Critter & Guitari

Name

Critter & Guitari

Legal name

Critter & Guitari

Website

https://critterandguitari.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Musical Instruments

NAICS

Musical Instrument Manufacturing (339992), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Production Hardware (Synthesizers, Drum Machines, Samplers, MIDI Controllers) (MPAIAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Musical Instruments (Acoustic & Electric) (MPAIAJAA), Instrument & Pro Audio Retail (Online/Brick-and-Mortar) (MPAIAJAH)

Keywords

• Electronic musical instruments
• Programmable synthesizers
• Video synthesizers
• Open-source music hardware
• Pure data instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Flourtown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hardware Instrument Sales: Sale of physical musical instruments including Organelle (M, S, S2 variants), Pocket Piano (201), EYESY video synthesizer, 5 Moons, ETC, Kaleidoloop, Bolsa Bass, and accessories. One-time hardware purchase model with ongoing community-created patch availability.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Critter & Guitari designs, manufactures, and sells a portfolio of compact, programmable electronic musical instruments and video synthesizers — including the Organelle (M, S, S2) Pure Data-based synthesizer, Pocket Piano, EYESY video synthesizer, 5 Moons, Kaleidoloop, Bolsa Bass, and ETC. The instruments pair an ARM Linux-based system on chip with an STM32F0 microcontroller and run user-modifiable Pure Data patches, with the entire software stack (Mother Host, Organelle Controller firmware, patches) released as open source. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via the company's own e-commerce storefront and through a global dealer network.

Product overview

Critter & Guitari is a musical instrument company offering a portfolio of specialized hardware synthesizers and video synthesis devices. The core product lineup includes the Organelle (available in M, S, and S2 variants) - a programmable Pure Data-based synthesizer with keyboard, knobs, and LCD; EYESY - a video synthesizer that generates visual content from audio input; Pocket Piano - a portable synthesizer including the Bolsa Bass variant; 5 Moons - a music instrument; and Kaleidoloop - a loop-based instrument. The company also provides the Museum of Retired Instruments, accessories, and Organelle patches. The products emphasize open-source software architecture, particularly Pure Data patching, and are targeted at electronic musicians, sound designers, and hobbyists interested in programmable sound generation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Organelle: A synthesizer instrument with keyboard, knobs, and LCD display running Pure Data software
• Pocket Piano
• EYESY
• Kaleidoloop
• Bolsa Bass
• 5 Moons
• ETC
• Museum of Retired Instruments

Products and services

• Organelle (M, S, S2 variants) A programmable synthesizer instrument that runs Pure Data patches, featuring a keyboard, knobs, buttons, and an LCD interface for sound generation and music creation. Powered by a Linux-based ARM SoC with an STM32F0 MCU and open-source software stack, targeted at electronic musicians, sound designers, and hobbyists interested in programmable sound generation.
• Pocket Piano (201) A portable miniature synthesizer instrument used for producing distinctive synth sounds, referenced in music production by artists such as Mary Halvorson. Designed for individual musicians seeking a compact, hands-on instrument.
• EYESY A video synthesizer instrument that generates visual content from audio input, supporting various video output modes including HDMI and composite. Targeted at visual artists, VJs, and electronic musicians who want synchronized audio-visual performance.
• 5 Moons A standalone music instrument in Critter & Guitari's product lineup, with community modifications and discussion threads in the company forum. Aimed at electronic musicians and hobbyists.
• Kaleidoloop A loop-based music instrument with visual feedback capabilities, designed for creating and layering musical loops. Targeted at performing musicians and loop-based composers.
• Bolsa Bass A bass instrument in the Pocket Piano / Bolsa Bass product line, extending the company's portable instrument offerings to bass players. Targeted at musicians seeking a compact, specialized bass instrument.
• ETC An instrument device with HDMI compatibility and supporting browser-based emulator development, part of the Critter & Guitari product catalog. Aimed at electronic musicians and tinkerers.
• Accessories Supporting items and peripherals for Critter & Guitari instruments, sold as a standalone product collection on the company's e-commerce store. Targeted at existing instrument owners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products used by notable jazz musicians including Grammy-nominated guitarist Mary Halvorson

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Novation: Novation produces a wide range of hardware synths, grooveboxes, and MIDI controllers (Peak, Circuit, Launchkey) with strong overlap to the electronic musician audience. Comparable in serving programmable-instrument buyers, but operates as a major established brand under Focusrite with significantly larger scale.
• Moog Music: Moog Music is the iconic American synthesizer manufacturer (Sub 37, Matriarch, Mother-32) with decades of brand equity and a much larger operational footprint. Broadly comparable as a hardware synth maker serving experimental musicians, but operates at significantly greater scale and with a closed-architecture, premium-product focus versus C&G's open-source approach.
• Korg: Korg is a major Japanese instrument manufacturer with a broad hardware synth portfolio (Minilogue, NTS-1, Electribe, volca series) including some open-platform products. Comparable as a hardware synth maker with overlapping experimental musician customers, but with vastly larger scale, retail presence, and a much broader product mix.
• Arturia: Arturia makes hardware synthesizers (MicroFreak, MiniBrute, MatrixBrute) and complementary software, serving electronic musicians across a wide price range. Overlapping customer base with Critter & Guitari in the hardware synth market, but with much larger scale, software-license revenue, and broader product portfolio.

Direct peers

• Polyend: Polyend makes compact, design-led electronic music instruments and groove devices (Tracker, Play, Medusa) that target experimental producers and live performers. Comparable to Critter & Guitari in product category (specialty hardware instruments), price tier, and customer segment, though with a larger team and broader product line.
• Teenage Engineering: Teenage Engineering makes distinctive, design-forward pocket synthesizers and grooveboxes (OP-1, OP-Z, PO series) targeted at experimental electronic musicians. Highly comparable to Critter & Guitari in customer persona, aesthetic philosophy, and price tier — though Teenage Engineering operates at meaningfully larger scale.
• Modal Electronics: Modal Electronics produces compact hardware synthesizers (COBALT8, ARGON8, SKULPT) aimed at synth enthusiasts and experimental producers. Comparable to Critter & Guitari in serving the hardware synth customer, though Modal focuses on traditional subtractive/FM synthesis rather than open-source patch ecosystems.
• Bastl Instruments: Bastl Instruments is a small Czech maker of compact, often open-source-friendly hardware synthesizers (Skis, Bitranger, Microgranny) targeting the same experimental/portable electronic musician niche. Directly comparable to Critter & Guitari in team size, product ethos, and community-driven go-to-market.

Emerging players

• 1010music: 1010music produces compact, touch-screen-driven hardware instruments and modular synthesisers (Bitbox, Nanosynth) targeting electronic musicians and modular users. Comparable niche focus and similar small-team operating model to Critter & Guitari, though with less emphasis on open-source programmability.
• Make Noise: Make Noise designs patch-based, semi-modular analog synthesizers (Shared System, Maths, DPO) favored by experimental electronic musicians. Comparable customer segment to Critter & Guitari and similar emphasis on deep user engagement, though Make Noise focuses on analog modular rather than digital programmable synths.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/critterguitari
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrmhGbf5FqQU0XKJYaWNJ0A
• Instagraminstagram.com/critterandguitari

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Critter & Guitari