Breaking Physics: Mattias Krantz Builds Guitar with "Magnetically Hovering" Strings
Magnetically Hovering Guitar? YouTuber Mattias Krantz defies physics with a 'hovering' guitar held together by powerful magnets. Discover how this floating string bridge creates hauntingly unique sounds.
In a mind-bending display of engineering and musical innovation, YouTuber Mattias Krantz has achieved the impossible: a guitar where the strings aren't attached to the bridge, but are held in tension by ultra-powerful magnets.
"This guitar looks pretty normal until you notice the strings aren't attached to the body," Krantz explains in his latest viral video. By utilizing high-grade neodymium magnets, Krantz created a physical gap between the strings and the guitar body, effectively allowing the strings to "hover" in mid-air while maintaining enough tension to be played.
The Science of Magnetic Tension
The project wasn't as simple as sticking a few magnets on a fretboard. Krantz initially struggled with low tension, noting that the strings were so loose he could "literally blow them away". To solve this, he had to graduate to the strongest magnets commercially available—magnets so powerful they broke wood and posed a legitimate risk to his fingers.
The final design uses a massive magnet assembly, with four thin metal wires as the only thing preventing two powerful magnetic forces from "violently colliding and exploding".
A New Way to Play
Because the strings are suspended by a magnetic field rather than a fixed bridge, the guitar offers unique sonic capabilities:
- Manual Vibrato & Pitch Bends: By physically pushing the floating magnet, Krantz can bend notes and create a vibrato effect that sounds incredibly smooth.
- Dynamic Volume Control: Moving the magnet closer to the pickups allows for hands-on control over the instrument's output volume.
- Mechanical Tremolo: Krantz discovered that "flicking" the magnet creates a natural oscillation, resulting in a unique mechanical modulation effect.
Overcoming Engineering Hurdles
One of the biggest challenges was tuning. Since all strings are connected to the same floating magnetic point, tightening one string would shift the tension on the others, making standard tuning impossible. Krantz had to develop a new system, tuning the guitar by adjusting string thickness and length rather than just tension.
The structural integrity was also a major issue. His first 3D-printed plastic prototype buckled under the immense magnetic pressure, forcing him to build a reinforced metal version to withstand the "scary" force required to keep the strings hovering.
Conclusion
While Krantz admits the instrument is "like a loaded gun" and potentially dangerous to play, the result is a hauntingly beautiful sound and a visual that appears to be CGI. "I can't believe this guitar works," he says as he plays a final, complex piece on the hovering strings.
For fans of music theory, DIY engineering, and high-stakes science, Krantz’s "Magnetically Hovering Guitar" is a masterclass in pushing the boundaries of what an instrument can be.
More Information
#Magnetically Hovering Guitar
- +Enables unique playing techniques unavailable on traditional guitars
- +Creates hauntingly beautiful sonic qualities
- +Demonstrates innovative engineering and DIY craftsmanship
- −Extremely difficult to tune due to shared magnetic tension point
- −Dangerous to operate—requires handling ultra-powerful magnets
- −Structural durability concerns with magnetic pressure
How does the magnetically hovering guitar keep the strings in tension?
The guitar uses ultra-powerful neodymium magnets positioned beneath the strings to hold them in mid-air. Krantz had to use the strongest magnets commercially available to maintain sufficient tension, with metal wires preventing the opposing magnetic forces from colliding.
What makes the hovering guitar's sound different from a normal guitar?
Since strings are suspended by a magnetic field rather than fixed to a bridge, players can manually move the magnet to create smooth vibrato, bend notes dynamically, and control volume by adjusting magnet proximity to pickups. Flicking the magnet also produces natural mechanical tremolo.
What was the biggest challenge in building this guitar?
Tuning proved extremely difficult because all strings connect to the same floating magnetic point, so tightening one shifts tension on others. Krantz solved this by tuning via string thickness and length rather than tension alone. Structural integrity also required a reinforced metal frame to withstand magnetic pressure.
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