When Master Luthier Michihiro Matsuda called, he had a problem that stumped everyone else. His “Deconstructed” series guitars — stunning instruments with carved soundboards floating in complex frameworks — were nearly impossible to case properly. The delicate, thin soundboard couldn't touch anything. Not the sides, not the padding, nothing.
Until now, Matsuda had been rigging oversized flight cases, carving out foam interiors by hand. It worked, but barely. These weren't just guitars — they were sculptural art pieces that deserved better than bulky, makeshift protection.
The solution required rethinking everything we knew about guitar case interiors.
Instead of traditional padding that cradles the entire instrument, we had to engineer a tiered system that would only contact four specific points: the neck, armrest, backrest, and leg rest. The floating soundboard would hover safely in the middle, untouched.
We built a custom 5-ply wood shell that followed the guitar's unique silhouette — no wasted space, no compromise on the instrument's aesthetic.
The exterior got wrapped in Caviar Durahyde with matching thread, while inside, Harvest Millet crushed velvet created the perfect contrast. Brass-plated hardware from Providence Forge® completed the look. The finished case looked as intentional and refined as the guitar itself. Finally, Matsuda's deconstructed masterpieces had protection worthy of their innovation.
Sometimes the most beautiful instruments demand the most creative solutions.