Yngwie Malmsteen Attempts to Destroy the ‘Smash-Proof’ Guitar
How many Stratocasters have been destroyed by Yngwie Malmsteen over the years? To test the durability of their so-called impossible-to-smash guitar, engineering company Sandvik challenged Malmsteen to try and crush the titanium axe.
The Sandvik guitar’s body is 3D printed with a technique involving laser-melting titanium powder in microscopically thin layers. The guitar’s neck is made of recycled stainless steel, with the lattice structure inside called the “strongest structure in the world.” Sandvik even simulated impact forces on the guitar the same way car makers digitally crash-test new models.
When Ygnwie got his hands on the smash-proof guitar, the neoclassical shredder went to town. The axe crashed through amps and drum risers, even refusing to break after being thrown nearly 15 feet into the air.
“This guitar is a beast! Sandvik is obviously on top of their game. They put the work in, they do their hours, I can relate to that,” Malmsteen said. “The result is amazing. I gave everything I had, but it was impossible to smash.”
“We’ve had to innovate from the top down. There’s not a single part of this guitar that has been made before. It’s a piece of art, really”, explains guitar designer Andy Holt. “The weak point in any guitar is where the neck joins the body. Sandvik solved the problem by milling the neck and the main hub of the body as one piece. “You could use the guitar as a hammer and it wouldn’t break.”
Watch Malmsteen’s attempt to break the unbreakable guitar in the clip above and see how the Sandvik instrument was made below.
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