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The Gibson Challenge -
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Research!
Gibson has been a leading innovator of electric and acoustic instruments for over 120 years. For the Gibson Challenge, each student must choose a style, market, or artist to craft an original design to fit within the Gibson legacy.
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Design!
Once the student has chosen a stylistic starting point, they have 3 weeks to ideate, CAD model, and prototype their designs. After revisions and material sourcing, they must begin their final build.
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Build!
Lastly, students have 6 weeks to build, wire, and apply finishes to their instrument. After which, they must present their finished playable designs at the Gibson Showcase.
My Research:
Personally growing up around Gibson instruments and learning to play the bass guitar at a young age prompted me to look into the growing, yet relatively untapped, stylized bass market.
My research showed that not only are there more new bass players in the market currently, but that there is an opening for bass guitars catered towards comfort and style.
Many new players are flowing in with the resurgence of hard rock, metal, and punk music, but don’t want the old school oversized heavy basses of the past.
Therefore, my design needed to be slim, light weight, hardcore, and intrinsically Gibson.
Fabrication Process:
Gibson Garage Exhibition
The final step of the Gibson Challenge, was to present the finished instruments at a live showcase. The guitars were then “tested” in front of the live audience before being displayed on exhibit.