Adjustable Stool needed

[BluesKeys]

Ok, I am looking at a new stool

 

www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/452071/www

 

Has anyone tried this one?

 

I don't sit low like a concert pianist. Just a little higher, instead of high or standing like many rockers. Just never been able to be comfortable playing while standing.

 

Is there a stool out there for me. It has to be sturdy as I've never been svelte. And it needs to be adjustable, usually higher than a drummers throne, though I have found a few that meet my height needs. Drummers thrones must be made for kings with some of the high prices. I have a problem spending $200+ for a seat.

[NYKeys]

I have not tried that one but I do own this one

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/D739/

 

They also sell one with a backrest for the same price.

 

I like it and it definitely is higher than a standard bench.

[Phred]

I myself weigh on the order of 200lbs, and think that I would snap that first stool right at the weld. (From the look of it anyway)... It doesn't look sturdy to me at all, because all of my weight would be on that one point... Am I missing something?

[Carlito]

Drum thrones is what I use now. They seem to be much stronger built and don't wobble like the benches I use to have.

[NYKeys]

Originally posted by Phred:

I myself weigh on the order of 200lbs, and think that I would snap that first stool right at the weld. (From the look of it anyway)... It doesn't look sturdy to me at all, because all of my weight would be on that one point... Am I missing something?

I'm 5'11 255lbs and put my entire body into playing. Rocking and swaying Quick-lok Comes through like a champ. This chair is built like a tank.

[Dave The Rave]

I use a Quicklok B27 . It's easy to adjust and very sturdy/solid. Also, it doesn't move about like other stools I've had.

 

:DTR

[JimmyJimJim]

That stool looks like a pain in the ass. Literally.

 

I'm also a fan of the drum throne, but i play very low... would recommend any of the nicer Quiklok stools, they're reeeal sturdy and also tend to be very adjustable but still portable.

[niacin]

I gave up on fold down piano stools cause you get like 3 or 4 choices for height and none of them ever seem to be quite what I want. I bought a drum throne. Tama. with back support. nice'n comfy. And with three legs it doesn't wobble no matter what surface I'm setting up on. Can be set quite high too. Cost me AUS$350 so yeh you'd be looking at something approaching US$200. But I figure I buy it right the first time and it'll last me a lifetime. And help my back.

[BluesKeys]

(quote)C Bull

I have not tried that one but I do own this one

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/D739/

 

They also sell one with a backrest for the same price.

 

I like it and it definitely is higher than a standard bench.

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C Bull, I am 230 lbs so how does the seat attach? It is like a pin thru the post and a hook on the seat? My concern is that I don't find myself on the floor.

 

Opps, I just read your next message Bull. It must be holding up ok.

Jim

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Quote Phred

I myself weigh on the order of 200lbs, and think that I would snap that first stool right at the weld. (From the look of it anyway)... It doesn't look sturdy to me at all, because all of my weight would be on that one point... Am I missing something?

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Phred, I am with you brother at 230lbs I wasn't sure it would hold me. I haven't been able to put my hands on one to see the construction that is why I am asking here. I like how it would fold up and you can carry it in one hand.

Jim

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Quote Dave the rave

I use a Quicklok B27. It's easy to adjust and very sturdy/solid. Also, it doesn't move about like other stools I've had.

 

:DTR

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Dave, That is a Bad Arse Stool. I have no doubt that would work. My only question is portability. Does it fold down? It looks like a possibility.

Jim

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Qiote Jimmyjimjim

That stool looks like a pain in the ass. Literally.

 

I'm also a fan of the drum throne, but i play very low... would recommend any of the nicer Quiklok stools, they're reeeal sturdy and also tend to be very adjustable but still portable.

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JJJJ, I am currently using a drum throne and it is sturdy now that I drilled a hole in it and put a bolt though it. It was one of those numatic gas chambers and it would start to fade on me. I would start a set sitting high and by the end I felt like a kid sitting a a grand piano reaching up to play. Plus it is two pieces and though I like the seat I can't carry much else when I carry the stool. I want to make less trips to set up.

Jim

[NYKeys]

Trust Me this thing is solid and reliable. This stool is of a higher grade and quality than the others.

 

While we are on this topic I just had one of those x style stools start to snap at the Weld last night. I will never buy another cheap x style stool again again.

 

The quick-lok is made of quality.

It has a pin in the back to keep it in place.

 

Never felt like it was going to colapse on me.

Nice comfortable seat.

 

One thing you should know is that this stool sits higher than a standard piano bench even on the lowest setting. I can't use this stool with a piano as my knees keep hitting the rail. This is a keyboard stand only type of stool. The highest setting will have you little higher than a bar stool.

[Manhunter]

I like this seat:

 

http://www.innovations.com.au/cda/product/sku/0,1568,2736-21,00.html

 

It matches the original keyboard stand as well!

 

Dave

[DanS]

"Adjustable Stool needed "

There's a joke in there somewhere...

 

I have the Quik-lok D739 with the backrest. Comfy, but a heavy mofo, and watch the way you carry it. If the seat slides down and catches the side of your hand or fingers while you're carrying it, oi!

[Dave The Rave]

Jim, the Quiklok B27 folds down pretty flat. Here's some photos for you. It's a very comfortable and stable bench seat - the best one I have ever tried IMO. I'm (ahem) over 240 lbs also and my fat bot is very comfy on it. It folds up/down in about 10 seconds.

 

http://www.jardini.com/P1010551s.jpg

http://www.jardini.com/P1010552s.jpg

http://www.jardini.com/P1010555s.jpg

 

Height is easily adjusted - you squeeze the two levers under the seat together (one-handed operation) set the seat where you want it and then let the levers go - they operate a couple of bars that pop into holes inside the legs. There are plenty of height setting holes. I'm always able to find just the right height.

 

http://www.jardini.com/P1010553s.jpg

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers,

:DTR

[BluesKeys]

Dave, thanks for the pics, that helps a lot. I now have to decide if I want one with a back rest or a wider seat.

 

Thanks for all your input, I think this is by far the best forum, with some of the most helpful people.

 

I love you guy's.... Tom, can I have your beer?

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Quote Dan S

 

"Adjustable Stool needed "

There's a joke in there somewhere...

 

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It has something to do with "Why turds are tapered" So your cheeks don't slap shut.

[Dave Horne]

I've thought of buying a stool, but really don't want to make yet another trip to the car setting up. I always use what's available. If there's nothing available, I just sit on one of my flight cases and place a cushion (which I bring along) between my ass and the case.

[Dave The Rave]

Are you serious Dave? I would have thought a professional like you would have a proper adjustable bench seat. Better posture, better playing, right?

 

:DTR

[DanS]

Not only that, but it's a Whoopie cushion Dave brings along, in case the bongo player doesn't show.

[Erlic]

Although it's not a musical chair, you might consider checking with your local office store. They usually have what they call "drafting" chairs. These might or might not help. Since I don't know what's in everyone's area, here's an

example

[gangsu]

Hey Dave the Rave, I notice we have the same keyboard stand. Don't you find it forces your sustain pedal too close to your knees? For the most part, I just deal with it and forget about it. But it does bug me when I feel like stretching out and can't.

 

There are solutions of course; at one point I was convinced I wanted to cut the bottom rail and weld a U-shaped piece out so that my pedals could fit into the frame further back.. but I chickened out....and now I'm thinking about a shallow wooden platform that slips over the cross rail, kind of like a false floor for short people.

 

Of course, the problem solves itself the higher you raise the stand.

 

I like your chair. I'm considering it as well.

 

...just curious...

[Dave The Rave]

Hi Su,

 

I have tried various stands but settled on the Z72 as it is very sturdy and easy to adjust. The two tier version is my stand-of-choice now (got 3 of 'em). I dislike stands that move/wobble - I play fairly vigorously and have a problem with most X stands and single column stands.

 

At first I was pleased to have that bar at floor level to stop the pedals from walking away from me. Over time, I have come to agree with you, that the bar forces the pedals to be too close, especially the XK-3 swell pedal. Also, there's nowhere for the cable out of the rear of the pedal to go (it fights with the bar at floor level), so pedals naturally tend to turn sideways as you play.

 

I hadn't given a solution much thought - like you, I just lived with it. On my PC2X piano, I place the (single sustain) pedal sideways and a bit over to the left, so the pedal is parallel to the bar and about the right distance away from me and not moving about.

 

I have short legs (and a long body - I'm weird ) so this really isn't too much of a problem for me, but now that you've raised the issue, I may do a couple of experiments with a simple wood raiser that slots over the bar. I'd love to have the pedals in a fixed (immovable) position about 4" to 6" back from where they are currently.

 

I'll play with some ideas and get back to you.

 

Try to get a sit on one of the B27 bench seats - you'll reach for your credit card immediatly, promise!

 

Cheers,

:DTR

[Krakit]

Okay, I've been following this thread for a while and I think I will add my little anecdote.

 

I recetly played the company picnic where I work. I purposely left my bench home because I decided to simply "put up with" one of our office chairs.

 

We use Steel Case chairs. (I'll post a link in a minute). They are fully (and I mean FULLY) adjustable. After the show I was amazed at how comfortable I was! After four hours of playing, my back was not killing me.

 

You can adjust the tilt of the seat, the amount and tension that the backrest moves back, the hight (of course), the distance of the backrest from the seat, and the hight of the armrests.

 

This last was the best part! I was able to rest my arms for long periods and still play!

 

I had thought that having wheels on the chair would be a pain, but it was actually not a problem and I was able to move between boards and pedals rather nicely.

 

I priced this chair (which is cumbersome and will not be easliy transported) and it's around $300 (ouch).

 

I'm hoping that I can find a used one for my studio.

 

Here's a pic:

 

http://www.steelcase.com/images/dyn/c0a1d6a2381ab4e5e8598523038e63bc/99S1368.jpg

 

It's called the Criterion.

 

Carl

[gangsu]

Thank you DTR for the response. At last, somebody who agrees that the perfect stand actually has a significant design flaw. I wrote to QuikLok last year, thinking they'd be interested in knowing. Alas, they weren't.

 

You've done some really lovely things with wood, can't wait to hear what you come up with.

 

The chair looks to be covered in vinyl? I"m not crazy about sitting on vinyl. Another flaw. But I'm pretty handy with a sewing machine, and everything else about it looks good.

[ITGITC]

Hey guys, NEWSLFASH!!

 

http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/16//nav/logo_target_bullseye.gifhas some wonderful lawn chairs that you're gonna love.

 

 

It's rumored that http://www.walmart.com/i/if/logo_always.gif has plastic furniture (in various colors) at their end-of-summer sale.

 

If that's too much to pay for you >200 pound specimens, then I'm certain the http://katrina.salvationarmy.org/usn/www_usn.nsf/menubar_shield.gif?openImageResource has some pretty folding wooden chairs salvaged from churches and community centers ravaged by hurricane Katrina.

 

 

Here's how you guys think:

 

Keyboards: 97.5% of budget

Amplification: 1.5% of budget

Keyboard stand: .4% of budget

Cables and accessories: .2% of budget

Beer and food at the gig: (If it ain't free) .4% of budget

Clothes to wear at the gig: .05% of budget

Price of gasoline to get to the gig: Who knows? I'll put that on the credit card and worry about it later.

Money set aside to deposit in savings: -10% of revenue from the gig

Something to sit on while performing: .00033% of budget

 

You frighten me. If this was a neighborhood, the Homeowner's Association would be all over you like white on rice.

 

And since we're talking about white, I'll bet you use WHITE extension cords from your Mama's kitchen to connect the light on your music stand too.

 

No wonder so many keyboard players stand when they gig. They did't budget for a keyboard bench.

[B.T.]

Krakit-----Thanks for the info on the "Criterion" chair but my question---how high does the chair raise up? I have a P250 and it seems that I can't find a bench that goes up high enough. I need a chair that goes at least 22" or higher. Maybe you can post a link regarding the Criteriion. Thanks.

[Sven Golly]

Tom, thank you... you're definitely on the money with your budget breakdown. Especially because you don't mention cases at all in the budget.

 

The funniest (in a sad way) thing I've seen is the person that sinks thousands of hard-earned dollars into a new keyboard, and balks at paying a few hundred for a hardshell case for it.

 

There should be a course offered... called "how much it REALLY costs to be a musician". Actually, it should be mandatory.

 

Cheers,

SG

[BluesKeys]

Quote SG

There should be a course offered... called "how much it REALLY costs to be a musician". Actually, it should be mandatory.

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The problem is there is no end to the cost of being a musician. You have to factor in failed marriages, and so many other things. There is no END..... New Equipment, etc.

 

BTW the stool I use now was thrown out and found in the trash by a friend. I liked the price.

[TommyBoy]

I have had one of these for two years:

 

www.soundseat.com

 

Over-engineered and of extreme quality. The owner is a former drummer and will call you both before and after the sale to make sure all is well.

 

Expensive but well worth it.

 

I am an accordionist and this seat holds me (205 pounds) and a 42 pound accordion in comfort for 4 hour gigs.

 

Good luck.

 

TommyBoy

[JeffLearman]

For use at home, I got a chair from my local university's property disposition department. If clean-pretty-new isn't important and with a little luck you can get a good task chair (costing $300 new) for under $30.

 

Do any of the stools mentioned above go as high as a typical bar stool? That's the height I like when playing live because then the keyboard height is perfect for sitting or standing. As it is, I just grab a barstool ...

 

How's that for pegging your cheap-o-meter, Tom?

 

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by learjeff:

How's that for pegging your cheap-o-meter, Tom?

 

Yeah... But the university chair's got cool patina and you've got the panache to pull it off, Dooood.

[Steve in KS]

I love my quiklok bench (don't know what model.) A chair is not good when you're playing piano because you can never find the exact center point you're going to need to be at, besides it changes all the time (for me anyway.)

But, I only weigh 155 lbs so I'm not likely to have it break on me.

I stand while playing the other keyboards.