Here's why the new pocket-sized Fender Amperstand could replace your guitar stand
No tools or adhesive means you can attach this handy gadget to just about any surface
Us guitarists know what it’s like to need a third arm.
Juggling playing with handling gear and various pit stops means our hands can get full pretty quickly.
So, anything helpful that doesn’t add to the load is always welcome.
Indeed, the new Fender Amperstand may even lighten the load by doing away with the need to carry around a bulky guitar stand altogether.
The best guitar accessories tend to be the most basic in design – neat, no-frills, easy-to-use stuff that delivers genuine answers to actual problems.
And with a simplicity that belies its genius the pocket-sized Amperstand provides a convenient way of safely setting your instrument down while simultaneously offering a useful guitar pick storage and guitar cable tidy solution.
There’s a reason so many removable ‘ashtray’ bridge covers are missing on vintage Telecasters (as the colloquial name suggests!) and the Fender Amperstand takes inspiration from this classic shape.
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Using a microsuction material the Amperstand is able to attach to a surprisingly wide variety of surfaces, including rough Tolex guitar amp coverings (as pictured above).
Alternatively, you can use it on just about any suitable surface, such as a table top, shelf, speaker cab et cetera.
Without the need to use tools or adhesive, the Amperstand can be quickly and easily removed without leaving any marks or residue.
In terms of maintenance, all it needs is a quick dusting down every now and then to keep the microsuction performing well.
Made in the USA from a super-stable type of material known as TPE (thermoplastic elastomers) Fender says the Amperstand is safe to use with most guitar finishes, stating they found no significant issues after testing.
However, the firm did stress that “sweat and other environmental contaminants can produce chemical reactions between the finish and stand components that can be neither predicted nor tested.”
Naturally ageing vintage nitrocellulose finishes aside, TPE is an altogether safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to other plastics.
Indeed, many customers will take comfort in knowing that TPE is widely used in the medical equipment industry and is recyclable.
Visit Fender for more information.
Rod Brakes is a music journalist with an expertise in guitars. Having spent many years at the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more recent work as a writer covering artists, industry pros and gear includes contributions for leading publications and websites such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar World, Guitar Player and MusicRadar in addition to specialist music books, blogs and social media. He is also a lifelong musician.
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