Looking for plans for a guitar storage rack

[Pieman]

Okay, woodbutchers, does anybody have recommendations or links to DIY plans for a guitar (in their cases) storage racks? Or maybe post photos of what you bought or built? Thinking of starting once Christmas passes. Thanks

[hamerhead]

I use one of these on wheels with extra shelves (11 total) spaced about 6" apart:

You can double up LP-type cases (by laying them in opposite directions) to squeeze a few extra on there, too. Not wood, but it's very sturdy and doesn't take up a lot of space. Plus, if there's a fire I can wheel the whole works out the door.

[mathman]

I took one piece of oak plywood. Cut it and created a 5 guitar stand with a place for my standard. Been using it for 4 years now and it works great.

http://kirkpitts.com/5GuitarStand/index.html

I just read the part about the cases.... never mind.

[django49]

^^^^

Highly recommended. The NSF shelves (I got multiples at Costco) were around $90 each.......About 18 x 48 x 72 inches. Even without the extra shelves, they are very versatile and solid. And you can easily put 2 (or 3) guitars on each shelf, with only slightly more inconvenience in swapping guitars in/out.

The shelves are adjustable so, if you have room (like a long wall), you can buy multiples and expand the capacity horizontally by staggering the shelves, with each upright doing double duty. They are also a solid and economical way to add useful storage in a garage or pantry.

I have built tons of wooden cabinets and shelves (and do a pretty fair job, IMHO) but I cannot beat these. Unless you want a "designer cabinet" to be able to close it up and hide them all away.

[burningyen]

Using Elfa parts from The Container Store:

[Tres Aardvarks]

I'm going to put mine on wire racks shortly. My basses are too long to fit so at least one section has to be vertical.

[Toadroller]

I use something like this:

The guitar cases go underneath it.

[veatch]

How i spent a long weekend...

Crude, but effective. 2x4 frame with 1x1 skids on the bottom. 1/2" plywood, and then a back frame of 2x4s. 1x2 supports. I think the top padded rail and the "lip" on the bottom front were 1x1. I used some foam rubber, some low density EPDM sheets that i had, to pad the bottom and wrap the back and lip. Naugahyde or whatever to make it look less ghetto. Left the remaining wood raw to make it look rustic. The lip in front gives enough tip to keep the guitars leaning back, whether they are Les Paul type or rectangular cases.

This works if you have a manageable number of guitars. If not, you need to go vertical with something like above.

[Sugartune]

I'm not at home or I'd take a pic and show it, but I took those metal shelf brackets, mounted them on the wall sideways and wrapped them in foam to protect from scuffing/scratching.

[Pieman]

Does anybody else think that Standard is at risk in Mathman's storage unit?

[cynic]

^^ No more so than any guitar in any guitar stand.

[Steve Haynie]

Does anybody else think that Standard is at risk in Mathman's storage unit?

Yes. However, there is a strap button that would keep it from sliding out.

[mathman]

my final version has pads that grip and keep it from sliding out and the always knowledgable Steve is correct. The strap button is a item of last resort. It is just a xt version so I may have treated it different if it was a USA but, I made this 3 years ago and it has never even moved, much less, slide out.

[Steve Haynie]

Ultracase makes stand that will allow the pointy end of a Standard/Explorer body to rest against a raised edge.

[Boomerang~Junkie]

I use one of these on wheels with extra shelves (11 total) spaced about 6" apart:

You can double up LP-type cases (by laying them in opposite directions) to squeeze a few extra on there, too. Not wood, but it's very sturdy and doesn't take up a lot of space. Plus, if there's a fire I can wheel the whole works out the door.

Use this method but remove the 2nd, 3rd and 4th shelves (from the bottom) and store your guitars vertically - saves money on the shelves or allows you to make a second rack if your shelf kit comes with six shelves. You'll need more vertical poles, but my setup only uses three shelves. Pad and carpet the bottom shelf and install side rails on the ends and back to keep the cases from falling out the back and ends. Roll pad these bars braces as well. With 5" casters, my setup is six feet wide (shelves are 18" deep) and an inch shorter than the interior door case openings in my house - so I can roll them room to room if needed. It will hold fourteen guitars vertically and another six on a shelf above horizontally - 20 total. Put high grade, 5" non marking casters on it and you can roll them anywhere - all at one time. The front set of casters lock the back do not, so it won't roll when you are taking case out and putting them back in. It also keeps all your rigs a little more than seven inches off the floor (think no water damage, mystery case damage, critters or bugs).

Then cover the whole dang thing with a zippered front, high grade nylon version of one of these covers and zip it up tight just like the hospitals do with their valuable stuff. No dust, dirt, sun damage - no whatever - no extra eyes seeing your stuff. People think you have clothes stored in them and I just say, "Yep" to those who do not need to know. They're a bit pricey - a decent cover like this is about $185 (I think mine is water resistant I cant remember though).

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/5-polyurethane-shelving-caster-set/460EC26.html

http://www.gilmorekramer.com/more_info/wire_shelving_covers/wire_shelving_covers.shtml

Carpet scraps were $5 from a carpet store. Looks professional and inconspicuous when covered and offers some protection. Not really cheap - but surprisingly sturdy. I think I have around $400 in the whole thing - but I didn't have to spend any time fabricating. I put my entire setup together in a few hours one Saturday and loaded it up and rolled into place.

I'll get a few photos of mine uploaded sometime.

[hamerhead]

That's a great idea! I'm already re-thinking mine, because the bottom couple of shelves always have something in front of them (more guitars or amps or crap from last night's gig). A person could open up the bottom half for accessibility, and leave the top 4 or 5 shelves in place. The cover is pretty sweet, too.

Dammit. Another project.

[tomteriffic]

I use one of these on wheels with extra shelves (11 total) spaced about 6" apart:

You can double up LP-type cases (by laying them in opposite directions) to squeeze a few extra on there, too. Not wood, but it's very sturdy and doesn't take up a lot of space. Plus, if there's a fire I can wheel the whole works out the door.

This. I have these all over the house and they're excellent for guitar storage. I have two that hold all of my electrics plus a few smaller acoustic instruments (mandolins, ukes, etc.). Nevermind the geezer blocking up the pic.

[hamerhead]

Was bored this morning. Went from this:

......to this:

...and it only took about 40 hours. All of the shelves have to slide off over the top, and the 8 plastic thingys (per shelf) have to come off, too. Jeezus what pain. A rubber mallet works wonders.

Now all I have to do is fit these:

.....and these.....

...and these:

I should probably downsize.

[Boomerang~Junkie]

Na, you've got the plan and you're on your way. You just need a few sets of poles and casters and you are good-to-go.

I need to find the photos of my setup here somewhere and post them.

[django49]

And a trick is that if you get two sets of those, you can use the large spaces at the bottom (about 44" should work) for vertical storage, with fewer shelves above. AND use the 8 vertical posts connected (double duty with staggered shelves) so you get a unit about 12 feet wide. That SHOULD allow you to get at least 39 guitars up and off the ground, more if you stack some on top.

Reckon that would hold all that stuff and then some.

It DOES take a little time to set up!

[Michael_B]

I like it. Simple and inexpensive and it seems to get a good lot stacked.

In the new place in Seattle, I'll have a wall that would good for hanging guitars. I was thinking of building bench seating on the base of the wall and storing cases under that. It might be overly ambitious. Might just have to get Don up here to help with the woodworking. Don, how's your upholstering handiwork, these days?