Stand for two tiers?

stevewahl · Post by **stevewahl** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 4:06 pm

I'm thinking about adding a 1st tier keyboard below my K2 61, probably one of those $500-700 25 lb 88 key electric pianos (was looking at Casio, then realized there's also a few worthy competitors I should consider).

I currently have a stand with a second tier that I don't often use, but it has no adjustments and the keyboards can't be placed close to each other.

I would like a keyboard stand where the second tier positioning is flexible enough that I could get the keyboards very close to each other, like the two manuals on an organ. I'm considering keyboards with minimal front panels so I can get them so close without access issues.

Does anyone here use a stand like this that they like and would recommend?

Thanks!

Xenophile · Post by **Xenophile** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:55 pm

If you play standing up, the K&M Spider Pro is hard to beat.

I play sitting down, so I got the "Baby" Spider Pro. The downside to that is that you can't fold up two tiers on the "baby" model... The column isn't long enough. So I have to take the top cap off every time I set up or tear down. Its a real PITA. I'm planning to work with a friend who has a 3D printer to make a cap that will easily slide on and off to replace the screwed-on cap.

tunaman · Post by **tunaman** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:39 pm

I’ve got a couple of the Ultimate Apex stands, and one of the originals - I like them as they’re very portable and simple to adjust.

theescapist · Post by **theescapist** » Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:13 am

I had a K&M Spider Pro but it ended up being too space-consuming for my tastes; now I have a K&M Omega setup with a 2nd tier and it works well. It does take more effort to adjust than the Spider (4x hand-operated screws to adjust the 2nd tier vs. like 1 on the Spider) but this is moot if you don't need to break it down and set it back up often.

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:19 pm

Xenophile wrote:If you play standing up, the K&M Spider Pro is hard to beat.

I play sitting down, so I got the "Baby" Spider Pro. The downside to that is that you can't fold up two tiers on the "baby" model... The column isn't long enough. So I have to take the top cap off every time I set up or tear down. Its a real PITA. I'm planning to work with a friend who has a 3D printer to make a cap that will easily slide on and off to replace the screwed-on cap.

It depends, how many pedals you use?

I prefer the k&m table models.. less flashy, but even more stable, and room for all the pedals in the world..

tenohtwo · Post by **tenohtwo** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 3:52 pm

I highly recommend the QuickLok Z/726L Z-stand. The top tier has two arms that adjust both side-to-side, and up and down, so you can have your top keyboard hover just over the bottom keyboard. I own two, and love them for their sturdiness and adjustability of the top tier. I bought two extra tier arms that mount specifically to the frame, so I can mount two smaller devices on top (midi pad, drum machine, 37-key keyboard, etc.).

B&H Photo currently has them in stock for $170, which is the lowest price I have seen online in a while.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:50 pm

I don't think any of the stands mentioned so far are particularly good for getting the keys of the two boards as close to each other as possible, as you asked about. For that, in current models, I'd look at the K*M 18880 with the 18881 second tier ("stacker"). The key is that you can flip the 18881 around so that it faces "backwards" which allows the stacker to support the rear of the keyboard, while the front of the keyboard may even be able to rest on the back of the keyboard underneath.

Depending on the height of the lower keyboard, you still ,may or may not be able to get the keys of the two boards as close as you'd like. If it's still too far, there are two ways to fix that. You can modify the stackers so that they can fall lower to lower the level of the top board relative to the bottom, OR you can put some spacers on the lower tier supports so that they raise the level of the bottom board relative to the top.

tunaman · Post by **tunaman** » Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:44 pm

The Apex let’s you sit one right on top of the other… not practical, but possible. It is infinitely adjustable as far as spacing goes.

JonSolo · Post by **JonSolo** » Mon Jan 24, 2022 11:20 pm

And another vote for the Ultimate Apex AX-48. My keyboards nearly sit on top of each other. Right now my Fantom controls the program changes on the Kronos, but I am thinking of doing it the other way around.

blazerunner · Post by **blazerunner** » Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:00 pm

tenohtwo wrote:I highly recommend the QuickLok Z/726L Z-stand. The top tier has two arms that adjust both side-to-side, and up and down, so you can have your top keyboard hover just over the bottom keyboard. I own two, and love them for their sturdiness and adjustability of the top tier. I bought two extra tier arms that mount specifically to the frame, so I can mount two smaller devices on top (midi pad, drum machine, 37-key keyboard, etc.).

B&H Photo currently has them in stock for $170, which is the lowest price I have seen online in a while.

that's what I use. The bottom rack holds my heavy 73 and that upper tear has held my heavy Moog keyboards with no problem. Right now it has a heavy Matriarch sitting on top of it. I also use the STAY 3 tier rack. It's like the Spyder design. It wobbles too much for my taste but it works.. oddly it was more expensive.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 1:28 am

tunaman wrote:The Apex let’s you sit one right on top of the other… not practical, but possible. It is infinitely adjustable as far as spacing goes.

I'm not sure it could accomplish the task at hand, since that center stalk prevents one board from being very far behind another. Also the arms themselves would almost certainly add some height between the two boards that we're trying to keep as close together as possible. That is, while the heights may be, in a sense, infinitely adjustable, I still don't think you can get the two boards "infinitely close" if you know what I mean. But however you're envisioning it, even you say it's not practical to do, so I'm going to stick with my K&M 18880 suggestion, to do what the OP described what he wanted to do. Which I can illustrate...

Here's a pic of the K&M 18880 used as described, with a Nord Wave stacked over a Korg SV1, with the front of the Nord resting directly on the back of the SV1 below (the second tier arms of the stand support the rear). You can see how long the arms extend behind the very shallow Nord Wave, it would easily support a Kronos up there. As a bonus, it's really stable, sets up and breaks down in seconds, moves in one piece, and weighs only about 10 lbs.

blazerunner · Post by **blazerunner** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 8:15 pm

I feel like an oddball because no one ever recommends my stand I use but I have a "On Stage ks7365ej pro". You can adjust it to sit the top keyboard to a lower height. I modified mine to do the opposite but sit higher. On the bottom I have my heavy Kronos 73. Above it I swap out with lots of other keyboards. From my Heavy Matriarch, to my old ASR10 (and you know how heavy those old Ensoniq's are). It's a very sturdy stand.

magilla66 · Post by **magilla66** » Fri Apr 22, 2022 4:02 am

I use a K&M 18880 table stand as well, as others I have tried with my TEX88 always felt unstable (x-brace, z-brace) or couldn’t accommodate a second tier (Jam Stand). On occasion, I have used two of the 18880 stands when setting up the TEX88 in a standup playing position to provide additional stability, especially if i have other keyboards or devices on the second tiers. The 18880 is super light, well built, and collapses easily for transport.

if I had a team of roadies, I would gig with my K&M 18800 stand…but that’s a pipe dream