Keeping instruments locked away securely in cases is a great way of keeping them safe. Sometimes however, it’s more use having quick and easy access to them, so you’re ready to play whenever the desire strikes. This is where the best guitar stands and hangers come in.
Keeping your instruments out on stands means you’re not having to pack and unpack them whenever you want to play, and it helps keep them safe from knocks and bumps. Having your guitar on a nice stand can also look great in a room – there really are some cool showpieces out there to make your guitar front and center.
From multi-guitar racks to compact stands and wall hangers, there are all sorts of options to help store your instruments. The best guitar stands and hangers really do come in all shapes and sizes.
Product guide
Type: Hanger
Materials: Wood base with plastic hanger
+ Saves space
+ Well built
- Needs installing
If you’ve seen a guitar hanging on a wall at some point, chances are it’s being held in place by a Hercules hanger. Like the stands, these are durable and reliable, so you can hang your pride and joy with confidence (there’s always a moment of trepidation when you’re hanging it up for the first time!).
It comes with a nice-looking wooden base and will suit most decors. The front of the hanger has two small arms that move upwards to lock the instrument in place when the weight is rested on it. This helps prevent it from falling off due to accidental bumps or knocks – it’s nice to have a bit more peace of mind.
Type: Stand
Materials: Plastic
+ Soft material
+ Excellent quality
- Pricey
If you’ve got multiple expensive or vintage guitars, then the K&M Guardian might be the best way to have them out on display, ready to use. Like the smaller version, the contact points on this multi-guitar rack contain no dye and are covered in a non-marring material. That means that you won’t get marks or burns on the surface of your instrument.
It’s also very sturdy and boasts superb build quality. We really like the rubber feel to the contact points, as it further reduces the chance of any damage occurring to your guitars. Of course, we take care when placing an instrument down, but if you do so with a little more force than intended, you’re less likely to mark and dent it, thanks to the material used on the stand.
Type: Stand
Materials: Mahogany
+ Looks great
+ Very sturdy
- Not the cheapest
If you don't like the look of boring old black plastic and metal guitar stands, then the Taylor Guitar Stand should provide just the antidote you need. Available in two different shades of Mahogany, this acoustic guitar stand pairs perfectly with the natural color and aesthetic of your guitar and living space.
Rubber pads in each of the cradle rests and at the top of the stand ensure that your finish is safe from any scrapes or scratches, whilst the ultra-sturdy Mahogany construction makes certain it will stand the test of time, regardless of how much you use it. It's pricier than other stands but if you're after something a little different, it's well worth the extra investment.
Type: Stand
Materials: Steel, foam, and rubber
+ Sturdy and durable
+ Locks in place
- Takes up space
If you’re after a single guitar stand that you can completely trust, and you’re not too concerned about it being super portable, then the Hercules GS414B Plus has to be one of, if not the best guitar stands out there. It’s generally fine with nitro finishes too, as long as the finish has cured properly – many Gibson dealers use Hercules hangers or stands without any issues.
The three legs give it great stability, but then the rubber feet on each of them create more friction against the ground. There is then of course the auto-grab feature that Hercules stands are well known for. Simply rest the headstock in the slot and the weight of it will cause the two arms to lock it in place. The body then rests against a padded material on the two front legs.
Type: Stand
Materials: Steel and plastic
+ Sturdy base
+ Collapsible
- Takes up room
If you're looking for a sturdy stand that will easily hold a bass guitar then we'd go for the K&M 17685 Memphis 20. Its solid build quality ensures it can carry heavier instruments and we love its adaptability in fitting a variety of different instrument shapes.
Featuring a hanging system alongside two instrument support arms makes it ultra-solid, and its height is adjustable to accommodate different instrument scale lengths. We love the safety strap that stops your guitar falling out of it and to top it all off, it's also collapsible for easy transportation.
Type: Hanger
Materials: Steel, foam, and plastic
+ Easy to access
+ Doesn't take much room
- Not the most stable
If you need a double guitar stand to take to shows or just use at home, it doesn't get much better than the Hercules GS422B PLUS. Designed to hold two guitars back to back, this sturdy stand offers the rugged build quality and stability we've come to expect from Hercules.
The AGS system which features on most Hercules stands is present here, allowing the hanger to auto-adjust to the size of the headstock for a snug fit. It folds up so you can take it to shows but we have heard of them falling over with only one guitar on the stand, so do be careful with it when playing an energetic live show.
Type: Stand
Materials: Plastic
+ Folds down nicely
+ Great value
- Not the most durable
This is a really useful little stand for gigging guitarists. It folds up really small, so will fit in quite a few cases or a backpack. When you’ve arrived at your venue, simply unfold it, pull out the leg that props the whole thing up and you’re ready for action.
It’s not the sturdiest of stands; you might want to avoid using it at home for your pride and joy, but if you’re regularly on the move with your instrument and space is at a premium, then the Ibanez ST101 is great. It’s much better than propping your guitar up against your amp or the drum riser, and it really doesn’t take up much space at all!
Type: Stand
Materials: Plastic
+ Compact size
+ Nitro finish friendly
- No neck support
This is a very simple stand and, though it doesn’t offer any neck support, it’s good for players who maybe don’t have a lot of space, or want something they can travel with easily. Probably its biggest plus point however is the fact that it’s nitro-friendly.
The contact points of this stand are covered in a translucent non-marring plastic material so that you don’t get any unwanted marks or discoloration on your instrument, regardless of the finishing process it’s gone through. You can get them either for electric or acoustic guitar – they have been designed to accommodate the thicknesses of the bodies especially so that they’re more secure when in place.
Type: Stand
Materials: Plastic
+ Fold up super small
+ Nice and lightweight
- Not the most stable
If you're looking for a stand that will fit in the front of a gig bag or in your backpack, the Hercules GS200B EZ Pack is one of the most compact stands you can buy. We were initially surprised when ours turned up in such a small box, and even happier when we witnessed how it folded out.
It's sturdy enough to use at live shows, although you should be mindful when you're chucking yourself about on stage that it's not quite as stable as other stands on this list. For the most part, we've not had any issues with ours, and we've taken it to pretty much every gig we've played since we bought it.
Buying advice
Are guitar stands nitro finish safe?
Nitrocellulose can be prone to marking from certain stands. Nitro actually takes a while to cure fully – some guitars can be made, finished and left to dry for a while, but the nitro may still not be fully set, or cured. They’re perfectly fine to be sold and played, but if they’re left on certain stands for long periods of time, you might notice marks or discolorations around the contact points.
Some guitar stand manufacturers acknowledge this by marking them as safe for most finishes. Hercules says that the foam used on its stands is fine to use with nitrocellulose, and K&M makes some stands with dye-free material so there is no bleed.
How many guitars can a stand hold?
If you’ve got a few guitars that you want access to, then you can either buy separate stands for them, or keep them on a multi-guitar stand. Which one is right for you most likely boils down to how much space you have, and whether you want them all in the same place, or dotted around the room or rooms.
How big are guitar stands?
Another consideration to make in finding the best guitar stand or hanger for you is how big the actual unit itself is. Many of them fold or collapse down so that they can be taken from one place to another easily. If you’re after a stand to take to gigs, then you’ll likely want one that packs down quite small to make transporting it easier. Some can fit into guitar cases, meaning you’ve got one less thing to carry; others are slightly bigger. Some might be more permanent fixtures, better suited to home or studio use.
Are guitar stands long lasting?
It’s worth mentioning that all of the stands on here are worth their salt. However, some are sturdier than others. A stand that offers neck support is always going to offer more security than one that doesn’t, though you’ll likely sacrifice some portability. Stands that comprise only a bottom part, on which you rest the instrument, can mean that guitars are more at risk of falling over, but they don’t take up a lot of space.
There are also hangers, which, as the name suggests, allow you to hang the guitar up from the headstock. These attach to walls and are great for saving space – that said, they aren’t much good for headless guitars!
How we test
When testing a guitar stand there are a few things we need to take into account before they can make it into one of our guides. Despite being a simple device a guitar stand does a very important job, and you're placing a lot of trust in one when you put your guitar on or into it.
First and foremost we'll look at how easy it is to set up. Some a-frame stands just need to be opened but guitar hangers require installation. In this case, we'll look at how easy it is to mount it on the wall, whether you get all the tools you need or not, as well as how clear the instructions are for installation. With floor stands we'll look at how easy they are to put together once out of the box, do you get everything you need in the box to put them together and is everything clearly marked?
Once this is done we'll use the stand with a variety of guitars to see how well it suits different instruments. In the case of a guitar hanger, we'll be looking at how securely it huge the instrument headstock, and whether the wall attachment feels solid enough that we'd trust our own instruments with it.
Floor stands get a similar treatment, but we'll look at how stable they are on the floor and in the case of multi-stands, whether they're still as stable when only partially full. We'll also look at the collapsible aspect of these stands, how easy they are to take down and put up, and whether you'd find it easy to do it on a dark stage.
Read more on how we test gear and services at Guitar Player.
