Does anyone have the lightweight K & M Keyboard Stand 18880?

[b3plyr]

Anyone have this stand? Would like to know your experience with it.

[DJkeys]

This stand has been discussed a lot, a search for 18880 will give you all the threads:

 

https://forums.musicplayer.com/search/?q=18880&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=28

 

-dj

[b3plyr]

Thanks much. I have to remember to search before posting! Dave - the pictures really helped!

[kenheeter]

Have it, love it! I've had mine for a long time. I have the second tier arms which I use when I take two keyboards out.  Rock solid, weighs nothing, sets up in 5 seconds. I wouldn't use anything else.

 

[allan_evett]

Great stand! 

 

As long as I check the connectors every few weeks - nuts, screws, etc., it's been rock solid.  Super-light and very quick to set up.  Perfect for tight stages, like the one below.  Somehow seven of us were squeezed onto a stage designed for three or four performers. 

 

 

[mate stubb]

Yup. Modified mine for a wider crossbar to accomodate a wide pedalboard. Stuck wood custom risers in the back tubes for a second tier. Super light weight and transportable.

 

Should it break I would immediately buy another.

[PianoMan51]

This all about schlepping weight. Mine replaced a 17lb Z-stand ten years ago. More than 500 gigs later I’ve modded it for a second tier waterfall board that sits directly on top of main board, spray painted the black back on, attached a mic boom, retightened the bolts every few years. My band mates thought I had bought some cheap, ugly third-world POS, but I would buy another one tomorrow if needed. But I expect this stand to outlast me. 

[kenheeter]

[b3plyr]

2 hours ago, PianoMan51 said:

This all about schlepping weight. Mine replaced a 17lb Z-stand ten years ago. More than 500 gigs later I’ve modded it for a second tier waterfall board that sits directly on top of main board, spray painted the black back on, attached a mic boom, retightened the bolts every few years. My band mates thought I had bought some cheap, ugly third-world POS, but I would buy another one tomorrow if needed. But I expect this stand to outlast me. 

Do you have any pictures of your mods? Would be very interesting to see.

[Al Quinn]

I have one and love it. Lightweight and folds up easy. I never use the crossbar and it still feels stable to me.

[b3plyr]

Thanks all of you. I'm sold! Just ordered one.

[PianoMan51]

19 hours ago, b3plyr said:

Do you have any pictures of your mods? Would be very interesting to see.

Sorry, but my gigs have changed and the mods have been un-modded. 

[dazzjazz]

Hmmm, that stand is a bit ugly with all the concertina-ing stuff in the middle, but it weighs only 3 kg. I might have to put up with that when I finally replace my X stand. 

[Branwell]

11 hours ago, dazzjazz said:

Hmmm, that stand is a bit ugly with all the concertina-ing stuff in the middle, but it weighs only 3 kg. I might have to put up with that when I finally replace my X stand. 

I have never seen one in the wild here in Australia and don’t know why the local K&M distributor hasn’t tried to do anything with this model here. I expect there would be plenty of interest.

[niacin]

I have one, I think I purchased it from Manny's/StoreDJ.

[ajstan]

On 9/5/2022 at 5:58 PM, b3plyr said:

Do you have any pictures of your mods? Would be very interesting to see.

 

17 hours ago, dazzjazz said:

Hmmm, that stand is a bit ugly with all the concertina-ing stuff in the middle, but it weighs only 3 kg. I might have to put up with that when I finally replace my X stand. 

 

I posted a couple pics in this thread where I cut 3" off the second tier arms to reduce the overhang and drilled an extra set of holes so I could set the second tier closer to the lower tier.

 

I am also not a fan of the wide look of the 18880 as it is typically shown online, but I set mine up with the legs only 18" apart so it is more like a pedestal and virtually disappears on stage. 

 

https://forums.musicplayer.com/topic/182870-stay-keyboard-stands/?do=findComment&comment=2911290

[mate stubb]

Here's my mods.

 

- Custom wood 2nd tier pieces with swivel arms and trolleys to allow top board to slide over bottom board controls.

- Elongated center brace which splits in the middle and allows a wider stance.

 

 

[DJkeys]

Here are some pictures of mine.  I did what ajstan did and drilled and extra hole to allow the second tier to go lower, and also cut off 3 inches from the top tier so that it did not protrude over the lower board.  Added weatherstripping and velcro to the top tier, and jury-rigged a mic holder for a boom as well.  Since I always play standing, I only had to adjust it once.  I also do not use the crossbar and set mine up narrowly as well. Easily the best keyboard stand I have ever owned, total cost at Amazon was <$300 and worth every penny.

 

 

[Aidan]

I've owned two of these and advised a choir I'm associated with to buy a third. Unfortunately, they've all suffered the same fate – that scissor action soon gets slightly out of kilter and bends and becomes increasingly difficult to fold in and out. I've not bought a third – I'd go with an 18950. Yes it's a fair bit heavier but bombproof compared with the 18880.

[AnotherScott]

25 minutes ago, Aidan said:

Unfortunately, they've all suffered the same fate – that scissor action soon gets slightly out of kilter and bends and becomes increasingly difficult to fold in and out.

I'm surprised. I've used it for hundreds of gigs over 10+ years and haven't experienced that,  and I do not treat it gingerly.

[mate stubb]

I found that when collapsing my stand, it worked more smoothly if I backed the knobs off a couple more turns.

[AnotherScott]

7 minutes ago, mate stubb said:

I found that when collapsing my stand, it worked more smoothly if I backed the knobs off a couple more turns.

 

Hmm, it's very possible that I did that, without being very conscious of it.

[mate stubb]

And then be sure to tighten them back up for transport so they don't disappear...

[AnotherScott]

yup... loosening and tightening those 2 knobs is key... but that's practically the entire effort required to assemble/disassemble the stand. I guess one more to loosen/tighten if you use the cross-brace.

[roygBiv]

Love these mods!

I did a variation on matestubs design, very simple and lets you essentially stack your two keys on top of each other.

 

Quick question:  has anyone found a good carrying bag that the K&M 18880 will fit into?  Due to its "square" size, the only thing I can think of would be maybe an artist portfolio, but would love to know if there is anything.

[CowboyNQ]

4 hours ago, AnotherScott said:

 

Hmm, it's very possible that I did that, without being very conscious of it.

Yes I’ve always done this with mine too.  

[dazzjazz]

Perhaps a silly question, but does this stand go low enough for regular seated playing, ie piano height? It looks like it might be a bit higher than that. 
 

also, does the cross-bar get in the way of inputs/outputs on your keyboard?

[NewImprov]

I've had one for about 8 years, and I love it! I'm currently using it with the 2nd tier stacker, I have the 3rd tier set as well but am not currently using them. As other owners have [posted in this thread, you need to loosen the bolts for the scissor joints when tearing down, and then re-tighten them while transporting the stand. I always use the crossbar, I find it is much more stable with it. My only complaint, and it's minor, is that with the crossbar in place, the arms are fixed at about 28.5" width, and some keyboards, like my Sequential Take 5, are narrower. I just use a 34" piece of plywood as a shelf, and it's fine, it even gives me a place to put my iPad on gigs. 

 

Here's a photo of it in action on a gig, with a Crumar Mojo and Take 5:

[Noah DC]

1 hour ago, dazzjazz said:

Perhaps a silly question, but does this stand go low enough for regular seated playing, ie piano height? It looks like it might be a bit higher than that. 
 

also, does the cross-bar get in the way of inputs/outputs on your keyboard?

Yes. Unlike many keyboard stands I’ve encountered (such as the Invisible), the 18880 can actually be played at real piano height. 
 

No, the stand doesn’t get in the way of any inputs. 
 

Honestly, I can see how folks are skeptical this stand would be sturdy enough, but there is really no reason for concern. I’ve put these things through the ringer on a van tour and during dozens of city gigs, and I’ve had no problems whatsoever. It just works.

 

There was a great thread on here with everyone’s 18880 mods, but unfortunately it may have been lost in the mix somehow.

 

FWIW, there are open box 18880s for sale right now at a discount on eBay, reverb, and Amazon.

[niacin]

I cut down the second tier support so that the tier arms just clear the lower keyboard