Guitar Stands and Hangers
Between music practice and gigs, guitarists have a few options for storing their bass, custom, acoustic, or electric guitars. Guitar stands are the most portable and easiest to use, and hangers, while they do need to be installed, allow musicians to display their entire collections by hanging them from a wall. Both methods provide convenient access and protection for your instruments.
What is the difference between guitar stands and guitar hangers?Guitar stands have a base on the floor and hold the guitar close to ground level. Hangers, on the other hand, attach to the wall at any height. While some guitar stands and hangers work for both electric and acoustic guitars, and even for custom designs, others only fit a specific type due to the guitars individual body shapes.
What are different types of studio guitar stands?Studio guitar stands allow musicians to display their guitars and to keep them safe between practices. Whether beginners who store their guitars in their bedrooms or professional music artists working in high-tech studios, guitarists use similar stands. Most of these options fall into one of the categories listed below:
- A-Frame stands cradle the bottom edge and do not extend up the body or neck. These guitar stands are very portable but are risky in areas with a lot of foot traffic.
- Tubular stands, also called tripod stands, are popular among new guitarists. They consist of three legs, a rack at the bottom, and a neck holder at the top of the guitar that offers more protection.
- Multi-guitar stands are available in different styles. One type is a tubular stand with three sets of body holders and neck holders facing different directions. Guitar racks resemble bike racks with an L-shaped frame and individual spaces for the guitars to fit.
- Custom stands have special features and designs that are not usually available. Many custom guitar stands are made out of wood or feature a favorite musical icon.
Most hanger sets come with a piece of wood that anchors into a wall with screws and a padded double-arm hook. The headstock fits onto this hook, and the guitar hangs from its pegs.
Hanging a guitar on the wall for storage is perfectly safe for the guitar as long as the hanging device is installed properly. The amount of pressure on the neck is negligible. After hanging, there is little chance the guitar will fall off of its guitar hanger. Plus, children and pets in a household are less likely to knock over an instrument that hangs out of their reach. Guitar hangers are more versatile, which can also be helpful when hanging custom electric and acoustic guitars.
Are there particular guitar stands to use onstage?Many music artists prefer to use a different type of electric or acoustic guitar stand for performances. Some designs allow the musician to easily switch between instruments while others hold the guitar at playing height for the artists, so they do not have to wear or support the guitar. Another example is a stage chair with a built-in guitar stand, which is especially common for solo acoustic sets.