Buying a Guitar stand is a lot like buying a cheap guitar – you either buy a good one the first time or you can waste your money until you finally get something of quality that will last you for years.
This post is pretty thorough with lots of information but here’s the short version of my recommendation on a guitar stand and wall mount : it’s worth spending a little more on both. While guitar players who own many guitars will spend $200 + on a rack, you can get a really good stand for around $50 and wall mount for around $25. My recommendations for good quality at a reasonable price are the Hercules GS414B Plus stand and the Hercules GSP38WB Plus wall mount. These are the ones that I own and I have been extremely happy with both of them.
I’m not trying to convince you to spend more money. I’m trying to SAVE you money because if you get a decent stand and or wall mount, you’ll be happy with them and they’ll last for years-no need to buy another one in 6 months.
Why I Did Extensive Research Before I Bought
Pre children and dog ownership, I owned a cheap ‘A’ frame guitar stand which didn’t have a neck or headstock support. However when the aforementioned demolition machines turned up, the stand couldn’t take the beating and got knocked around and it was the guitar that suffered.
Added to this, If you don’t know, I live in Christchurch New Zealand which suffered major earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Since then I have come to the conclusion that if I own a $500 guitar the least I can do is protect it by finding a decent stand and wall mount. This has proved a wise choice as we still get many shakes and the stand and wall mount have proved themselves.
Whilst the best place to keep a quality guitar is in a hard case with a dehumidifier, it doesn’t make it easily accessible. So having the guitar on a stand is good idea and also a visual reminder of not only how beautiful the instrument is but how great it is to play, so keep it where you can see it, it is good for your mental health.
However there are many different qualities of guitar stand and whilst I wanted one that looked good it also has to be practical and sturdy.
Why I Chose The Hercules Stand & Wall Mount
For me, the Hercules stand and wall mount are the Goldilocks option. They aren’t too expensive but they aren’t too cheap. They maybe don’t have all the flashy design of the $200 stands but they are dramatically better than the cheapo entry-level stands and mounts. They have exceptional stability because they are well built and also feature an awesome auto yoke system (a grip to
Comparing the Hercules offerings to cheaper entry-level stands and mounts, there are some obvious differences. The first thing you will notice is that they look more high end, and once you put your guitar on them you’ll notice how much more solid they are.
The Hercules Stand is extremely sturdy and weighs in at 1.8kg which is on the heavier side for a stand but when
I love the way the Hercules stand and mount go about securing the headstock of the guitar. On cheap stands this is often missing or flimsy and wears out quickly or fails to secure your guitar if it gets a slight knock. Not so on the Hercules.
They have an auto-grip yoke which instantly grips under the headstock of your guitar when it feel the weight resting in it. Not only does it look cool and is quick but it also means you only have to use one hand when placing the guitar and it secures it extremely well.
I also like the feel of the Hercules products. They have specially formulated foam rubber on all the contact points that will not affect the finish on your guitar.
One of the faults on the older models of the Hercules stand and wall mount was that the rubber went sticky over time. This newer model (GS 414B plus)
Many cheaper stands have a foldable yoke and this is a common failure. This particular Hercules stand doesn’t have a foldable yoke and has fewer working parts that the cheaper alternatives so there is less chance of failure.
The stand is not perfect, however. I don’t like the fact that there isn’t a support that wraps around the bottom of the guitar. I have read that others felt like this but in all honesty it hasn’t proved an issue to date and this is in some earthquakes up to a 5 on the Richter scale.
What also isn’t mentioned enough is that these Hercules products come with a lifetime warranty so you can just contact your local distributor or where you bought the guitar from which is easily found on their website and they will take care of the problem for you.
I considered several other stands and wall mounts when I bought, but I like that the stand has an push button grip for adjusting the height to suit your guitar and that it can grip many different thicknesses of guitar neck so I am future proofing myself. It can hold neck sizes from 1.10 inches up to 2.05 inches whereas cheaper alternative don’t have this range with the same level of support. Because of this I felt comfortable buying both the wall mount and stand at Amazon.
Features To Look For In A Guitar Stand
- Sturdy
- Secures the guitar against small knocks
- Soft supports
- Materials that do not damage the finish of the guitar
- Strong working parts
- Small number of working parts
- Height adjustable
- Width adjustable (guitars come in many different shapes and sizes)
