Playing the classical guitar is a formal trade, and with it comes the need for a technically proper position of the guitar. With the musician in the seated position, the body of the guitar rests above the left leg of the (right-handed) player.  Then, depending on the individual desires of the musician, the neck and body of the guitar are angled for right and left hand placement.  Different ways exist in achieving this position, and the goal from the beginning of the project was to create a guitar prop, a design not used before, which is light, with little assembly required, adjustable, protects the guitar itself, and performs its function: holding the guitar in the proper position for the player. The design is made up of three very general parts: first is the attachment to the guitar, second is the support structure which essentially holds the device together while supporting the weight of the guitar, and finally contact region, which provides comfortable contact between the leg of the player and the support itself.  Suction cups were chosen for attachment to the guitar for their adhesive ability while not marring the finish of the guitar.  The support structure is made up of a plastic I-Beam and the suction cups are attached to two small, aluminum pieces. Plastic was used throughout the design because it is strong enough for this application while attaining the low weight called for in the design requirements.  The aluminum in this case was used because it is a small part and therefore little weight was added, and the material was easy to machine into the desired shape. The rest of the support structure, also plastic, consists of a carousel and two swingarms. The carousel slides along the length of the I-Beam, allowing for some lateral adjustability, and the two swingarms attach via two nylon machine screws to the underside of the carousel. The angle of the swingarms is infinitely adjustable, which further accommodates the individuality of the guitar player.  The contact region is made of a Velcro strap, again adjustable, which attaches to the swingarms.  This strap rests directly on the leg of the guitar player and provides the base of the device.

The concepts used during the development of the prototype consisted of three problems, similar to the elements in the final design: how to attach to the guitar, how to support the guitar, and how to or if device contact player. The two types of attachment that were deemed feasible given the requirements of being secure and not harming the finish were either the suction cup or a clamping mechanism.  The different supporting structures varied from the design chosen to two simply telescoping bars, or a tripod based on the ground. If, in fact, the design called for contact with the player, each concept required a flexible, durable cloth material, like canvas, for both strength and comfort for the player.  In the end, this design was chosen because it would theoretically and ideally provide ample strength in supporting the guitar, the necessary adjustability with the few parts used, it would be light, compact, and finally it is innovative. The design has striking visual appeal, which is not considered a design requirement, but given the fact that it does meet the requirements, this factor put it above the rest.

In the end, the design project resulted in a product that holds the guitar safely and securely, is relatively compact when not in use, is comfortable for the player, and provides optimum playing position. However, the design is not tremendously easy-to-use, for the parts need to be adjusted individually to meet the demands of the individual, and this takes some time and persistence.  The time is only a matter of minutes, but this is great when compared to some benchmarks.