Review: UpGuitarbus Stand and Support

Learn more or buy from UpGuitarbus

Review: UpGuitarbus Stand and Support for Classical Guitar – I had a great time trying out the UpGuitarbus guitar stand and support from France. This is a high quality and fully adjustable guitar stand allowing you to play while standing promoting stability, good posture, and customizable positioning. Here’s my YouTube review link if you want to watch it there. Here are some of their promotional lines:

PLAY STANDING
PLAY PAIN FREE
PERFORM AT YOUR BEST

The first stand designed entirely for classical guitarists to perform upright with perfect posture — relieve your back and elevate your music. Classical guitarists often struggle with posture and fatigue. UpGuitarbus offers an ergonomic solution: play standing, naturally, and protect your health — without sacrificing technique…the challenge was clear: create a support that doesn’t damage the guitar, doesn’t alter its natural sound, and provides a comfortable, balanced posture. – upguitarbus.com

Features

Stand and play guitar naturally – “Maintain perfect posture, reduce back pain, and rediscover the pleasure of a standing performance.” It really does feel amazing standing naturally with the guitar. However, I will admit, after 30 years of playing sitting it feels quite different. The reduced contact with the guitar feels less secure but imparts a huge freedom of movement aspect that I will continue to explore.

Fits your guitar, fits your style – Adjustable for various guitar sizes, but your instrument body must be at least 85mm deep. If your guitar is slimmer, please contact them.

High quality materials – It’s super sturdy and high quality. The laminated beech wood is very strong and has felt to protect your guitar. The sturdy steel bars are over the top and I would trust my life with them. All the threaded attachments are metal so this will never wear out. The K&F aluminium tripod is amazingly adjustable. Coincidentally, it’s actually the same tripod I use for my camera.

Fully adjustable – Customize height and tilt easily in any direction thanks to the tripod and ball-head system.

Protects your guitar – “Screws with felt-covered articulated foot pads touch the reinforced edge of your instrument and preserve your tone quality while saving its flawless finish.” I trust this completely with my expensive guitars, very well thought out in this regard.

Feel the vibrations – There is almost no contact with the actual vibrating back or soundboard except around the very edge. This should allow the guitar to vibration at its full potential.

Assembly & Mounting Video

What I like

• Health – Putting aside whether you like playing with it or not, it’s very likely this is a much healthier way to play. My posture and positioning was exceptional with this support. It took some time to get the right position as it feels very different than sitting but the highly adjustable tripod makes nearly any position possible.
• Quality – Super high quality build and thoughtful design.
• Standing – You can stand while playing and the guitar is perfectly stationary.
• Additional Usage – I would use this for special camera work where I need a hand free for the camera or to teach and point. The stationary aspect is perfect for recording and video applications.
• Unique – Whether you want to stand while playing or not, this has clear applications for special circumstances.
  • People with health concerns preventing them from sitting.
  • Possibly application for people with disabilities. Maybe possible for wheelchairs but I don’t know the logistics of this. A special clamp might be needed.
  • Using this with small children could be interesting. You’d be able to set them up correctly and know they would be in a good position.

Concerns

• Not much – I don’t have any concerns about the usability or quality of the product. Obviously this is a very specific device with a very specific intention.
• Aesthetics – Clearly, there is an aesthetic consideration. With the tripod and clamps it has a bit of a contraption-aspect to it. But it is a nice mix of usability and design and you can see the full guitar at least.
• Mobility is clearly limited in one way and opened up in a different way. Overall there is increased mobility due to you body being able to move around but the stationary aspect of the guitar could be limiting for some people who twist and turn with the guitar as they play. This will largely be a personal choice.
• Cost – At the moment the cost is €390.00 (please check at their website though as it is subject to change). The quality of the device and what it comes with matches the price so no worries there. But that is still a steep price for some people. Maybe in the future with expanded sales it could come down a bit or a student model could be designed at a lower cost. But don’t worry, you’re getting your moneys worth, it’s a quality product. Professional guitarists. or just those who care about their body and instrument, will enjoy the high quality of the product regardless of price.

Ideas

• Could there be a mounting option for a chair, wheelchair or other situations? I know this is not within the nature of the device as it was designed for standing but I’m interested if that could be an option in the future.
• Could the clamping attachment mechanism be on the back instead of the front for visual reasons?
• Can there be a more affordable student model below this professional model?

Summary

The UpGuitarbus is a high quality and fully adjustable guitar stand and support allowing a standing position for classical guitarists. With excellent build quality and a thoughtful design you can play in a healthy way and feel confident your guitar is well protected and resonating. It has clear implications and usages for players with health or sitting issues as well as a wide array of applications for special situations. An important contribution to the world of guitar supports and a viable option for professionals and amateurs alike.

Learn more or buy from UpGuitarbus

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