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Guitar stands are often overlooked but are one of the most important accessories of a guitarist. There are various kinds of stands, from single to multiple and even wall hanging. Let’s dive in to see some of the best stands that you should consider.

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What to look for in a guitar stand

A good guitar stand serves the very important purpose of your guitar not rock n rolling while you are. The best guitar stands will ensure the guitars are secure and do not topple and at the same time provide ease of access.

Most of us do not give enough importance to the stands, but in reality, a good guitar stand can go a long way in protecting your guitar from dings and scratches and in worst cases from major damage. Unlike your guitar, it does not cost a fortune to have a good stand. Spending on a decent guitar stand can help to extend the life and look of your precious million dollar instrument (exaggerating a bit).

Let’s dive in to understand what makes the best guitar stands.

Material

First and foremost, the material of the guitar stand is of paramount importance. There are guitar stands which are very light and made up of hollow pipes. These could a lot easier on the pocket but do not provide a good support to the guitar and might not be very stable.

The best materials to look for guitar stands are powder coated solid steel or aluminum. Some wooden stands are also very good. These are heavier in weight and provides better stability to the guitar. Made up of durable material also provides the stands with durability and longer life.

Padding

The best guitar stands will ensure good padding in the areas where the guitar meets the stand. This is to ensure your guitar does not get scratches or dings when they are on the stand.

The base of the guitar is notorious for getting these scratches and dings and the best guitar stands will have contours to hold the guitar properly and have rubber or other cushioning material for protection.

If you are using an A-Frame stand, then the back of the guitar will lean on the tip of the A structure. The best guitar stands will have proper cushioning in the areas which touch the body to avoid dings and scratches.

Secure grip

It’s important your stands stay firm on the ground and does not slip. The best guitar stands will have materials at the base of the stand or on the legs to provide that secure grip. This ensures your stand does not easily slip or move on the floor. This helps from the guitar encountering any damage due to falls.

Good securing materials are soft plastic or rubber. These hold the stand along with the guitar in one place. Stands with exposed metal at the base can easily skid damaging the guitar.

Overall built quality

The overall built quality of the stand is important to understand. Whichever stand you choose should be uniformly made of high-quality material.

The weight of the stand must be uniformly distributed so that it is not wobbly. Guitar stands should have a low center of gravity to give them stability.

Secure Latches

Many of the stands come with fretboard secure latches, just an added protection that your guitar does not fall off it something pushes it from behind.

The role of a guitar stand is to ensure that the guitar is securely kept without falling down and causing damage to your beautiful instrument. There are guitar stands that have security straps or plastic hinges to ensure the guitars are held properly. There are stands that also the yoke 360 degrees around the neck area.

Some stands are hanging in nature. In these stands, there are 2 gates that secure the neck of the guitar around the nut area. These gates are come down when the guitars are hanged, securing them from falling. 

Height Adjustable

Having this added benefit of being height adjustable helps in scenarios if you want to use the same stand for different instruments. For example, there are guitars with headstock and without headstock. Also, the length of a bass guitar is more than that of a standard electrical guitar. Having this feature in your stand helps to use the same stand for different guitars.

Types of stands

Guitar stands come in different shapes and sizes. For single guitars to multiple guitars, from Ukulele to jumbo acoustics to electric guitars. There are stands which can also combine them.

Classic Stands

Tripod stands are the ones where the neck of the stand is supported by 3 legs (just like a tripod). These stands could hold from one to three guitars depending on the model.

In the case of multi guitar stands, there will be multiple hooks or yokes for each of the necks of the guitar. The necks of these stands are normally cushioned by rubber or specially designed foam.

Some good options are provided below.

Hercules Shock safe Guitar Stand GS405B

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You can never go wrong if you are getting a Hercules Stand. These are premium quality stands. When you unbox, you realize that this stand is heavy. The material used is very durable and sturdy.

GS405B features the patented Shocksafe Tilting Post and Secure Retention System on the upper receiving yoke and cradle. The beauty of this is that it keeps your instrument shock free even during unwanted bumps or collision.

The stand has specially featured rubber foam at the areas of contact with the guitar to ensure your guitars do not get scratches and dents.The triangular legs and the G hook makes a great secure foundation.

Overall a great stand intelligently designed to absorb unwanted shock which we all want but at the same time provide ease of access to the guitar. Provides superior neck protection and cushioned contact area which does not allow scratches and dings. One of the most well built and stable stands in the market today.

Hercules Tri Stand GS432B

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If you are one of those guitar geeks and suffer from major GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome) then in all probabilities you will have more than one guitar. Keeping multiple guitars safe and accessible to play when you like would need a good guitar stand.

To solve this, we have the Hercules GS 432B which is a triple or Tri Stand. Meaning it can house up to 3 of your precious instruments. This is an outstanding multiple guitar stand.

This stand has these tabs or gates on the upper yokes which come down to secure the guitar when it is hanged. It nullifies the chances of falling off the yoke. The triple legs of this stand spread wide making the stand very stable.

The overall built is robust and durable. It can take a lot of beating during gigs and practice but still function optimally. It can be folded and put into your car for your gig or practice. It’s great for on stage as well as for your studio or practice set up.

It does stand up to the name of Hercules which signifies strength. A very durable stand which will last you a lifetime.

Hanging Stands

Unlike the Classic Stands where the bottom of the guitar rests on a base while the neck of the guitar leans on the upper yoke, the hanging series does not have a resting base for the guitars. In these stands, you hang the guitar by the headstock on these tripod stands.  Again, like the classic stands, you can have single to multiple guitars holding stands.

Then there are the wall hanging stands which are basically a Yoke Hanger. These are installed on the wall and the guitars are hanged by their headstock in these hanging stands.

The yokes have a sort of a gate which is activated by the weight of the guitar when hung. These are great options to keep the floor free and avoid any bumping onto the guitars at home. It also helps to showcase the guitars on the walls.

String Swing CC01 Guitar Hanger

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If you are one of those who wants to showcase your prized guitars and want to have clear floor space for pedals and amps, then wall hanging stands are the ones for you. Here we have a very affordable wall hanger that is simple and does the job very well.

The String Swing CC01 is a great choice and comes at a very affordable price range. This wall hanger is suitable for a wide variety of guitars. It can hold an electric, acoustic, bass with an adjustable yoke. This helps you to get the best angle for your guitar.

The Yoke is cushioned ensuring the neck of the guitar near the nut area does not encounter any damage. The base or the hanger is made up of North American Hardwood and looks very classy and can go with the décor of any place.

Hercules GSP39WB Plus Guitar Hanger

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These are wall-mount version for home use and comes with a wooden back. These hangers feature the patented auto grab system. When placing an instrument into the yoke, the channel lowers and rotating the two arms of the yoke into position securing the guitar.

To remove the guitar, you simply lift it up out of the hanger. These hangers swivel to distribute the weight of the guitar, especially if you have an odd guitar shape.

These wall hangers have a specially formulated foam rubber which ensures your guitar do not get any scratch and keeps them protected.

A great little tool to keep your guitars safe.

Hercules GS415B Plus Hanging Guitar Stand

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If you are not a fan of hanging guitar on the wall but at the same time like the concept of it, the Hercules GS414B is the perfect choice.

Unlike in a classic stand where the base of the guitar sits on the base of the stand, this model hangs the guitar on the stand from the nut area. The stand does not have a base.

The neck of the stand is height adjustable. The parts of the stand which will be in contact with the guitar is covered with Specially Formulated Foam (SFF) rubber to protect the finish of the guitars.

The legs of the stand also have nonslip rubber so that the stand does not slip and fall. A rather sturdy and well thought of stand to house your precious instrument.

Push down and Spring up Stands

These are unique kinds of stands where the guitar along with the stand becomes one unit. This is done with the help of two supports that grip the body of the guitar from top and bottom.

The lower yoke is on a spring. When you place the guitar on the stand, you give a slight push to the yoke and it adjusts as per the size of the body of the guitar and clamps it in place along with the upper hook at the lower cutaway area of the neck. When you move the stand by the neck of it, both the guitar and the stand move as a single unit.

On Stage Push Down and Spring Ups Stand

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This is a great little stand which you should consider. This makes carrying a guitar in a studio space or the practice pad a breeze. You just pick up the stand along with the guitar as a single piece and place it where ever you want to. It is almost like giving your guitar detachable legs!

A-Frame Stands

A-frame stands are perhaps the most common stands for guitars. These are small stands that do not take too much space on the floor and easy to carry. These collapse easily and do not take space when not in use and during storage.

These stands are made such that you can use these for both electric and acoustic guitars. There are models, the width of which can be reduced for a Ukulele or a smaller acoustic guitar.

Fender Universal A-Frame guitar stand

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At first glance, the Fender Universal A-Frame Guitar stand might look just like any other A-frame stand but if you pay a closer look then you understand why is this different. This stand comes with features that can hold any size or shape of the electric guitar you have.

First and foremost it has an adjustable back which you can set to any height you require. The arms of the legs are height adjustable as well. It has a very intelligent design and has a sidearm that can support any guitar shape be it a Jaguar or a Flying V!

Of course, the arms of the guitar and the places where the body of the guitar rests on the stand are cushioned to keep your guitar away from harm’s way.

It is pretty compact and can fold into a compact piece in your gig bag. An intelligent little A-Frame stand that is very different from others in the market.

Hercules Ezpack Guitar Stand GS200B

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The most striking feature of GS 200B is the ultra-portability coupled with great support. The stand is made up of very thick plastic and when the guitar is placed on this, it provides stable support. It fits inside your gig bag easily (or in the pocket of a cargo pant) and does not occupy extra space.

The stand can hold both acoustic and electric guitars. It has an intelligent design. The stand has small rubber locks on the base that serves as a support for electric guitars to rest and incline at the right angle and balance themselves. But when you need to hold a wider body acoustic guitar, these rubber locks can be pressed down making space for wider guitars.

The stand comes coated with specially formulated foam in the areas where the guitars can come in contact with the stand. Protecting your guitars finish from any unwanted scratch.

This is a brilliant little stand that easily fits into a gig bag and is perfect for practice settings where otherwise you will need to carry bulky stands. This is a sturdy stand that does not weigh a lot and thus does not increase the overall weight of your gig bag. Highly recommended for people who have to carry stands to their practice.

Guitar Racks

Guitar racks are made to economize the usage of space if you have a few guitars to hold. These racks can store 3 to 10  guitars. These are ideal for your studio, practice room, or stage if you are using a few guitars for different numbers.

These are great and you can keep multiple guitars together in a small footprint. Some of these racks are foldable as well and are easy to transport.

The disadvantage of these stands are that the guitars can bump on to one other while storing and can give dings and dents. For this purpose, some of the racks have dividers to protect the gears.

K&M Guardian Multi Guitar Stand

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The K&M multi guitar stand offers great style with durability. The material used in these stands are non-marring plastic. The stands come with soft protecting pads that protect the finish of your guitar.

The stand has separators so that the guitars do not bump on to each other and get dings and scratches. The stand can be folded down easily and carried for gigs and practice.

If space is a constraint and you have a number of guitars to house, then this becomes the perfect choice. The 3 + 1 Multi guitar stand has three narrow slots for three electric guitars or bass and one slot which is wide enough for an acoustic guitar. A very versatile stand.

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Walk Up Stands

While all the stands which we have covered till now are for guitar storage, the walk-up stand has a different use altogether. These are not for holding your guitar for storing purposes but holding your guitar for playing.

These stands are great especially when you have to change from an acoustic to an electric guitar or vice versa in between performance. You have the walk-up stand here where you walk up to and play the acoustic guitar positioned on it and then move to the electric part. You can check out Yngwie Malmsteen’s Black Star Live on how he uses this stand.

K&M Performer guitar stand

If you are looking for a walk-up stand for your electric or acoustic guitar, then look no further than the K&M Performer 14760 for Electric Guitars and 14761 for Acoustic Guitars.

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These stands are designed for any size of player. The clamp and the instrument holder provides superior support. The instrument holder is cushioned to protect the finish of your guitars.

It is portable and easily tears down for easy carriage from gigs to gigs. A great option for guitarists who need the flexibility of changing guitar types during a live performance.

Conclusion

Guitar stands are very important accessories for guitar players. You can never have enough stands. You need a stand for home studio, for the practice pad, for the stage, for bedroom and this list can go on and on.

But rather than buying cheap stands, focusing on quality can help you peace of mind. You can save your guitar from the dangers of trauma if you invest in a quality one.

Take your time and choose one which fits your budget and style. My personal favorite is Hercules Shocksafe.

Last update on 2024-05-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API