Ola Strandberg helped lead the charge of the headless guitar revolution, but now he’s got another fight on his hands: to change the public’s perception of these guitars.
Owing to their ergonomics, Strandbergs – and all other headless builds – cater to a distinct corner of the guitar world. They are a favorite among progressive metal players, shunned by those of a less-heavy persuasion.
Strandberg wants players of all genres to reap the benefits of headless guitars, but their image doesn’t always gel with, say, blues or indie rock. And for players brave enough to go headless in more traditional settings, there’s a hesitance to play them in public.
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The tide is changing – Jacob Collier has a signature headless, for instance – but Strandberg is under no illusion that the odds are stacked against him
At Guitar Summit 2025, Strandberg told Guitar World that this was “the last barrier we have to tear down”. So, at this year’s event, we asked him how things are going, one year on – and how a new headstock-equipped Strandberg could help his case.
“Honestly, this concept will probably be more metal,” Strandberg reflects of the headless DNA. “But I am consciously working on how to bridge that gap. Just bringing a headstock to the instrument, the aesthetics of it changes so it’s more acceptable.
“We hear too often from players that say, ‘I always play my Strandberg at home, but for this particular gig, I can’t do headless on stage.’ We hear that too much.”
Those comments don’t just come from punters. They also come from pro players – sometimes even those working with other guitar companies.
Strandberg continues, “Even professional guitarists with signature models with other brands, they’ll play at home on their Strandberg, then get on stage with their signature guitar.
“To an extent I get it. The guitar is like your identity. You’ve got to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and go, ‘That’s cool.’ Until these become that thing, then people will still say, ‘I’m in this tribute band, I need a conventional guitar.’”
Ola will be hoping his headstock guitar, which is being designed with a mystery pro player, can tempt players over to Strandberg’s side and expand the brand’s appeal. Whether the public perception of headless guitars will soften remains to be seen.
Head over to the Guitar World YouTube channel to watch the full interview with Ola Strandberg.
