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Multi-instrument stands

sricks3

sricks3

Dec 6, 2007
195
22
38
Augusta, GA
#1
Hello TalkBass!

This might not be the best sub-forum for this thread, but none of the others quite seemed right either. At least it involves holding basses... anyway, mods, feel free to move the thread if appropriate.

I'm in the market for a stand to hold several basses and guitars. I'm looking at the type of stand where the instruments all lean on their side in a row. Like these models (but not necessarily these in particular):
My question for you is, can you recommend a specific model? I'm not necessarily looking at the three above, I just wanted to show pictures of a couple of different styles so that we're on the same page.

The stand will be used exclusively at home, no touring or even gigging, so durability is not super high on the priority list. Being used in the home, it would be nice if it looks a little better than the Rockstand model above, but it doesn't necessarily have to.

I know that most of these only go up to a 7 guitar capacity, but it will be holding some combination of the following 8 instruments:
  • 4 electric basses
  • 3 acoustic guitars
  • 1 electric guitar
It doesn't necessarily have to hold all of them, but as many as possible would be nice.

The final bit of criteria is the price. While I'd love one of those temperature and humidity controlled guitarmoire (spelling?) things, I'm not currently able to drop a couple of thousand on this. The cheaper the better. I'd like to stay under $150, but I'd go up to about $200 for a standout product.

What can you show me, TalkBass?
 
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#2
I have a couple that look like beefier versions of the string swing type - got off some builder on ebay 20 years back. The slots are deeper, and there are cup hooks along the front and a matching dowel you can slide through as a lock.

Someone here has a rack built into a glass-front case like a "laywer's bookcase", that has its own humidity control - I want one like that for my high end stuff, but it was a custom built job.
 
#3
I have the 6-inline string swing model and it's pretty nice. Even works well on nitro finishes, which you have to be congnizant of with ones that have black rubber foam to protect the instrument.

It's not available online, but if you call string swing they even make one with white protectors made specifically for nitro finishes.

I've had mine now for 5 years and it's been great.
 
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#4
I really like that briefcase style one!
I've only seen these available at much higher cost, nice!

It's more geared for compact storage when traveling, thus for gigging, not really what the OP is needing.

Probably something along the lines of the String Swing would be best for home use.
Realistically, I could build a custom rack like that for much less myself.
The rubbers would be the only piece I'd need to buy, actually I think I'd use thick felt instead.
Which is available super cheap at a fabric/craft store.

A local woodworker would easily be able to build such a device filling the OP's needs precisely.
It might cost more for the custom work, but would not be necessary to have it fold up.
 
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#5
This is, by far, the best multi-guitar stand I have ever used. Hercules GS526B Guitar Rack with 6 Piece Folding Yokes

I share the stage with 2 other guitar players. The three of us bring several guitars to shows. We used to take up A LOT of stage, and back stage, real estate with all of our guitar stands. We tried using fold up racks like the ones in your link, but we found that the Hercules 6 piece folding rack took up the least amount of real estate holding 6-guitars and basses.

It took a little while to figure how to get everything set up, but once you do, it folds up real small, and set's up really fast.

I can tell you that it is extremely stable filled with guitars and bass: and it takes up a little more space than one guitar stand. The outrigger legs are a little longer than a single Hercules guitar stand. For perspective, I would say that my single hercules stand fits to where the support connect to the 6 piece legs. It literally look like a Christmas tree of guitars.

Tip: set the yokes as low as possible: Fully loaded with two layers of guitars, I keep my bass on the lower rungs where the strap button is about 4 inches off the ground, and the head stock of the upper rungs are about 4.5-5 feet off the ground. This keeps the center of gravity much lower; and it looks a lot different than the picture on the website.

When folded up, I stow it in my PA speaker stand bag: It holds two speaker stands and this guitar stand.

Invalid Link Removed

You can't go wrong: I highly recommend this stand. :hyper:

(And it's less than $80)
 
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#6
For what it's worth, I definitely need something that is compatible with nitro finishes. I've heard mixed things about the String Swing stuff, but I suppose I could contact the company if it comes down to that. I like the idea of fabric contact points which might make me lean (no pun intended) towards the fold-up, flightcase styles.
 
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#8
Avoid anything from Hercules.
I have owned a couple of triple instrument stands from this maker that were gifted to me.
I'm glad I didn't buy them cause they suck. They simply fall apart as they are used.
It's almost as if these units were built to be quickly obsolete.
Total crap.
 
#9
PCR said:
This is, by far, the best multi-guitar stand I have ever used. Hercules GS526B Guitar Rack with 6 Piece Folding Yokes

I share the stage with 2 other guitar players. The three of us bring several guitars to shows. We used to take up A LOT of stage, and back stage, real estate with all of our guitar stands. We tried using fold up racks like the ones in your link, but we found that the Hercules 6 piece folding rack took up the least amount of real estate holding 6-guitars and basses.

It took a little while to figure how to get everything set up, but once you do, it folds up real small, and set's up really fast.

I can tell you that it is extremely stable filled with guitars and bass: and it takes up a little more space than one guitar stand. The outrigger legs are a little longer than a single Hercules guitar stand. For perspective, I would say that my single hercules stand fits to where the support connect to the 6 piece legs. It literally look like a Christmas tree of guitars.

Tip: set the yokes as low as possible: Fully loaded with two layers of guitars, I keep my bass on the lower rungs where the strap button is about 4 inches off the ground, and the head stock of the upper rungs are about 4.5-5 feet off the ground. This keeps the center of gravity much lower; and it looks a lot different than the picture on the website.

When folded up, I stow it in my PA speaker stand bag: It holds two speaker stands and this guitar stand.

Invalid Link Removed

You can't go wrong: I highly recommend this stand. :hyper:

(And it's less than $80)
Click to expand...

I did consider this style of holder, but because of the room in the house I just moved into, one side of this would always be facing into a corner. For that reason, I'd prefer the style that I can have running along the wall with all the guitars facing into the middle of the room.

Thanks for the suggestion, though! Hercules stands are great - super sturdy.
 
#11
kcole4001 said:
I'd just like to say thanks to the OP for the thread, I just may build one of the wooden racks for summer use.
I don't like to leave my instruments out of the case in winter.

It's a pretty simple design, and I have all the materials already.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd like to build one also. The design is simple, and I have the tools. I'll probably build one to better suit me when I have more time. However, I just finished moving, and right now all I care about is getting stuff put away as soon as possible.
 
#12
PCR said:
This is, by far, the best multi-guitar stand I have ever used. Hercules GS526B Guitar Rack with 6 Piece Folding Yokes

I share the stage with 2 other guitar players. The three of us bring several guitars to shows. We used to take up A LOT of stage, and back stage, real estate with all of our guitar stands. We tried using fold up racks like the ones in your link, but we found that the Hercules 6 piece folding rack took up the least amount of real estate holding 6-guitars and basses.

It took a little while to figure how to get everything set up, but once you do, it folds up real small, and set's up really fast.

I can tell you that it is extremely stable filled with guitars and bass: and it takes up a little more space than one guitar stand. The outrigger legs are a little longer than a single Hercules guitar stand. For perspective, I would say that my single hercules stand fits to where the support connect to the 6 piece legs. It literally look like a Christmas tree of guitars.

Tip: set the yokes as low as possible: Fully loaded with two layers of guitars, I keep my bass on the lower rungs where the strap button is about 4 inches off the ground, and the head stock of the upper rungs are about 4.5-5 feet off the ground. This keeps the center of gravity much lower; and it looks a lot different than the picture on the website.

When folded up, I stow it in my PA speaker stand bag: It holds two speaker stands and this guitar stand.

Invalid Link Removed

You can't go wrong: I highly recommend this stand. :hyper:

(And it's less than $80)
Click to expand...
I have a generic version of that, works very well. The only caveat - you do have to be a little careful to keep them reasonably balanced or they can get tippy (that does have wider legs than mine, as well, so less susceptible).
 
#13
Killed_by_Death said:
The local pawn shop has one of those, and it seems to work pretty good.
Click to expand...

If they have it for a decent price: ~$50, buy it.

The weird thing is that the Hercules 3 yoke stand is more expensive than the 6 yoke stand.



bholder said:
I have a generic version of that, works very well. The only caveat - you do have to be a little careful to keep them reasonably balanced or they can get tippy (that does have wider legs than mine, as well, so less susceptible).
Click to expand...

It helps to set both yokes as low as you can go.

I actually loaded the stand up, and tried my best to tip it. I figured it would be better to try to tip the stand on my carpet at home than to find out at a gig. I was amazed at how stable the Hercules stand is.
 
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#14
PCR said:
If they have it for a decent price: ~$50, buy it.

The weird thing is that the Hercules 3 yoke stand is more expensive than the 6 yoke stand.





It helps to set both yokes as low as you can go.

I actually loaded the stand up, and tried my best to tip it. I figured it would be better to try to tip the stand on my carpet at home than to find out at a gig. I was amazed at how stable the Hercules stand is.
Click to expand...
If you have only one bass on the top rank, and still can't tip it to that side, it's definitely better than mine. ;)
 
#15
i bought a 5-instrument stand for 35 bucks two years ago. It´s perfectly fine, just like all of those mentioned before. The wheels aren´t too high quality ones, they won´t break either.
If you´re afraid of instruments falling out of the stand for whatever reason, get rubber bands and put them over the neck mounts
 
#16
bholder said:
If you have only one bass on the top rank, and still can't tip it to that side, it's definitely better than mine. ;)
Click to expand...


I tried. Because I was having my band mates stow their guitars on this rack, I thought I better make sure it was REALLY good. I would have felt awful if it tipped over and broke the head stock off of a buddy's Les Paul.

I set the stand up, and had my son try to find the tipping point with various guitars and heavy basses loaded on it, while I was prepared to catch any falling instruments. I was impressed.

(It did take me about 2 hours of futzing around with it to get just the right setting and height. I then took a silver sharpie and marked all height settings)
 
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#19
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#20
I certainly don't recommend the fender branded triple holder I have. It's cheap and cheerful and does what I need it to, but it's just cheap metal frame with cheap foam over the tubing.

Anything I've seen by Hercules has been very well built and strong, if start there.
 

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