Uke stand - an alternative design

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Tom

Administrator
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Posts
51,857
Switching between instruments on the fly is always a challenge, especially in a live concert with no delay between numbers. My Fluke concert ukulele has a 'flat' end, so it sits quite comfortably on the floor, and my Firefly (soprano) banjouke usually sits in an inexpensive uke stand.

Last night's final rehearsal for our uke concert made it clear, partly because we're sold out and space will be at a premium, that we're going to have to dispense with uke stands and squeeze up a little. I thought of several alternatives while in bed last night, and today I came up with something quite different from what I'd imagined last night. A piece of aluminum flat, my drill stand, hacksaw, vice, and grinder resulted in a simple solution. The attached photos of my prototype should be self-explanatory. I'll make some changes to my final version tomorrow.

One caveat - the reason this works for me is the unique design of the head(stock) on the Firefly (and the Fluke). My original idea would work for any uke or banjouke, and I'll pursue that in the coming week. I hold no patent on this design but, if you want to pay me royalties, they'll be gratefully accepted  ;D

FWIW one of the photos has the DaTunerPro app on my Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android device in the shot.

Edit: forgot to mention the other advantage of this mod; It removes a uke and stand from the floor in our coach, which should make my other half happy  ;)
 

Attachments

  • ukestand.jpg
    ukestand.jpg
    238.4 KB · Views: 22
  • uke-on-music-stand.jpg
    uke-on-music-stand.jpg
    226.9 KB · Views: 20
  • uke-on-music-stand2.jpg
    uke-on-music-stand2.jpg
    219 KB · Views: 24
Here's the prototype of my second design (actually, the one I originally pictured in bed). This will fit ukes with a traditional headstock. I was either smart enough or lucky enough to incorporate some 'adjustments' in the design. I used a combination of aluminum and plywood for this prototype, but the final version will use a different material(s).

I have a third design in prototype that uses a rubber material. But I'm not out the other end of that one.

I assume that this stuff is not available from amazon.com for $5  ;D
 

Attachments

  • ukestand-option2.jpg
    ukestand-option2.jpg
    220.8 KB · Views: 13
  • ukestand-option2a.jpg
    ukestand-option2a.jpg
    223.2 KB · Views: 14
  • ukestand-option2b.jpg
    ukestand-option2b.jpg
    223.4 KB · Views: 17
Nice idea Tom.  You ought to be able to sell some of those to other like-minded uke players.
 
Tom said:
I assume that this stuff is not available from amazon.com for $5  ;D
Nope, they would cost $2.75.

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Hanger-Holder-Mount-Display/dp/B005CX4GLE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1337347342&sr=8-2
 
You ought to be able to sell some of those to other like-minded uke players.

Steve, more likely I might get "make one for me (for free)" requests  :(

... they would cost $2.75

Aye Tom, I've seen that and other wall-mount designs on amazon. Here's the one I'd buy if I couldn't come up with my own. In fact, I might buy this one anyway, and make a simple mod to suit my needs.
 
I have my Hofner bass hanging from the wall and I just bolted a piece of 12 inch piece of  insulated wire to the wall. To hang up the guitar I hook two of the tuning pegs around the wire. Of course I put it in the case when I am traveling. I wanted to get a wall hanger like the one I linked to but there is nothing solid enough on the wall I am hanging it from for it to work.
 
Tom said:
Here's the one I'd buy if I couldn't come up with my own. In fact, I might buy this one anyway, and make a simple mod to suit my needs.

That's exactly what you need, but I wonder if you crafted yours for less.
 
... I wonder if you crafted yours for less.

Less money, more time, and mine don't look as pretty  :(

My design abilities are almost non-existent, only slightly better than my artistic ability  :-[
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
131,753
Posts
1,384,359
Members
137,524
Latest member
freetoroam
Back
Top Bottom