Strandberg Endurneck vs. GOC Guitars AOneck. Which headless guitar neck is better?

[@guitarmind1013]

GOC (like most of the headless builders nowday) is clearly heavily inspired from Strandberg but that's fine to me, as long as you're not lead to mistake one brand with the other. The moment you see a GOC, you can instantly tell it's not a Strandberg. I see nothing wrong there.

[@jhagley]

really appreciate this video! despite the rapid growing popularity of strandberg and modern headless guitars in general, there's still not enough discussion about it in my opinion. It's impossible to get your hands on a lot of these guitars where I'm from, so a video like this going into specific detail is amazing.

[@ryanisheartless]

Agreed, it was really tough for me to do the same when shopping for both strandberg and GOC. I’d love to eventually try out a Kiesel headless to compare as well, but I don’t think I can justify that price point haha

[@richardj6593]

​@@ryanisheartlessGet a Hils guitar.. better quality and less money.

[@richardj6593]

​@@ryanisheartlessGet a Hils.. better and less money

[@ryanisheartless]

@@richardj6593 I’ve played one before. Nice guitars for sure. Definitely not better quality though. Buddy brought his to me brand new out of the box with sharp fret ends, and insanely high action. I got it into great playing shape for him though, but had he not had a friend like me to do that for free, that kind of setup work would have set him back at least another $150 anyways. Also: the GOC pickups are definitely better than the ones that come in the Hils.

[@richardj6593]

​@@ryanisheartlesshope he reviews one on the channel

[@kylenayder2645]

This was very helpful to explain the AONeck and see better videos of it. Thank you!

[@ryanisheartless]

No problem! Thank you for the feedback too

[@ThorsShadow]

Regarding the "GOC with a trem part": The GOC I got end of last year is an Illumina Modern. With a trem. My experience with it: When I got the guitar I restrung it. That's just a thing I do. Before doing so, I asked the guys at GOC, if they had any best practice in regards to this. I'll share it here: When you restring your GOC (doesn't matter if it has a trem or not), make absolutely sure, that the ball-end of the string sits with the hole to the side in the little bridge piece. In other words: If you look at the ball end sitting in the bridge piece, you do not want to see the hole of the ball-end where the string goes through. It's hard to explain in words, sorry. Anyways, restrung that thing. Tuned it. Stretched the strings a bit. Tuned it again. Absolutely murdered the thing with the whammy bar. Tuned it again. Murdered it with the whammy bar again. Tuned it again. I then played the guitar normally and then let everything sit for a day or two. I tuned the guitar again, did the whammy bar thing again. => Thing stays in tune perfectly and I cannot get this guitar to get out of tune noticably. Tbh, I am not sure if all the "care" I gave the whammy bar and strings to pull them out of whack at much as possible to get the materials "into form" was necessary. Stretching the strings after a string change and one or two dives and pull-ups to go to the extreme ends of the whammy bar should be enough. But yeah, it stays in tune perfectly. Also, love their AONeck. The neck is about 20 to 22 mm thick, which is the same neck thickness as an Ibanez RG8. It's totally fine. What I love most about that neck and fretboard and the fretwork is how perfectly they are crafted. I always wanted to try an EndurNeck. I also always wanted to try a guitar with an extremely thin neck (IIRC some very old Ibanez RGs have 17 to 19 mm necks or something like that). Upon playing the AONeck, I realized, that I don't need an extremely thin neck or specifically only the EndurNeck. I just need a neck, that is extremely well made. Also, personally do love their pickups very much. They react very well to pick attack and rolling down the volume, even though they're pretty high output. When I roll down the volume to a certain point, I can get sounds out of that guitar, that sound similar to a coilsplit on my RG8 equipped with SD Nazgul/Sentient. To edit this whole thing: I just want to make sure you guys know, that I'm not affiliated with GOC. I realize my comment may sound like that. I just really, really, really love that damn guitar I bought half a year ago.

[@ryanisheartless]

Love it man! Yeah I had been told about the whole ball-end facing vertically when re-stringing. Thankfully I have never had an issue with the strings either way, but I do now conciously make an effort to string it that way haha. I also agree with you that their neck, although thin, is super comfortable. I am not a fan of the SUPER thin Wizard neck from ibanez honestly, so I like that these have slightly more meat to them haha. and as far as the GOC pickups go, they really are fantastic IMO. Its rare to find stock pickups that actually sound GOOD! Glad you are loving your GOC man, I am the same way. Even though I am affiliated with them now, I was loving mine before that time as well!

[@CormacTunstead]

Love GOC, tried out my mates 7 string & I was very impressed! You can't beat the price point & quality. Plus the dudes at GOC are beyond helpful! Strindberg's are fine but they aren't my thing but GOC won my over to finally get a headless some time haha

[@ryanisheartless]

Right? Literally can't go wrong with a GOC!

[@stinkykittylaur]

Great explanation of the AONeck. I bought a GOC Vajra 8 2 years ago and I still have it. It's playability is really great especially for people who have small hands like me. I was considering the Strandberg NX 8 that is on sale here locally but I just decided to stick with my GOC because of the price and playability, I just bought another GOC in 6. Can't wait for it. :)

[@ryanisheartless]

Yeah the neck is seriously one of the best I’ve ever played. And I’ve owned three strandbergs, kiesels, etc. Congrats on the incoming new gear day btw!

[@DarkArtGuitars]

I really like the strandberg neck from the 7th fret up, for my quite large hands it feels like a razer thin neck, although it really isn't. On first few frets my thumb ends up on the edge of the flat instead of the flat itself from how I'm used to play which is less comfortable. Probably just takes getting used to but the more straight profile from the GOC looks interesting.

[@ryanisheartless]

Yeah and I have the opposite issue with my hands being small/medium IMO and I just prefer the flatter shape of the GOC because of that haha

[@assassin1872]

Awesome video man! I can see why people love their GOCs. I do gotta say, i think id still prefer the Endurneck because i try and play in the most "perfect position" possible ehich mimics how Classical guitarists play, and thats what the Endurneck tries to help with And bang for buck, i can see GOC winning there. And as someone else who exclusively plays trem guitars, i actually prefer the smaller string spacing on the Bergs with my tiny ass hands 😂 Thank you for talking about the two brands

[@ryanisheartless]

Definitely understandable! Man, this is all just another reminder of why we are living in a GREAT era to be a guitar player!

[@assassin1872]

@@ryanisheartless I also forgot to mention, my buddy has a Strandberg 8 and it's the only 8 I've been able to play comfortably because of the fan fret+neck profile One day I do want to grab a Materia tho, GOCs finished are insane And all these modern day options are nuts, from guitars to Amps/amp sims, the best times right noe

[@ryanisheartless]

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by a GOC 8 then man! It’s by far the most comfortable 8 I’ve ever played!

[@assassin1872]

@@ryanisheartless if I ever get into 8s, 7s are typically my limit mentally 😂

[@ryanisheartless]

I feel it lol! I’m currently learning songs from others that were written on 8s so that I get into the mindset of others that regularly use them lol

[@lyanrum]

As one with both, the strandberg also hurts my head after a time, i grew up teaching my self guitar and my thumb always seems to land on the edge of the trapezoid and will cause all kinds of cramps and pain, GOC is great I need to get a 6 string trem first before i can fully commit but i agree with Ryan completely

[@ryanisheartless]

Same man, I need a GOC with a trem asap!

[@frankiechan9651]

I think this is the first video I've seen that actually states how chunky the Endure neck is on a Steandberg. Everyone mentions the facets and how they are supposed to guide you thumb into the correct position - but not that it is beyond baseball bat thicccc. Before this, I never really recall thinking about it - now I can't unsee. I had thought about what a guitar with a thumb facet may feel like - but softened - more of a soft V, but the peak of the V follows the Strandberg style rather than going direct down the midline. This AOneck is actually a better idea. Might have to investigate GOC further.

[@ThorsShadow]

Got a GOC end of last year. Best guitar I've ever played. Mine was pretty much immaculate. Thing cost me 1000 bucks with shipping to Germany. I had always wanted a Strandberg. Now I'm not sure why I'd spend 2.5 to 3k for a Strandberg.

[@ryanisheartless]

Yeah the top end of the strandberg neck really is thicker than most guitars I’ve played aside from Gibson/epiphone, which are obviously completely rounded so I’d take the strandberg neck profile over those any day. But I’m sincerely hooked on the AOneck that GOC has on their guitars, I don’t see myself going back at this point.

[@MicoOng]

Never liked the endurneck os Strandberd, I won't lie I've always wanted a Strandberg guitar when I first saw it in NAMM 2018, tried a few models...never liked the guitars and it was bumming me out because I wanted to like it. Been so used with the normal guitar necks I do sometimes do the thumb over the neck for chords... with the Strandberg it hurts the fingers. Come 2019 0r 2020, the pandemic I was able to try another strandberg, it was red one a signature of Machachec. I thought I was gonna like it and eventually take it home, same things I didn't like about the Strandberg, and the was the last nail in the coffin I have given up on Strandberg. GoC didn't start with the AO Neck immediately. But I got into the brand in 2020 and stuck with it and grew with their developments and when they got that AOneck, that was such a wonderful development. You have that classic chord feel and you have that modern feel when doing solos. Best of both worlds

[@ryanisheartless]

That was a very well-put description man, wish I would have thought to say that out loud in the video! Haha. I agree on all fronts!

[@MicoOng]

@ryanisheartless I also forgot to mention that I like the double lock for the string on the GOC Guitars. Unlike other headless Guitars, especially if you're a beginner, you tend to lock the strings a little too tight because of fear of slippage, thus the outcome it snaps where it was locked. The double lock which GOC came up with at first looks overkill but it is a smart design where you lock the strings at 2 points dispersing the string pressure in two instead of one, so you don't have to turn too tight anymore.

[@Beadlock_]

Did you end up with a preference for either bass side or treble side AO? That was also an interesting thing GOC has done

[@ryanisheartless]

I guess I never really thought about it as separate sides while I play honestly. I just see it as one neck with different shapes for different purposes

[@Godzilla1953]

Love my GOC. Never even considered an 8 string till i picked it up. Played it and a Strandberg sitting next to it and walked out of the shop with the GOC.

[@ryanisheartless]

Sounds like you made a solid choice!!

[@iuffjfu]

Great great video!! I think I’m going to buy one .. Thank you for making this video and it was so informative. Great insight and explanation on the neck references.. thanks bro

[@ryanisheartless]

Thanks so much man! I’m glad it helped, and let me know if you have any other questions! I hope you grab one during the next drop!

[@jonathanshaver3001]

I had a Strandberg 8 string that I loved aside from the neck. The body is super comfortable, I got along with the hardware well enough, pickups were good, but the neck was just too thick. I impulse bought a vajra 7 string that took way too long to get here, and the second I picked it up, it felt "right". The neck is exactly what I was looking for, very thin feeling and flat in the middle. Just as comfortable as the Strandberg and the quality is actually not far off.

[@ryanisheartless]

Sounds like you had a very similar experience to myself then haha!

[@SIGMA-PHONIC]

Great video.. always wondered about both profiles 🤘🤪👍

[@ryanisheartless]

Thank you so much! Appreciate you watching and glad it helped to shed some light on this for you!

[@goqwrpasd]

Could you tell me about micarta neck? How do you maintain it in your house?

[@ryanisheartless]

I don’t! You don’t really need to do anything with micarta. Same with the richlite fretboard. I don’t even adjust the truss rod on these necks unless I change tuning/string gauges

[@larfadoodle]

I bought an 8 string GOC not knowing much about them. Just rolled the dice and hope for the best. I was shocked at how well it was built and played. I picked up a goc ilumina + at a steal ($350). Im in the market for a 7 now. Went to guitar center and tried out a boden 7 and hated how the neck felt. Back to GOC I go.

[@ryanisheartless]

Yeah once you have a GOC with the AOneck, it’ll kind of spoil a lot of other necks for you haha. I love all three of mine, and as I’ve said,y Materia 8 is the first 8 string I’ve actually enjoyed playing!

[@TheMytherian]

I get along with my Strandberg fantastically, but they won’t be for everyone. But surely another company working off Strandbergs designs and applying their own spin on things to help work for other players where Strandberg doesn’t is in the spirit of Ola sharing his designs? He was very open with his designs and was happy for others to use them so surely it’s all good as long as it’s not a 1:1 copy

[@ryanisheartless]

I did too until I picked up a GOC and realized I liked its AOneck more because of the shape of it haha! This is why it’s a great time to be a guitar player though, isn’t it?

[@opethian8512]

thank you for this! ive been playing strandbergs (strictly) for almost 10 years now and im just shitty bedroom guitarist lol. i am curious about goc guitars and your video is very informative! i am just scared i wouldnt like one if i was to buy it cause strandberg has ruined all guitars for me lol. but yeah those goc guitars are fucking gorgeous dude!

[@ryanisheartless]

No problem man! What I can say is that after owning Strandbergs for a few years, and now three GOC guitars, I 100% don't regret buying these whatsoever! The GOC guitars are also considerably more affordable than Strandberg's, making these more accessible IMO! Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions about them!

[@SouthpawSatch]

GOC guitars go have ALOT of similarities to Strandberg but ii can see some differences. I'd like to try one to compare, sadly they don't ship to the UK or offer any left handed models

[@ryanisheartless]

They actually just did a lefty run. My buddy grabbed one during the pre order phase. They can also help out with shipping to the UK if you contact them directly on Instagram or Facebook!

[@zanzabar4ky7]

The big difference is the goc has the jack right where your leg goes. They are not really competitive with the strandberg until the jack gets moved.

[@ryanisheartless]

I definitely disagree with that. Just plug in an angled cable like I do on all three of my GOCs, and my strandberg, and my kiesels, and my telecaster. lol.

[@zanzabar4ky7]

@@ryanisheartless if you use the cut out to sit classical it will go into your leg dead center of the cut out. Standberg and abasi and kiesel put the jack on the bottom so it won't hit you there or on the back angled up to the strap.

[@ryanisheartless]

Look at every one of my videos man. I sit classical with every guitar, all three GOCs as well as my strandbergs and kiesels. No issue with this whatsoever on any guitar lol. Again, all you need is an angled cable, which is the only type of cable I buy anyways. This isn’t an issue!

[@richardj6593]

You need to test The Hils headless. 499 dollars and you get stainless frets and mahogany. Best quality guitar at the price and is same quality as these higher priced ones.

[@ryanisheartless]

The GOCs start out at $700USD so they’re plenty cheap enough haha. Stainless frets here as well, with multiscale which I need personally. That paired with the American ash bodies, which are also preferable for me, and the GOCs unqique AOneck profile make these a winner. Hils are nice, but as I said in another comment, they tend to need work out of the box to get them into tip top playing shape. And GOCs stock pickups are better IMO.

[@ryanisheartless]

and some GOCs actually start out at $650 USD. So you’re getting premium specs and builds for super cheap.

[@iuffjfu]

Ya , do you know when they will?

[@ryanisheartless]

Not yet, sorry! I’m hoping to hear soon!

[@TaxEvader420]

The Endurneck is "Open Source" anyway, so Strandberg doesn't mind either way

[@ryanisheartless]

Yeah I’ve seen a few super small builders that have a CNC building “licensed” endurnecks lately too.

[@blazinkid5178]

​@@ryanisheartless Wait, really? I thought it was proprietary - I'm considering a custom headless from NK or something (don't think GOC do customs) and unsure what neck I'd get. Would I be able to get an CNC'd Endurneck?!

[@ryanisheartless]

@@blazinkid5178 Yeah Strandberg open-sourced the designs of just about everything they make. The GOC neck still feels nothing like the strandberg neck, however. I have heard good things about the brand your referencing, I have never played one though!

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

Dismissing a guitar as a clone is pretty immature. I own as Ltd Eclipse, which you could argue is a Les Paul clone. I own a Jackson King V, which you could argue is a Flying V clone. I also own a Schecter Omen, a Jackson Soloist, an Ibanez RG and a Ltd MH, all of which you could argue are Strat clones (Plus I have an actual Strat). I would argue they are different animals altogether even if one came first. Its not like the rules of ergonomics change. That rough shape is the best balance of ergonomics and aesthetics. Most other ergonomic designs are ugly as hell. So of course people will take inspiration from it. Plus, the GOC is not a direct 1 to 1 copy of the Strandberg design. Strandberg themselves have even said others are free to use the design.

[@ryanisheartless]

Agreed on all counts, well said!

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

@@ryanisheartless Aye, just imagine how boring and limited the options would be if no one ever made guitars inspired by other designs. There would be so few options.

[@ryanisheartless]

@@RainMakeR_Workshop exactly dude!

[@NOISREVIEW]

"another strandberg clone"... and nobody says anything about strat clones, tele clones, les paul clones, 335 clones, Flying V clones, Explorer clones etc..

[@MayorMcCheese2000]

GOC flat out just stole their IP.... The body shape, the headless, the neck design... they literally changed the least amount possible to be legally viable... I despise companies like that, either you get the manufacturer to do a licensing deal or you make your own shit. This is the kind of lame business practices that we as a community should condemn.

[@ryanisheartless]

That is your opinion, and you’re fully entitled to it. If you pick up a GOC and actually compare it with an open mind, you’ll see, and feel, plenty of differences. I point out plenty in this video alone. It’s also not possible to “steal” an IP that has been open-sourced by the creator. Which is why all of the actual Strandberg clones out there, and there are plenty of you look, aren’t being sued by Strandberg.

[@MayorMcCheese2000]

@@ryanisheartless just because it's technically legal doesn't make it not lame.

[@ryanisheartless]

I guess strandberg is lame too then, considering they copied the headless design from Steinberger. And Schecter is lame for copying the strat body style from fender, as did ESP, Ibanez, and literally every guitar brand out there. Your argument is valid, but doesn’t quite hold water for me. The shapes are not the same. The necks are not the same. The designs are not the same. The fact that they’re both headless is the same, sure. But strandberg didn’t create headless guitars as an idea. They took the idea, and improved upon it. That’s how things work. GOC actually has many different body styles as well, only one of which appears similar to the strandberg Boden line.

[@MayorMcCheese2000]

@@ryanisheartless you thinking I'd disagree with that first paragraph is cute lol

[@davidfaustino4476]

Lolol no. Not even close. GOC couldnt even figure out which side of the neck to bevel. The Strandberg actually does something. Im a big GOC fan btw but thr AO neck does literally nothing and if you think it does youre kidding yourself.

[@ryanisheartless]

Sires in your opinion! I love both guitars, and definitely feel a difference playing the AO neck, especially on 7/8 string guitars where the Endurneck is actually a bit uncomfortable for me.

[@markuyehara7880]

You do not have small hands. lol

[@ryanisheartless]

Thank you? Lol

[@crabycraby12]

So many cool guitars in video and zero playing! Wtf?

[@ryanisheartless]

Haha check out my other videos and shorts man! I have all four of these guitars in multiple videos being played 🤘🤘🤘this video was just a visual comparison of the neck profiles since people constantly compare the two brands

[@thisguy2973]

I’d be kinda concerned about what they use in their paint and metals. Knockoffs are usually using toxic metals.

[@ryanisheartless]

I mean these aren’t knockoffs first off, these are legitimate guitars that are built by luthiers and have an extremely high quality control. Using parts and electronics you can look up and verify

[@thisguy2973]

@@ryanisheartless I guess they’re the next Legator. May need to check them out

[@ryanisheartless]

Let me know if you have any questions! I've got three of them now. I have also owned a few different Legator guitars, and one of their basses. I sold all of them for the same reasons: quality control issues. Legator makes sick looking guitars, but I bought each of them brand new, and had so many issues straight from factory I just couldn't justify their prices.

[@jarexxsuvexx8212]

😳I could only imagine how much they made him to say all that.

[@ryanisheartless]

Jokes on me I guess, I paid for every guitar in this video out of my own pocket, and received no compensation in any way for this video. Actually, I have yet to be paid for any videos I’ve posted to date 😂. Ya boy out here grinding and showing the differences between two different guitar necks/bodies.

[@JediCrackSmoke]

Trick question, because ALL headless guitars are stupid.

[@ryanisheartless]

Odd answer, but to each their own lol.

[@JediCrackSmoke]

@@ryanisheartless The only right answer. Headless guitars are stupid.

[@ryanisheartless]

@@JediCrackSmoke in your opinion, sure. But thankfully thousands of guitar players disagree with you.

[@francisproulx9669]

Im wondering, which one is the most comfortable on the body?

[@ryanisheartless]

Body wise I’d say they’re both extremely comfortable. But I’m partial to the belly cut and arm bevel on the GOC