MIKE NOPPER

GUITAR CABINET
FURNITURE

PERSONAL PROJECT & EXPLORATION

The music equipment industry has long been focused on creating gear that meets the needs of touring musicians. As a result, most products are designed with function as the top priority, often resulting in a utilitarian look that’s not particularly inspiring. However, during my work with Implicit Audio, I gained valuable market research insights that led me to question this approach.

I began to wonder why most music equipment aesthetics are geared towards touring musicians when the reality is that most musicians play at home. I recognized a disconnect between the aspirations of musicians, who want to be perceived as rock stars going on tour, and the actual environments in which they play. This disconnect inspired me to explore a new approach to music equipment design.

This design exploration focused on incorporating mid-century modern furniture aesthetics into guitar cabinets, with the goal of creating products that would be a seamless part of someone’s living environment. By combining aesthetics and function, I sought to create a line of products that would appeal to musicians who want to enjoy their gear both visually and sonically.

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