Exhibition

Prisma: Crafting Guitars from Skateboards

As the presenter of San Diego Design Week, Mingei strengthens its mission by opening its doors (figuratively and literally) to our region’s design community, cultivating a space where one can both inspire and be inspired. Mingei International Museum provides an opportunity for its audiences to engage with craft, folk art and design through its collection and wide-ranging programming. Through its commitment to the community and a revitalized facility, Mingei sparks relevant and stimulating conversations that inspire visitors to imagine and express their own creativity.

Since its inception in 2014, Prisma Guitars has become one of the top boutique names in the guitar market. They have received positive reviews and accolades from the likes of NAMM, Guitar World, Mixdown, Reverb, Colossal Magazine, Music Radar and many more. “It’s nice to see Prisma bringing something that’s genuinely individual to the table in terms of looks and construction, while sonically, it’s undoubtedly the real deal.” – Guitar.com.

What makes Prisma Guitars so unique? All guitars are handcrafted by Luthier Nicholas Pourfard and his team in California. In his creative process, Nick recycles retired skateboard decks which traditionally consist of seven color-dyed plys of hard rock maple pressed together. Once the grip tape is removed, and the hard rock maple is crafted for the guitar, the native color-dyed patterns emerge. These masterfully crafted instruments are also adorned with top-tier hardware to ensure the utmost quality tone and playability.

You can find the work of Oscar Rios and David Mondragon, the friends behind Grand Prestoz, on the wall of restaurants, breweries and shops in many San Diego neighborhoods such as North Park, Mission Hills, or Hillcrest.