Guitar and bass amp stands (technically cabinet stands) are superb tools to help position amps in ideal locations and directions and isolate them from the floor to reduce resonance. From studio recording sessions to live performances, amp stands are invaluable tools to get the most out of your guitar and bass amps and cabinets.
Since electric guitar and bass are so popular, it makes sense that there are plenty of amp stand options to choose from on the market. With such a wide variety of stands, knowing the top brands is useful.
Of course, the brand is far from the most important aspect of an amp stand, though it's still worth considering for general knowledge and judgement. In this article, I'll share my take on the top guitar, and bass amp stand brands.
Though obviously subjective and prone to biases, I've done my best to list out these brands based on the following metrics (in no particular order):
- Company reputation
- Performance of the amp stands
- Longevity of the amp stands
- Variety of amp stands available
- Accessibility of the amp stands (how easy they are to find/buy)
- The company must currently be in operation
With all that being said, let's list out the brands.
The top 10 best guitar and bass amp stand brands are:
Let's get into each of these brands in greater detail and explain why they belong in the top 10 best guitar and bass amp stand brands. I'll share their country of origin, a bit of history, an example of a notable amp stand, and a link to their official website.
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Gator Frameworks
Father and daughter founded Gator as a small project in the family's garage, but since day one, the company has grown non-stop. This growth is not only due to the quality of the products they manufacture but also to a rich catalogue that is in continuous expansion and in 20 years has surpassed the 1,000-product mark.
Gator Frameworks is the heavy-duty subdivision of this huge company established to address the needs of sound professionals and touring musicians. If you are after a road-worthy piece of gear that won't break the bank, you need to try Gator Frameworks before buying anything else.
Notable stand: Gator Frameworks GFW-GTR-AMP Combo Amp Stand (link to check the price on Amazon)
This sturdy, collapsible combo amplifier stand is perfect for the touring musician. To begin with, it is collapsible to its minimal possible size, so it occupies virtually no space among your gear. Also, the rubber feet are designed for optimum grip avoiding accidents regardless of the terrain. Finally, the position lock (a secure lock cam) snaps the teeth into place, so you will never get your fingers trapped in the middle.
Official website: gatorframeworks.com
Gator was founded by Jerry Freed and Crystal Morris in the year 2000. Currently, headquarters are in Columbia City, Indiana, USA.
Gator is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!
Ultimate Support
Fostering in-house design has proven to be a competitive advantage for Ultimate Support. Indeed, the company invested heavily in a state-of-the-art facility entirely dedicated to its R&D department. There, a team of notables works with modeling software and CNC machines.
As a result, the company is always leading the trend for being in constant “patent pending” status. Moreover, since all design is done in-house, the time it takes to go from idea to finished product has drastically reduced for Ultimate Support. As a result, their products are clever innovations to solve common problems.
Notable stand: Ultimate Support AMP-150 (link to check the price on Amazon)
The AMP-150 might be the smallest, most portable amplifier stand you'll find on the market. Yet, don't let its size fool you since it can withstand amplifiers of up to 35kg. But that's not all; it features a microphone boom attachment possibility, so you can easily put a microphone on your amp regardless of the venue. Finally, the rubber feet keep this solid stand in place the entire night. This is a great candidate to check out if you are after a sturdy, portable, lightweight solution.
Official website: ultimatesupport.com
Ultimate Support was founded by Darrell Schoenig in 1977. Currently, the headquarters are in Loveland, Colorado, USA.
Ultimate Support is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!
Quik Lok
Quik-Lok is a company dedicated to directed innovation in matters of music stands and accessories. It has invented groundbreaking, revolutionary stands for many instruments in the past 4 decades. For example, if you've ever seen a keyboard stand featuring a sturdy disc in the middle, making it easier to set up height, you've seen a Quik-Lok invention.
The company takes the same approach regarding all stands for instruments and amplifiers. In this vein, if you haven't already, giving Quik-Lok amplifier stands a chance before buying is a must.
Notable stand: Quik-Lok BS-317 (link to check the price on Amazon)
Weighing only 3kg, this sturdy, reliable, well-built amp stand can hold up to 45kg of pure tone in the shape of your favourite amplifier. Indeed, Quik-Lok created this model for people who often gig or practice with 2×12 or 1×12 combo amps. In the same vein, the double-braced, low-profile stand is foldable enough to fit your backpack and sturdy enough to hold your amp. Finally, rubber feet make it a safe bet on any terrain.
Official website: quiklok.com
Quik-Lok was founded in 1983. Currently, the company's headquarters are in Recanati, Italy.
Quik Lok is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!
On-Stage
On-Stage is a company that understood everything from the start. In other words, the company knew that the key to creating better products wasn't only investing in more R&D but utilizing their sales channels (AKA distributors and retailers) as information gatherers.
Indeed, by opening inbound channels, the company got access to first-hand data about the performance of its products. Following that info as a guideline, On-Stage managed to solve the same needs the competition does but in a better, more efficient way than the rest. Furthermore, they do so without breaking the bank.
Notable stand: On-Stage RS700 (link to check the price on Amazon)
This amp stand differs from most on this list because it allows amplifiers to be placed higher than most of the competition. Also, the cross braces reinforcing the sturdy base make it rock-solid, so you can set up your amp on top and play the entire gig worry-free. Moreover, the support arms can be adjusted in height to support all amp kinds and brands. Finally, the base, legs, and arms fold to make it a lightweight, easy-to-carry solution for the gigging musician.
Official website: on-stage.com
Parent company: Jam Industries
On-Stage is a division of Jam Industries, founded by Marty Golden in 1972. On-Stage was created in 1979, and its current headquarters are in Berlin, Germany.
On-Stage is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!
K&M
Simple, reliable, sturdy solutions are perhaps the most welcome kind of solution in the music industry. That is exactly the role that K&M has earned on the main stages around the world: hold musicians' most cherished possessions performing night after night flawlessly.
The secret behind this reputation as the music industry's most reliable stand is having every piece of every K&M product done in-house. Indeed, every K&M product is completely manufactured in the same facility. Thus, the quality control levels inside this German company are among the best in the world.
Notable stand: K&M 28130 (link to check the price at Sweetwater)
This is a sturdy, reliable, well-made amplifier stand with some clever innovations in the design. To begin with, it can hold up to 35kg in a tilted position thanks to its steel tube legs with cross braces. This can grant your amplifier a tilt angle of 15º to 28º. But that's not all, since you can attach a telescopic boom on top of the amp stand to microphone your performance in a breeze. Finally, it also folds smaller than most of the competition and adds very little weight to your gear.
Official website: k-m.de
Karl König and Erich Meyer founded K&M in 1949. Currently, headquarters are in Wertheim am Main, Germany.
König & Meyer is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!
Boss
Nobody who has played guitar for some time gigging live and going to studios ignores what a Boss guitar pedal is. Indeed, they were the unsung heroes of the grunge revolution and are still the go-to option for professionals, beginners, enthusiasts, connoisseurs, and collectors all over the world.
Moreover, the same pedal that John Frusciante uses live to bring a stadium to sing a chorus in a Red Hot Chili Peppers song can be bought by anyone anywhere in the world. Boss has become a synonym for quality, performance, amazing sounds, and unmatched reliability. Amplifier stands make that reputation more solid.
Notable stand: Boss BAS-1 (link to check the price at Guitar Center)
Boss is a company associated with roadworthy, sturdy gear that can take anything. This stand continues to enlarge that reputation by delivering nothing but top-notch support for amps in many different sizes. Indeed, the clever design includes telescopic arms to fit large or small combo amps. In the same vein, the tilt level can be easily adjusted, and the rubber feet make it rock-solid and dependable. Finally, the cushioning pads are great for sound isolation and controlling your amp's vibrations.
Official website: boss.info
Boss was established by the Roland Corporation in 1973. Currently, headquarters are in Hamamatsu, Japan.
Boss is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!
Atlas Stands
The history of Atlas Stands began with a problem needing to be sold: hearing amps during band practice and gigs. Indeed, the company owners found that the speakers blasting their ankles weren't helping their tone pursue. At the same time, all the solutions found in the market felt and looked cheap.
Hence, in 2010, the first all-wooden amp stands were created by the company and commercialized to critical acclaim. Nowadays, the sales are still skyrocketing, and not only the company owners but many fellow musicians around the world enjoy the tone of their amps more than ever before.
Notable stand: Atlas Stands Walnut Low Rider Amp Stand with Table Top (link to check the price at Guitar Center)
Amplifiers divided into head and cabinet can be a pain to put into a stand because the head is designed to sit over the cabinet. If the cabinet is tilted, then it's complicated to keep the head attached on top. Still, this stand 100% handmade in the USA with top-quality walnut can provide the infrastructure to keep the speaker tilted while the head sits comfortably and securely on top. Finally, the design also decouples the amplifier from the floor preventing the unwanted transfer of floor vibrations, especially on reverb tanks.
Official website: atlas-stands.com
Atlas Stands was founded by Josh Childers and John Schramlin in 2010. Currently, headquarters are near the Cherokee National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains in East Tennessee, USA.
Fender
To talk about Fender is to talk about a big part of music history. Indeed, the company revolutionized the market with some of the most famous guitars, basses, pedal steels, and amps of all time. Moreover, the blackface line in the '60s incorporated the “tilt amp” idea by adding “legs” on both sides to tilt, for example, your Twin Reverb.
Furthermore, during the apogee of surf music, big amps with 1×15″ or 2×15″ cabinets featured the same tilting mechanism with the ability to secure the head to the speaker box. This idea has not dissipated from Fender's catalogue, and their speaker stands are some of the best in the market with decades in the making.
Notable stand: Fender Amp Stand Large (link to check the price at Musician's Friend)
Fender makes two amp stands for different size amplifiers. This is the biggest incarnation supporting a weight of up to 68kg. Moreover, the foldable design not only occupies very little space when touring but can be set and ready in a matter of seconds. Furthermore, it is completely made of steel for professional applications. Finally, the rubber feet and touching surfaces are great to keep your amp safe and sound every night.
Official website: fender.com
Fender was founded by Clarence Leonidas Fender in 1946. Currently, headquarters are in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Fender is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!
Tourtech
Tourtech's history begins with a sound engineer by the name of Dick trying to make a name in the music industry. Indeed, Dick Rabel founded Tourtech over four decades ago and, for some time, he was the owner and sound engineer for the entire company.
By 1984, almost a decade after opening its doors, the company was able to grow enough to hire several more sound engineers thanks to a hefty level of sales of its clever creations. Nowadays, Dick only performs as the owner while a legion of sound engineers follows his legacy.
If you want reliable, well-built, cleverly-designed amplifier stands, you have to check Tourtech out.
Notable stand: Tourtech TTS–AMP5 Adjustable Amplifier and Monitor Stand (link to check the price at Andertons)
With a maximum load capacity of 40kg, this stand is perfect for the touring musician. This is because it can take the weight and the hardships of the road and perform its duty flawlessly night after night. Much of that endurance comes from the steel tubing construction with foldable legs featuring rubber feet. Moreover, the height of the stand can be adjusted to one of 4 positions in a matter of seconds. Finally, this lightweight, utterly portable stand will occupy virtually no space among your gear and will have a huge positive impact on your show.
Official website: tourtechmusic.com
Tourtech was founded by Dick Rabel in 1975. Currently, headquarters are in Northampton, the United Kingdom.
Markbass
Although a sax player with vast knowledge of the instrument, Marco is also an electronic engineer with a fine taste for tone and a pro-musician ear. His passion for music and electronics got him to build his first models for bass amplification early in his life. These prototype amps were all bought by his friends because of how good they sounded.
By the 90s, Marco joined forces with Ernie Ball to create amplifiers. Although the line didn't last long, in that adventure Marco started using neodymium speakers. By the time he created his brand, he had the know-how, experience, and leverage to shake the amplification world.
The amp stands follow the same path.
Notable stand: Markbass The Mark Stand (link to check the price at Guitar Center)
Perhaps, the Mark Stand by Markbass is the cleverest design and the most portable of all the stands on this list. Moreover, its folded form is no bigger than a folded towel and can fit in your backpack with no problems. Yet, when the time comes to hit the stage, it can support any Markbass speaker cabinet or combo. This is, of course, occupying minimal stage space. Finally, the Velcro allows you to find the perfect position for your sound every night.
Official website: markbass.it
Markbass was founded by Marco de Virgiliis in 2001. Currently, headquarters are in Chieti, Italy.
Markbass is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!
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