How Strong is a Guitar Neck? When it comes to the strength of a guitar neck, opinions have always been as diverse as the music itself. From tales of necks bending under string tension to seemingly indestructible necks, there’s no definitive answer.
How Strong is a Guitar Neck?
For decades, guitarists have been haunted by a pervasive fear: that their beloved instruments are as fragile as glass. We’ve all heard the warnings—don’t lean your guitar against an amp, watch out for humidity changes, and never look at the headstock the wrong way, or the neck might just snap. But is this paranoia justified, or is the electric guitar tougher than we give it credit for?
Knockoff Flying V
In a quest to bust this myth once and for all, YouTuber Guitar MAX teams up with fellow musician DØVYDAS for a “highly scientific” experiment involving saw horses, a stack of heavy dumbbells, and a sacrificial knockoff Gibson Flying V.
Their goal is simple but destructive: pile weight onto the guitar’s neck until it inevitably shatters. What follows is a tension-filled stress test that challenges everything we thought we knew about a guitar’s structural integrity.
They remind us of Bill & Ted in this video, but stick with it and try not to laugh too hard as they go on an excellent adventure together.
Setting the Stage
String Tension Insights: Before the test begins, Guitar Max explains that the average string tension on the 6th string hovers around 170 pounds.Â
Estimated Breaking Point: With their expertise, they predict that the neck’s weakest points near the headstock and body should give in at around 100 pounds of added weight.
The Guitar Under the Spotlight
Meet the Gibson Impostor: Guitar Max unveils a “very good” replica Gibson guitar, praising its sound and appearance.
He even suggests it could fool the average person into thinking it’s an original. In fact, this Chibson Flying V holds up extremely well.
The Weighty Challenge
Slow and Steady: They gradually add weight to the guitar neck, placing the dumbbells as close to the body as possible. The guitar remains turned on, letting you hear its strain and resilience.
Sitting Test: In a surprising twist, they attempt to sit on the neck, with Guitar Max adding to the challenge by holding dumbbells.Â
Unbelievable Results
The Neck That Wouldn’t Break: Astonishingly, even after these extreme tests, the guitar neck refuses to give in. There’s no evidence of strain by the end of the experiment. No cracks in the guitar’s finish.
Final Thoughts
The results of this experiment were nothing short of shocking. After running out of iron weights at 110 lbs, the duo resorted to sitting on the instrument themselves. Even with Max—who weighs 185 lbs—holding an additional 50 lbs of dumbbells and bouncing on the neck, the guitar refused to snap. The total force exerted was upwards of 235 lbs, yet the “fragile” neck didn’t suffer a single crack, not even in the finish.
This video serves as a definitive wake-up call for musicians who baby their instruments. While no one recommends using a Flying V as a trampoline, the evidence is clear: guitar necks are incredibly resilient pieces of engineering.
If a cheap counterfeit can survive a grown man jumping on it, your guitar can certainly handle leaning against an amplifier. Max and DØVYDAS didn’t just break a guitar; they shattered a long-standing myth, proving that our six-string companions are built to survive the rock and roll lifestyle.
#guitar neck
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