Damaged Goods Guitar (2017)

Found-Object Sculpture, Screen Print, & Functional Guitar
13 1/4” x 38” x 2 3/4”

For this printmaking/sculpture piece, various found items were used to create a unique composition. Beginning as a search on Craigslist, I soon found myself purchasing a second-hand Ibanez GAX30 in a gas station parking lot. It had a few nicks, dings, and all the other tells of a child’s first guitar. As soon as I got home, I stripped it down to parts and started sanding away the tuxedo black finish. Soon after, the body was primed and painted a smooth matte black, giving new life to this forgotten instrument. After screen printing the new design onto the body, it was outfitted with repurposed hardware. The tone and volume knobs are constructed from expired 12 gauge brass and the pick guard is fabricated from a Rolling Stones record that was damaged beyond playability. Initially created to represent a raffle prize for a made-up music festival called Damaged Goods as part of a college assignment, this piece utilizes abandoned or damaged items that were forsaken. This mirrors the festival’s overall message:

Even damaged goods can be valuable and worthwhile.