Guitarpedo Guitar Case

Engineering 298

Vision to Reality

Final Project

Created by:

Matthew Baker

Adam Fabianski

Tim Harvey

Rose Osial

Matt Rahn
Table of
Contents
Summary..............................................3

Background................................4

Procedures Implemented.....................5

Resources Utilized.....................13

Desired vs. Actual Outcome..........14

Cost Analysis.............................15

Marketing & Research.........................16

Strategy..................................21

Exections...................................22

Backup Plan...........................................26

Next Steps & Considerations............27

Summary
Our vision to reality group set out to design a concept guitar case. It is a unique concpet amongst

other guitar cases for the fact that it integrates other features, specifically the amplifier and

space for guitar pedals, that previously were carried seperate. This is a greater convenience

for the user (electric guitar player) for the fact that it pacts all nessasary pieces for a show or

practice session into one space. It eliminates multiple unnecessary trips when transport-

ing the previously listed equipment. We went about our design process by first gathering

circumstantial data and experience (actually seeing first hand what a guitar set-up entails)

and comuing up with a list of potential design points. We then polled our target audience,

high schoolers in a guitar class and solidified our nessasary design dfeatures. We then sketched

out our ideas and modeled them, researching material costs

Guitarpedo | 3
Background
“What I Envision” Proposal by Matt Rahn: on it, and move it into production.
My proposal is to create a cheap guitar case that not
only can hold an electric guitar, but also houses a full
cabinet set of speakers, a full 100 watt head (that can
be plugged in or self powered), guitar picks, a tuner,
and cables, and a full pedal board. But it still has to
remain relatively lightweight and easy to carry. This
will allow for quick and easy electric guitar playing,
and, if plausible, easier access to low income player.
For me, having to move my electric guitar and all
its set up is extremely cumbersome and hazardous
to my equipment. Being able to combine all of the
necessities for a full electric guitar set into one single,
light weight product would be ideal for the guitar-
ist on the move. This idea came to from watching
the films “El Mariachi”, “Desperado”, and “Once
Upon in Mexico”, where the Mariachis use their
guitar cases to hold weapons and other assortments.
From there, I decided that it was certainly plausible
to utilize such a design to use something as large as
a guitar case to hold everything one could ever need
for an electric set.
Most of my goals that I need to achieve will be
strongly dependent on those who help me in my
project. In order to help combine everything neces-
sary for this project, I’ll need those who consider
themselves experts with computers, electronics, en-
gineering, cost-efficiency (economics/business), mu-
sic, and physics.
Procedurally, we will first have to graphically de-
sign this project. I’ll need exact measurements, di-
mensions, materials, and molds to create the case it-
self. From there, we can assemble it with the proper
tools and materials, then build the wiring and care-
fully install it. After that, the wires will have to be
appropriately connected (probably soldered), and
the final touches added (installing the amp the cus-
tomer wants, pedals, etc) before testing can begin.
Once we are certain that the product is fool-proof
via testing, we can put the aesthetic/artistic touches
This project is going to require more physical ma-
terials than most that have been presented in class
thus far. The case itself will most likely be made
of wood or a cheaper metal, and then wrapped in
leather, while the inside is covered with velvet or sat-
in to protect the guitar’s integrity. The wiring and
wire casing will be standard, but the hinges/addi-
tions needed for the amps and compartment will be
expensive, most likely needed be the more expen-
sive part at first for testing, but after determining
the exacted needs, will most likely be more cheap
metal. The only expensive parts will be the pedals
and amps, which should be ordered and paid for
by the customer (in some sort of partial if not full
payment).
The desired outcome of this project is to create
a cheap, effective, and easy to access guitar set that
anyone and everyone can use and carry wherever
they need with ease. For the record, a similar prod-
uct to this was created years ago (that I just discov-
ered), but it was a miserable failure in both integrity
and sales. It had a great deal of flaws and lacked
certain parts that are essential, and my design solves
all these problems. The main idea will be to allow
any musician, rich or poor, in any form of transpor-
tation, to immediately plug-and-play, so to speak.
Since this is a physical process, most back up
plans will deal with a simple revision process. If
something breaks or doesn’t work, we’ll take it out
of the case, revise, and try again. For the most part,
this is a strictly design and build project, and won’t
have much room for flaws outside of simply human
error or miscalculation, each of which can be easily
remedied. If something were to happen post-pro-
duction, say the wiring goes bad after the product is
purchased by someone, we could offer a free repair
program for the first year after purchase by the mak-
ers of the case.
Background | 4
Procedures
Implemented
not bulky

versitile lightweight

Ideal Guitar Case

all-encompassing affordable

convenient customizable

dependable

Mind-mapping | We used a variety of tech- main methods of carrying the case that seemed the
niques to develop the final design. Mind-mapping
was utilized initially to illustrate the important at-
tributes of the ideal guitar case. It was determined
that our case would need to be versatile, not bulky,
lightweight, affordable, customizable, dependable,
convenient, and all-encompassing. From there we
decided that, to prevent the case from becoming too
bulky, it would have to be as small as possible, have
a functional shape, be easy to carry, and hold an
amp that is relatively small yet still useful. The three
most practical were using wheels, carrying it on your
shoulder, and having a handle. Our map then led us
to consider what makes a case convenient. Here we
mentioned the need for it to be easy to operate and
easy to store. Finally, we branched out the map to
show that the case needed to be able to hold the gui-
tar strings, wires, tunes, the amp, the pedal board,
picks, power chord, and the guitar itself.

Procedures Implemented | 5
 tunes

wires amp & pedals

includes
strings guitar

cables picks

power

rectangluar

wheels
guitar shaped

fit shoulder
different styles

functional shape
handle
smallest size methods of
carrying

smallest
amp sizes

not bulky 6”

Procedures Implemented | 6
Exotic Association | At one point we at-
tempted to use the exotic association tech-
nique as discussed in class. A CD-ROM
drive was juxtaposed with a pedal board and
the idea to have the board slide out like a
CD was considered. In this potential design,
the pedal board would be spring loaded so it
slides out if the case is unlocked.
The exotic association technique was also
instrumental in trying to devise alternative
ways of operating and opening a guitar case.
An image of an alligator led us to try devel-
oping a case that opened on hinges attached
to the shorter side of a rectangular case. This
mimicked the hinge-like qualities of an alli-
gator’s jaw. The lesson on biocreativity also
was also partially responsible for this insight
as we attempted make associations related to
nature.

Mood Images | “Mood images” were

used to convey desired emotional qualities
and concepts. Selecting “mood images”
in the early phase of the design process
helps designers achieve a sense of direction
through emotional responses. These images
convey the emotional content and context
of the product-to-be without being overly
literal.

Mood Images

Procedures Implemented | 7
 Inspirational Images | These im-
ages were also used to convey inspiring
elements, components, and features of
the case. These images are more literal
than the mood images and are intended
to offer inspiration for the product’s func-
tionality and form. They present potential
solutions for the form and mechanics.

Inspirational Images

Procedures Implemented | 8
Preliminary
Sketching | In the early
stages of sketching, Indus-
trial Design students Adam
and Tim began to sketch
basic cases to get a few
ideas on paper. Looking
at it from five different per-
spectives often prompted
the team to view a simple
sketch in vastly different
ways. In some ways, this
simple exercise resembled
the Krannert Art Museum
“Seeing Art” assignment
in which groups of stu-
dents looking at the same
piece of art drew unrelated
conclusions and interpret-
ed the design in different
ways.
To incorporate multiple
view points, sketching was
done by all members of
the group to begin visual-
izing the solution to our
challenge. It served both to
establish how the product
would function and how it
would look. Early sketch-
ing done with graphite and
with ballpoint pens would
be improved upon with
more developed marker
renderings.

Procedures Implemented | 9
 Advanced Sketching
More developed sketches
and marker renderings were
developed based on the pre-
liminary sketches. These ad-
vanced renderings further
explored and developed the
look of the product once
the function had been estab-
lished. These then informed
the final CAD model.

Procedures Implemented | 10
CAD Model and Renderings
Based on the developed drawings and
established measurements, a full-scale
and fully-working virtual CAD (comput-
er-aided design) model was created using
the software program called SolidWorks.
Once the model had been finalized, it
was rendered using PhotoView 360 to
create highly realistic images to illustrate
what it would look like in real life.

Procedures Implemented | 11
Storyboard

Before....

+ + =

Guitar players must

carry around multiple
pieces of equipment to
play at any number of
venues. Doing this is
tedious and can require
multiple trips

Design....

Guitarpedo combines pedal

and amp pieces into a single
protective guitar case that
alleviates need for multiple
unnecessary trips.

After....

+ =

Procedures Implemented | 12
Resources
Utilized

References | The resources utilized in the

project include the following: electric guitar,
a current fabric case for reference, multiple
amp sizes, and pedal board sizes. Because
making room for both the amp and guitar is
one of the main goals of the design, we paid
close attention to the dimensions of these
items:
Amp Dimensions/Specifications
• 6.53” top diameter
• 2.83” base diameter
• 2.13” depth
• 3.0 lbs
• 4 ohms
• 30 watts
Sketching Resources | The process of
sketching required pencils, pens, markets,
wide-sheet paper, and light boards for clean-
ing up messy sketches.
Surveying | To ensure that the case de-
sign would resonate with our target market,
we decided to distribute a quick survey as
well as conduct short, face-to-face inter-
views with some current guitarists. The
short questionnaire and interviews provided
valuable feedback and helped determine
specifications and features to consider in
our case design. Target market selection
and primary research will be discuss in de-
tail later in this report.

Dimensions of Guitar:
• 1” x 14” x 40”

Resources Utilized | 13
Desired vs.
Actual Outcome
Desired Outcome | The desired outcome of
the project is to successfully and thoroughly design a
guitar case that incorporates an amp, amp controls,
effects pedals, and all the necessary electrical com-
ponents to ensure correct and reliable operation.
This product is intended to be a guitar case that al-
lows users to play their guitars with minimal time
spent setting up and saving them the effort of carry-
ing the various accessories. In addition to containing
all the desired elements, the guitar case must also
demonstrate exceptional design beyond a strictly
structural, engineering-based product. “Mood im-
ages” will be selected to convey certain emotional
responses and ideas that the case will also be de-
signed to elicit. In keeping with the culture of rock
music (and other genres that use electric guitars), it
is critically important the case be cool. Exterior styl-
ing, both in terms of shape and color, will be crucial
to ensure the success of a cool design on top of a
successfully functional one as well. In addition, the
ideal case will be designed to hold everything, yet
comes with the bare minimum so each guitarist can
customize to his or her own liking.
Actual Outcome | Sketches of final product and
CAD models that display general design and addi-
tions.
Outcome | 14
Cost Analysis
The cost of the Guitarpedo is split between the amp and the case itself. The

6” speaker and the amplifier together cost about $40 for an adequate tone. A

wooden, cheaper, version of the case would cost $30 for the plywood wood cas-

ing, $10 for the protective foam, and $10 for the pouches for storage and the

handle design.

The deluxe case would invest $20 in a better speaker and $30 in a carbon fiber,

plastic, and pine wood composite case. The improved materials would allow for

longer use, a better tone, and a more aesthetically pleasing case. An extra $10

would pay for the pedal board ejection mechanism and the speaker rotation.

Included in each part is the labor cost as well. To manufacture the Guitarpedo,

the base price would be closer to $70 and the deluxe would be about $110.

The overall cost would be $100 for the standard Guitarpedo and $150 for the

deluxe edition.

appx $100

Cost Analysis | 15
Marketing &
Research

Industry Information | Several product launch- Guitar Case Trends | The most prevalent cur-
es over the past few years have invited new audienc-
es to consider playing musical instruments. Apple’s
GarageBand, for example, heightened the appeal of
learning an instrument by positioning the software
as a simple way to generate original music. In addi-
tion, GarageBand ‘09 began offering pre-recorded
music lessons for both guitar and piano.
Video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band
further provide music lovers with the perception of
actually playing the music and releasing their “inner
rockstar.” These trends have been instrumental in
inspiring potential guitarists to begin playing.
rent cases are either basic hard or soft cases. Hard
cases are typically either rectangular or guitar-
shaped and have space designated for the guitar and
possibly small additional items. Soft cases are gen-
erally guitar shaped and somewhat flexible. This
provides some concern for the safety of the guitar,
yet is lighter and sometimes cheaper.
Cases also do not usually have wheels for the
convenience of rolling. They are most frequently
carried by the handle or, in some cases, are carried
like a backpack.

Competition | Our all-in-one case concept will

be the only such case on the market at this time.
No other companies presently stock items like this
and therefore the only competition would be other
standard cases.

Marketing & Research | 16

Research | As previously mentioned, in order to make sure we correctly aligned with product with the
potential target audience, we conducted a series of primary research efforts. By interviewing potential,
beginning, and current guitarists, we were able to gain insights as to what features comprise the ideal case.

Interviews | We conducted in-person interviews with 18 different people who either currently play gui-
tar or are interested in playing. Below are some of the insights we gathered from this research:
• This product could be beneficial for beginners or guitar hobbyists who play for personal enjoyment
• A case with an amp could be used as a practice tool for touring musicians. Such guitarists could
use this as a warm-up tool.
• Most guitarists prefer to carry the case as opposed to rolling it on wheels
• User’s pedal setup allows easy customization
• It is important to include instructions for easy modifications and better customer experience

Survey Research | We decided it was necessary to incorporate the opinions and preferences of high
school students since we saw them as potential beginners and early adopters of our product. We surveyed
20 high school students who currently play guitar and asked them the following questions:

1. How many hours per week do you usually play guitar?

2. Where do you typically play guitar?

a. Do you use an amp?

b. If yes, what size amp do you use?

3. Do you use a pedal board?

a. If yes, how many?

4. Do you have a case for your guitar? If so, what type (i.e. soft, hard?)

5. What improvements would you make to your current case?

6. If you had the option to “wheel” your case instead of carrying it, is this something

you would be interested in?

a. How do you currently carry your case? (i.e. handle, wheel, backpack?)

7. What are the most important components or features of your current case?

8. What specifications or features does your equipment have?

9. What style guitar do you have?

10. Would you be interested in an all-in-one case?

Research findings | The following pages represent the raw data we collected as well as the important
conclusions we were able to derive from the data:

Marketing & Research | 17

# Q1 Q2 Q2a Q2b Q3 Q3a Q4 Q5 Q6 Q6a Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10

1 35 my room or by a yes 40 yes 7 soft it would be nice to yes handle the compartments volume, bass, treble, 2 fender strats., Fender yes, because when I
computer watts have a hard shell mid, drive, presence telecasters then I wouldn’t have to
case carry the amp and the
case

2 13 room, garage yes 100 yes 1 soft hard case, tighter fit yes handle, back- it holds a guitar volumex2, delay, echo, gibson, laguna not because it would just
watt pack reverb, brass, treble, be too heavy and bulky
70 lb counter, master volume
sustain, metal, insane

3 5.5 my room, friend’s yes half yes 3 neither stronger no handle foldable, light 3 volume, bass and ibanez g10 yes because everything
house stock, reverb won’t get mixed up in a
45 watt duffle bag

4 10 school, home, yes 20 watt no hard none no handle it is hard and it pro- Electric, classical, yes because it would
church tects my guitar acoustic be convenient to have
everything altogether

5 11 room, friends’, yes 60 w yes 3 both durable, more space yes handle, back- light and extra spots just a couple, volume, epiphone Les Paul yes because I wouldn’t
garage (24x18) pack to hold cables and lead/rhythm, gain and EQ have to make 3-4 trips
small petals to my truck for different
things

6 2.5 house yes 80 watt no soft have a hard case no handle it is light and easy to two channels one for jackson King V yes because it would
that is relatively light handle clean and one for deser- be easier to carry
tion everyone’s pedals and
equipment

7 7 home, work yes 15 watt yes 1 soft more compartments yes handle and easy to pickup and gain, drive, volume, fender stratocaste not really, it would be-
backpack go treble, middle, bass, come too big and heavy
reverb to bring around

8 10 kitchen, living yes small no both lighter and be strong no handle front compartment - volume, bass, treble, gain squire, briarwood, yes if there was a way
room, bedroom with strap for 1 soft; inside compart- yamaha to have it be small so
shoulder ment - hard its not clumsy to carry
around

9 8 room, basement yes no hard yes handle it is a safe environ- fender stratocaste
ment for my guitar
to live

10 10 school yes 30 watt no hard easier to carry no handle it’s light volume Ihene2

11 13 at bars with some yes 160 yes 1 hard make it a tad lighter no handle I love it because it volume, treble, bass, and fender strat an epiph- well I don’t carry much
guys I know watt gets the main job mid most of the time one ES-335 stuff around because
done: protecting my I’m not a blues player
guitar and don’t carry much
stuff around, but it’s a
fantastic idea for people
who travel with a lot of
equipment
12 4 my room, friends’ yes medi- yes 1 both make it lighter and yes handle I’m glad it keeps volume, tone, distortion, fender squire, fender if it was possible to
house um- put wheels on one the guitar safe while and one that controls 10 strat., fender acoustic make the case light
sized end if I don’t want to moving around different styles of effects and affordable, the idea
carry it would come in handy so
a guitarist wouldn’t have
to carry so many cases

13 7 school, home yes 30 watt yes 1 soft I’d just rather have a yes handle or I can carry it two gain, treble, mid, bass, fender strat yes because I wouldn’t
hard case for more backpack ways channel, volume, master, have to carry so much
protection chorus/flanger, phaser, stuff
tremelo

14 8 room, friends’ yes 100 yes 1 hard no handle it protects my guitar volume -2, tone-2, distor- fender strat I think it would be
houses watts tion-3, clean-3 convenient if you could
make the amp loud and
everything convenient

15 my room, other yes 50 yes 4 hard I wouldn’t change it no handle the pink plush inside volume 1999 Gibson Les paul No, too big
places a guitar watts Studio
happens to be

16 17.5 room, house yes 25 yes 3 hard more compartments yes handle the velvet interior, 5 vol, 3 band EQ, gain, SG, 2 strats and dread yeah because otherwise
watts for like cables and because I can and it is big enough reverb thought travel is a hassle
(10” what not easily see to second as a chest
speak- its range of at my house
er) motion

17 11 bedroom yes 12 no hard slide-open, lid, carry yes handle fuzzy interior distortion, volume yes and no, it would
on back, cupholders probably be too heavy

18 16 bedroom, base- yes 12 no soft cupholder no handle easy to carry volume, distortion electric
ment

19 16 house, my band yes 80 watt yes 1 both I would want more yes handle I like all of the little volume, clean and heavy fender Lonestar, stra- I think it would be very
members’ houses space so that I don’t pockets to put things distortions, and the chan- tocaster convenient, seeing that
have to set picks, in nel switch just about everyday I
cords, etc on my have to take my amp,
guitar. And visibility pedals, and guitar to my
to see my guitar band members house

20 13 house, school no no hard lighter, stronger no handle easy to store,locks, Acoustic electric yes it would but might
durability be too big if you have a
larger amp
Survey Statistics
• 60% people say they use a pedal board
• 50% claim having a soft guitar case
• 65% claim having a hard guitar case
• When asked what they would like in a case, respondents said they need it to be dependable, strong,
durable, light, have compartments, and have the option to carry multiple ways.
• 100% say they carry their cases by the handle
• A few respondents said they carry their soft cases like backpacks
• Respondents cited the following reasons for liking their current cases: it has ample compartments,
it does what it is supposed to do (hold the guitar in place), it is light, it has space to hold extra items,
it keeps the guitar safe while moving, and it is durable, easy to store, and has locks.
• 55% of respondents said they are in favor of an “all-in-one” case if it is light enough
• 20% of respondents said they are not interested in an “all-in-one” case

A few considerations we derived from our research:

• The case must be easy to carry and have a handle
• The case must be as light as possible
• The amp has to be loud enough to be useful
• The most noted reason for wanting an “all-in-one” case is convenience and allowing for less trips
to carry equipment around.
• The case cannot be clumsy
• The case must be affordable for youthful players with a limited budget
• The case can have the option of using wheels, but is not necessary

Marketing & Research | 20

Strategy
Who is our Target Market?
Primary Audience | The product’s target users
are also guitarists who are either likely to be on the
move or just starting out. The first primary user is
“moving user,” the musician who spends a great
deal of time playing in different places in a relatively
informal manner. All of the portability incorporat-
ed into the product’s all-in-one design is specifically
intended to provide the user access to an amp, ped-
als, and electrical components otherwise available
only through separate items. With the product, the
moving user no longer needs to carry all of those
separate items to his or her destination, whether it is
a local music venue or a local subway station.
Secondary Audience | The secondary target
market is the beginner, who may not yet be ready
in his or her career to invest heavily in the various
items already included in this product. The afore-
mentioned portability offers the same advantages to
the beginner, who might be likely to use the prod-
uct while practicing with friends, playing in talent
shows, and so forth without having to carry around
heavy, expensive equipment.
These amateur guitar players are purchasing their
own equipment for the first time and may be unfa-
miliar with guitars and guitar equipment. Because
they are new to the product category, establishing
brand loyalty is one of our most important objec-
tives.
Where are we now in the mind of this per- Final Positioning Strategy Position the Gui-
son? Our case is considered a new design for an tarpedo as an easy way to begin playing the guitar.
existing product. Current guitar cases are low-in-
volvement purchases in comparison to the actual
guitars. For this reason, guitar cases are often sec-
ondary considerations.
Where is our competition in the mind of
this person? Since our competitors’ cases do not
include the amps, purchasing the case as well as the
amp are usually purchased separately.
Where would we like to be in the mind of
this person? We would like to be thought of as
a convenient, risk-free way to begin playing guitar.
Ideally our case will eliminate the hassle of having to
find and purchase equipment individually. Where
we would like to be in the mind of the target user
is that of the affordable and approachable solution
to the problem of obtaining, using, and carrying
around lots of expensive and cumbersome equip-
ment. Beyond the physical and financial hassles of
these ancillary (but important) items, approaching
and then purchasing them might offer an intimidat-
ing experience to the beginning user, who might not
be particularly familiar with so many amps and ped-
als to choose from. The product solves the problem
of choosing from among a plethora of guitar cases
and amps by providing both in one package that is
both functional and stylish. Should the user decide
to purchase pedals, the product has space available
for them to be added later.
What is the consumer promise? The guitar
should be an easy-to-pick-up instrument that can be
played both at home and away from home without
having to worry about excess equipment.
It eliminates the hassle of carrying multiple com-
ponents and lets you focus on the music. The Gui-
tarpedo also aids in building a network of guitarists
and is strengthened by user-generated content.
Strategy | 21
Executions

Website | We created a website that aligns with our positioning strategy of encouraging new guitarists
to begin playing. The website both gives information for beginners and creates a supportive network for
beginners to interact with. Below are some screen shot from the actual website that can be found at: http://
www.wix.com/guitarv2r/guitarv2r

Homepage | The home page gives a quick introduction to the Guitarpedo project.

Executions | 22
Video Page: This page reinforces our strategy of building a network of guitarists by promoting user-
generated content.

News Page: This page was established to connect users with guitar industry news. It incorporates an
RSS feed from the Guitar World Twitter account. Future RSS feeds and other news sources can be added
in the future if this provides value to the website.

Executions | 23
Product Page: This page allows our potential audience to view our product as well as stay updated on
any changes, alterations, or new additions made to the case

Sketch Page: This shows the process that we went through to create the final case. It gives our audience
the notion that we took into account multiple designs, uses, features in order to arrive at the final case.

Executions | 24
Contact Page: This page is important because we are very interested in feedback regarding the product.
The case is designed with the intentions of making the lives of traveling and beginning guitarists easier.
Useful feedback and criticisms can only make our product stronger.

YouTube Channel | A Guitarpedo-branded YouTube channel was created to enhance collaboration

among users of our brand. Guitarists are invited to share their experiences and music with one another as
well as provide comments and feedback to one another. The channel can be viewed at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Eng298v2r

Executions | 25
Backup Plan
Alternative strategies | A possible backup plan for
Define
Evaluation
the Problem this product would begin with an understanding of why
such a backup would be necessary. Additional research
into the market and users may be needed, but more spe-
cifically research would need to be done as to why this
product may not have lived to its full potential. From
this starting point, idea and concept generation through
sketching and modeling would commence. Since the
Implementation product design process is essentially the same for this
original product as well as for a backup, this stage would
be largely unchanged between versions. The key to the
backup plan, therefore, would be the thorough under-
standing of its necessity in the first place.

Other considerations | Additional features that

Finalize Design can be added to our case design include: a microphone
stand, a small seat, or wheels. As mentioned, additional
research into why the case fails will be essential for de-
termining how to turn it into a success

Sketch

Research

Generate Solutions

Define the Problem

Backup Plan | 26
Next Steps &
Considerations
Patent Issues | Based on the University of Illinois’s patenting process, we will need to take the following
steps in order to ensure our product is “protected:”
• Obtain disclosure form for patentable technologies
• Submit disclosure 8-12 weeks before publication
• File a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office
• Based on the University’s policies, the University has the right to own inventions created by faculty, staff,
and anyone using the University facilities and resources.

Limitations
• Can’t fit ALL guitars
• can’t fit acoustic guitars or basses
• limitation on pedal usage
• have to stick with amp given by the company

Geographical Distribution
Areas that might have the highest likelihood of success include the following:
• Western states where electric guitar playing is more prevalent
• Southern areas where there is a large number of local and beginner guitarist
• Urban areas where playing in crowded areas requires easy setup (subways?)

Distribution | Implement production of the case and distribute them to international guitar corpora-
tions like Guitar Center, Music123, Musicianfriend. We are aiming for cheap prices and high quality for
beginning guitar players or those on a strict budget. Advertising online would be essential as would showing
famous musicians using the product.

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