Has anybody cut down a speaker stand?

[BluesB3]

I'm looking for a shoulder height or less folding leg speaker stand for my K10. I've been spoiled by working with Ultimate Support TS90's so I don't want a cheap giveaway stand. I was wondering if I could hacksaw the aluminum tubing in a decent stand like a TS80 and reset the clamps on the shortened tubing? Has anybody else tried this?

[Coker]

Have you looked at theYorkville short stand? Light and quite durable. Going on 10 years now with my pair.

[BluesB3]

I hadn't seen the Yorkvilles but have great respect for their other products I've seen. The K10 weighs officially 32#. Would that be pushing the envelope? Yorkville claims an 88# load capacity so on paper it sounds OK but Real Gigging Life is what matters. Does the Yorkville lock securely? I hate for speakers to start sinking during a set.

[Coker]

The Yorkvilles don"t have a pin; they just have a tightening collar. If I had problems with my K8.2s sinking, I would simply drill a hole for a pin.

[RichieP_MechE]

Haven't cut down a stand myself but I imagine it would be possible.

 

Another option is the Samson SP50P - slightly longer than the Yorkville stand (5' max height vs 4') but is essentially identical in construction to standard speakers stands. Has a locking pin. I have a pair for a small PA for a community concert band I used to play in and they have held up well.

 

http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/accessories/speaker-stands/sp50p/

[tfort]

On-Stage's update to their short stand now includes a locking pin:

https://on-stage.com/products/view/14257

[Bill H.]

Someone suggested these before. Don't own them myself but here they are:

 

piff

 

Edit: Same stands as tfort above he beat me to it

[elif]

I use this thing: Audio2000'S AST420Y-15 Short Speaker Stand. I think the legs might be 15" long, I mount two DXR10s atop at 90 degrees using a T-bar, though I wouldn't recommend it. It should be good with only one speaker on it though.

[Marzzz]

I used a hacksaw to cut down various parts of keyboard stands. Just make sure you have an adequate supply of elbow grease.

[elif]

I used a hacksaw to cut down various parts of keyboard stands. Just make sure you have an adequate supply of elbow grease.

To keep the cut straight, I've tightened a stainless hose clamp around the tube as a cutting guide.

[mate stubb]

If you want to cut round pipe straight, go to the hardware store and spend a few bux on a pipe cutter. Your pipe project will thank you.

 

 

[BluesB3]

I pulled the trigger last night on an open box TS80 from B&H for $50 shipped. I'll try it at it's lowest height (42") first and if I don't like it, I'll cut it down. I'm going to see if I can borrow a roller wheel pipe cutter (as Mate Stubb suggested) from another musician who does lawn irrigation for his day job. We used to use these to cut Speedrail for car rigs. If it'll cut cleanly thru Speedrail it'll have no problem cutting thru the thin wall tube of a speaker stand.

[stoken6]

If you want to cut round pipe straight, go to the hardware store and spend a few bux on a pipe cutter. Your pipe project will thank you.

 

 

This. I've used my pipe cutter to customise a number of keyboard stands over the years.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[drawbars]

+1 on the Yorkvilles. Very well made, lighter than typical tripods, and they take up little space. I also find them to be less intimidating for smaller/quieter gigs. I've completely stopped using my big Ultimate stands: either the gig requires subs and poles, or the Yorkvilles get the gig. And half the price (or less) than the big tripods.

[cphollis]

Love my short Yorkville poles, but putting a K10 or similar on one in the real gigging world wouldn't work for me. The short poles and a pair of nice powered 8" units and I'm good for most gigs.

[Baldwin Funster]

I told a speaker stand it was ugly and couldn't play no blues. Does that count?

[elif]

I told a speaker stand it was ugly and couldn't play no blues. Does that count?

Scathing!

[El Lobo]

I'm looking at the On Stage SSAS7000B that's linked to above. It's $37 with free shipping from Sweetwater and Amazon. I can't see the downside to this one ... and a lot easier than cutting down a stand. I'll probably order 2 this week. No hurry.

[miden]

I think those mini stands are the go. I HAVE chopped speaker stands, but tbh, as the base was still the same size spread they took up the same amount of room. So pretty much a waste of time. I might also get a set of those mini ones...I'm looking to augment my PA's with a pair of 8 or 10" speakers - probs 10s as I don't the 8's could handle much bass.

[agitato]

I have the K & M 21455 stand. It supports a maximum of 88 pounds and it's carrying weight is 7 pounds. It's a very solid well made stand. Its lowest setting is 39 inches, its highest is 60 inches. Use it primarily for the EV ZXA1 when playing solo piano gigs. Have on occasion used it for the Yamaha DXR10.

[El Lobo]

I HAVE chopped speaker stands, but tbh, as the base was still the same size spread they took up the same amount of room. So pretty much a waste of time.

That's the issue for me. I like the On Stage mini stands because it says the footprint is 12.5 inches. Real estate may not be an issue for the Big Kids on big stages, but it is for us bar bands and weekend warriors, especially keyboard players ... well ok, and drummers too. I want my 2 speakers up off the floor. If they can be on 27" high stands, that's just about perfect. I looked at these on Amazon yesterday but today they're not on that site. I ordered 2 from Sweetwater.

[miden]

That's the issue for me. I like the On Stage mini stands because it says the footprint is 12.5 inches. Real estate may not be an issue for the Big Kids on big stages, but it is for us bar bands and weekend warriors, especially keyboard players ... well ok, and drummers too. I want my 2 speakers up off the floor. If they can be on 27" high stands, that's just about perfect. I looked at these on Amazon yesterday but today they're not on that site. I ordered 2 from Sweetwater.

 

yep, totally agree! I am currently researching a pair of 10's to double as easier PA lug for solo and monitors for the band/s PA's and I am adding these mini stands to the order.

[BluesB3]

To answer my original question...

 

I pulled the top clamp apart on the TS80 to see what would be involved in chopping the stand. With a pipe cutter or maybe even a fine tooth hacksaw it would be doable to shorten the two aluminum tubes. There are two drilled holes in the tubing (and a small V cut) that locate the plastic collar that holds the metal clamp. I would be afraid, with my limited skills, to precisely locate these two holes. So it's a pass for me on chopping the stand. The lowest I can get the stand is 45" so I will use it as is.

 

FWIW the minimum footprint for crowded stages is 41" circumference or if you're interested in radius it's 13".

 

Please post a gig report on how the On Stage mini stands work out for you.

[El Lobo]

Please post a gig report on how the On Stage mini stands work out for you.

Haven't gigged 'em yet, will in a week or so, but here's a pic with the set up with the System X keyboard stand that another thread was asking about. One stand has a QSC K8 on it and the other has a JBL Eon One Compact. They're at the lowest height which is just about perfect. You can see that the bottom legs can be closer together or wider apart depending on how far out you want to spread them. I think I will keep them closer -- saving real estate is part of the reason for these stands. I can put them both behind me and not be any wider than the keyboard. But I can also move them out if there's more stage room. The speakers fit tightly on the stand. I had to lean the stand over and pull hard to get the speakers off. That's a good thing, IMHO. But I'll look closer at the head of the stand to see if I'm doing something wrong or if it's more adjustable.

[BluesB3]

I had to lean the stand over and pull hard to get the speakers off. That's a good thing, IMHO. But I'll look closer at the head of the stand to see if I'm doing something wrong or if it's more adjustable.

 

Thanks for the report so far. Nice setup you've got there.

 

If you've got a cheap caliper (Harbor Freight etc.) measure the OD of the stands to see what spec they are. I think the SSAS7000B should be1 3/8". Also check the stand cups on your speakers. If they're a plastic cup with little vertical flutes, they may just have to "wear" in a little.

[El Lobo]

If you've got a cheap caliper (Harbor Freight etc.) measure the OD of the stands to see what spec they are. I think the SSAS7000B should be1 3/8". Also check the stand cups on your speakers. If they're a plastic cup with little vertical flutes, they may just have to "wear" in a little.

Thanks for the info. I'll check everything out tomorrow. Right now I got a dinner date. Call me anything, just don't call me ...

[El Lobo]

Thanks for the report so far. Nice setup you've got there.

The speaker stands and the Hamilton System X stand are all new to me, not been gigged yet. I think I like the speaker stands. The Hamilton keyboard stand I'm not so sure about. It looks like an alien space invader. It should shoot lasers.

[jarrell]

I have two Yorkville SKSâ02B short speaker stands, and two EV ZXA1 powered speakers. I have found that because the EV's have their speaker mount hole not in the middle of the cabinet, but right near the back, they are not very stable on these stands. On a normal height speaker stand (where the legs will spread wider) I can see where this wouldn't be a problem, but, that's not what I am using. Of course I ensure that one of the legs is positioned at the front, opposite the speaker pole mount, and I tinker with the bottom adjustment (for the legs spread) but while that does help, they are then less secure to side to side motion. Note the Ev's are 19 lbs. so pretty light as powered speakers go, just poorly weight balanced.

 

I never extend the speaker pole upwards, I only use them at the lowest possible height - which is perfect for small jazz gigs when seated. This is actually a very nice setup for stereo monitoring and small FOH (really like the EV's for acoustic piano, and surprising amount of bass for when I need to kick bass). I had taken recently to using two small step stools that are 9 - 10" tall, but that is a little low, and maybe more stable, but, not really, lol...

 

Has anyone found that other small speaker stands are more stable with the EV's? I see the ESQ K8.2 has its speaker pole mount in the middle (or rather two holes?) and is likely better balanced, so my question is more directed at any EV ZXA1 users.

[Coker]

I had the same problematic situation. A friend suggested a weighted donut, like a barbell weight, lowered through the stand post and onto its legs. It would work, but kinda negates the nice low weight of the stands! And, yes, the K8.2s are nicely balanced on those stands now.

[niacin]

There was a thread about low stands a few years back. I wanted something that I could put a speaker on and have it at head height for me sitting down. I got two of these: http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/accessories/speaker-stands/ls40/