Ciari Guitars is a company that designs and sells professional-grade electric “travel” guitars that use a patented folding mechanism so a full-size instrument can fold down to fit in a backpack or carry-on for easy transport. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Ciari Guitars CEO Jonathan Spangler to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
Jonathan Spangler’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Spangler said:
“I’m an unlikely member of the MI community, having come from the medical device industry after a 20+ year career as a patent attorney specializing in the life sciences. I graduated from Marquette University with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and then attended law school with a Juris Doctor with an emphasis on intellectual property.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Spangler shared:
“The idea for our Ascender came during my tenure as Chief Patent Counsel for NuVasive, Inc., a medical device company based in San Diego that became the world leader in solutions (implants and instrumentation) for minimally invasive spine surgery. Our CEO was hard-charging but also fun-loving, and he fused both by hosting our quarterly meetings in the format of Late Night with David Letterman, where he was the host and I was ‘the Paul Schaffer’ of the company band. The only problem: I’m no Paul Schaffer!”
“I had to practice constantly to not be the weak link in our shows, especially as we grew from 10s to 100s to 1000s of employees. Meanwhile, I had to travel a LOT for my day job, up to 40 trips a year at the high-water mark, and that’s when I first experienced the pain points of traveling by air with a guitar. As a patent attorney, I’m used to dealing with innovators and my working advice is: If you don’t like your options, make what you want – if you solve it for you, you’ll solve it for others. After surveying the travel guitar options at the time, I realized I needed to take my own advice. That’s when I invented the core of what became the Ascender.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Spangler reflected:
“The most powerful and energizing part of this journey is – by far and away – witnessing artists use our Ascender on stage. Music has been vitally important to me since I was a kid, and it’s like a time machine that forms the soundtrack of our lives. I never imagined at the outset that our Ascender would be used by professional guitarists, much less on stages around the world and studio albums. A pinnacle memory was watching Steve Stevens play White Wedding at the Cosmopolitan on his Signature Series Ascender – it was an emotional and beautiful milestone.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Spangler explained:
“At present, we’re focused on our Ascender line of folding electric guitars, which includes a variety of pick-up configurations, finishes, and electronics. Common to all: Our patented folding system which includes a Mid-Neck Hinge that folds at the 12th and 14th frets, along with a throttle-style mechanism (called the Actuator) in the back of the body that tightens/loosens the strings and locks/unlocks the Mid-Neck Hinge. To play, you simply straighten the neck, rotate the handle of the Actuator to tighten the strings and lock the Mid-Neck Hinge, do a quick ‘top off tune’ (if required), and you’re ready to rock – in mere seconds.”
“When it’s time to pack up, you rotate the handle in the opposite direction, which drops the string tension to ~3 lbs., and fold the neck towards the back of the body while the strings nest into small “V-grooves” in the fingerboard on either side of the 12th and 14th frets. The strings are protected from damage and the Ascender now fits in a Personal Item sized Backpack or Gig Bag – for stress free guitar mobility!”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? Spangler acknowledged:
“When you’re doing things differently, as we are at Ciari Guitars, there are always headwinds and, as the old saying goes, ‘if it was easy, everyone would do it.’ Our main challenge is overcoming the understandable skepticism that a folding guitar can also be a pro level instrument. That’s because, until now, quality and convenience were mutually exclusive – you could have one but not both. We’re overcoming this by engaging artists, such as Steve Stevens, who can speak to the fusion of pro level quality and stress-free folding convenience of our Ascender. Artists are the headwater of credibility in this industry, and we’re especially honored to have earned Steve’s trust to craft and launch his Signature Series Ascender.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Spangler noted:
“Our original Ascender, which launched in 2019, had a different body style, headstock, and Actuator. While it performed well, including stage and studio, the aesthetics were lacking in the eyes of most and the original Actuator was not super intuitive. As someone who thrives on feedback, I asked famed Nashville luthier Joe Glaser for his unvarnished critique of that original model. Anyone who knows Joe, knows he does not hold back – thankfully!
“The output of that exhaustive exercise is what you see now in our new Ascender models: An asymmetric, surf-forward body style; a distinctive ‘rolling wave’ headstock; a range of attractive finishes; and a redesigned, super intuitive Actuator. The Ascender of today is more visually appealing, easier to use, lighter, and less expensive to make – the best of all worlds.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Spangler cited:
“Beyond our first Signature Series (a massive milestone!), an early one was watching Quinton Gibson (lead guitarist for Darius Rucker) debut his Ascender at the Grand Ole Opry, especially because my wife and daughter (then 8) were with me. As a fan of country music, that’s hallowed ground! Another was finding out that our artist, Charlton Johnson used his Ascender on the Grammy-winning album ‘Count Basie Swings the Blues.'”
“My late father was a massive fan of Count Basie and his Orchestra, and I know he would have been very proud. Last year Amir Bayyan (rhythm guitarist for Kool & The Gang) used his Ascender during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performance – more hallowed ground! Pro guitarist Greg Suran added to the mix mightily by debuting his Ascender on both American Idol and The Voice, as well as using on tour with Lionel Ritchie and Sunny Day Real Estate. A more recent milestone – and one I never imagined – was having our Ascender used for a World Record ‘Highest Altitude Live DJ Performance’ by Burak Yeter from Amsterdam – he played his Ascender in a hot air balloon space capsule at 55,000 feet.”
Customer Success Stories
Can you share any specific customer success stories? Spangler highlighted:
“Of course. They range widely, as the guitar itself seems to forge its own path – which I find fascinating. Artists who do a lot of fly dates LOVE the stress-free convenience, among them Rick Marcel (lead guitarist for Kool & The Gang) who has been using his Ascender on stages worldwide since January 2022. Others use it as an ever-present companion for practice, whether in the hotel or green room before hitting the stage, such as Rich Fortus (Guns and Roses), Johnny Marr, Kiki Wong (Smashing Pumpkins). Still others, including Quinton Gibson (lead guitarist for Darius Rucker), love it for writing and recording while on the tour bus or at the hotel – as does Steve Stevens.”
“One of my favorite success stories, however, is from a business traveler who spends 2-3 weeks a month on the road away from family. He sent me a heartfelt text late one night thanking me for providing a healthy outlet for him while traveling, sharing that both he and his family recognized his improved mental health due to our Ascender. That one still gets me.”
Funding/Revenue
Are you able to discuss funding and/or revenue metrics? Spangler revealed:
“I assumed the early risk by self-funding until we proved mechanical feasibility, which was a six-figure investment…and shows I have an awesome and supportive wife! Since then, we’ve raised capital in stepwise fashion since our start in 2016, with reasonable increases in valuation as we accomplished various milestones based on revenue, business traction, geographic reach, and the expansion of our global patent portfolio.”
“As for revenue, we’ve had strong year-over-year increases (triple and double digit growth) since we’ve started. To capitalize on our momentum and fuel our next exciting chapter, we’re currently raising capital to help us scale, expand our product line to add folding acoustic and bass, and continue to evolve the industry so quality and convenience are no longer mutually exclusive. Anyone interested in this investment opportunity can contact me at jspangler@ciariguitars.com for more info.”
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Spangler assessed:
“We’re pursuing a global TAM of $5.2 billion, which includes the premium, mid-tier and travel segments for fretted instruments – electric, acoustic and bass. This, based on our experience thus far with the Ascender, where we’ve established that it’s a pro level guitar in and of itself – with the stress-free folding convenience a bonus. As Steve Stevens puts it “It stands on its own, whether it folds or not.” Due to our innovation and commitment to stage/studio quality, we’re able to participate in both the traditional and travel segments as a rare cross-over offering.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Spangler affirmed:
“Our philosophy, our tech, and our strong patent portfolio.
Our philosophy is that we embrace innovation and consider it a virtue. We do not chase novelty for novelty’s sake, but rather we love to reimagine and create new and improved solutions that overcome friction and make it easier for people to make music.
Our folding tech serves this by eliminating the stress of traveling with an instrument, especially during air travel, which is fraught with uncertainty and risk. Will there be room in the overhead bin? Will they make me check my guitar? If checked, will it end up late, lost or damaged when I arrive? All this adds stress and creates friction. Our Ascender solves this by folding mid-neck to fit under an airplane seat – the first ever full-size guitar that qualifies as a Personal Item, not just a Carry On for the overhead bin.
Our patent portfolio boasts over 20 issued patents (US and Int’l) that protect not only our Ascender folding electric guitar, but also additional innovations that pave the path for future product launches and business expansion. For example, our IP covers folding acoustic and bass designs, which are both highly requested and will be developed with proceeds from our current capital raise. Our IP also covers a variety of innovative accessories, such as a tremolo system for our folding guitars. Last but not least, our IP includes multiple US patents on an in-airport guitar lounge, which is an in-terminal experiential marketing and sales hub. It’s not currently deployed due on airport renovations taking place, but we have a long-term agreement with the San Diego Int’l Airport and plan to pursue later with the proceeds of our current capital raise.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Spangler emphasized:
“Though lofty, our goal for Ciari Guitars to be a household name, at least within the guitar industry. We get there by continuing to buck convention with our innovation and working with open-minded artists who want to be part of the future vs. stuck in the past. As part of this, we want to expand our product line to include folding acoustic and bass guitars – which have both been a consistent request since we started this journey.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Spangler concluded:
“Two things.
First, I want to cordially invite folks to visit our shop in Nashville. You can ask questions of our luthiers, see how our Ascenders are made, watch our Plek in action, and try them out in our Artist Lounge. We’re conveniently located about 2 miles south of Broadway in the Wedgewood Houston neighborhood of Nashville, which is a super cool area.
Second, I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to share more about Ciari Guitars. ‘It takes a village’ definitely applies here, so thanks for joining ours with this interview! If I can answer any questions or be of any assistance, people can reach out to me directly through our website.”
