Singaporean engineer, bassist and maker Julia Becker has built a growing following with ThreeStools, a business specializing in custom 3D-printed guitar and bass pickguards, many of them designed around playful animal shapes and, most famously, cats.
According to Channel NewsAsia, Becker’s journey began with an old bass guitar she bought on Carousell. Wanting to make the instrument more personal, she started by modifying its pickguard. That small experiment eventually evolved into a business that attracted customers from around the world. CNA reported that ThreeStools had built a two-month waitlist for custom orders as interest surged.
And the story has become even bigger since then.
From one DIY project to ThreeStools
Becker’s background helps explain why her unusual guitar accessories have such a distinctive combination of creativity and engineering.
Her LinkedIn profile identifies her as a mechanical engineer, product designer and maker. She studied Engineering Product Development at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, specializing in mechanical engineering. Her profile also lists ThreeStools as part of her professional experience.
Rather than simply decorating conventional guitar parts, Becker began treating the pickguard itself as a design canvas.
That idea eventually became the foundation of ThreeStools.
The business now produces 3D-printed guitar and bass accessories designed to give otherwise familiar instruments a highly personalized appearance. ThreeStools’ own website describes its products as made to order and says orders can take up to 14 days to process.
The cat designs that changed everything
The breakthrough came with Becker’s cat-themed designs.
Guitar World reported in 2025 that the first cat-themed pickguard, dubbed the “Telecat,” generated such an enthusiastic response that it encouraged Becker to launch a shop on Etsy. The publication reported that the idea grew from Becker’s desire to make her own bass feel more unique before friends began asking her to create similar designs for their instruments.
The concept is simple but visually striking: instead of a standard pickguard, the instrument can feature a three-dimensional design inspired by a cat or other animal.
ThreeStools now lists designs for numerous guitar and bass models, including Stratocaster, Telecaster, Les Paul, Jaguar and Jazz Bass-style instruments. Its catalog also includes panda, rabbit and tiger designs alongside its extensive cat collection.
Some products even carry playful names such as “Stratocatster,” “Telecatster,” “Les Paw” and “Meowsic Man.”
It is not just about looking cute
The appeal of Becker’s work goes beyond novelty.
ThreeStools says its pieces are designed and made in Singapore, with individual products printed and finished to order. For example, its Stratocaster cat pickguard is physically tested for specified Fender Stratocaster models and includes copper shielding. The company also warns buyers to verify guitar compatibility because screw placement and routing can vary between instruments and manufacturers.
That combination of engineering precision and playful design is part of what makes the products stand out.
Instead of simply placing artwork on a guitar, Becker changes a functional component of the instrument into a personalized visual feature.
From Singapore to customers overseas
The business has also moved well beyond its original local audience.
ThreeStools currently operates its own online store and an Etsy shop. Etsy’s current shop information identifies Julia as the owner, designer and maker and describes the business as producing custom 3D-printed guitar pickguards and parts.
Etsy’s current listing shows more than 1,000 sales and hundreds of reviews for the shop, indicating that the business has developed a substantial customer base beyond Singapore.
The company’s own store also shows a growing range of products, from cat-shaped pickguards to guitar knobs and switch covers.
Even serious guitar fans are taking notice
Perhaps the most surprising part of Becker’s story is that the designs have managed to cross the usual boundaries between “cute” and “cool.”
CNA’s report notes that the cat pickguards have found fans worldwide — including metalheads, a demographic not necessarily associated with playful cat-themed guitar accessories.
That unexpected crossover says something important about the appeal of customization.
For musicians, an instrument can be more than equipment. It can be an extension of personality, taste and identity.
Becker’s designs tap directly into that idea.
A small idea with a much bigger lesson
The ThreeStools story is ultimately less about cats and more about recognizing an opportunity in something that initially looked like a personal hobby.
Becker did not begin with a large manufacturing operation or a conventional music-industry business plan. She started with an old bass, experimented with its appearance, shared her creations and responded when other people showed interest.
Her experience also demonstrates how 3D printing can turn highly specific creative ideas into products for niche communities.
A musician who wants a standard pickguard has plenty of choices. A musician who wants a pickguard modeled after a beloved cat — or a rabbit, panda or tiger — has a much smaller market to choose from.
That is precisely where a small, specialized maker can compete.
Today, ThreeStools’ catalog includes dozens of guitar and bass designs, while its online presence continues to attract buyers and enthusiasts.
What began as one woman’s attempt to make an old bass guitar more personal has therefore become something much larger: a niche creative business where engineering, music, 3D printing and internet culture collide.
And perhaps the biggest surprise is this:
The next big thing in guitar customization may not come from a major music-equipment company at all. It may come from a small Singapore workshop — with a cat sitting where a pickguard used to be.
Why this story is going viral
Julia Becker’s rise with ThreeStools checks several boxes that make a human-interest story highly shareable: an unexpected business idea, a woman building a creative venture around engineering skills, the increasingly accessible technology of 3D printing, and a product that combines two massive online communities — musicians and cat lovers.
More importantly, the story has a relatable starting point: make something you own a little more “you.”
In Becker’s case, that simple idea turned into a business with international customers and a growing catalog of custom instruments parts.
And the fact that even metal musicians have embraced the designs makes the story all the more unexpected.
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