Gigging Stand? 2 tier possibly.

[llatham]

I am looking to maybe upgrade my Proline stand I got for $99.

 

It's a double-braced X-Style with a spring loaded handle you can pull to pull a pin out and adjust the height/width and release to pop the pin back in to lock it in place.

 

The 2nd tier is pretty janky - it uses toothed "gears" and a tightening screw to lock them down - so like it has to be at the angle/position where a tooth exists - maybe 16 around the whole "sprocket". And it's manufactured poorly so you can't get it quite square. The top will angle down using the same toothed gears. But the whole 2nd tier is dependent on the lower tier width, and then if you angle it "splays" the upper tier arms in such a way that your top keyboard is never "true" in terms of horizontal level, front to back angle, and it'll wobble. It's not horrible and it's been working fine for me - paid for itself many times over. But it also tends to be such that to get the top tier at the position I want it's far enough forward to obscure the bottom keyboard.

 

Also, even for the bottom tier, it's either too tall or too short for standing. I actually put a guitar case on it to add a bit of height - both my cases would probably be OK but I don't always bring 2 guitars and the extra weight seems silly just to do that!

 

The pin has rounded off a bit and I actually had it collapse years ago. I drilled an extra hole and put a carabiner through it now as a safety backup, after making sure that pin is pushed all the way through (which I have to do manually with a tool as the spring alone is not enough force).

 

But still, it's fast to set up and tear down, reposition, etc. I don't always use the upper tier and I can just leave them locked down so that's really nice.

 

Nonetheless:

 

I'm considering something like an Ultimate.

 

My pedals are mounted on a board with feet but still walk, and I can touch the edge against the stand I have now to keep them from running away, so the whole "T" shape of the legs on an Ultimate might be a good thing.

 

But I worry that an Ultimate isn't going to be tall enough. I would need the Lower keyboard to be up at a standing level.

 

Someone else recommended a Standtastic that comes in a "tall" version. That thing just doesn't look very stable to me.

 

I have reservations about both - I kind of don't like the idea of the "V" point of the Ultimate at the back - so there's no width at the back so I worry about that becoming a fulcrum point.

 

I know people have been using them for decades (saw a video of a guy who's gigged one 27 years with minimal issues) but they always seem like a single column is just inviting disaster. But again, people seem fine with them.

 

I just can't really justify sinking the money into a Spider.

 

I'm looking for more like $200 and the Ultimate is right in there (don't really need the mic...)

 

I don't think durability with the Ultimate is an issue. Bug I am concerned about stability and height - plus no angles on upper tier.

 

The Standtastic is a bit more pricey, but has the angles, but I'm worried about durability (two people have now mentioned "cheaply made parts") and stability.

 

Portability is an issue - I lug it int he floorboard of the back seat of a car.

 

Not sure how the Standtastic breaks down (there don't seem to be any reviews or videos of it either, which never bodes well).

 

BTW when one keyboard I use a Roland FA-06 which is pretty light (61 keys) and I'm worried without the width on the back side with an Ultimate one pound on a low octave C means the dang thing is going to flip off!

 

 

Maybe I just need to keep what I have, and find some way to elevate it a bit more - I need to set it on some cinderblocks but who wants to haul those around!

[Stokely]

I could have written your post, you sound like you are looking for similar things in stands and I'm tall also

 

No doubt the Spider Pro has gotten very expensive. It's what I use but I only paid 250 for a silver one a few years ago. I wouldn't pay 450 or whatever they are going for now.

 

Before that I used a 2-tier onstage Z. It has a lot going for it--space under it; very, very stable at any height, which is something I need as a tall player; has a mic boom adapter you can get for it which is great since I tend to forget mic stands (a boom goes in m bag and stays there.) Down sides: heavy (spider is too); awkward to carry if you leave the 2nd tier attached. If you don't leave it attached, it's extra time and work to set up and tear down, so a compromise there. All in all not a bad choice especially if you can get one on sale as I did, it was only about 100 bucks or so.

 

I put this sticky-backed cork stuff on the arms of my Z, otherwise my keyboards tended to slide. My old drummer gave me that, it came in rolls about an inch wide and it is GREAT stuff. Nothing moves a millimeter sitting on it.

 

I don't like the designs of the Ultimate stands I've seen because of weird space for pedals and feet underneath. I also had a really bad experience way back when with a Deltex, which admittedly is their cheapest. It was very tippy going backwards at certain angles.

 

I had a smaller Standtastic I bought used from someone and stability is not the issue I had. Granted that one wasn't the taller one, and I needed the taller one. It takes up a lot of space front to back is one issue. Secondly, I found it a bit "fiddly" to set up, though I did help myself out by adding velcro that let me keep all the braces attached. All in all, I liked the Z a fair bit better.

 

My buddy has a Stay (or knockoff) which is similar to the Spider stands but much lighter. The arms and legs don't stay attached, but it's easy to assemble. I really like those but they don't seem easy to find anymore.

 

The other one I was thinking of are one of the K&M stands that fold flat and can be single or you add a stacker. I'm not sure which model it is, it looks super simple and easy to transport. Maybe someone here can chime in on that.

[Delaware Dave]

I have your stand with the 2 tiers. I can have both tiers setup and ready to go in 15 seconds. It holds two 72 pound keyboards (because I've used two 72 pound keyboards on it) and, yes, the 2nd tier isn't perfectly level to the 1st tier but the difference is small enough that it doesn't even concern me. Had it 20 years and will probably last another 20 years. I've considered Z stands and others and I'm always looking for ways to reduce my setup time. This piece being 15 seconds of my total setup time is the easiest. I resist the others because I can't get it close to 15 seconds with any other choice. At the end of the day the stand is the least concerning piece to me, it works as advertised so I move on... Probably not what you want to hear.

[llatham]

I have your stand with the 2 tiers. I can have both tiers setup and ready to go in 15 seconds. It holds two 72 pound keyboards (because I've used two 72 pound keyboards on it) and, yes, the 2nd tier isn't perfectly level to the 1st tier but the difference is small enough that it doesn't even concern me. Had it 20 years and will probably last another 20 years. I've considered Z stands and others and I'm always looking for ways to reduce my setup time. This piece being 15 seconds of my total setup time is the easiest. I resist the others because I can't get it close to 15 seconds with any other choice. At the end of the day the stand is the least concerning piece to me, it works as advertised so I move on... Probably not what you want to hear.

 

No it is good to hear because essentially, I may not really need to upgrade. It is dang fast to set up and tear down - except a little extra time these days to put the carabiner in and out. It folds up with the 2nd tier locked down and fits in the car - carry it long ways and carry it at the same time as the keyboard bag. Honestly the angle and wobble are not really huge things - I could probably get some rubber or something to put on the upper tier. Except for the pin failure possibility, it's extremely sturdy.

 

I'm just sitting here looking at it and thinking maybe I could drill a hole in the pin plate where I want the height - the pin won't engage at that point, but I can put the caribiner through and it ain't going nowhere.

 

Of course the problem with an X is the taller you make it, the narrower it is...

[llatham]

 

 

I had a smaller Standtastic I bought used from someone and stability is not the issue I had. Granted that one wasn't the taller one, and I needed the taller one. It takes up a lot of space front to back is one issue.

 

.

 

 

Mine is pretty deep actually - the bottom "rails" - the feet it stands on, essentially "poles" are 26" deep. If I align my keyboard with the front edge of the first tier - which is the same distance forward as the feet, they probably stick out about FOOT from the back of the keyboard to any wall I might be up against.

 

Sometimes, putting them at the edge of the stage without going off is an issue!I just tried drilling another hole as in my other response and I'm going to try this higher setting tonight. That one moves one of the hole to the outside of the brace so I still have another position if I need something in-between. It's still wide enough. And if I need to still use the guitar case I can try that.

 

This this is not going to topple over, so that's good...

[ajstan]

A single-tier K&M 18880 is around $200, is light enough to be carried by a single finger, and sets up in less than 10 seconds. The second-tier is $90. The typical promo images show the legs open to a wide stance so it looks stodgy, but I set mine up with the legs around 18" apart and it's virtually invisible. The only negative I see is that on-the-spot adjustments are not possible and require tools, but once you set it up to your liking, it's that way every time you open it.

[NosPup]

A single-tier K&M 18880 is around $200, is light enough to be carried by a single finger, and sets up in less than 10 seconds. The second-tier is $90. The typical promo images show the legs open to a wide stance so it looks stodgy, but I set mine up with the legs around 18" apart and it's virtually invisible. The only negative I see is that on-the-spot adjustments are not possible and require tools, but once you set it up to your liking, it's that way every time you open it.

 

I would definitely agree with ajstan on this. In addition, I swapped out the nuts for knobs, so i can make changes in a pinch if needed, but i think i have only done that once.

[Stokely]

A single-tier K&M 18880 is around $200, is light enough to be carried by a single finger, and sets up in less than 10 seconds. The second-tier is $90. The typical promo images show the legs open to a wide stance so it looks stodgy, but I set mine up with the legs around 18" apart and it's virtually invisible. The only negative I see is that on-the-spot adjustments are not possible and require tools, but once you set it up to your liking, it's that way every time you open it.

 

I think this is the combo I was thinking of. Not cheap (like anything K&M) but my way of rationalizing stuff like this is: how happy am I going to be over at least five years if I buy it, and will that extra 100 bucks mean anything when spread out over that long

 

If I can find that Stay tower, I think it would come down to that vs this one, so far at least. Light and pretty easy to set up although this K&M seems to be the king in that regard. I'd have to make sure it can be tall enough for me, and it would be nice to have a mic stand adapter (but not a show stopper).

[CowboyNQ]

I"ve also been using the K&M 18880 plus stacker for a while now - it"s hard to beat. Ridiculously light, very strong and sets up and packs down in seconds. Also quite durable - I conservatively estimate mine has done about 60,000km on the road. It doesn"t look as pretty as it used to but shows no signs of giving up.

 

I play standing and am 5"11'. I find it comfortable to play at max height. I also like the fact there"s plenty of room for pedals underneath - one of the frustrations I have with column stands.

 

It is very expensive to buy in Australia but at my very first gig using the stand a drunk cricketer (!) crashed headlong into it, disconnecting a couple of leads and moving the whole stand plus keyboards a couple of feet. He hit the floor but the keyboards didn"t - the stand paid for itself first gig.

[Cabo]

I found the K&M 18880 (with one tier) to have a lot of side to side motion when used for a "standing up" configuration. But, I did have it pretty high, since I'm tall.

[CowboyNQ]

I found the K&M 18880 (with one tier) to have a lot of side to side motion when used for a "standing up" configuration. But, I did have it pretty high, since I'm tall.

 

This is true, it can develop a slight side-to-side shimmy. The best solution I've found is to ensure the legs are set up sufficiently far apart and that the "feet" of the stand haven't crept towards each other. Greatly reduces this issue.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

at my very first gig using the stand a drunk cricketer (!) crashed headlong into it.

 

Those pesky cricketers always head down scurrying along the floor chasing crickets.

 

They never seem to catch them and always cause mischief wherever they run free.

 

Often a plague of them on the large open fields of suburbia over summer.

 

They dont mind the stiffling heat and have a strange mating cry of "HOWZAT"

[llatham]

Thanks all. Last night I used my current one at the next notch up, with the guitar case on it, and it was a much better height and still plenty stable. I had to drill an extra hole for the carabiner to go through but I'm pretty happy with it now. I haven't tried the 2nd tier in this configuration - it'll be pretty high but it may be OK as little as I use it now.

 

Probably need to concentrate more on learning the tunes at this point ;-)