Exoson

Electric Guitar

One Semester Solo Project

2021

Exoson was created in order to challenge the current guitar market, where there has been a 50-year stalemate in design progress.

The guitar creates a more comfortable experience by fitting the shape of a human's torso while having perfect weight distribution to alleviate strain & guitar neck dive. 

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Current Market

The current guitar market is dominated by four silhouettes and knockoffs of them. Fender & Gibson have a form monopoly.

The Problems

There are two major problems that I sought out to solve:

1 - A market, where there are so few options in terms of shape, is incredibly boring. Buying a guitar is basically picking what hardware you want & the paint scheme.

2 - Neck dive & weight balance: too lightweight of a body causes the neck of the guitar to dive down, this requires your fretting hand to do 2 things: lift up the guitar & fret (very tedious). 

My Solution

To create a unique guitar with familiar hardware, drawing inspiration from the 1960s (who were inspired by Art Nouveau) that was also somewhat lightweight. But using modern CNC tech, I could decide where to put the weight to create a perfect weight balance.

Initial Development

Once a rough idea was formed on paper, most of the refinement was thought through in Fusion360. In CAD, I could control surfaces & work out the surface transitions.

Form Development

Using Fusion360 and CNC machines, Exoson went through three iterative phases where the user found it comfortable, it was easily manufacturable, & weight was in the correct places.

CMF Inspiration

The counter-culture movement of the '60s inspired both the form and finish, but with a modern take using stylish pigments. The color-shift pigment was used to accentuate the form while still appearing psychedelic.

The gold in this pigment would clash with the gold hardware I selected for the guitar.

People likened this color to 'Prince' who fit the psychedelic aesthetic while coordinating well with the gold & black hardware.

This pigment worked well with the gold but lacked the psychedelic touch I desired.

Details

The headstock was cut out using a bandsaw then carefully sanded to achieve gentle curves. Then custom waterslide decals were applied underneath the clear coat - the same method as Fender.

Material Choice

The body is cut from a two-piece block of northern ash, a dense, resonant wood. While the neck and headstock are made from maple, with a rosewood fretboard. The combination of ash and rosewood produces a warm, bluesy tone resonating with your soul.

Exceptional Ergonomics

This guitar has perfect 50/50 weight distribution while comfortably fitting up against the user's torso. Easily carryable, incredibly strong, soft to the touch, while playing great are key characteristics.

The user can balance the guitar from the top-left hole in the guitar with just one finger. This weight balance alleviates neck dive & allows a more enjoyable playing experience.

Let's work, together.

© Carson Webb 2021