light single-tier stand, tall edition

[Stokely]

Perhaps not worthy of a thread but I didn't see another general stand thread.

After my recent resort gig I'm thinking I'd like to get a stand that is lighter and easier to carry than the Spider Pro.   It's a problem child on my cart and it's pretty heavy if I want to go to a walk-in-one-trip micro rig.   For certain gigs--like that resort one, where we are background AND it's outdoors with hazards of the elements-- that would be pretty nice, otherwise I bring two keyboards and use my K&M Omega pro.  Speaking of that, I much prefer it to the Spider pro as I don't like playing with column stands vs the more open ones.

I added "tall edition" because that requirement kind of rules out every X stand I've tried--I play standing and none of them are tall enough, plus they get a little tippy at max height.

I'd like to get something with a mic boom adapter capability--both my K&Ms have these, and I have the Onstage adapter that goes into any open tube (used to use this with a Z stand).  I still have my Z but it's my under-desk keyboard stand, and it's really not all that light either.  But it or a new one like it is an option because at least in single tier mode it folds up pretty well.

Kinda wondering about a table-ish stand like this one here:  https://www.amazon.com/Gator-Frameworks-Keyboard-Adjustability-Leveling/dp/B00BMUCRRQ

Not the best-looking (I get lots of compliments on the Spider pro) but it appears to go pretty high and it folds flat.  No mic  boom adapter which saddens me, I know if I have to bring a mic stand it'll always be a potential leave-at-home victim (my boom stays in my main gear case).

 

[ABECK]

The Spider Pro is hilariously heavy.  I'll only use mine on gigs where there is parking right next to the load-in door.

[Stokely]

It is, but my main beef besides it being a column stand in general is that it is round and so wants to slip off if I cart it.   But it's a bird in the hand so to speak, with enough bungees I can make it work   The bag finally ripped as I figured it would, so maybe if I get a good speaker stand bag it would be easier to transport.

[ABECK]

I never went for the bag - I figured it's built like an aircraft carrier, why do I need a bag?   The legs make a nice handle.  Absolutely agree - too heavy to stack on other gear.  Too oddly shaped to stack easily with other gear.  But, damned if I don't get positive comments every time I take it out.

[Stokely]

It's pretty much the only piece of gear, fancy keyboards and player included, that ever gets a compliment about looks   

I have noticed that the legs make it easier to carry than the bag.  I feel like a Men in Black operator carrying it (mine is silver)

[CEB]

This is a standing rig. My K&M accordion stand is ultra lightweight and works great as a one banger.  It is holding the Hammond here.  I’m 5’10” with 29”legs. The stand will rise another 4 holes if memory serves me correctly.  But it’s a K&M so it ain’t cheap. 
 

PS - I think 18880 is the model number

 

[D. Gauss]

i have this and it's pretty solid: then you add the doohickey below to add a mic boom.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Knox-Universal-Portable-Accordion-Adjustable/dp/B0798TYT75/ref=asc_df_B0798TYT75/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312155614707&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8687727160392827215&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003488&hvtargid=pla-583027040779&psc=1

 

[AnotherScott]

I like that Knox stand, and it seems to go pretty high... I currently have one set up to hold a 3rd board above-and-behind a 2-tier stand.When doing weddings, I've often used it for my single-board ceremony/cocktail stand. For my main stand, I usually use a K&M 18880 with a 18881 stacker. It's better than the Knox for being lighter and supporting 2 (or more) tiers, but a lot pricier if you only need one tier. Also, while both the Knox and the K&M collapse flat, the K&M stays at the size of its full height, whereas if that's an issue, it's easy to collapse the height of the Knox and bring it back up when needed.

[El Lobo]

How high does that accordion stand go? it's not clear from the Amazon link. It says both 27" and 28.5" I'm not sure that's tall enough for me to play standing. 

[AnotherScott]

6 minutes ago, El Lobo said:

How high does that accordion stand go? it's not clear from the Amazon link. It says both 27" and 28.5" I'm not sure that's tall enough for me to play standing. 

 

That must be in its lowest/collapsed position. I think I have it set at its highest, it's at about 38" holding up my third board.

[El Lobo]

3 minutes ago, AnotherScott said:

 

That must be in its lowest/collapsed position. I think I have it set at its highest, it's at about 38" holding up my third board.

Excellent! Thank you. At that price and weight, I can't resist getting yet another stand. 😎

[Stokely]

I already own that mic boom adapter, or one just like it.  As long as you have an open tube on your stand, it will tighten up in there and hold the boom.

I own K&M stands and I recommend checking Thomann.  Even with shipping it's the cheapest way for someone in the states to get them.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I really should measure what height I actually need.  The X stands aren't too far off at max height, but it's just enough to be uncomfortable.

The Knox is not my favorite looking stand I've ever seen, but hard to be 39 bucks and portability!  My one concern would be the bottom of that "accordion" brace--how far from the ground is it?  I have a pedalboard that has my monitor mixer(s) on it, and it sits up relatively high due to the wall warts velcroed under it.   It looks like it might hit that brace.

[AnotherScott]

11 minutes ago, Stokely said:

My one concern would be the bottom of that "accordion" brace--how far from the ground is it? 

 

It varies with the width you set it for.

[Stokely]

That makes sense.  For say a 61 key keyboard, any idea of how low it is roughly?   I might just take a flyer on this and see how things go.

[Dave Keys]

I love the Spider Pro. In fact I've got 3! 1 for live, 1 for the studio, and the Baby Spider Pro for sit down gigs. Yes, its a little heavy, but I don't find it unwieldy. My favourite thing about it is the rapid speed at which it can be set up and torn down - and as it's self contained there's no bits you can lose! Also great for uneven surfaces. 

The weight is never a problem as I use a padded On Stage Speaker Stand back for it - just goes over the shoulder.

 

Have you tried the Baby Spider Pro? Quite a bit lighter. 

[EricBarker]

I absolutely LOVED my Spider Pro for about 3 years, and now I hate it. It really depends on your role in the band. When I was mostly doing cover gigs as a background schlub, it was perfect, but it's a great wall to hide behind. The center mic boom attachment is super convenient... and completely blocks your view from the audience. As a frontman in my own band, it's an absolute performance killer. I need to have a good clear view of the audience and all my bandmates, and no matter what direction I turned, that giant column was always blocking something!

I've currently gone back to an X stand, because it's what I had around for rehearsal, and it's working fine. No 2-tier stands right now. I play a PolyD on a second stand to the side. Gives me a much less constricted and open connection to my bandmates and audience. I could imagine doing a very low profile 2-tier setup where the boards are virtually on top of each other. But nothing I have right now allows for that. My Mojo61 is covered in velcro, and I've been known to attach smaller boards like a Seaboard 49 and DeepMind12 to the top of that surface.

I'm sort of on the lookout for a better single-tier stand, but frankly, the double-braced X stand I have is working well. I used to have a very lightweight QuikLok Z-stand that was absolutely wonderful, but they stopped making it years ago  I left it in Hawaii when I moved. Z's always take up a lot of space, no matter how light they are. They look rad and do a great job though. Might get another one.

[D. Gauss]

the other cool thing about that knox stand is that the height adjusts individually for each side.  i.e.  make them uneven and you can use it for a raised tilt-back stand to hold a monitor speaker or keyboard amp.  I also use one to hold my mobile recording rig when i'm hired to record live shows for others.  height dimensions below:

[Stokely]

17 hours ago, EricBarker said:

I absolutely LOVED my Spider Pro for about 3 years, and now I hate it. It really depends on your role in the band. When I was mostly doing cover gigs as a background schlub, it was perfect, but it's a great wall to hide behind. The center mic boom attachment is super convenient... and completely blocks your view from the audience. As a frontman in my own band, it's an absolute performance killer. I need to have a good clear view of the audience and all my bandmates, and no matter what direction I turned, that giant column was always blocking something!

I've currently gone back to an X stand, because it's what I had around for rehearsal, and it's working fine. No 2-tier stands right now. I play a PolyD on a second stand to the side. Gives me a much less constricted and open connection to my bandmates and audience. I could imagine doing a very low profile 2-tier setup where the boards are virtually on top of each other. But nothing I have right now allows for that. My Mojo61 is covered in velcro, and I've been known to attach smaller boards like a Seaboard 49 and DeepMind12 to the top of that surface.

I'm sort of on the lookout for a better single-tier stand, but frankly, the double-braced X stand I have is working well. I used to have a very lightweight QuikLok Z-stand that was absolutely wonderful, but they stopped making it years ago  I left it in Hawaii when I moved. Z's always take up a lot of space, no matter how light they are. They look rad and do a great job though. Might get another one.

This is kind of where I'm at with the Spider Pro.  It's really the tall column blocking me off that is bothering me.  It's why I really like the Omega Pro much better, though two keyboards stacked is always going to wall you off somewhat.   There are some stages we play--5 piece-- that are so tight that I couldn't easily do an "L" is the problem.  There are also songs where I switch hands per keyboard but generally I play the sk pro with the right hand so I could make that work.  Hmmm, food for thought!

I see the Omega Pro as a Z but better (gigged both a lot).  I wish that 2nd tier was easier to remove/put back on, maybe there's some improvement that could be found there over the bolts, washer and nut they supply...  More expensive of course.   Both are heavy but with one tier they fold well and are easy to keep on a cart.

[DJkeys]

26 minutes ago, Stokely said:

This is kind of where I'm at with the Spider Pro.  It's really the tall column blocking me off that is bothering me.  It's why I really like the Omega Pro much better, though two keyboards stacked is always going to wall you off somewhat.   There are some stages we play--5 piece-- that are so tight that I couldn't easily do an "L" is the problem.  There are also songs where I switch hands per keyboard but generally I play the sk pro with the right hand so I could make that work.  Hmmm, food for thought!

I see the Omega Pro as a Z but better (gigged both a lot).  I wish that 2nd tier was easier to remove/put back on, maybe there's some improvement that could be found there over the bolts, washer and nut they supply...  More expensive of course.   Both are heavy but with one tier they fold well and are easy to keep on a cart.

Years ago, I ordered the Baby Spider Pro for this reason.  I am 5'8" and hated that tall column.  I purchased an extra set of arms and did a bunch of mods to it.  Worked great for years.  Last year I sold it and bought the K&M 18880 and 18881, best stand ever!

[Stokely]

Does the 18880 (which everyone seems to like) have a mic boom attachment?  I'm really hoping to avoid the need for a mic stand.  They not only can get in the way on tight stages, but I tend to forget anything that doesn't fit in my gear case!  

Edit: I found this:  https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/550329-REG/K_M_18885_500_55_18885_Telescopic_Boom_Arm.html

But "no longer available"...not the same attachment system as the Omega Pro unfortunately.  Not found on Thomann either, bummer.

[cassdad]

51 minutes ago, Stokely said:

Does the 18880 (which everyone seems to like) have a mic boom attachment?  I'm really hoping to avoid the need for a mic stand.  They not only can get in the way on tight stages, but I tend to forget anything that doesn't fit in my gear case!  

Edit: I found this:  https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/550329-REG/K_M_18885_500_55_18885_Telescopic_Boom_Arm.html

But "no longer available"...not the same attachment system as the Omega Pro unfortunately.  Not found on Thomann either, bummer.

It’s the K&M Omega Pro 18810 or 18820 (folds) for me, as I need the stability when I perform.  Just a note regarding a microphone attachment:  I bought and tried it, however does not work for me:  I found that the vibrations from playing the keys transmits right through the steel stand, up the mic boom, and into the mic = horrible and unacceptable (to me).  YMMV.

[Stokely]

I haven't that issue with my mic boom attachments, but it would depend on the stand I guess.  I think the heavier the keyboard the more vibration you might get, but that's just a guess.   At any rate I don't see that the one for the 18880 is even available now.   There is one plus for a mic stand--if I don't forget it--I can put one of those drink holder things on it   And I suppose my ipad if I went with a 61 key keyboard without a clear space big enough for it.

[EricBarker]

On 3/7/2023 at 6:00 AM, Stokely said:

There are some stages we play--5 piece-- that are so tight that I couldn't easily do an "L" is the problem.  There are also songs where I switch hands per keyboard but generally I play the sk pro with the right hand so I could make that work.  Hmmm, food for thought!

 

So I've started doing something unorthodox. For my small Behringer PolyD, which I almost always use as a bass, I tip it up on its side with a large laptop tripod stand. It hangs underneath my main board, keys facing the audience. This allows me to take up no more space than I would with a 2-tier, it doesn't wall me off, and it's visually more engaging. Of course, this is only possible with a small lead/bass board, and if you play standing.

[Adam Burgess]

On 3/6/2023 at 8:55 PM, ABECK said:

The Spider Pro is hilariously heavy.  I'll only use mine on gigs where there is parking right next to the load-in door.

My Gibraltar rack is stupidly heavy!!

The Spider Pro, I agree is an awkward shape to stack on top of things on a trolley, but I don't think it's particularly heavy.

Also, it's the only one that I found that would go tall enough. Maybe a Baby Spider with a single set of arms all the way up would do…

[Stokely]

I may still pick up that Pyle Pro stand but for now since I have the Spider Pro I'll just keep using it with a single tier.

[El Lobo]

My Knox accordion stand arrived today. Light weight, stable, quick set up, folds up compact, height adjustable for standing playing, inexpensive. Why didn't I have this before? I would have saved on all the other stands I bought. I think when I looked at it before, I couldn't see any info that said height could be raised to the level I need it to be. Thanks to AnotherScott for saying that it went up to 38". That did the trick and I pulled the trigger. Happy with it so far. We'll see how it holds up to gigging ... 

[D. Gauss]

2 hours ago, El Lobo said:

 We'll see how it holds up to gigging ... 

sometimes the springs stick that are under the adjustment screws, but if you know that, a quick jiggle/wiggle puts them right again.  can't really complain considering mine was $20 bucks on a black friday deal.

[Stokely]

Ugh, I said "Pyle Pro" when I meant Knox and can't edit it now.  

[SamuelBLupowitz]

All right, you K&M Omega Pro users, gotta pick your brain. I need a new stand for my Mojo that’s sturdy, has room for all my pedals, will easily change and lock height, and is easy to transport. The platform stands I’ve used for years don’t have locking height adjustment to keep the organ sitting flat at the height I like, and have too many fiddly knobs and feet that unscrew and get lost in transit. I have a different folding stand I love for my 88 key stage piano, but the proportions are just a little off for the legs to angle comfortably with the Mojo on it.

 

The Omega Pro looks exactly right, but it’s three times what I’ve ever paid for a keyboard stand. Worth it?

[ImproKeys]

I am using the Omega pro with my mojo Classic. Remember you can’t adjust the width of the stand. It almost fits perfectly for the mojo. I had some concerns regarding the rather short arms but till today no problems with my dual manual. 
that said often I come back to my old K&M table stand for stacking up another board on top.