Home made stand idea

[Stu McHopton]

Watching videos of Tom Petty and looking at the rig of his second keyboardist has me intrigued about doing something like this for a single tier stand. Most of the quality videos are not on You Tube but this one gives you a view from the front:

 

And from the rear:

 

It appears to be a custom carpentered wooden shell with a single desk top inside on which a controller sits. The design with the harp in the center is great and you could get really creative with something like this and create your own visual motif.

 

Has anyone out there tried something like this? I would think to be practical (not having a truck and road crew) you would want to use hinges to fold it for travel and make the desktop removable. Any thoughts or experiences?

[Synthoid]

I made a two-tier keyboard stand out of PVC pipe once.

 

[mate stubb]

I have built many custom stands over the years. Seems like what you describe would be easy to build, if you have some woodworking skills.

 

It's still a big hunk of wood however - will be heavy.

[Joe Muscara]

TPH is a band that's already moving a grand piano, a Hammond, a Leslie, a Wurlitzer, plus all the rest of a national tour, so adding the moving of a wooden shell like the one Scott Thurston is using is no big deal for them.

 

Still, it might be a fun project if you have the skills and time, and the room to load it.

[Joe P]

Stu,

Sorta looks like a Hammond spinnet in a way. I like the way it hides pedals, wires etc. Looks a little too much like a dais for me, though.

 

I've concluded and previously posted that to get a stand exactly the way you want it you either have modify an existing stand or make your own.

 

I have a three tier set up and started with an On Stage heavy duty double X. There isn't a stock part on it anymore. I extended the bottom arms toward me more (using arms from another stand), I lowered the second tier, and the third tier is a custom PVC job.

 

I've entertained making a 3 tier out of wood in the style of the Ultimate Apex. you could get pretty wild with designs. Unfortunately, I have to get a lot of other stuff done first. Of course if you make one, we would love to see it!

 

Regards,

Joe

[Stu McHopton]

Stu,

I like the way it hides pedals, wires etc.

 

That is what attracted me the most. I always find that with most stands there is no way to mask the clutter, or for that matter mask that you are using an axiom p.o.s. controller It also looks like a great way to hide setlists and chord charts and perhaps even a mac or mixer. The audience just sees clean lines.

 

It would surely be heavy but if it could be hinged to fold into itself it might be do-able. I am not handy with woodworking, but do know a couple of carpenters /hobbyists who might be up for it. Time to break out a sketchpad.

[mate stubb]

The problem is that it hides you, too.

[EscapeRocks]

It looks like an old, gutted roll top desk that they added a shelf to.

 

 

[Joe Muscara]

You could hide pedals, cables, etc. more easily with other things, like this.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/34/Adam_MacDougall.jpg/220px-Adam_MacDougall.jpg

[keyman27]

I used something like this for years when I played in a '50s rock band. I had a Korg M1 on an X-stand. I made a fake upright piano case out of plywood. It didn't support the keyboard, but just went around it on 3 sides. It was hinged on each side and folded down flat. I had a lid that sat on top & snugged up the case. I even had a little shelf on the lid that held my piano module.

[EscapeRocks]

I used something like this for years when I played in a '50s rock band. I had a Korg M1 on an X-stand. I made a fake upright piano case out of plywood. It didn't support the keyboard, but just went around it on 3 sides. It was hinged on each side and folded down flat. I had a lid that sat on top & snugged up the case. I even had a little shelf on the lid that held my piano module.

 

That's cool. Do you have any pics? Would love to see it.

[StanC]

The piano player in a local band near me gutted a 5 foot grand and bolted an 88 key piano/synth where the key bed was. (I forget which one; I think it was a Korg). Looks kinda cool, but awful lot a baggage to lug around!

[Ken Beaumont]

Or you could use this:

 

Faux Piano