Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards This is why X-stands should be avoided

Good afternoon folks,

As many of you are aware, I am not terribly keen on using an X-stand to support DPs or any kind of keyboard instrument. Not only does the X shape restrict leg room and access to pedals, but the stands themselves are often very unstable - potentially even dangerous!

I saw a great video in a post on The Keyboard Corner and just had to share it here:



I have to say, the player did a fantastic job!

Cheers,
James
x

Wow...pretty good reflexes!

Nice catch!

And barely even broke rhythm!

Wow, that IS a professional player with great reflexes.

He he, great save! James, you've got a point being against X-stands. Even if they maybe seldom collapse from under your hands, those things just won't stand still. When I tried playing a piano on an X-stand, it just made me dizzy looking at the keybed to see where to put my fingers.

I had a very close call with an X stand back when I was in the military. We were setting up on stage and the stand broke, well, actually a bolt either broke or it came out, and my hand was in the perfect place to be severely cut or worse.

My hand was in the scissor part of the collapsing stand with the weight of the piano as well. Fortunately nothing serious happened.

Friends don't let friends use or buy X stands.

I learned my lesson.

Gotta love the thrill of a live performance! Just about anything could go wrong. But dont add to the possibilities by getting an X stand.

They're ok so long as you remember to do the wing nut up. Mine's still doing sterling service holding up my synth - and has been since 1982. And I remember buying the cheapest possible one at the time (I'd overspent on the Korg PolySix itself). Must be one of the few things of that vintage that hasn't broken. Possibly the only thing, now I come to think about it - apart from my mum's wicker basket and my dad's army trunk. They're family heirlooms.

edit: that guy's one heck of a player - a veritable keyboard hero

edit 2: the real problem with X stands is that they look so silly - like being on stage with an ironing board. But those kinds of things didn't matter when you were young, did they?

Oh come off it, that collapse is obviously part of the act!

See my X-stand mod which effectively transfers most of the weight to the slightly oversized (i.e. forced in) vertical struts of wood.

No more yaw!

This is more than an X-stand, more like a UX-stand (a U with an X inside), with the extra legs at the ends. It also means it's more stable, the piano is not shaking all the time.

I was a rabid X-stand hater... but, out of some sense of serendipity, I picked up a new one at Guitar Center: a ProLine double-X three-tier stand, having found the make to provide a few other pieces which were sturdy and serviceable (a conductor's music rack, guitar stand, etc). I guess I have to eat my former words; it is quite stable, the racks are at the right height, and the pedals can be located further forward (toward the player), so that the stand legs don't get in the way of the feet. The back side has enough places for cable runs--- too often overlooked--- and it was cheap, about $130. And I broke my previous table-style stand, trying to get the keyboard at the right height.

I can only suppose these devices have come a long way since the bad old days. True, it is only customizable to a point, and I can see myself doing better one of these days. But, what it does, it does well. I don't know that I can say as much for myself these days.

Nice recovery! My double-decker Z-stand is as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar:

That's the best save I've ever seen.

Psychonaut, is that stand the same brand as this one? 'On-stage' is the badge name.

This seemed like a decent price in the uk, I might buy it at a later date.

Yeah, it's an On-Stage Z stand. The one you linked to seems similar to mine, though mine is two-tier. I don't remember the exact model # I bought, and can't see it when I look at it, but I believe it's this one:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...pe=&gclid=CPaRwKe2tbwCFchhfgod_wYAGA

It's really solid. They make good stuff.

This is a very cool stand. (Bonus if you can name the model # of the Roland DP)

There's a very expensive keyboard stand that uses an electric motor to raise and lower the keyboard in question to the exact height. I'm sure this is used in professional locations where the keyboard sees many users.

I've looked online and I can't find it.

Does anyone here remember ever seeing this online or at NAMM?

SolidStand?
http://solidstand.com/

- do you happen to know what the minimum height of the lower support is? Also, is the adjustment in fixed slots or continuous?

cheers!