Guitar Stand - Feedback?

Brent Dowell

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I've got a problem. Too many guitars, not enough stands, or wallspace, or room. I've started to do some recording and I'd like to have my collection available to suit my creative whims, so I'm thinking of slapping together a quick guitar stand. I've seen similar ones made out of pipes and tubes, but I've got a pile of birch plywood I bought that's begging to be used on something.

So I'm thinking of making the sides of birch ply, and the stretchers out of pine, or mayby poplar or oak.

This thing is meant to be put together with screws so that it can be dis-assembled if need be.

Since the screws are going into end grain, I'll probably put some cross-dowels for the screws to get some bite.

Any feedback?

Thanks in advance for your time.

guitarstand.jpg
 
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A little padding at the contact points and I'd say you're good to go. A buddy of mine uses the larger padded "Y" shaped hooks you get at the BORG and alternates height along the wall (into studs) so its kinda neck-body-neck-body-etc. He comfortably gets two rows (alternating high and low) with room to lean whatever he's using against the lower portion of the wall. Just an idea.
 
Thanks Glenn,

I wish I had wall space. For some reason, in this house, wall space is in short supply. Yeah, I figure I'll get some of that tubular pipe insulation and cover it in felt for the contact points on the bottom and top. The little brackets on the top will be tuned for a 'friction fit' to keep things from flopping side to side.

I love the way guitars look as wall decorations, but my office area is covered in doors, windows, fireplace, and other stuff....

A little padding at the contact points and I'd say you're good to go. A buddy of mine uses the larger padded "Y" shaped hooks you get at the BORG and alternates height along the wall (into studs) so its kinda neck-body-neck-body-etc. He comfortably gets two rows (alternating high and low) with room to lean whatever he's using against the lower portion of the wall. Just an idea.
 
Where are the cases?

I have a buddy with umpteen guitars. He has them lined up -- in their cases -- in the closet in their spare room, like books in a bookcase. Works for him.
 
Have you double checked your tilt angle against your widest and tallest guitars to make sure they wont touch the wall at the body or headstock with your proposed layout? I had a buddy with a sort of similar 3 bay type wall stand that couldn't put a taller elec. bass in it due to hitting the peghead on the wall and his biggest acoustic just missed the wall by maybe 1/4" down below.
 
Where are the cases?

I have a buddy with umpteen guitars. He has them lined up -- in their cases -- in the closet in their spare room, like books in a bookcase. Works for him.
I've got most of mine in cases lined up against the wall (closet's full of other stuff), but I like to keep 2 or 3 out on stands to satisfy the whim to just pick one up and play on the spot. So I can understand where Brent's coming from.

Have you double checked your tilt angle against your widest and tallest guitars to make sure they wont touch the wall at the body or headstock with your proposed layout? I had a buddy with a sort of similar 3 bay type wall stand that couldn't put a taller elec. bass in it due to hitting the peghead on the wall and his biggest acoustic just missed the wall by maybe 1/4" down below.
This. I've seen the same problem in other peoples' setups. Just double check your dimensions, and it should work, though.

My other concern is storing the guitars with sideways pressure on the necks. Probably not a problem, since there are a lot of people who store their guitars that way, but it's always been one of my personal buttons. (I also always face a guitar towards the wall if I'm leaning the guitar against it...here again, my own little habit.)
 
Excellent Feedback.

The tilt angle I believe is shallow enough to not put much pressure on the necks. I figure if there's a guitar that doesn't want to do the "lean", I might rig up a little velcro strap to keep it in place.

Most of my guitars are not exactly super duper high quality collectors items, so I don't feel bad about not keeping them in cases. If they were truly expensive, keeping them in the cases would be the #1 way to go.

But, I'm a hack player, and like having a variety of things to hack around on.

My Guitars are:
Ovation 6 string Acoustic/Electric
Gibson S1
Student Quality Banjo
Ibanez Bass Guitar
Agile 12 string Acoustic Electric
An Old Epiphone Acoustic
and A couple of Classicals
A Martin Travel 6 string
A home made Travel Classical of my own design
A slapped together Mandolin Kit
A cheesy Ukulele.

I do have plans for making in the future:
A one of a kind Electric, but probably Stratocaster'ish in nature
A tenor Ukulele

Not all of these will be out at the same time, but I'd like to have room for 6 or so instruments.

I've got very eclectic taste in music. It's hard for me to find a type of music I don't like.

Well, I might not like rap, but I don't consider that to be music :rofl:

Lately, I've been more interested in the blues/rock/bluegrass mashed up stuff....

Thanks Guys, I think I'll give this a try tomorrow. Probably a half sheet of ply and a few stretchers and I'll know how it works. Cheap enough to be able to redo later, if required.
 
This is probably more elaborate that your looking for, but it's not too difficult of project. I have a glass top in this one but I've made a couple since for people, with a solid wood top, which I actually liked better. Used rubberized tool hangars for the neck rest, and contoured some close-celled foam for the bottom (covered with soft upholstry fabric)
 

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Wowzers! That kind of case would make we want to buy the expensive guitars :thumb:

I like the way it looks, and it would keep the dust off them. Very nice!

This is probably more elaborate that your looking for, but it's not too difficult of project. I have a glass top in this one but I've made a couple since for people, with a solid wood top, which I actually liked better. Used rubberized tool hangars for the neck rest, and contoured some close-celled foam for the bottom (covered with soft upholstry fabric)
 
I'd forgotten about your cabinet, Barry. It's still impressive. :clap: I should add one to my "one of these days" list.

Brent, the Velcro straps to secure the necks sounds like it would be a great idea. I'm using conventional stands, but I hold the guitars in place with snorkel keepers from a scuba shop. Between dogs and earthquakes, I'm leery of having one fall off the stand.
 
Not much to offer here, nice design, but have the same concerns about the side pressure. I prefer to have mine lay facing against the wall or keep them in the case. You've got a nice collection of hacking Brent. Mine has been limited to electric or acoustic, or a midi keyboard. Look forward to pics of the end result though. :lurk:
 
Well, Here it is.

I tried using some 'poly shade cherry stain' and I don't like it much. But fortunately, the foam covers most of the poplar that was stained so no biggie.

The home Depot had some closed cell foam pipe insulation which is actually pretty 'grippy'. I think I need to find some way to make some sort of dividers for the necks of the guitars, but this seems to be holding pretty well...

It seems as if there isn't very much lateral leaning on the necks. With the grippy foam, it all seems to work OK.

Truth be told, if I do another one, I'd probably just use pvc and threaded rod for the stretchers, and spend a little more time/money on the ends.....





guitarstand_real.jpg
 
Looks nice Brent, nice collection too. How do you like the Ovation? Always wanted one myself, maybe someday I'll get back into playing more...too many other 'hobbies' right now.
 
That came out looking real workable. :thumb: I see your point about fancying up the ends, but this one still looks like it does the job.
 
I find it hard to believe, but I think I bought that Ovation when I was around 16 years old, which means I've had it for 30 years. My Gibson S1 is probably even older.

Some folks I know will trade and buy guitars on a fairly regular basis, but I just tend to keep the ones I buy. And I don't buy many. I still regret getting rid of a Fender Jaguar I had a one time. I wish to heck I still had that guitar.

But to get back to the question at hand, I love that Ovation. It may not have the best sound. The sound board may be coming apart in the middle, but I have some awesome memories of that guitar.

I used it in a, well, a sort of religious singing group when I was a kid where they would load us up in a bus and drive us all over the country to sing and play for folks. It was a riot.

I used that ovation to knock out a version of "Bmovie Box Car Blues" in a band I was in in college in Vermillion South Dakota. Absolutely one of the best times of my life.

I never even thought about how long I've had that guitar until you asked. It just seems like it's always been a part of me.

I really don't know how good of a guitar it is. I just know It's a part of me that I can't really see not having or playing.

I'm 100% sure I could go out and for less that 1000$ buy a guitar that sounds a lot better, but I don't know if having a better guitar is what I want...

Not sure if this is the answer that you were looking for, but I know at one time it was a good sounding guitar. Lately, I'm not sure if it is as good as it once was, but its a friend, and I hope I last as long as he does :D
 
Brent, I can sympathize with you about just keeping things you have and get used to over the years. We're not alone though, 'cause while "SOME" performers go on stage and smash their expensive Guitars (which really makes my blood boil AND it sets such a BAD example for youngsters), there ARE those like us, just look at Willie Nelson's Old Guitar, (the one he almost always uses).:D

Looks like your Stand came out OK, even better when you get the neck holders on.:thumb:
 
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