Great Guitar Build Off 2021 - Aluminum Headless Neck

[@MarkGutierrez]

This year's competition has come to a close, and voting is now live! Vote for me at the link below by clicking on the little heart next to my name. greatguitarbuildoff.com/products/mark-gutierrez

[@xdoctorblindx]

A minute in, I had every intention of hating this video and the guitar. I was thoroughly proven wrong.

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks so much for watching! Happy you made it through.

[@pvdguitars2951]

If this stunning beautiful piece of art does not win, then there is no justice any more in this world. I can’t believe my eyes, I can’t believe my ears. You Sir are a true artist, a genius. I think you might have just built the best guitar in the world!!!!!!

[@allesender]

Very impressive beautiful idea and guitar u are in the future congrats! But how u fix the pickup whitout the extender plate and screw?

[@MarkGutierrez]

Magnets! I bonded two small magnets to the single coil and three magnets to the humbucker. There are matching magnets in the pickup cavities inset into the wood. The heights do not need to be adjusted because all that geometry has been figured out in CAD. They are at the perfect height.

[@DominusFeles]

@@MarkGutierrez Man this guitar needs an accompanying bts video we’re you geek about these kinds of details! I’d love to see some of the cad to 🙃

[@MarkGutierrez]

@@DominusFeles Fabulous idea.

Incredibly high "wtfs per minute" readings on this one

[@rauschguitars]

That looks incredible! The gold accents the walnut so well, and I love the aluminium neck. Well done man!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thank you. The gold was actually a happy accident. Originally the neck was supposed to be simply aluminum but it scratched too easily even with a clear coat. I needed to coat it in something durable. The gold came out better than I expected. And the contrast with the walnut was definitely a win.

[@krusher74]

its kind of a funny oxymopron to be able to design the head shape of a headless guitar.

[@MursaleenMomin]

I hated the looks of headless guitars until I witnessed this masterpiece. there must be some head instead of it looking like an amputee.

[@mazgan3890]

absolutely gorgeous build!

[@EmreCanKorkmaz]

That is ASMR for guitar geeks! 👍 Amazing work! 👏👏👏

[@jipes]

Originality, aesthetic and attention to details. Stunning beauty

[@rawzen8552]

beautiful work and design there. really classy good luck in the competition

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thank you very much!

[@jeremybnz]

This is my absolute favourite of the competition, love it!!

[@madeofnapalm]

Not a fan of headless guitars, but this is one of the most unique ones I've even seen. Great job.

[@jcugnoni]

Absolutelly fantastic work. Looks incredible and the demo sounded great.

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thank you kindly!

[@demodeiowa]

Whoaaa that was breathtaking. Remarkable work dude n awesome video. Love the headless style n everything

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks a ton!

[@Screwhead]

That's an insanely beautiful guitar! Here's to hoping you win, it's one of the best looking guitars I've ever seen!

[@PaulCooksStuff]

Omg. It's so sleek 😍 Incredible concept, design, execution. And vid production too.

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks a bunch.

[@MiSjAtUbE]

...and really fantastic music!!! GREAT

[@jimcoppa6946]

Incredible bills job well done looks great

[@shockthemonkey7046]

Stunning - I would say the first headless guitar I have ever seen where some real thought has gone into the aesthetic of the headless end.

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks for saying that. I spent a great deal of time on the form and function of the headless portion.

[@moritzmichaelis6147]

Agreed, but when building a guitar, there should be more guitar music in the video. I find that a little more enjoyable. Still the first good looking headless in my opinion.

[@slamtilt01]

@@moritzmichaelis6147 yeah I turned the sound off

[@quintyss1290]

I think I drooled a little...

[@freakbearxxxl]

Just beautiful, everything about this is amazing ... I’ve watched a million videos of guitar builds, but you’ve taken it to another level, filming, editing and music all top notch, makes for great and very entertaining watch ... I’d love to take that guitar for a spin, very cool indeed ... wish you all the best with your guitar building ...

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks for the awesome comment John.

[@theinfamouscletusherringbo8134]

It's like a Sci-Fi build very cool.

[@picksalot1]

Of the 30+ guitars I saw in this year's GGBO, yours was by far my favorite. Just voted for you. Good luck! 👍

[@stephaneparis5115]

Magnifique j'adore ce que vous faites

[@CarolDailey]

Stunning guitar.

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks!

[@SYN_dr_0M3]

Yes.. I would probably also start to cry:(

[@MarkGutierrez]

LOL!

[@FrancisVoignierMusic]

This just blew my mind!

[@scajesback]

Very high level, congrats, beautiful guitar

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks a lot!

[@BrodyCox]

Super sick!!

[@ViktorStorniHauer]

Wow!! That's another level!! Really nice choices! Beautiful guitar - very special. Well filmed also! Great job, my friend!!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Many thanks!!

[@johnbambara163]

I so was ready to hate this but man what a piece of work! Very innovative and modern, you also play pretty well by the way 👏

[@MarkGutierrez]

Super kind words. Thank you.

[@dragongamer4753]

Not gonna lie the intro does sound pretty damn pretentious

[@slappyfist63]

Making a guitar out of pieces of wood with hand tools chisels Routers band saw Spindle Sanders things like that it's really tough. Cool guitar

[@ChrisFranklyn]

I think my favourite part has to be whatever it was you wrapped the pickup covers in!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks! The pickups are wrapped in Hydro-Dip.

[@SPLENDIDZEN]

As the Pink Floyd would say "Welcome to the machine"!!!...

[@Craaaaaaab]

Why here is only 17k views? Man, awesome guitar

[@DrCook45]

That was awesome man, it is almost a reverse of my Tokai Talbo, congratulations and good luck.

[@guitartec]

Let's see.... a headless zero-radius aluminum multi-scale neck 6 string active guitar with walnut body and Richlite fretboard. All righty then. Nice job!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks!

[@guitartec]

@@MarkGutierrez It should have a hang tag that hits the floor.

[@thomaslthomas1506]

I think my next guitar will be without a headstock I work at my desk with a guitar sometimes 30-40 hours every week. If I had a dollar for every broken coffee mug, microphone, keyboard and monitor I’ve hit with the headstock I’d actually have some money.....

[@MarkGutierrez]

I feel you. For me it's when I'm siting at the couch with my guitar and I keep hitting the lamp to my left.

[@xJayKnight]

This might be my favorite GGBO this year. That body shape is killer, I love modern takes on t-style bodies. I noticed the CNC you use is very affordable, would you say it's a worth while purchase?

[@MarkGutierrez]

Hi Jay, Thanks for the comment! Yep, totally worth while. I don't think they make this cnc model anymore. Best thing about it is it's like any other tool in the shop. I don't feel bad about knocking it around or treating it with a little disrespect. I don't baby it and I don't pay it overtime for working long hours. I wish I had the pro version they make now strictly for the work holding table they built into it. That would increase my efficiency tremendously.

[@GarlandStringedInstruments]

Wow!! Everything about your approach is pretty much diametrically opposed to mine (and in terms of video production, incomparably better!), but that is a drop-dead gorgeous instrument. Fantastic job on everything: deep respect!!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Hi Chris thanks for the comment! I've been following your build. Looking forward to seeing how your bent arm bevel comes out.

[@jeffcarter5805]

Stunningly beautiful work!!!

[@joh05058]

Beautiful guitar. The music at the end was great but could hardly stand the music through the rest of the video. I would recommend turning the volume down until the end.

[@mrflower8871]

The end can be Empty bullet case

[@daddymidwest4111]

You DID it, Sir! You sold me on a Zero headstock guitar; not an easy task. Your opening statement got my attention.

[@TheVectorious]

I’ve always hated headless guitars. But this thing is gorgeous.

[@13spiders]

This is a beautiful instrument. You've officially made me want a CNC machine haha.

[@CarcPazu]

Amazing build! Some stuff made me cringe a little like the fake wood pickups wrap thing but hey, that's your guitar and to each its own. I love the body shape, the headless headpiece looks stunning. That neck profile looks absolutely amazing, is that based on a Ibanez wizard 1 with that strong D shape flat thing? What's the finished you've used for the body?

[@MarkGutierrez]

I actually made real wood pickup covers. The issue was the covers made the pickups much larger and in turn would have meant larger routes. I abandoned the idea until I could make real wood covers that were the actual size of a humbucker and then could custom wind pickups on to smaller sized custom bobbins. The hydro-dipping was something I had wanted to try for a long time. On every build I try to do something I have never done before. The neck profile is indeed flat. Only the sides are rounded over. It isn't based on a Wizard 1, which by the way is one of my favorite neck profiles. The RG550 was my first real guitar I owned that I got back in '89. Thanks for the comment!

[@David.C.Velasquez]

Outstanding work Mr. Gutierrez... you're content is a pleasure to watch. I wish I had known about GGBO earlier, you'd have had my vote both years. The almost retro-futurism evident in your conceptualizations, and music, is terrific.

[@SJ-cy3hp]

Impressive in every way👏🏽 wow!

[@brainsniffer]

Dude, you forgot to mention where I can buy one of these. What a terrible oversight. But seriously, fuuuuuuuuuuuu that is an amazingly beautiful, sleek, guitar. I am interested in the electronics/ports on it.

[@tijnstarr]

I think your channel is great. You inspire me very much. Your videos are not only a documentation they are art I think. ❤️ The music and the mood that your videos have are great and your guitars anyway 🙏 Because of you I have now also got me a Cnc machine 🤩

[@Koospa]

Looks real nice, that wood and sparkly golden finish contrast on the "headstock"! also great playing in the end, love the leads

[@carlosfelipecoygomez4717]

Your guitar is probably the most beautifull guitar I have seen in my live, I love it so mutch that I am planing to build one for me exactly the same...please, if you have a web site or some where I can find the meassurements I would be so glad.. From Colombia, congratulations!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks for watching! I don't have a website. For the body, I just traced a telecaster but made it 10mm smaller all around and got rid of the neck heel. The neck is just rectangular stock that I rounded the corners over. The neck has a flat back profile. It's not rounded like normal necks. That made it easier to make. I think you can just draw it out and you can get pretty close. Good luck!

[@carlosfelipecoygomez4717]

My biguest concern, is the arm, can you give me The meassurements of the scale you use? And also the size of the arm? When I finish it, I would like to send you pictures.. 👍👍👍

[@ericmoody3944]

Ok so I subscribed even though I'm very jealous of your skills..... ps you deserve way more exposure.

[@mitchyahr1424]

This is the only headless, fanned fret guitar I have seen that I not only liked, but loved. This is a really special build and you executed it flawlessly. Great job sir!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks a bunch for the comment!

[@nielscremer]

Quite the stunner! Why no radius on the fretboard, personal preference or were there other reasons?

[@MarkGutierrez]

Hi Niels, I was mostly experimenting. Every guitar we pick up has a different character and inspires us in different ways. My long term goal is to try to build unique experiences. I was hoping the flat radius would accentuate the flat back of the neck. It does. And it is an uncommon, eccentric playing experience.

[@nielscremer]

@@MarkGutierrez Hey Mark, very interesting! I guess many of us initially started out on no-radius guitars (nylon-string classic guitars), but it never occurred to me to build an electric with a flat fretboard. You say "flat radius" - so there is a slight radius after all? Looked pretty flat to me in the video? Anyway, thanks for sharing this great build, I don't use CNC myself (just a hobby builder) but it sure is impressive to see the degree of precision that can be achieved with it! Best of luck!

[@thmusic7214]

Nice build, looks great. is it inspired by Rick Toone?

[@MarkGutierrez]

Yes, it is!

[@TydalCanon]

Wow!

[@ronnieparfait]

No volume knob...I like it...drown out the drummer. 🤘🏻

[@timdone1902]

Absolutely incredible! Some real skill involved there. How anyone could give that guitar a dislike is beyond me. 🤷‍♂️

[@familyengineering5591]

People dislike the weird af guy. Not the guitar.

[@erwinbermudez6511]

nice guitar build with creepy background music

[@doubledeucedrums]

Great job man! I love this look to Future Tel-E.

[@bresettguitars2518]

Beautiful video, beautiful guitar, great playing!

[@angeljavier9541]

Que Lira tan bonita .. parece un sueño hecho real... gran idea ..quiero una , si se puede vamos

[@zakvlad1624]

what aluminum did you use?it is aircraft alluminum or typical alluminum?

[@anuallaf]

Wow 😳

[@NoNo-sv2fo]

How much would you charge to make another one like this?

amazing guitar and cool music throughout the video

[@SirRawThunderMan]

Ok, I'm definitely impressed. And also very curious: an all-aluminium neck is something I've considered making myself several times, and rejected. I recall reading a book written by a British luthier in the 70's (that I can't find online, frustratingly.) He claimed to have built one, but it was rendered unusable because of the heat of stage lights and the guitarist's body, which was enough to cause the aluminium to suffer from uneven thermal expansion and contraction at several spots around the neck. That induced random incidences of upbow and backbow that could only be fixed by putting the guitar down and letting the aluminium cool off. So yeah. I'd be curious to see if that does turn out to be a problem you run into.

[@MarkGutierrez]

I had heard the same anecdotal evidence of thermal expansion. I shared your same concerns. I was was certain of nothing. I did reach out to several aluminum neck manufactures for guidance. Many manufactures use a heat sink bonded to the aluminum. Etherial Guitars out of Australia bond Carbon fiber to the back of the aluminum neck to act as a heat sink and to add rigidity. I'm not there yet with my carbon fiber skills, so I decided to use Richlite as the fretboard to provide minimal heat sink-age, rigidity and prevent shrinkage and expansion from climate changes. By the way, I've watched all your videos. Love your bridge and happy you worked out the pickup issues. I might steal your pickup design. ;)

[@SirRawThunderMan]

@@MarkGutierrez That's fair. I'm finding as I go that a lot of the "anecdotal" stuff in guitar building is mostly just that, and hardly anyone ever puts things to the test in any practical way. And for what it's worth, steal away. Although, maybe not just right now, I'm still struggling to get them working.

[@eubie67]

Beautiful build. You have a very different approach to guitar building than I do, but your results are incredible. Kudos!

[@soundscapematrix]

Beautiful work !! What does the guitar weigh?

[@MarkGutierrez]

6.6 pounds

[@soundscapematrix]

@@MarkGutierrez Stunning......great guitar..If you were to sell one what would it run? $$

[@MarkGutierrez]

​@@soundscapematrix I had a line of multi scale necks and bodies I sold for awhile. But I didn't have fun making the same things over and over. I enjoy the experimentation, and research and development aspect of building guitars. I don't think I'll ever monetize. Thanks for your interest, though.

[@bsakarya7]

The video also builds up nice : ) Really good, interesting design plus proper playing.

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thank you very much!

[@totalmetalrejection6435]

The most relaxing and inspiring video I’ve seen do you sell necks by any chance?

[@MarkGutierrez]

I could see myself making more aluminum necks. Not sure if there is enough demand though. Thanks for the comment!

[@agn855]

@@MarkGutierrez - asked myself why you have no vacuum table thing in place to suck up all that aluminum splinters right where they are created??

[@MarkGutierrez]

@@agn855 My shop vac isn't powerful enough to suck up the aluminum chips. They go into the hose temporarily then fall out when I turn the vac off.

[@ChadwickRider]

Rad Mark! Looks very comfortable... nice demo too!

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks so much, and thanks for watching!

[@floydlay9189]

mindblowing,,thank you!

[@davidclink2032]

Thought I'd seen it all but this ended that. However I'd like to hear it without background music. Metal neck should surely change tonals.

[@MarkGutierrez]

Good idea. Before I sell it, I'll post some tones without the background music.

[@thesharksfin109]

Ive always liked the practicality of a headless guitar, evem having never played on, it makes sense. And the cool factor, but this is the first one Ive liked the aesthetic. It’s still got a headstock shape, which is a big part of the personality.

[@russellmorgan5611]

Always thought that. Why can 't a headless guitar have a headstock? No machine heads doesn't negate the need to finish the neck with some semblance of style, as displayed here. Most adequately.

[@_dippydocus]

Incredible build and incredible quality vid.

[@NeinFeline]

New sub.

[@ctcards2636]

I own a TB1000S Travis Bean i got about 6 months ago and its the guitar (feel and tone wise) id always been looking for but had never found. Its by far my favorite guitar of the 40+ I own and i own some killer guitars, but there is nothing like an aluminum neck guitar. Just let it get use to the room temp before ya get onstage (10 mins) and i have ZERO problems with tuning etc. Tune it once and for 3 hours im good at least. If you have NOT tried a aluminum neck guitar, do so. Just the clean tone makes it worth every cent. I do a LOT of grateful dead and this guitar just hits everyone of those tones and I can also nail the Mark Knopfler tone. But if you put a distortion pedal (or two) in front of it, WOW! Just wow. Good to see more people discovering these types of guitars. Also if your suffering hearing loss, these guitars are easier to hear thru the mix. Its like i still havnt messed up that freq of my hearing yet hah!

[@marcelogaea1064]

I’ve always gravitated toward neck builds that factor in equal parts fine art and engineering. You, sir, have taken it beyond the next level. 👍🏼 on your mesmerizing video production as well. I hope you place in ggbo ‘21.

[@muchacholate1981]

Splendide.... 👏🏻

[@joanfayos7205]

That guitar is just incredible, really ncie job and playing man

[@joshuahenry7482]

Beautiful. I love when guitars are functional pieces of art.

[@elgee]

Wow! Great fucking work bro 👍🏻

[@MarkGutierrez]

Thanks!

[@michaelhumphreys7882]

I predict this is the winner of GGBO 2021, an instrument of that sounds and looks beautiful, great job 👍👍👌

[@MarkGutierrez]

Wow, thanks!

[@georgerobartes5989]

The machine did a great job on building this guitar . I have access to a 5 axis machine so might let it build a guitar for me next year . I might string it up at the end or not use strings at all and make a touch sensitive fretboard and a theremin style circuit to detect finger positions at what would be the playing area and use touch sensitive controls as used on an electric hob for tone and volume . These things are pretty reliable and robust . A guitar with no visible strings pickups or controls would be a first , certainly for this competition anyway . Every material has a natural resonant frequency, which is why they make xylophones ( xylo = wood phone = sound ) and flutes etc sound great from polymers . Anyone making an aluminium neck this is probably 6082 T6 ground flat bar , a tough engineering alloy , a little lighter than 7075 T7 but no weight savings or rigidity improvements to be made over Ash, etc with a couple of carbon or 6082 reinforcement flat bars as fixed truss rods . The sound comes from the strings , pickups , tone control circuit and amp , not a piece of aluminium unless it's used in a single coil pickup design like the overpriced and overated Lace Alumisteriles . These alloys are heavy. Titanium would give greater stiffness and weight saving if you want a very thin neck around 12mm plus fretboard thickness . As an engineer I recommend Smithells Metals for metal selection . The cap heads look ugly on this neck , hard anodised countersunk aluminium alloy hex bolts would have looked better , in 7075 bar or natural Titanium available off the shelf without grading and manufacturers stamps too . I like the idea of the paper fretboard but is un interesting in texture and with CNC machining why not a fan fretboard? I like to use a piece of English oak , straight grained an treated in coperas ( ferrous chloride) solution to through stain it black . English Oak has the same density as ebony, a related species , but ebony grows in a soil rich in iron salts that react with the tanin in oak ( or walnut , but a little soft especially the American Black species , and the best European is snapped up by gun makers ) to turn it black. Coperas is a dying mordant and available at shops specialising in craft of wool dying etc . George Weil in the UK but probably find it on ebay.

[@beatsinabar]

Fascinating - and fabulous 'sci-fi' video, complete with guitar free soundtrack - until the final reveal.

[@NuanDaa]

Since i born this is best guitar I have ever seen. great job. Can you make it for me too please. I’ll pay 🙏😬😍

[@rogeriocosta1035]

Very nice! To me, the best build from GGB 2021 until now. I do understand the art concept of making the screws show in the front, but I still think that the design is so clean that I would prefer to not see them... LOL

[@maximum_mueller9922]

The Build is graet. You CNC deservse a Price. But the ASMR'ish talking freaks me out like Hell. Cant watch it with the Sound on.

[@EricJamesVideo]

Excellent use of materials! Design is very unique as well. Nice work! Duracoat is amazing paint, expensive, but worth it.

[@ChiffCharang]

This guitar is a triumph! Just gorgeous, and it was beautiful to see the care and workmanship that went into every detail. Thank you for this video.

[@MrBillUp]

I'll get the formals out of the way first. Sic guitar bro. Now the music that was played throughout this video, who is it by and where can I get it? It absolutely blew my brain open. Serious bro. I need it in my life 😁😵

[@jackpaxton9391]

The music throughout the video kinda makes me feel distressed… like in living in a creepy pasta. Very strong feelings as well. It’s like it’s traveling me to another dimension and I and scared and it is dark. I’m also getting hints of a very misty purple haze for some reason. Music is a very powerful thing I guess.

[@broderp]

Precision made instrument, but aside from programming a CNC or whatever was used to make this, not a lot of hand made or carved parts. Unique design though...nice.

[@enigma1247]

Any glass or metal necks are stupid. They are freezing cold in the winter. No relief able to change. When something is supposedly perfect it makes it bland and boring. The same all the time is boring. And your a weirdo that talks softly for no reason except for being dramatic

[@beatbang6728]

l like it . Very beautiful.😍

[@andrewvitale7128]

I feel it's the little mistakes and being slightly off with a hand built guitar that gives it it's voice and soul. I love the C@C machine for it's unique and one off builds. But I would have to be an I,T guy and somewhat well to do to have one..it is a cool guitar though.

[@JeffGillis-lv1rz]

Wow! Just totally Wow!!! Mark I watched hi three years ago and rewatched it tonight and am still blown away.

[@wesmatron]

That guitar is fucking gorgeous