Recommend Mandolin Stand [Archive]

Capt. E

Nov-14-2008, 8:09am

I have a stand made by Hamilton that I really like. It is actually a guitar stand and the height can be adjusted. It is a great mandolin stand at it's lowest position. The instrument hangs like on a wall bracket, leaning backwards with the bottom back edge of the body resting against two rubber padded rods. Very secure and very portable as well.

steve V. johnson

Nov-14-2008, 9:25am

I've used a lot of 'em and had mishaps of various sorts. A bandmate was given a couple of
Hercules stands last Xmas

http://www.herculesstands.com/guitars/floorstands.html

And they seem to be very secure at standing and holding instruments in lots of conditions.

stv

Ignatius

Nov-15-2008, 9:10pm

My personal preference is the Ingles Violin stand, portable, sturdy and available from International Violin (http://www.internationalviolin.com/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=7200) (and others I'm sure)
+1 on the Ingles stands. They also work without the neck rest, which is removable if one prefers them that way. These are very sturdy, very steady, and seem very much finish-friendly as far as I can tell. Also, with two active cats running around the house and regularly checking out anything remotely accessible to them, I have yet to have my mando knocked over while it was on the Ingles stand.

Ignatius

EdSherry

Nov-16-2008, 12:26am

After years of experimenting with virtually everything out there, I only use the Hamilton "hanger" KB-38 stands on stage, though they're a bit "tall" for mandolins:

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/KB38.htm

Like other posters, I like the Ingles Violin stand a lot for around the house, but I'm personally not a fan or using it for gigs. I find them a bit too low, and I don't like relying on cross-pieces to prevent knocking the instrument over. Of course, YMMV.

I settled on the Hamiltons because I frequently carry multiple instruments (guitar, mando, banjo, OM, and sometimes Dobro) and I wanted something that would work well for everything.

If you're using a mic stand, I like the K&M holder that attaches to the stand:

http://www.yoursoundsource.com/k-and-m-155.html

Miked

Nov-16-2008, 4:58pm

I got a Meisel stand at Elderly. It fits the bill for portable and it even has a bow holder.:grin:

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/VS10.htm

Pastor Bill Pawlyshyn

Dec-09-2008, 4:27pm

commercial music stands are great and as long as they 'fit' the instrument, they should last forever. Just as a side note I have a music stand from 1957 and it still works; a bit rusted, but still functional and the design is still sold today . . .anyway, one day I was looking at a frame holding up a painting - you know those little stands you put on your table or dresser . . the idea came to build one . . . needless to say, I have a very nice wooden stand (which folds) for home (with padded felt to protect my mando!! For travel, durability is essential as ignatius and edsherry notes. If you are a multiple instrument preformer a good general use stand is best.

Mike Bunting

Dec-09-2008, 6:34pm

I like the Ingles.

Tim2723

Dec-09-2008, 8:44pm

Another Hamilton KB-38 fan here. Holds any instrument and is quite stable.

Things I look for in a stand:

Three feet. Tripods are stable. Four feet can wobble.

A yoke that holds the instrument by the neck. A-frame stands that depend on the friction of a rubber pad agianst the back of the instrument have caused me problems. YMMV.

No removable parts. Those stands with the removable fork are a pain. A stand should be one piece and fold compactly.

No powder coating. That looks cool for about a week of hard use, then they look like Tobacco Road. I like hard chrome.

The only one I've found that fits all that is the KB-38.

Philphool

Dec-09-2008, 9:06pm

Another Hamilton KB-38 fan here. Holds any instrument and is quite stable.
...

Hamilton
My favorite for 20 years, & I've tried lots.

Michael Cameron

Dec-09-2008, 9:20pm

Once I used the Hamilton KB-38 I quit looking. I have several;just because.

c

Tim2723

Dec-09-2008, 9:42pm

Hamilton
My favorite for 20 years, & I've tried lots.

I have a Hamilton heavy duty music stand (the kind with the folding legs and solid desk) that's been in constant service for, believe it or not, 30+ years! And not sitting in the living room either. On the road bouncing around the van. Nothing is built like a Hamilton, and their gear is just as solid today as they were back then.

Ted Eschliman

Dec-10-2008, 4:44am

I have several Ingles stands (SA20) I favor at home, but on stage these are too low, and with a cord coming out of the endpin jack plugged in, simply won't sit on the floor properly. The answer is a Comfort Cradle CC04 violin attachment that clamps to the music (or mic) stand:

http://jazzmando.com/new/archives/images/mandostands.jpg

shadco

Dec-10-2008, 7:42am

I have an Ingles and a Hercules.

The Hercules sits in the corner collecting dust

GeeNorm

Dec-10-2008, 4:01pm

Timely post, hope you don't mind that I piggy backed. I ordered an Ingles.

Thanks to all,
Norman

Weagle

Dec-10-2008, 4:12pm

I do not mean to sound like a smarty when I say this but I have a lot of guitar stands around the house but no mandolin stands. Mandolin stands just do not seem to stay on the Weagle radar real well. Had one but gave it away after I about walked through it and my mandolin one night.

I like the "put it back in the case after playing method best." Sorry I am off the subject but felt the point needed to be made for the easily disoriented folks. LOL.

Weagle

Paul Kotapish

Dec-10-2008, 4:20pm

I'm with Ed and Tim on the Hamilton KB-38 stand. I've tried everything, and the KB-38 is the most stable and versatile stand I've found.

I like some of the short violin stands such as the Ingles noted above, but unless I'm sitting down, I find them a hassle to use on stage. And as Ed noted, I can adjust the KB-38 to work with any of my instruments.

http://elderly.com/images/accessories/ACC/KB38.jpg

And I agree that the plain chrome are better than the black powder-coated ones. I like the look of the black, but the chrome is more road worthy.

Tim2723

Dec-10-2008, 4:26pm

It's true that an instrument is much safer in its case, but you've touched on another superiority of the KB-38. It holds the mandolin up high. The headstock is at about waist level (well, my waist) which makes it far less likely to walk into and nearly impossible step on. The Ingles and the A-frame types are too low to the ground for my tastes. And no, I'm not really short, I use the stand slightly extended for mando. All the down for uke, up a few inches for mando, a bit more for banjo, and all the way up for guitar.

Jim MacDaniel

Dec-10-2008, 4:32pm

I like the Ingles as well. Since I play seated and unplugged, it serves my needs very well.

Weagle

Dec-10-2008, 5:10pm

You have my interest on the K-38. That was the earlier problem, the mandolin was just low and easy to get into. I am 6'3" tall so the K-38 might be tall enough for me to notice. The base of the k-38 looks sturdy also.

Thanks a Bunch!!!!

Weagle

Philphool

Dec-10-2008, 5:30pm

Just for completeness, I'll say that I DID add a little pad around the adjustment knob of the KB-38 just to be sure the mando has a soft place to bump into.

jeff_75

Dec-10-2008, 6:03pm

I've always avoided the KB-38 for the sole reason that it always looked like it would hold the mandolin too high, and the mando would be bumping against the main post rather than the padding/rubber at the bottom. (Although I have admittedly never tried it). So Philphool, your post now has me wondering. Is the stand really to tall for a mandolin and do you have to add some sort of padding to it?

My solution has been a Genesis GS-100 (http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ultimate-Support-Support-GS100-Single-Guitar-Stand?sku=450561&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26036239) which I dismantled and hacksawed down a few inches to fit a mandolin. The black finish has never bothered me.

I also have one of those little Meisel violin stands. I like the fact that it folds up small enough to almost put in your pocket. But it's very low to the ground, the legs don't seem long enough to provide adequate stability, and most importantly, if you've got any sort of external jack at the tailpiece, it won't fit on the stand. It's fine at the house, but I'd never use it on stage.

The mic-stand attachments seem nice - I've never seen those. Do any of you worry about the mic stand tipping over? Are you using mic stands with the standard round weight-plate type bases, or tripods?

Santiago

Dec-10-2008, 6:07pm

Just bought the Ingles violin stand, and I'm very happy with it.

Gail Hester

Dec-10-2008, 7:38pm

Tim2723

Dec-10-2008, 8:38pm

Just for completeness, I'll say that I DID add a little pad around the adjustment knob of the KB-38 just to be sure the mando has a soft place to bump into.

Hi Phil,

I'm not sure I understand why you've added additional padding. There are two locking knobs. The lower one locks the legs into position (they should form a slight tripod and not just be flat with the ground). The upper knob locks the telescoping section into place and controls the height of the stand. For mandolin it can be fully collapsed or extended about three inches and the back of the mando will still rest on the padded leg braces. Neither of the locking knobs can touch the instrument because they stick out to the side.

The only time I have to do something different is with my bowl back mando. That requires the upper section to be fully collapsed and the mandolin put in the stand 'backwards', with the soundboard facing the stand.

The only way I can imagine a mandolin touching the knob is if you have the upper section fully extended as for a bass guitar. That would leave the mandolin hanging in space. Is that what you're doing?

Tim2723

Dec-10-2008, 8:52pm

The mic-stand attachments seem nice - I've never seen those. Do any of you worry about the mic stand tipping over? Are you using mic stands with the standard round weight-plate type bases, or tripods?

I've tried them long ago, but mine wasn't the model the others are discussing, so maybe my experience isn't relevant.

I was always concerned about the stand tipping, as I used a boom that was already kind of off balance. More importantly, I was concerned that my mandolin was hung right out in front near the audience where they could get at it. The hanger I used also let the mandolin just 'dangle' in mid air. I was never comfortable with that since it could bang into the mic stand.

I used both tripod base and cast iron base stands. Neither gave me a better experience this way.

Rob Gerety

Dec-22-2008, 6:14am

My solution has been a Genesis GS-100 (http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ultimate-Support-Support-GS100-Single-Guitar-Stand?sku=450561&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26036239) which I dismantled and hacksawed down a few inches to fit a mandolin.

I have been using this stand for my guitars for a while now and I really like it a lot. It folds up small and fits in a bag, plus it is simple without a lot of moving parts and no yoke for my straps and chords to get stuck in. It is very well made, simple and rugged. I prefer it over all other stands on the market by a wide margin.

I also use this stand for mando some just by fitting the pole with some foam pipe insulation and letting the back of the mando rest against that. Works pretty good. But I like your idea of cutting down the vertical riser so you can lower the hanger enough to allow the back of the mando - could you explain in a bit more detail how you disassembled the stand? I'd like to try that approach.

cwtwang

Dec-22-2008, 6:49am

A member of my band who plays banjo, guitar, mandolin, and dobro (and yes, he plays them all VERY well) has the tall Hercules tri-instrument stands in a mock wood finish and they not only look great, they are very functional and you don't have to bend over to pick up your instruments. When I buy a new stand, I will get one of these. They are also available in single instrument versions, of course.

Cheryl:mandosmiley:

Michael Cameron

Dec-22-2008, 2:50pm

I've posted this before but these Hercules French Horn stands are still our favorites for any mandolin or mandola. They are very sturdy on stage and can withstand wind and getting bumped into without spilling the mandolin. They are very compact as well.

These look pretty cool.
Cheaper than some of the other stringed instrument stands. Very compact/simple.
Thanks,Gail! I may try one of these "french" horn stands before they figure out mandolinists are using them.

Gail Hester

Dec-22-2008, 6:58pm

Thanks Michael. It's strange but the French Horn version is cheaper than the guitar version which is similar. The FH version is more adjustable as you can snug the supports to fit any mandolin body shape. It's the only stand that I'm comfortable displaying mandolins on a shaky table.

f5loar

Dec-22-2008, 8:03pm

how much are the french horn stands? Chrome or black only?

Gail Hester

Dec-22-2008, 8:27pm

Tom, the guitar version is $33 and the FH version is $24, black only.

mandozilla

Dec-22-2008, 8:53pm

Gail, Where can one buy these stands? :grin:

Tim2723

Dec-22-2008, 8:56pm

I'm not trying to be a killjoy, but do be careful of the A-frame type stands, french horn or otherwise, that depend on the friction of a rubber piece to 'grab' the back of the instrument. Rubber has the characteristic of losing it's grip over time. Rubber is not a stable material. Many rubber compounds depend on plasticizing agents that can 'bloom' to the surface as they evaporate away. That piece can eventually become slippery and you can find your mandolin sliding sideways onto the floor when you least expect it. They are great when they're new, but watch out as they age.

Gail Hester

Dec-22-2008, 10:37pm

Tim, I know what you're saying in terms of some of the old style guitar tripod stands and that's why I like the one I posted. The function of the Hercules French Horn stands has nothing to do with friction and would work fine if you removed all of the rubber pads, you'd just have to be a little more careful.

PhilGE

Dec-23-2008, 3:30am

Hi, Mike. Here's another vote for the Hercules brand stands. I have two of the Hercules GS401B (http://www.herculesstands.com/guitars/GS401B.html) stands and really like them. I bought this version to fit both my mandolin and (now gone) octave mandolin. I'm sure it will handle my (future) mandocello.

-Phil

Santiago

Dec-23-2008, 1:44pm

Give me that Ingles Violin stand any day. It's solid, it's sturdy, it locks the instrument in place.

woodwizard

Dec-23-2008, 2:25pm

I have an Ingles violin stand I'm using (it works fine) but I'm really liking the look & function of the Hercules. Looks more stable to me. May just have to get one of those. I like the price of them.

cudofcow

Dec-29-2008, 1:32pm

I have a Talon stand that i love. They're pretty cheap at 17 bucks. They're more suited for an A style mandolin, but my F style fits in it nicely if you squeeze it closed just a little bit
http://elderly.com/images/accessories/ACC/TAL1_sm_.jpg

Philphool

Dec-29-2008, 4:26pm

Hi Phil,
I'm not sure I understand why you've added additional padding. There are two locking knobs. T...For mandolin it can be fully collapsed ....
The only way I can imagine a mandolin touching the knob is if you have the upper section fully extended as for a bass guitar. That would leave the mandolin hanging in space. Is that what you're doing?

===========================
Tim,
Sorry. I lost this thread for several weeks.
Yes, you're correct. I leave the stand extended so that it fits my guitar and so I can reach over from my easy chair & grab the mando over the chair arm.
In this extended position, the back of the mando WILL bump the vertical portion of the stand, NOT the adjustment knob.
So, I just put a piece of soft material (Polar Fleece type stuff, actually) around the shaft at the knob (which gives the fleece a good place to grab onto) so that the mando has a soft pad to touch when I hang it up.
Here's a picture. You can see my hygrometer also. My wife says I just have to "fix" everything.:grin:

Mark Walker

Dec-29-2008, 4:42pm

Angelfire/Jackie Walters just ordered one of the Ingles-type violin stands, but said they're on back-order.
I'll also cast my vote for the Herculese (http://www.herculesstands.com/guitars/GS402B.html) stands - though I've been using the 'electric' guitar stand (shown in the URL), which has the smaller bottom racks that a mandolin fits in quite nicely! :)

Tim2723

Dec-30-2008, 8:08am

Hi again Phil,

That makes sense. I see that you have what looks like cable ties on the padding. What's that do? (Always looking for new ideas!)

Philphool

Dec-30-2008, 5:35pm

The "cable ties" are just some string wound around the padding for reinforcement. I've had the stand for so long (decades) that I replaced the pads with some tubing from another company several years ago. The tubing was a little too tight and ended up splitting a little, so I reinforced it with string. It's held up well for several years now.

You can also see the ends of some plastic tubing tied in the crotch of the hanger, just to make sure that there's something soft EVERYWHERE the mando could touch, even though it really can't touch there. (Call me paranoid.)

I should probably just make a project out of covering the whole thing with chamois sometime.
(Did I mention that my wife says I just HAVE to fix EVERYTHING?):redface:

Tim2723

Dec-31-2008, 1:11am

Does anyone have a wife that doesn't want everything fixed?? :)) Thanks Phil!

PhilGE

Jan-10-2009, 4:02pm

Digging this out of my archives, I've updated the photos a bit for this "Mandolin Hanger (http://homepage.mac.com/philg2/mandohanger.html)." Actually, you could probably use it for many stringed instruments. It's fairly simple to build and does a fine job. Like any other stand/hanger, if somebody smacks it, there's nothing to keep it from falling. That's just the facts o' life!

The nice thing about this hanger is how you can leave it in place and use it to quickly place your instrument up off the floor and out of the way of most traffic.

Below is one photo of the hanger "in action."

-Phil

kjell

Jan-10-2009, 5:06pm

Hanging++. I have a much simpler setup, two nails pounded into a loft overhang the same distance apart as Phil's shelf hanger. Covered with athletic tape 'padding,' which has worked surprisingly well. Next to that I have a violin hanging from a deeply–bend length of cord in anchored to the same overhang with nails.

foldedpath

Jan-11-2009, 12:27pm

The shelf hanger Phil posted reminded me of the "Pub Prop," used by some Irish session players (although opinion seems to be mixed on how well it works): Pub Prop hanger (http://www.highlystrung.net/acatalog/Pub_prop.html)

I've been using the Hercules violin stand with the auto-grab thingie, which makes it easy to place or remove with one hand. It's low to the ground, but I usually play seated. It's compact enough to fold down and fit underneath the handle on a TraveLite case, so I don't need an extra hand to carry it with the mandolin. My S.O. has a couple of the Ingles stands mentioned here for her fiddles. They're very stable, but don't fold down as small as the Hercules. So we've been using the Ingles stands as "house stands" for visitors, and we use the Hercs for playing out.

Has anyone tried one of these "Last Stand" floor rests for holding several instruments?

The Last Stand multi-instrument floor stand (Elderly) (http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/LST3.htm)

Soon I'm going to need a way to keep mandolin, guitar, and octave mando within reach from a seated position. Hercules makes an auto-grab stand for three instruments arranged around the center shaft, but it looks like it wouldn't be easy to reach the instrument on the far side, and it takes up a lot of floor space compared to this Last Stand thing. But I'm not sure how well it would handle odd shapes like the octave mandolin. Looks like it might be a little dicey getting instruments in and out, without banging against each other.

Tim2723

Jan-11-2009, 1:04pm

I used a four-place Last Stand for a couple of years. It's a good sturdy thing, but heavy and bulky to carry, as it doesn't fold up. It's very stable though, as it has no moving parts. If you get one be sure to get the special adapters that accomodate thin body instruments like mandolins. Without the adapter the angle is all wrong. I used it for guitar, banjo, mandolin and electric bass. Takes up practically no floor space compared to other models, but it is one of the kind that depends on the friction of rubber against the instrument to keep everything in order. I don't especially like that, but the Last Stand has an unusually large rubber surface so it works very well.

Also, don't let it get wet, it will rust. That was the end of mine.

I've also used a couple of those 'triple stands' like you mentioned. Good for the stage, not for the pub, IMO.

PhilGE

Jan-11-2009, 1:08pm

Thanks for reminding me about the Pub Prop. That's what originally inspired the shelf/table hanger. It was a way of getting instruments up and out of harm's way quickly and conveniently when the case was in another room. Most days, our uke hangs there, ready for the kids to bang away at will.

Michael Butler

Jan-11-2009, 2:25pm

I purchased the Ingles violin stand and it is terrific. Sturdy, well made and nice construction. :mandosmiley:

Rob Gerety

Jan-12-2009, 6:28pm

After seeing the picture above of the Swing Thing mic stand mando/violin hanger I had an idea - instead of using it on a mic stand which does put it right out there in harms way - I mounted it to my Ultimate GS 100 guitar stand. Works really well and you end up with a combo guitar/mando stand in one compact foldable unit. Very solid.

herbsandspices

Jan-12-2009, 10:49pm

I use a "String Swing" 3WAY (https://www.stringswing.com/products/product_info.php?product_id=110&ref_category=5), to hold my mandolin, ukulele, and guitar. Super sturdy, and made in USA. The only thing you have to figure out is how to adjust the height of each instrument hanger, to have them rest against the padded legs.

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/6518/3waybb1.jpg
(not my instruments, obviously!)

My band uses two of them for gigs (and practice, for that matter!)... they're invaluable.

john

Doug Edwards

Jan-14-2009, 6:16am

I have an Ingles which works great for my fiddle and mandolin as well. I also use some of the ones I've built.

Tim2723

Jan-14-2009, 8:58am

Doug, as beautiful as those are - and they ARE beautiful! - I wouldn't want one on stage. At home where things are on display, you betcha, but I couldn't bear to scratch that up bouncing it around the countryside.

Dispite it's beauty, it still lacks the inherant stability of a tripod base, and it's still an A-frame stand. I've just had too many instruments bite the dust as they fell sideways out of an A-frame, and four feet are wobbly on an uneven surface. Put a yoke on the top to craddle the neck securely and I'd love one of those!