What happens when you drill dozens of holes into an acoustic guitar? For Austrian guitarist Bernth Brodträger, the answer is surprisingly musical.
Known online simply as Bernth, the guitarist has built a large following by experimenting with guitar techniques, unusual instruments, and extreme musical ideas. In January 2023, he took one of his acoustic guitars and drilled dozens of holes into its body.
The result was not simply a destroyed instrument. Instead, it became the foundation for a new composition called “Airflow.”
Bernth Turns a Damaged Guitar Into an Instrument
Bernth has never been afraid to experiment with guitars. Before creating “Airflow,” he had already used an acoustic guitar in several unusual experiments, including filling one with water and placing actual fireworks inside an Ibanez guitar.
His latest experiment focused on the acoustic guitar body. This time, Bernth drilled dozens of holes into the instrument because he wanted to discover how changing the body could affect its sound.
Why Did Bernth Drill Holes Into the Guitar?
The holes changed the way the guitar’s body interacted with the strings. Bernth explained that soundholes can allow the strings to vibrate more freely, although he initially expected the modification to reduce some of the guitar’s sustain.
Instead, the result surprised him. The guitar produced a mellow tone that worked particularly well with the composition he had written.
The unusual modification became part of the musical idea rather than simply a visual experiment. Bernth decided to embrace the new character of the instrument and build a composition around it.
“Airflow” – A New Sound From a Modified Guitar
Bernth called the composition “Airflow,” a title that perfectly matches the idea behind the experiment. The performance combines several different techniques, including fingerstyle playing, two-handed tapping, natural harmonics, and fast alternate picking.
The result moves between delicate passages and technically demanding sections. The modified acoustic guitar gives the composition a softer and more atmospheric character, allowing Bernth to create something that sounds very different from a conventional acoustic performance.
The Experiment Actually Worked
The most surprising part of the project is that the guitar still sounds great. Bernth originally thought he might lose some sustain after drilling the holes, but instead he discovered that the modified instrument produced exactly the kind of sound he wanted.
The mellow character of the guitar suited “Airflow” particularly well. It is a good example of how changing an instrument can sometimes lead to unexpected creative possibilities.
Watch Bernth’s “Airflow” Guitar Experiment
The video quickly became one of Bernth’s most successful experiments on YouTube. Published on January 28, 2023, “I drilled holes in my guitar and it sounds UNREAL” has attracted more than 7.6 million views, around 214,000 likes, and thousands of comments.
Watch the original video below and hear the unusual sound of Bernth’s modified acoustic guitar.
Don’t Try This at Home
Although the experiment produced impressive results, Bernth does not recommend copying it. Drilling dozens of holes into an acoustic guitar can seriously damage the instrument and could turn an expensive guitar into an unusable one.
For Bernth, however, experimentation is part of his creative process. The goal was not to create a perfect instrument, but to discover whether an extreme modification could produce an interesting musical result.
From Water and Fire to Air
Bernth’s unusual guitar experiments have developed into something of a series. He previously experimented with water by filling an acoustic guitar with it, and later introduced fireworks into an electric guitar.
With “Airflow,” he turned his attention toward air. That naturally left fans wondering whether another experiment could eventually explore the fourth classical element: earth.
Could the next guitar be filled with mud or another unusual material? Only Bernth knows.
Bernth Has Never Been Afraid to Sacrifice a Guitar
This was not the first time Bernth had pushed an instrument to its limits. In an earlier project, he even set one of his prized Ibanez electric guitars on fire while promoting his instrumental solo album Elevation.
The dramatic stunt had a serious message behind it. Bernth explained that he wanted to respond to repeated claims that guitar music was dying and that nobody cared about guitar, especially technical guitar playing.
The burning guitar became a statement about his determination to keep creating. His approach shows that experimentation can sometimes be just as important as traditional guitar technique.
A Guitar Experiment With a Musical Purpose
The beauty of Bernth’s project is that the experiment serves a musical purpose. He did not simply modify a guitar to create a shocking video; he changed the instrument, listened to the result, and then wrote music that suited its new character.
That is what makes “Airflow” particularly interesting for guitar players. It demonstrates that creativity can sometimes begin by asking a simple question: What happens if I change the instrument itself?
For guitar fans who enjoy unusual instruments, experimental techniques, and creative approaches to music, Bernth’s “Airflow” is definitely worth watching.
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