All About Guitar Holders

Special guitar holders will protect your instrument from damage and keep it looking its best. Stores offer different models - floor stands or wall mounts. And if you need a unique product, you can make your own wall stands.

Like all musical instruments, guitars require proper storage.

• They need to be protected from ultraviolet radiation. - direct sunlight will damage the varnish and dry out the wooden parts.
• Temperature changes, high or low humidity, drafts - all this negatively affects the instrument. The tuning gets lost, cracks appear on the body, the neck bends - and now, you can't do without expensive repairs. Reference. The ideal storage humidity is 40 - 60%, and the temperature is 19 - 25 degrees Celsius.
• Dust. If there is too much of it, the guitar sounds dull and pale. The fittings especially suffer - saddles, tremolo saddles, gears in the tuning pegs. Advice. Remember to vacuum your guitar at least once every six months.
• Storing your guitar in a case is not the best solution. Barely noticeable impact (especially in hard trunks) - and the consequences are guaranteed. Not immediately, but after a year or two, you will notice them. Still, the cover is meant to be carried, not stored. Therefore, the best storage place is a room with a constant temperature and free of drafts. Place the guitar higher off the floor (on a wall or on a special stand) - and neither dust nor drafts will reach it.

There are other benefits to holders as well.

• They are easy to install.Wall-mounted are fixed with 2 - 3 screws, floor-mounted ones can be laid out or assembled according to the instructions.
• In this case, the guitar is securely fixed. It will not fall, even if you accidentally touch it - high-quality expensive models forgive mistakes.
• And due to the vertical placement, the protection of the anchor is at a height.
• Children and pets will not damage the instrument. They will not reach it - after all, the suspension can be made under the very ceiling. True, it can be inconvenient to get it, but this is already a compromise.
• But the guitar is removed quickly - a couple of seconds, and it is in your hands.

True, the brackets also have disadvantages.

• Careful selection is required. If the distance between the walls of the mount is large, the guitar will slide down and the tuning pegs will break.
• Poor quality models can scratch the paint. In addition, the tool may fall off flimsy hooks.
• The holder may fall out of the soft wall. Especially if the guitar is massive.

The way you store your guitar varies by room. In domestic conditions, it is better to hang it on the wall - this way it will take up a minimum of space. In recording studios, it is better to keep it on a counter - then you do not have to drill the sound-absorbing wall covering. And it is more convenient to carry tools.

Therefore, wall holders are usually used for the home. There are several types of them.

• Universal brackets. In addition to guitars, other instruments can also be held. They are a bracket covered with a layer of rubber - scratches are excluded. The base is usually pine. The approximate dimensions are 15x15x20 cm, and the weight is 500 grams. Their disadvantage is that precise fastening is required, otherwise the tool will hang crooked.
• The holder is rotary. Deprived of this minus, the guitar itself will take the correct position. But their strength is slightly lower, so the carrying capacity is no more than 10 kg.
• The hooks are ordinary. They are completely made of metal, except for the soft linings. Dignity is strength. These hooks are suitable for all types of guitars - classic six-string, acoustic, bass and electric guitars.
• Auto-grip hooks. In them, the tool is automatically fixed during installation. Their advantage is the reliability of fastening, thanks to the Auto Grip System, the guitar will not fall, even if it is touched.

The question may arise as to whether the suspended state will harm the guitar. Not if it is securely fixed and there are no temperature fluctuations in the room. Moreover, this storage method is the best, since the bar tends to straighten under the influence of gravity. That is, its deformation is completely excluded.

But hooks do not always give good results. In the studio, they can resonate when absorbing reflected vibrations, especially if other guitars are hanging from them. And this greatly reduces the quality of the recording. Therefore, professionals use guitar stands - and it is easier to take them out of the room. Such stands are different.

• Racks in the shape of the letter A. They are foldable and take up a minimum of space when not in use. Fits even in a guitar case. It is better to use them on the road - on tour, concerts. The main disadvantage is low stability, because the neck is not fixed in any way. Therefore, it is not recommended to use them at home - the guitar will fall from a light touch. However, if you are careful, then there is nothing to worry about.
• Tubular racks. More stable, better fixation of the tool. But they are not so mobile - they cannot fold, they require assembly. Cheap models turn over very easily. But these disadvantages did not hinder the popularity - for many, stands of this type serve as the "default choice".
• Premium racks. The best choice for both stage and studio. True, they are more expensive. But they fold easily.The guitar is held by the neck (and this is, recall, the best way to store), while the body rests on the legs. Damage is excluded - the load-bearing elements are covered with rubber.
• Holders for several guitars. Useful for tight studio layouts or small rooms. All guitars come together. True, it is not always convenient to get them, especially if such a stand is placed against a wall or in the corner of a room.
• Rack stands for guitars. They can hold 3 - 10 guitars while being portable and take up little space. Convenient for long-term storage in small studios or on the road, and it is easier to get guitars. Their disadvantage is that guitars can beat among themselves, especially if they are not played accurately.
• Guitar stands. They are not needed for storage, but for play. These racks hold the tool in position. They are used in concerts, when a musician in the middle of a song needs to switch from one guitar to another and continue playing.

You can assemble a guitar holder with your own hands from the available tools. For the simplest design, you will need:

• 2 PVC tubes;
• plywood 15 mm thick or chipboard for the base;
• hot melt glue.

Tools - ruler, screwdriver, sandpaper.

1. Drill 2 tubing holes in the base. The distance between them should be such that the tubes can securely hold the neck. Leave a gap for the rubber pad.
2. Fasten the tubes with self-tapping screws so that they do not wobble. Close the ends with plugs or fill with hot melt glue.
3. Fix the rubber cuffs on the tubes.

A more beautiful bracket will turn out if you make it from a wooden block.

1. Make a template. It should look like the head of a wrench. The distance between the horns should be equal to the width of the neck plus clearance for the rubber pad.
2. Use the template to make a holder out of wood. To do this, you need a jigsaw.
3. Attach the holder to the base. Sand the irregularities - the corners should be rounded.
4. Put on the rubber pads.

The bracket is assembled. It remains to hang it beautifully on the wall.

1. Find a place. The guitar should look harmonious.
2. Attach the bracket to the wall. Mark the location of the fixing holes for the dowels.
3. Drill them. Hammer in the dowels.
4. Screw on the holder with self-tapping screws. After that, you can test it - preferably with a load.

This instruction is also suitable for factory holders.

For information on how to make a guitar holder with your own hands, see the next video.