New stand ruins finish

[chipotle]

I just received some floor stands I purchased for the great price of $5.00 each. However they had a tag attached that states "Not recommended for guitars with nitro cellulous lacquer finish. The material of foam might cause unexpected chemical reaction that may deteriorate the finish." Glad they came with a warning!

I guess I will keep them but I wonder what else I can cover the metal tubing with that will be ok for the finish on my mandolin and my daughters guitar. I do have some black duct tape but I am looking for something more aesthetically pleasing. Surgical tubing maybe? Some different inert foam? Anybody have any ideas?

[Bertram Henze]

Before there were any synthetic materials, padding was made out of cork. Might give it a vintage look?

[Ivan Kelsall]

I bought some soft leather ''off-cuts'' from a local craft store & covered the offending parts of my instrument stands. I used double sided adhesive tape so that there was no liquid adhesive that could possibly bleed through. Bertram's idea of cork is very sound,as cork is about as inert a natural material as you'll find. It reacts with 'not much',
Ivan

[Brent Hutto]

An old cotton sock over each contact pad.

[Bertram Henze]

An old cotton sock over each contact pad.

right, if these are "more aesthetically pleasing" (OP) than black duct tape, I guess woollen mittens would do, too

...or a couple of these:

[grassrootphilosopher]

Pieces from a garden hose do the trick. (Instrument straps can be equally desastrous. They do not say that their material may harm the finish)

[Brent Hutto]

I'd think 'most anything is more visually pleasing than gaffer's tape. But what do I know, I think A-style mandolins are more aesthetically pleasing and F-styles...

[Tim2723]

I'm amazed that there was a warning. That's the first time I've heard of that. I thought this was going to be another "I bought the $5 stand and wrecked my finish" thread.

[Bertram Henze]

I'd think 'most anything is more visually pleasing than gaffer's tape.

Agree. I may be over-interpreting the OP's point in understanding that he wants some solid solution that looks at least as professionally factory-made as the stand itself; OTOH I don't know what the stand actually looks like, for $5. Can't rule out that socks may be an improvement.

When I practise at home, I tend to just park my OM in one corner of a white leather sofa (my recommended mando stand, but more than $5)

[MikeEdgerton]

The problem of vinyl and lacquer comes up from time to time and I always post this link to Frank Ford's article on his website www.frets.com that discusses the danger on vinyl contacting the lacquer on your instrument. I'd be very careful with garden hose and certain tapes as well because they might be vinyl as well and they will have the same effect. Cotton or wool felt or leather is a better choice.

[zookster]

You can buy black pipe insulating foam at most hardware stores. It comes with a skit so you can slip it over the pipe (usually 3/4" or 1" diameter) and can be easily cut to any length.

[Ed Goist]

Before there were any synthetic materials, padding was made out of cork. Might give it a vintage look?

I love the cork idea! Vintage looks and high functionality.

[Steve Ostrander]

My guitar stands came with latex surgical tubing. The old-fashioned orangey-brown kind. Never had any problems from it.

[250sc]

Does anyone know the best place to buy latex tubing? (My cat chewed the tubing off my stand.)

[Brent Hutto]

Does anyone know the best place to buy latex tubing? (My cat chewed the tubing off my stand.)

No, but I have some old socks in my bottom dresser drawer I can hook you up with!

[TonyP]

I'd stay away from latex. I've seen what it does to finishes. It not only ate through the lacquer, it went after the wood. When you look at what was it was developed for, short term use, then dispose of, I never understood why it was ever used in a long term way. And yeah, it's fine, until it isn't. Then it turns into this goo you can't get off. Same thing with latex rubber bands.

Cork, felt, leather(if it's been dyed right) and rubber. If the rubber is protected right also. I've been using instrument wax, and Pledge to some success to preserve rubber. I've now gone to "303" aerospace protectant. Seems to work good.

[Randolph]

So far, cork ribbon handlebar tape has served me well. It wraps easily and looks classy, with multiple colors and designs from which to choose. I learned the hard way the effects of various plastic "protectors" on instrument stands.

[250sc]

Cork Handlebar tape is a good idea. I'll give that a try.

[chipotle]

Thanks for all the great responses! I really like the idea of cork or leather. Not socks so much
Cork ribbon seems to be readily available, looks like a great option! Also insulating foam. I would have thought surgical tubing was good but I don't want to risk it.

[GDAE]

Not to rain on the cork parade, but my armrest on my mandolin came with cork on the back and leather on the front. The cork messed up the finish; the leather did not. I've since removed the cork and put leather on the back and have had no further issues.

[EdSherry]

Plush fabric works well. I bought some Hamilton KM-38 "hanger" stands that the previous owner had sewed felt covers onto around the rubber. They sell a "hanger bra" that does the same function:

http://www.theguitarfiles.com/product_id-1980.html

but it doesn't cover the lower tubes on most instrument stands.

[Jason Kessler]

I throw old t-shirts over the entire stand, so that the point where the neck rests is covered, as well as the points where the bottom of the mando rests. Low-tech, but it works.

[Gelsenbury]

I didn't even realise that a stand could mess up my instrument. Is there any way other than the hard way to find out if the materials used in my stand might cause a problem?

I've just left for a holiday, and my mandolin is in its case rather than the stand. Phew!

[Bertram Henze]

...my mandolin is in its case rather than the stand. Phew!

Good on you, that's the safest place anyway.

Apparently, the case lining material is one thing that doesn't hurt finish. Cutting out some of that stuff to cover the stand with would be a proven safety measure based on evidence and sure not to damage anything (except the case, of course).

[Rob Gerety]

I lay a polishing cloth over the hanger area of my stands. Works well to protect the finish and I always have a cloth at hand to wipe down the instrument and strings.