French army in the 1840s.

Accomplished musicians don't want to learn a new instrument and beginners want to copy their idols. Though Plamondon has turned down at least one offer, mostly, getting funded has been slow-going. "This is a market where you've seen no successful investment ventures, that I"m aware of," venture capitalist Wes Cole told the Journal.

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