mate stubb Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 I have a stand design I have used for over 20 years, that I have been meaning to post about. My current rig reconfiguration has caused me to mod it again, so here is some blather. It is built mostly from a USS Apache 3 tier A frame I bought and used in the mid 80s. All the tubes, thumbscrews, and joints are original. I've added my own pieces over the years, and it's become an erector set. When I make a new rig I move a few rubber bumpers, and maybe cut a few different length pieces to make it fit exactly. The basic stand has an H leg with a single top tube and a braced X back, removeable with wing nuts. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/basic_stand.jpg When I want a rig for standing, I substitute in longer legs. That takes no tools, just thumbscrews. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/tall_stand.jpg It breaks down partially for quick load out in less than 30 seconds. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/half_broken_down.jpg And it breaks down completely for carrying in a bag in another 60 seconds. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/broken_down.jpg The 2 extra T connectors on the back are put on when I am building a 2 tier stand. A short pair of tube stubs stand in those. They are cut to length to be the same height as the top surface of the bottom keyboard, whatever that is. Usually I build a very thin wooden tray with rubber underneath, that stands on those stubs and the back of the keyboard's top surface. On this project, I am trying something a little different, so they are tilted outward slightly. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/stubs.jpg This time, they will hold up a pair of H beam rails. The project goal is to mount a Nord on top of the Mojo, both of which have lots of controls on top, which complicates things. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/rails.jpg Why rails? I'm going to try to get a little tricky, and be able to easily move the Nord forward for piano centric activity. Stay tuned for updates... http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/mojo_rails_on.jpg Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledunc Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Very nice. I've always been a fan of using the top of the bottom keyboard to help support the 2nd tier - leftover from the days of big keyboards with flat tops that served as the 2nd tier. I noticed the pedal board in the back of photo #1. Love those left-footed volume pedals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 The ability to slide the top board forward and back is a VERY novel idea and takes care of the issues of acces to lower tier controls. Quote Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveCoscia Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Is that a Chroma in the background of the second photo? Quote Steve Coscia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markyboard Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Good job Moe. Over the years I've been using USS parts to make custom stand configurations. They are extremely versatile. I was very disappointed when USS stopped selling their various connectors and raw pipes. Fortunately a couple of years ago I found someone on ebay selling a lot of parts and bought them. Looking around my room I'm now down to only one table-top riser but when I do change things up I know I can put together just about anything to suit my needs with these parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahinty Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Ace. I look forward to the next instalment. The sliding rails are a master stroke! Quote My blog Nord Electro 2 | microKorg | Casiotone MT-65 | Hammond XB-2 | Korg Electribe-R ER-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 Is that a Chroma in the background of the second photo? Yep. Bought my baby new in 1982 and gigged it hard for years. This used to be my avatar pic. http://hotrodmotm.com/images/gallery/chroma_expander.jpg Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 I cut some simple wedges to try the concept, and it appears to work. It's a shame that you can't have it all and must instead trade reach for button access. Piano forward: http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/nord_forward.jpg Drawbars accessible - this would be my go to position if I had access to percussion and chorus vib. Piano is still playable from this position. Hmmm, need to move some controls down... http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/nord_dbs.jpg All the way back - piano is too far back to comfortably play sitting down. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/nord_back.jpg Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 That's about the only configuration that is useful for those gawd-awful USS stands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 Got construction finished tonight, and the pieces are ready to paint. It works as I hoped, so I'm looking forward to trying it with the band. I built a wedge from oak and fastened an aluminum bracket to it. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/bracket.jpg The wedge on it's bobsled run: http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/bracket_on.jpg I added some adhesive backed felt to protect everything. http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/felt.jpg In action: http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/mounted_back.jpg http://www.hotrodmotm.com/images/stand/mounted_mid.jpg Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 So are the wood blocks just sitting on the "arms"? Is that the part that slides? Can you just lift it off. Quote Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledunc Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 That is a really cool contraption. It's a little late now, but what if you were to mount the Nord on a couple of heavy duty rolling drawer tracks, so you could pull it forward with a flick of your wrist and then shove it back when you need more organ controls? Or does it already slide easily in the track you've built? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 The blocks just sit in the rails. You can easily move it with one hand in the middle, but it has enough friction to stay in place. Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledunc Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Very nice. Your rig has inspired me to modify my second tier when my new keyboard arrives. I won't be using drawer tracks, but I will be using some of that heavy flat aluminum to extend the top keyboard closer. It's an electro 3 so it's pretty light. Do you get the adhesive-backed felt at places like Home Depot? I never noticed it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 I bought the felt in 9" x 12" sheets at Hobby Lobby. Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 does the 2nd tier wood wedge fasten to the slide rail, or is it just sitting on top loose? I guess why does it need too, right? You REALLY got my wheels turning with that top tier slide Quote -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 The top rail has sides - it's hard to see from the pics. So the wedge sits INSIDE and can't fall off the rail. It's held down by the top board's weight. Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 yeah I see it... its like 'H' rail Quote -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.J. Lewis Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Moe, someday, I'd just like to come hang out at your shop for a day or so and learn stuff. Quote ivorycj Live Rig: Kurzweil Forte 7 driving MacBook Pro M1Max w/64GB RAM | Korg Kronos 2 73 | Roland RD-64 Studio Rig: Yamaha CP88 driving same MBP | Roland D-70 | Synth Spa Roland Juno-106 | Yamaha DX7IIFD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedKey Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Moe, someday, I'd just like to come hang out at your shop for a day or so and learn stuff. This! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Moe, someday, I'd just like to come hang out at your shop for a day or so and learn stuff. This! Me too! I'll bring the beer. Tom Quote "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Åslund Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Damn - the sliding top tier is a great idea! I'm doing the same thing at home - sliding the top board back and forth on my Standtastic to access the panel of the lower board. But this looks so much nicer! Quote Too much stuff, too little time, too few gigs, should spend more time practicing...! 🙄 main instruments: Nord Stage 3 compact, Yamaha CP88, Kurzweil PC4, Viscount KeyB Legend Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 Moe, someday, I'd just like to come hang out at your shop for a day or so and learn stuff. This! Me too! I'll bring the beer. Tom http://www.germanbrewers.com/img/content/mitgliederprofile/produkte-dinkelacker.jpg Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Moe, that is awesome!! One question: have you thought about some type of cap/cover for the rails out front? I could see myself slicing my hand up when I get overly enthusiastic. Quote David Gig Rig:Roland Fantom 08 | Roland Jupiter 80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormfront Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Great job. Stain the wooden wedges to match the Mojo!! Pete Quote "all generalizations are false" ~Mark Twain Kurzweil K2000, ME-1 and (2)PC3, Casio PX-350 AND PX-360, EV sXa 360 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahinty Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Not wanting to de-rail Moe's thread, but have you seen this quite beautiful stand designed for Mikael Jorgensen of Wilco, by furniture makers UM Project http://umproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/EVENT-PAGE-wilco.jpg It highlights, once again, that we have been poorly served in the stand department. No disrespect intended, Moe - your stand is beautiful too. Good on you for not putting up with the mediocrity of the off the shelf options. Quote My blog Nord Electro 2 | microKorg | Casiotone MT-65 | Hammond XB-2 | Korg Electribe-R ER-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanC Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Not wanting to de-rail Moe's thread, but have you seen this quite beautiful stand designed for Mikael Jorgensen of Wilco, by furniture makers UM Project http://umproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/EVENT-PAGE-wilco.jpg It highlights, once again, that we have been poorly served in the stand department. No disrespect intended, Moe - your stand is beautiful too. Good on you for not putting up with the mediocrity of the off the shelf options. Really?? Sorry, don't mean to offend, but that's uglier than the DGX640 in the other thread! Quote Stan Gig Rig: Yamaha S90 XS; Hammond SK-1; Rehearsal: Yamaha MOX8 Korg Triton Le61, Yamaha S90, Hammond XK-1 Retired: Hammond M2/Leslie 145, Wurly 200, Ensoniq VFX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted July 3, 2013 Author Share Posted July 3, 2013 I'm not offended - was hoping others would chime in with "out of the box" thinking on their own stand designs! Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanC Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Well I don't know if this qualifies as "Stand Design". it's really a modification by adding a custom second tier to a W550. View it here http://www.thedriveband.net/. The 550 is barely visible. The second tier supporting the XK-1 is 1" square aluminum bar stock in the form of a sideways "F" screwed to the 550. Of course it's not adjustable, but unless I get taller or shorter, I don't need it to be. Quote Stan Gig Rig: Yamaha S90 XS; Hammond SK-1; Rehearsal: Yamaha MOX8 Korg Triton Le61, Yamaha S90, Hammond XK-1 Retired: Hammond M2/Leslie 145, Wurly 200, Ensoniq VFX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldwin Funster Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Here my stand. Not as cool as the other ones here, but neither am I . http://soupboneoriginals.com/stbk.jpg http://soupboneoriginals.com/stfr.jpg Quote FunMachine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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