Guitar Innovation ‘Shouldn’t End at the Pedalboard’ T hank you for featuring me and my company Ciari Gui- tars in your August 2025 issue’s From the Top feature. In case you missed the article, I’ll share a little history on the company here: As a lifelong guitarist and a former patent attorney who traveled constantly for work, I’ve spent more time in TSA lines and airplane cabins than I care to count. Like many musi- cians, I often faced a frustrating dilemma: bring a bulky guitar and risk damage or denial at the gate — or leave it behind entirely. The so-called “travel guitars” I tried along the way never truly delivered. They were often awkwardly shaped, poorly built or completely uninspiring to play. For years, I asked the same question I know many gui- tarists have asked themselves: Why isn’t there a pro-play guitar that travels as easily as I do? That question became the spark for Ciari Guitars, and ultimately led to the creation of the Ascender, our first-of- its-kind, folding electric guitar engineered to fit under an airline seat without compromising tone, feel or stage-ready performance. Our breakthrough came from an unlikely source: medi- cal device engineering. While I invented the core concept, I’m smart enough to know I’m not smart enough. And thus, I enlisted a team of brilliant medical device engineers whose innovations I’d previously pat- ented. Together we developed a proprietary “neck hinge” and “actuator” system that lets the guitar fold safely at the 12th and 14th frets while maintaining light string tension for no-fuss string management. From there, I teamed up with Nashville lu-
manufacturers are experiencing. Keep up the great work! Shane Kinney Owner Drum Center of Portsmouth North Hampton, New Hampshire Support for Guitar Retailers W hat is a guitar shop? The an- swer is: it’s not just a place to buy gear. It’s where 13-year-old kids fall in love with guitar (just like I did). It’s where you can hold and play the instrument that’ll bring you a lifetime of joy. It’s where you learn to trust someone’s advice. It’s where your beat-up guitar gets fixed up. It’s the heart of every local music scene, and it’s where music dreams begin. That’s why, if you care about music, you should care about gui- tar shops closing. And they are, at a worrying rate, all over the world. Famous names like Sam Ash and Cassell’s Music in the U.S., and GAK and PMT in the U.K. [have shut down]. The same story is playing out everywhere. Why? Because online sales keep growing. People are choosing convenience over experience. Algorithms over humans. Pennies over people. That’s what inspired me to start the Save Our Guitar Shops campaign. It’s two things: A pledge guitarists can take to shop local wherever they can, and a growing list of brilliant guitar shops who are still flying the flag. So, if you’re a guitarist, please take the pledge at: gui- tarmammoth.com. And if you run a guitar shop, get in touch. We’d love to profile your shop and get local press coverage of your involvement. Drew Haselhurst Founder Guitar Mammoth Brighton, U.K.
thier Joe Glaser to ensure the Ascender was first and foremost a quality instrument. Today, each Ascender is assembled, set up and Plek’d at our shop in Nashville, Tennessee. Innovation is always easier said than done, especially in the guitar market. A long-standing challenge has been the under- standable skepticism that a fold- ing guitar can be pro-play and not just another gimmick. Our world-class artist roster helps counter this. At a time when artists are more global and more mobile than ever, our mission is simple: make music-making possible anywhere. That means rethink- ing not just what a guitar can do, but what it can be. We believe innovation in guitar design shouldn’t end at
the pedalboard. The form itself is overdue for transformation, and we’re here for it. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, because music was never meant to stay in one place. Jonathan Spangler Founder & CEO Ciari Guitars San Diego Thank You for Featuring Us I wanted to thank you for includ- ing me in the “Drum Market Beat” article in the August 2025 issue. I’m currently celebrating my 26th year in this industry, and I’ve read these articles for as long as I’ve been getting Mu- sic Inc. magazine. To be a part of one of these articles always ignites some excitement from my early days. It’s also great to read what other retailers and
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10 I MUSIC INC. I SEPTEMBER 2025
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