Two very different but equally beautiful ways to store (and play) your guitar have been produced for sale by Yamaha and MEXARTS after receiving honors and awards for their concept and design as far back as 2010.
Yamaha MEXARTS Guitar Furniture
The “classic” and “solo” are furniture for guitarists that are commercialized versions of models originally presented as conceptual prototypes at the 2010 Yamaha Design Exhibition which garnered multiple Red Dot Design awards. Each is a bent wood stand with which the guitarist can interact.
The two guitar stands have since been produced a decade later by Chinese furniture manufacturer MEXARTS and released by the same company for sale in China and Japan as well at the Yamaha flagship store in Ginza.
Classic (Kleis) Guitar Stand
The Classic (Kleis) guitar stand / bench has the elegant and smooth curves of a guitar, which subverts the traditional two-dimensional thinking and presents a sculptural three-dimensional artistic beauty.
The soft curvature conveys a feeling of the quality of the construction without compromising the pleasant texture of the wood, while being strong enough to be used for sitting upon while playing.
It is like a “photo frame” tailored for guitars, and it is also an interesting performance platform, telling a unique musical life between notes.
The unique shape that interweaves arcs with straight lines was formed by overlaying multiple layers of thin wooden boards and bending the resulting ply slowly and carefully.
Classic is a bench designed in the image of a pet bed in a living space, likening a guitar to a pet so that instrument and owner can live together as closely as possible. The shape that outlines the silhouette of the guitar is the biggest feature, but I tried to keep the guitar inside looking as comfortable as possible. Because using the shape of a guitar case as-is would make the neck part look cramped, I searched for a shape that could create a feeling of space while maintaining stability.
When I was a student, I belonged to a group of classical guitarists, but after graduating from college I had few opportunities to play, and my guitar would be stuck in a hard case inside a dark closet. Sometimes when I would take it out, I would feel guilty, like I was sorry for the guitar, and this design was born because I wanted to be able to spend time with my guitar in the same room.
The design calls to mind a pet who always sleeps right next to its owner and seeks attention by repeatedly glancing at the owner. If there is anyone who feels far away from their guitar, I hope that through Classic they will be able to give proper attention to their beloved instrument.
– Akie Hinokio, Designer, Yamaha Design Laboratory
material: Beech curved panels, walnut, microfibre veneer
* veneer colors available in walnut or red oak
size: 1067 × 185 × 441mm
Solo Guitar Stand
Designed by Yamaha, these stools also function as a guitar stand.
Most of the time it’s a guitar stand—but when you take your guitar in hand, it becomes a high stool to sit upon while you perform. We put together the minimum necessary elements to allow the guitar to play the leading role. The Solo has been designed taking the circumstances in which it will be used into account, including the rounded shape of the back of the seat that makes it easy to handle when carrying, and the high position of the footrest that makes it easy to stabilize playing posture.
Protrusions set low on two of the three legs serve as supports for the guitar when the stool is used as a guitar stand, while a knob set higher up on the remaining leg can be used by players to rest their leg when playing. The surface of the seat looks like a guitar pick when seen from above and has been crafted so that the upper surface is comfortable to sit on, while the underside feels pleasant to hold.
The Solo guitar stand returns to the authenticity of music in design with a simple and pure overall structure. The warm wood echoes the classic wood color character of the guitar, and the details are exquisite, giving users the comfort and pleasure of listening to the performance.
The two-sided design allows for changing the front-facing side between standing the guitar and playing. Three finishes are available to match your guitar of choice and the feel of the room, and the large R-shape applied for reinforcement at the base of the legs gives it just the right amount of presence.
While highlighting the presence of the guitar, the goal was also to create a beautiful piece of furniture as well, so I came up with a tall and slim tripod stool. I engaged in repeated trial and error, such as adjusting the angle of the legs in order to lower the center of gravity for better stability and devising how to wrap the leather on the part touching the guitar so as not to damage the body. It was the first time for me to design furniture, so I started out groping for solutions by buying leftover materials myself, shaving them down, putting them together, and then actually sitting down. It was a fun experience to be able to work in such a different area. I think that I was able to make use my day-to-day experience at work, such as the pursuit of a pleasant texture, and a quest for unity of the fine details. – Toshihide Suzuki, Designer, Yamaha Design Laboratory
material: Red Oak Finish, Cowhide
* Available in Walnut or Red Oak
size: Top diameter 391 × 510 × 700 mm
Yamaha Design “Synapses” solo/classic and MEXARTS SoLo and Kleis stands images and information are courtesy of the following links:
https://mexarts.com.cn/brand/mexarts-music/
https://www.yamaha.com/en/about/design/synapses/id_124
https://www.yamahamusic.jp/shop/ginza