Planet Waves Headstand

[John Flynn]

I bought one of these from Elderly on a whim. I find I really like it for changing mando strings. I used to put a thick paperback book under the neck, but the neck would slide around. It really holds the neck steady and it folds up to about the size of a screwdriver handle.
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/PWHDS.htm

[mandowood]

I, too, have one of these, and it has been great! I can use it for my guitar and mandolin and it fits in either case. I just picked up planet waves' string winder which also fits both guitar and mandolin.

[Tom C]

I can't think of any other way of stringing my mando other than on my lap. I do not see how this item can help.

[mandowood]

I work at the kitchen table just fine. I lay down a mat and set up the headstand and it's just like my repair guy's shop- without all the fun toys and gadgets!

[glauber]

I've been curious about this item but i don't understand how it helps (or how it works, really). I usually hold the mandolin or guitar on my lap when restringing and put it on a table when i'm picking up the new strings or disposing of the old ones.

[John Flynn]

I re-string on a wooden table. I put a folded towel under the body of the instrument to protect it. I put the neck in the Headstand and it holds the neck steady and off the table for the whole stringing operation. I also use an electric screwdriver with a string winder attachment. I have re-strung in my lap also, but I find it easier and quicker to do it this way. It's personal preference. The Headstand is handy for people who re-string on a table and want a cheap, portable neck rest. Luthiers generally use some sort of a neck rest. I doubt that many of them use thier lap.

[jmkatcher]

I love mine too, especially with the electric mandolin which is very heavy. It's hard for me to rapidly do all eight strings in a row so I can take my time and do it right once everything is positioned properly with the aid of the headstand.

[glauber]

Ah, i see it now. If i used an electric winder, i'd be in the poorhouse due to too many broken strings! I do use a manual kind of string winder (Planet Waves) to unwind the old strings, then i pre-wind the new strings and bring up to tune by hand. I do it on my lap because i can change strings while watching TV. I'll get a headstand next time i order from juststrings, and try the table top method; it should be cleaner and safer for the instrument.

[Scotti Adams]

I use my lap as well..plus I can carry it with me any where and not worry about a place to store it

[Dru Lee Parsec]

I use one of these



Then I stick on e of these in my cordless electric drill


and I'm done in about 5 minutes or so.

[otterly2k]

I've used a "rock-n-roller" neckrest when working on guitars...(see stewmac catalog) haven't tried it with a mando yet. Have mostly worked with the mando on a towel on a table.

[CHPorter]

BEWARE!!!!!!
The Headstand is a nice tool, but if you buy one of these you MUST double check that the v neck of your mandolin does not sink too far into the V of this tool. I found that mine does, to the tune of about a half inch of finish scraped on the back of the neck of my Pomeroy F4 behind the first fret. ARGGGGGHHHHH.

I bought mine for guitar use and ALWAYS put a polishing cloth over it just for a little protection, on both mando and guitar. One day for some reason I didn't drape the cloth over the pads and found a bit later to my chagrin that the neck had contacted the unpadded plastic of the hinge down in the Vee between the pads and the movement of changing strings was enough to scrape a tiny bit of finish off the neck. Luckily I don't touch that area too much while playing or it would have driven me even more NUTS.

Therefore: A word to the wise: this is a helpful tool but always drape with a polishing cloth or the like.

Craig

[jmkatcher]

Thanks for that bit of advice! I never thought about that and a quick trial shows that I don't have much leeway between the neck bottom and the hinge bits between the pads.

[Steven Stone]

I had an early headstand that left several DEEP gouges in my Wiens F-5 neck up by the nut.ANd my Wiens has a big neck. MOSt amndos will be damaged by this tool.

I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMEND AGAINST USING ONE FOR MANDOS!!!!!!