Yamaha Design “Synapses” Silent Guitar series
2011 / SILENT GUITAR
GOOD DESIGN LONG LIFE DESIGN AWARD
Red Dot Award
Superb sound damping and excellent playability.
Minimal
The design of the Silent Guitar expresses the fundamental performance and nature of a guitar in a simple silhouette. A step beyond the functional concept of Silent instruments, this is an instrument that stimulates the senses, offering the feel of a guitar as well as the reverberation felt as the sound passes through the instrument to the player’s body.
Beloved
The design of the Silent Guitar was influenced by the distinctive way that some guitarists cradle the guitar to their chests when they play; something that inspired us to pay careful attention to the shape of the instrument and the materials used in areas that come in contact with the player’s body. The design also allows one side of the instrument frame to be removed for better portability, making this a guitar that players can interact with anywhere, any time.
Revolutionary
The unique appearance of the Silent Guitar blossomed from a notion to do away with everything except those materials and structures that relate to the sound quality and playability of the guitar. This design remains faithful to the Silent series’ unifying concept of eliminating an instrument’s resonating body. In this case, only the "horn" of the cutaway has been left, an iconic representation of its identity as a guitar. (The instrument shown here is a 10th anniversary model)
Timeless
Since its release in 2001, the innovation of the Silent Guitar design has been almost universally acknowledged, earning a unique position for itself in the guitar world.

- Kazuhito Nakajima
- Designer
- Yamaha Design Laboratory