# Ciari Guitars Professional guitars with patented folding technology for impossible portability ## Elevator pitch We make and sell the revolutionary "Ascender" folding travel guitar. The Ascender has a patented folding system with a hinge in the neck so the guitar can be folded in half for convenient transportation and storage. During air travel, for example, the Ascender fits under seat - the first guitar ever with that distinction. To play again, simply unfold the neck, flip a lever to lock the hinge and the re-tighten the strings, "top off tune" the strings, and you're ready to rock! - Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/ciariguitars - Entity ID: wefunder:company:61996 - Last updated: 2026-06-11T05:00:18Z - Generated at: 2026-06-11T16:02:57Z ## Quick facts - Guitar Player Magazine “Editor’s Pick" & named “most convenient guitar in the world" by Forbes - Recommended by Nasdaq as top equity crowdfunding campaign to invest in - Patented technology elminates guitar travel & mobility problem in a $2.79B market - Full product pipeline, including premium electric, mid-tier electric, carbon fiber acoustic, & bass - Pitched & was granted setup of free airport guitar lounge—a priceless in-airport marketing channel - One of 13 companies out of 300+ chosen for NEC's Project Music, a leading music startup accelerator - CEO is IP Exec & Patent Attorney. Chief IP Counsel for “Start-up to $1BB” Medical Device ## Active fundraises - wefunder:fundraise:46229: 506(c) successful (USD) - wefunder:fundraise:35629: 4(a)(6) successful (USD) ## Story Debuted on the Ascender™, our premium electric model, our guitar startup's impressive engineering allows professional grade guitars to fold into a compact size, finally making the world’s most popular instrument impossibly portable. Future plans include mid-tier electric guitars, carbon fiber acoustic guitars, and even short-scale bass guitars—and we're turning to investors to raise $1M to scale our growth exponentially."It's in tune?!"Before we go further, one of our favorite things is sharing guitarists unfolding the Ascender for the very first time. You might have the same reaction as Kelly Slater. We recommend you expand to watch full screen.Incredible, right? Now, let's go back to where we started and where we're going:Our journey of music-tech disruption started in 2016, when we incorporated and began the development of our guitar innovation after our first US patent was issued. Since then, we've created the first-ever premium travel guitar — one that folds in half yet boasts pro-quality and unparalleled convenience for stress-free guitar mobility and storage.Why invest, and why now?Guitars have been around for 100 years and have always been the same size — large. We’re changing that with our patented folding technology, which enables our full-size, Nashville-crafted guitars to fold in half for impossibly portable backpack storage. All of the functionality, none of the inconvenience.We've proven demandWe started with accelerators—putting the Ascender to the test at the globally renowned music-tech accelerator, Project Music in Nashville, Tennessee, and the San Diego Airport Innovation Lab. Leveraging these successes, we hit our 2020 targets with 40+ guitars sold and ~150K in revenue. And... it doesn't hurt to be a patent attorneyA patent attorney with a passion for music? The perfect storm. At the heart of the Ascender is a feat of engineering, the patented folding mechanism. To protect this, we’ve covered the Ascender with multiple US and international patents and applications. You'll find us talking about this quite a bit, because according to Chris Graebe, our patent is one of the most attractive things about our potential. Our CEO is and IP Executive & Patent Attorney with deep experience including at USPTO, Leading IP Law Firm, and Chief IP Counsel for “Start-up to $1BB” Medical Device Co. The word has gotten out about Ciari GuitarsWe’ve been featured by Forbes, CNN, and USA Today; and we were honored to receive the coveted Editor’s Pick from Guitar Player Magazine. And all the buzz is paying off!Now, let's hear the Ascender in action!By the way, our Ciari Guitars Artist Showcase is 04/28 at 5pm with big names like Kelly Slater, the Revelries, and more. Click here to RSVP.Our growth strategyWe’re taking a hybrid sales approach designed to help us scale rapidly, and we’re primed for success in retail via our deep industry relationships with some of the world’s top music retailers. Our strategy includes:The market is ready, and guitar sales are surgingDuring the pandemic, guitar sales surged as people found comfort in learning or honing a skill and expressing themselves through music. Guitar Center's online sales more than doubled. Sweetwater's sales increased 40% (and surpassed $1B for the first time ever). Searches for acoustic guitars and acoustic guitar amps increased by 50%. With this surge, and the eventual return to mobility due to vaccines, Ciari Guitars is positioned to be the solution of choice for guitarists on the move in a global market of $2.79B.While travel guitars are not new, none have combined the quality and convenience of the Ascender. As such, Ciari Guitars stands alone in the guitar industry with market-making innovation, ready to be THE leader in guitar mobility. Here’s how we compare: We're not stopping at the Ascender!Innovating is how we got here, so we’re not stopping with our first iteration. Here’s a look at our upcoming pipeline: The Music Industry has a long history of acquisition, including majors like Fender, Yamaha, Gibson and newcomer music-tech powerhouse Bandlab. Between our strong IP and robust sales strategy, we project being well-positioned to exit within 3-5 years.Exit Strategy: Expand product line, ramp sales, and explore acquisition in 3-5 yearsStrong IP and adoption will help achieve attractive multiple on exit!This is the right time to invest.Music has never been more important and the guitar industry is hotter than it’s been in years. The number of guitarists surged during the pandemic, as did mobility in RVs, motorcycles, private jets, yachts/boats. Commercial air travel is returning, and will accelerate with the availability of Covid vaccines. People are ready to move again, and Ciari Guitars will be THE solution for guitar mobility - the right product at the right time - to capitalize on this unique opportunity. Join us in bringing the beauty of the guitar everywhere. ## FAQ 1. **how much are you raising this round? is this the seed round?** - Hello Benny: Thanks for the question! Our target in this round is the full amount available under Regulation CF (Crowd Fund) $1,070,000. And yes, this is a Seed Round. If you have any other questions, please let me know. I'll be happy to address. Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars 2. **I believe in your concept but how do I get a return on my investment?** - Hello Phillip: Thanks for this question, too. An investment in Ciari Guitars during this Wefunder campaign will convert to shares upon 2 main events: 1) a "qualified financing"; and 2) an acquisition. In either instance, the company will have a definite valuation, which will translate into a percentage of shares based on the amount invested. Our exit strategy involves building the business (scaling, expanding the product line, proving product-market fit, etc...) to make Ciari Guitars an attra... 3. **I understand the patent protection you have in the US, but what protection do you have from inevitable Chinese knock-offs undercutting you?** - Hello Phillip: Excellent question! Thanks for asking. As a 25 year patent attorney, the world of intellectual property and preventing counterfeits is near and dear to my heart. I was Chief Patent Counsel for a global medical company and, in that role, had the very same concerns. The strategies developed over my career have been implemented at Ciari Guitars, rest assured. We have patents pending in all major markets in the globe, including Europe, China, Japan and South Korea - and of course M... 4. **What is the projected wholesale / Retail price of the guitar? Where will the manufacturing be done? Will you be selling direct or thru music stores? When do you expect to have the product to market?** - Hello Jack: Thanks for the note! We're currently selling our first product, called The Ascender, direct to consumer at www.ciariguitars.com. Prices start at $2,999 and go up depending upon various options (finish, fingerboard, wood choices, etc...). We make our guitars in Nashville, TN with some of the best in the business, including famed luthier Joe Glaser (of Glaser Instruments), and use Plek technology for our necks to ensure premium action and playability. We have additional, lower-price... 5. **How do the strings hold up.... Im going to be honest if the fold up neck is ruining them I can see this as a draw back. Im a guitar player. I wouldnt buy it if when i got to where I was going, Id have to replace strings that I just did a day ago.** - Hello Benjamin: Thanks for the question. I'm glad you asked! Our strings hold up great - same as a standard guitar - and we've never once had a string break at the hinge. That's because our patented folding system, with a quick throw of a lever, drops the strings from 118 lbs of playing tension to approximately 3 lbs of spring-loaded folding tension. This allows the strings to "follow the fold" during the folding and unfolding process. The strings fall neatly into "V-Grooves" formed in the fi... ## Team - Jonathan Spangler (CEO and Founder) - Eric Dorton (President and Chief Commercial Officer) - Brent Rivard (CFO) - Tommy Benson (Consultant, Artist Relations & Education) - Tracy Judge (Advisory Board - Events and Marketing) - Timothy Johnson (Advisory Board, Engineering & Quality) ## Q&A - Q: Hi Jonathan, one of my readers told me about your deal, and I'm considering writing an analysis about it! Would you like to talk about your company in an episode of our podcast? If that's of interest to you, please reach out to me through the contact form on our website! Looking forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Manuel https://www.angelnotes.co - A: Hello Manuel: Thank you for the outreach! Yes, I'd love to be on your podcast. I'll reach out ASAP. All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: Do you intend to pay a dividend (post-SAFE conversion)? - A: Hello Craig: Thanks for the note and question re: dividends. As you may have seen in our materials, we have a 3-5 year exit strategy that would involve being acquired by a guitar "major" or other music-tech innovation company. It's unlikely we would offer a dividend before then, but it is certainly something we'd seriously consider if the timeline of acquisition ends up being longer. I'm in the same boat as all investors, in that my investments to date have also been via SAFE. I hope this answers your question. If you want any clarification or additional information, please feel free to respond or email me at jspangler@ciariguitars.com All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: Love your professionalism and the technology. Would enjoy hearing more music played on the guitars in a subsequent video. Main question: is the name Italian, and thus, pronounced "Cherry"? Ciari, in Italian, sounds like a great name. - A: Hello Janan: Thanks for the note and kind words. Very much appreciated! Videos Great suggestion for more videos showing the guitar in action. I believe we're restricted to 1 video on this campaign page, but I'll double check. Either way, we can and will post more videos on our social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). In the meantime, there are a number of great videos previously posted on our social channels (especially Facebook and Instagram), as well as on our website at the bottom of our press page at https://www.ciariguitars.com/press. The Name Thanks for the props! The name Ciari is actually a made up word, based on the combination of "cirrus" for the high wispy clouds and "aria" for melody. Why? Because we bring music to the air! Air travel is but one use case, of course, but that's how this all got started - my personal experience (and frustration) with guitar air travel. Maybe it's my Midwestern roots (:)), but I pronounced it "C R E" from the beginning. Only after launching, and hearing others pronounce it in Italian, did I realize there was another way! Have a great day, Janan. Stay tuned for more videos! All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - A: Hello Janan: Quick update. Per my prior note, we just added some videos of artists playing our Ascender. To view them, please go to the Overview section of our Wefunder page, scroll down to 2 videos under "The Ascender in Action," and - last but not least - enjoy! Thanks again for the suggestion, Janan. Asked and answered! All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: I believe in your concept but how do I get a return on my investment? - A: Hello Phillip: Thanks for this question, too. An investment in Ciari Guitars during this Wefunder campaign will convert to shares upon 2 main events: 1) a "qualified financing"; and 2) an acquisition. In either instance, the company will have a definite valuation, which will translate into a percentage of shares based on the amount invested. Our exit strategy involves building the business (scaling, expanding the product line, proving product-market fit, etc...) to make Ciari Guitars an attractive acquisition target by a larger player within 3-5 years. That's the general timeline of when an investment today will have a return. The amount of that return is a function of our sales traction, the strength of our IP, and various other factors. We have strong IP (based on my unique background), so we believe an acquisition would command a strong multiple on sales or EBITDA (top line and bottom line performance, basically). Given the increase in the number of people playing guitar (see New York Time "Guitars are Back, Baby!" (Sept 2020) and Rolling Stone "Did Everyone Buy a Guitar in Quarantine or What?" (Jan 2021), and the eventual return to travel and mobility in all forms, we are poised to be the go-to solution for guitar mobility. There are many analogies that apply. If you're a fisherman, do you have 1 pole? No. Every fisherman has a variety of rods and reels to be used depending upon the fish, body of water, etc... Guitars are no different. 85% of people who play guitar end up owning multiple guitars. At Ciari Guitars, we're competing for the next purchase, not necessarily the first (not yet, at least). Due to our uber-convenience, and "Editor's Pick" validated quality, we are confident in our ability to be the right product at the right time. Thanks again for the question, Phillip. Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: The neck on this guitar is still made of wood (mahogany I think?) which means that eventually there is the potential for the neck to warp, twist, or get "humps" in the fretboard if correct humidity levels are not maintained (just as with any guitar). If & when this happens...will the guitar be repairable? What if a guitar tech needs to sand the fretboard flat to removes humps and then refret it...will the neck survive such a repair or will it have new issues due to the folding design? I ask because as a repair tech I had this issue with a Voyage Air guitar. After re-fretting the Voyage Air to fix the original issues, it had a whole new set of issues that the repair caused and ultimately the neck could not be fixed. So would the Ciari have the same type of issues or will it survive repairs? If not, will replacement necks be available for purchase? (asking from the standpoint of non-warranty repairs needed) - A: Hello Jeffrey: Thank you very much for the excellent question. First off, we have a lifetime warranty for our neck, so if anything arises by way of service or replacement, we've got you covered! Second, to date we haven't seen any issues that would lead us to believe the neck couldn't be serviced successfully and avoid the need for out and out replacement. We Plek all our necks, so we have an excellent starting point. While wooden necks definitely can drift, we can do follow-up fret dressing via Plek to get the playability back in order, if it goes out to begin with. Again, thanks for your question and interest in learning more about Ciari Guitars! I hope this addresses your question. If not, or you have follow up questions, please respond here or reach out directly at jspangler@ciariguitars.com. All the best! Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: What is price per share? - A: Hello Todd: Thanks for the note. An investment in Ciari Guitars during this Wefunder campaign will convert to shares upon 2 main events: 1) a "qualified financing"; and 2) an acquisition. In either instance, the company will have a definite valuation, which will translate into a percentage of shares based on the amount invested. That's when the price per share will be known. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. I'd be happy to address them. Regards, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: Hi, I like this a lot! I know there is different amounts for investor perks. I probably going to invest but what are these perks exactly so I know ho much I want to invest? Thank you! - A: Hello Luke: Thanks for the interest and question about the perks. I've copied and pasted them below, so please let me know if you have any questions after your review. $200+ Ciari Trucker Hat $500+ Ciari Hoodie $1,000+ 5% Discount on Ascender premium travel guitar (black satin finish) or Mid-Tier Electric (black satin finish) or Carbon Fiber Acoustic (black satin finish) $2,500+ 10% Discount on Ascender premium travel guitar (black satin finish) or Mid-Tier Electric (black satin finish) or Carbon Fiber Acoustic (black satin finish) $7,500+15% Discount on Ascender premium travel guitar (black satin finish) or Mid-Tier Electric (black satin finish) or Carbon Fiber Acoustic (black satin finish) $10,000+ 25% Discount on Ascender premium travel guitar (black satin finish) or Mid-Tier Electric (black satin finish) or Carbon Fiber Acoustic (black satin finish) $15,000+ 50% Discount on Ascender premium travel guitar (black satin finish) or Mid-Tier Electric (black satin finish) or Carbon Fiber Acoustic (black satin finish) $25,000+ Free Ascender premium travel guitar (black satin finish - $3K value) OR One of First 5 Mid Tier Electric OR One of First 5 Carbon Fiber Thanks much! Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars jspangler@ciariguitars.com - Q: Hi Jon, can you share 2020 financial statements? I am curious how you went from your 2019 Opex of >$600k to having monthly COGS <$17k and Opex <$14k.. are you spending less on advertising? Also, can you comment on what you plan to use this fundraise for and how much runway it will get you before you have to raise again? - A: Hello Michael: Thanks for the questions. Regarding 2020 operating expenses, when COVID started we cut back drastically on marketing and advertising. We did so for two main reasons. First, to preserve capital to ensure we could weather the storm of 2020 until the fund raising markets opened up again. Second, we didn't want to be tone-deaf and try to sell into into a frightened market, especially given our focus on travel. Our travel and events spend also dropped to zero. Embracing situational adaptability, we instead shifted our focus to development (designing two new mid-tier models - electric and carbon fiber acoustic), optimized our supply chain, and fostered community and engagement by offering free online guitar lessons for anyone, not just Ciari customers. Our use of funds includes operational scale-up, marketing scale-up, product development, debt repayment/AP, fund raising costs, and Wefunder fees. As for runway, as shown on the Revenue/EBIDTA Goals in our Story, we believe we can reach profitability in 2023 and therefore may not need an additional raise - that is, unless we want to accelerate our growth or pursue additional value-driving initiatives. Thanks again for the questions, Michael. If I can answer any others, or clarify and points, please let me know. All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Gutiars - Q: I made what I thought was an investment in Ciari Guitars. Now, I'm told by Kat that I didn't complete the investment. I gave my credit card info and everything. What gives? - A: Hello Dick: Thanks for the note and sorry for any confusion or inconvenience. I'll reach out to our Account Manager at Wefunder and see what happened on that. All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: how much do these guitars sell for at retail? - A: Hello Michael: Thanks for the question. At present, our Ascender premium travel guitars are only available online via our website - www.ciariguitars.com - with prices starting at $2999. Our Wefunder capital raise will enable us to scale and thereby reduce COGS so we can avail the margins required to engage top tier retailers and/or distributors. The raise will also help drive the development of a variety of mid-tier products, including a mid-tier electric and carbon fiber acoustic, which will have a lower price-point (around $1.5K) for a broader appeal and wider product-market fit. Thanks again for your question! Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: Any plans to add Bluetooth capability? If the goal is a mobile electric guitar, it seems like it might be a little more practical if it could connect to Bluetooth devices. Besides, microprocessors are so cheap and small, it would probably easily fit inside the guitar. - A: Hello Casey: Thanks for the question and for bringing up a very interesting topic. We certainly have the ability to include Bluetooth capability, which is something we first contemplated in our earliest patent filings in 2012. The main questions are when, how, and whether. For our first product, The Ascender, we found that artists wanted a guitar that was as traditional as possible - at least from an electronics standpoint. Some artists are open to added functionality like Bluetooth, while others are viscerally opposed to anything beyond a standard electronics set-up with pick-ups and switches...especially given how far we're already pushing the envelop with our patented folding system. As we expand our product focus towards hobbyists (a much larger segment of the overall market), adding Bluetooth functionality may be a great adjunct to drive engagement and consistent play. Both are vital for ensuring that hobbyists stick with guitar, find inspiration to choose guitar over other options, and generally speaking elevate their skill level. I could envision adding Bluetooth functionality to our mid-tier models and perhaps have it as an add-on module for our premium Ascender models. This addresses the "when" and "how" questions. With regard to "whether," there are an increasing number of options for convenient, mobile amplification for electric guitars. You can check out some of those on our "Show Us Your Rig" blog at https://www.ciariguitars.com/blog/show-us-your-rig. Among them, I'm a HUGE fan of the Waza-Air wireless headphones from Boss (see https://www.boss.info/us/products/waza-air/). When paired with our Ascender, the Boss Waza-Air wireless headphones provide the perfect compliment for guitar mobility. Thanks again for your question, Casey. Much appreciated! Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: Is this a public company,it so what is the stock name? - A: Hello William: Thank you for the question. Ciari Guitars is not a publicly traded company, so there is no stock market ticker or stock name. We are a startup headquartered in San Diego with manufacturing operations in Nashville, Tennessee. Our fundraising campaign on Wefunder is regulated under SEC Regulation CF (which stands for "crowd funding"). It is essentially a time-limited opportunity for the general public to invest in Ciari Guitars. Please see our Wefunder campaign for more information on Ciari Guitars, including our Form C that was filed with the SEC before we launched our equity-based crowd funding campaign. If you have further questions, please let me know. Regards, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: I'd rather wait for your acoustic than get an Ascender. It it possible to defer the discount and apply it to that product? - A: Hello Cynthia: Thanks for the note and question. I think that's a great idea! So the answer is a big YES - thanks for the excellent suggestion. So it's official: The same discount percentages (5%, 10%, 15%, 25%, 50% and 100%) will apply to the carbon fiber and the mid-tier electric at the respective investment levels. We will update the list of perks accordingly, but until then you can rely on this. Again, thanks for the great suggestion, Cynthia! We appreciate your interest and support. All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: What is the cost per share? I see this question asked but no definitive explanation? - A: Hello Mark: Thanks for the note. I'll be happy to elaborate on my prior response. Under SAFE agreements, the cost per share won't be determined until there is a valuation of the company. A valuation will happen in 2 instances: 1) Priced Round - if we opt to raise more capital to accelerate growth, fund other high value projects, or the like, and there is an agreed upon valuation of the company as part of that capital raise (that's typically for more mature companies, and would take the form of a Series Seed or Series A); or 2) Acquisition - if we get acquired by a third-party (e.g. strategic in the industry), the parties would come to an agreed upon valuation of Ciari Guitars at that time. Early stage startups, like Ciari Guitars, oftentimes use SAFE notes because it's too early to fairly determine the valuation. To account for this, we have a Valuation Cap of $4.5M for this particular round. If you have questions on this, Wefunder has a lot of great info in their FAQ section. https://help.wefunder.com/#/contracts Again, thanks for the question, Mark. I hope my answer above helps. All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars - Q: Will you be making one that is an acoustic electric? - A: Hello Shelley: Thanks for the question, investment, and kind words of support. We're grateful and appreciative! Our product roadmap currently includes adding a mid-tier electric, carbon fiber acoustic, and finally a bass guitar - all leveraging our patented folding system. For our carbon fiber acoustic, it's possible we could add some on-board electronics. Great suggestion! Thanks again for the note and support! All the best, Jonathan Spangler CEO Ciari Guitars