Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
- amv
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 698
- Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:16 am
Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
Two existential threats have hit me this year as a Bay Area vintage guitar player:
- Fender is apparently nixing the American Vintage series, pretty much the only guitars I ever even consider playing or buying. Now I have to live with a guitar collection that will gradually become irreplaceable in the coming years. Fantastic.
- Whether 2018 is the year of the 11.0 apocalypse quake that has been predicted since either 1989, 1906 or the splitting of Pangaea (depending on where you start counting), apparently we have an increased likelihood of seismic activity ahead of us here in the Golden State.
And there actually has been a handful of decent sized earthquakes lately (4.4-ish; enough to rattle your building pretty well depending on proximity), which got me thinking about my AV/AVRI's, proudly standing on Fretrest stands like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Stage-XCG4-Tripo ... s=fretrest
...which I now realize are begging to fall face-first given a good enough jolt. Fenders are sturdy enough guitars, of course, but tuner and truss rod damage is still perfectly plausible in such a scenario, whether or not the wood itself takes any major damage.
Any other Californians with thoughts on this? I like keeping my guitars out, both for aesthetic reasons and convenience in playing, but I'm increasingly worried that there might not be a safe way to do so when you can't trust the ground beneath you to keep still. Input welcome.
Disclaimer: In case the obligatory smartass wants to suggest I'll have bigger concerns than my guitars in the event of an earthquake, let's clarify: 99% of them are barely felt, and 99% of the ones we do feel cause minor property damage at best. It's only the rare exception that we associate with structural collapse, fatalities and infrastructure crises.
I'm talking about the overwhelmingly more likely quake in which belongings can fall to the floor and... not much else happens. So I won't likely have an unfolding Mad Max scenario to take my mind off my destroyed instruments.
- Fender is apparently nixing the American Vintage series, pretty much the only guitars I ever even consider playing or buying. Now I have to live with a guitar collection that will gradually become irreplaceable in the coming years. Fantastic.
- Whether 2018 is the year of the 11.0 apocalypse quake that has been predicted since either 1989, 1906 or the splitting of Pangaea (depending on where you start counting), apparently we have an increased likelihood of seismic activity ahead of us here in the Golden State.
And there actually has been a handful of decent sized earthquakes lately (4.4-ish; enough to rattle your building pretty well depending on proximity), which got me thinking about my AV/AVRI's, proudly standing on Fretrest stands like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Stage-XCG4-Tripo ... s=fretrest
...which I now realize are begging to fall face-first given a good enough jolt. Fenders are sturdy enough guitars, of course, but tuner and truss rod damage is still perfectly plausible in such a scenario, whether or not the wood itself takes any major damage.
Any other Californians with thoughts on this? I like keeping my guitars out, both for aesthetic reasons and convenience in playing, but I'm increasingly worried that there might not be a safe way to do so when you can't trust the ground beneath you to keep still. Input welcome.
Disclaimer: In case the obligatory smartass wants to suggest I'll have bigger concerns than my guitars in the event of an earthquake, let's clarify: 99% of them are barely felt, and 99% of the ones we do feel cause minor property damage at best. It's only the rare exception that we associate with structural collapse, fatalities and infrastructure crises.
I'm talking about the overwhelmingly more likely quake in which belongings can fall to the floor and... not much else happens. So I won't likely have an unfolding Mad Max scenario to take my mind off my destroyed instruments.
- amv
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 698
- Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:16 am
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
Ack, just realized I posted this in the wrong forum. Any chance this can be moved to New and Reissue?
- Unicorn Warrior
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3491
- Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:58 pm
- Location: Kentucky, USA
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
I would imagine just about any rack stand would work as the guitars are generally leaned back and wedged with. Four point base of support
They also make tripod stands that have a protective rubber piece that goes in front of the neck. If you found one with substantial wait I really can see it being easy to turn with a 3 point BOS
I think the key is finding something heavy or modifying one so it would be. Then make sure there is some good harness that won't give way when the shaking starts
The weight and base of support will make all the difference
They also make tripod stands that have a protective rubber piece that goes in front of the neck. If you found one with substantial wait I really can see it being easy to turn with a 3 point BOS
I think the key is finding something heavy or modifying one so it would be. Then make sure there is some good harness that won't give way when the shaking starts
The weight and base of support will make all the difference
- andy_tchp
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 8010
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:36 am
- Location: Brisbane
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
No, not really. All of mine have taken (probably all too numerous) face-down tumbles in rehearsal spaces (concrete floors with cheap carpet), without ever so much as having bent a tuner key (even if that did occur they can be replaced for <$50 for a full set or ~$10 for a single replacement).
You'd need a sledge hammer behind such a fall to cause 'truss rod damage', but suspect the disintegrating/delaminated fretboard would have a more visceral impact.
"I don't know why we asked him to join the band 'cause the rest of us don't like country music all that much; we just like Graham Lee."
David McComb, 1987.
David McComb, 1987.
- amv
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 698
- Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:16 am
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
Wow, really? I genuinely wouldn't have guessed that.
I'd still love to find a more stable way to display my guitars, but your experience definitely makes me more optimistic about my current situation. Thanks!
I'd still love to find a more stable way to display my guitars, but your experience definitely makes me more optimistic about my current situation. Thanks!
- zip73
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 809
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 4:10 pm
- Location: Monterey County, CA
- Embenny
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 10363
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
I'd love to see a company try this now. "Let's find the fattest guy in the factory, single him out, and use him in an ad to show how much weight this neck can handle!"
My god, the lawsuits...
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- Unicorn Warrior
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3491
- Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:58 pm
- Location: Kentucky, USA
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
Lol ^ yes
- MechaBulletBill
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 2813
- Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:16 am
- Location: UK
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
Keep them in the cases? If I were worried about quakes I'd probably forget stands
60s fat got nothin on 21st century fat
- Todd Connelly
- PAT PEND
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Wed Dec 13, 2017 1:56 pm
- Location: Sandy Or.
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
You might look at this On-Stage A frame stand: https://on-stage.com/products/view/11239/116925 It's got pretty wide stable base, the guitar sits low to the ground and the guitar leans well back. Too far back in fact for my limited space. I wound up making a 1 1/2" thick block to go between the upper foam pad and the frame to stand my guitars more upright.
Cheers......................Todd
Cheers......................Todd
- PJazzmaster
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 5159
- Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:59 am
- Location: Bo Diddley Technical Institute of Cryptozoology (European HQ)
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
I used many different types of stands over the years, incl. stands provided by venues, festivals other bandsetc. Best portable /easy to carry one that is safe is the K&M heli. Main reason: It's sits really low and the guitar rests in a really secure backwards angle (probably not so ideal for gibson style headstocks but great for everything else).
It works well with offsets and I would prefer this a thousand times over guitar stands that have a neck rest. those are the ones that I've seen falling more often together with a guitar since some of the constructions tend to overbalance easily mainly because the guitar sits far too high (see example in 2nd pic.
but if you really want something earthquake safe then leave them in the case or get a proper rack stand
It works well with offsets and I would prefer this a thousand times over guitar stands that have a neck rest. those are the ones that I've seen falling more often together with a guitar since some of the constructions tend to overbalance easily mainly because the guitar sits far too high (see example in 2nd pic.
but if you really want something earthquake safe then leave them in the case or get a proper rack stand
- alarmclarke
- PAT PEND
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2016 10:38 am
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Hercules-St ... r-Stand.gc
Pricey but worth the money bought mine when they were doing demos at guitar center. The rep asked me to try to tip it over while it was loaded with a mexican strat an epi 335 and a Gibson les paul. thought it was silly but it is a great stand. They same the foam is nitro safe and ive had my marguar resting in one with a 52 reissue tele next to it for over a year with no damage.
Pricey but worth the money bought mine when they were doing demos at guitar center. The rep asked me to try to tip it over while it was loaded with a mexican strat an epi 335 and a Gibson les paul. thought it was silly but it is a great stand. They same the foam is nitro safe and ive had my marguar resting in one with a 52 reissue tele next to it for over a year with no damage.
- invisible man
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 534
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:58 pm
- Location: Manta Sonica, California
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
I wish Guitar Center would sell the locking wall hangers they use in their vintage/high-end room. I like my String Swing wall hanger, but am nervous about quakes and theft in LA. And damage by toddler, I've got to raise the height now.
https://soundcloud.com/billy-gashade
- higgsblossom
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1066
- Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:55 am
- Location: Mannheim, Germany
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
I use stands by German manufacturer K&M because they have a translucent material that won‘t damage Nitro, if that is of any concern for you; maybe they have something for your needs. I like the „Guardian“ model, rock solid and pretty much every guitar model will fit:
https://www.k-m.de/en/mobile/mobile/overview/lpd/148
https://www.k-m.de/en/mobile/mobile/overview/lpd/148
"500€? That's the price of a J Mascis Jazzmaster!"
- Francer
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 519
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:11 am
- Location: Uk
Re: Earthquake-Safe Guitar Stands?
You could be missing a trick here, imagine the mojo of an earthquake reliced guitar, I reckon people might pay for that, you could be sitting on a fortune*
* other than that frivolous nonsense I'm afraid I have no practical advice to offer you. Good luck with your search.