PVC Guitar Stand for Guitar Hero and Rock Band

The Guitar Hero and Rock Band series have given us plenty of music, but they have also given us something else... many plastic guitars in different styles, shapes, and colors. After a while, moving those guitars around all the time gets frustrating and they are always falling over.

After looking through some of the PVC guitar stands here on Instructables I decided to come up with one that had proportions that would fit the game guitars. The best part is that if you have the tools you can make this stand for only around $15.

Before proceeding, a few pieces of advice. First, I recommend dry fitting the entire stand BEFORE gluing it together. PVC cement drys very quickly and if you make a mistake it leaves little time to adjust the parts. Second, when you are ready to glue the stand together make sure you do it in a well ventilated area because the PVC primer and cement give off very strong fumes. Make sure you read all warnings before beginning!

Step 1: Parts List

Here is what you will need to build this stand:

2 - 10' sections of 1/2" PVC pipe
6 - 1/2" PVC 90-degree connectors
14 - 1/2" PVC end caps (smooth, not threaded)
16 - 1/2" PVC T-connectors
PVC primer and cement
Some way to cut PVC (hacksaw, miter saw, PVC cutter, etc.)
Tape measure or ruler
Marker

You should be able to pick up all these items at your local home improvement store. The PVC cement/primer can usually be bought as a set at most home improvement stores. The PVC connectors can be bought individually or in contractor's bags, which will save you a little bit of money.

Step 2: Cut PVC Pipes

Use the tape measure, marker, and cutter to cut the PVC pipes into the following lengths:

2 - 30" lengths
2 - 18" lengths
10 - 4 1/2" lengths
2 - 4" lengths
4 - 2 1/4" lengths
2 - 1 3/4" lengths
15 - 1 1/2" lengths

Step 3: Assemble Base

Parts used in this step (for each side):

10 - 1 1/2" pieces
4 - 90-degree connectors
4 - end caps
6 - T-connectors
2 - 4" piece
2 - 30" pieces

Using the 1 1/2" pieces as connectors, assemble the feet for the base as shown. Keep in mind that you are making TWO halves, and each one will be a mirror image of the other (see picture 2). Use the 2 30" pieces to connect the two halves together and the base is done (see picture 3).

Step 4: Make Uprights

Parts needed for this step:

2 - 18" pieces
2 - 90-degree connectors

Simply attach one connector to the top of each upright.

Step 5: Make Neck Holders

Parts needed for this step:

10 - 4 1/2" pieces
10 - T-connectors
10 - end caps
5 - 1 1/2" pieces

Assemble each piece as shown (picture 1). Once you have 10 pieces, pair them up and connect each piece of the pair to the other using a 1 1/2" piece (picture 2). You should have 5 holders when you are finished (picture 3).

Step 6: Assemble Top Bar

Parts needed for this step:

4 - 2 1/4" pieces
2 - 1 3/4" pieces

Take each of the neck holders and connect them with another one with a 2 1/4" piece (picture 1). When you are finished you should have a row of neck holders(picture 2). I found it easiest to lay the neck holders on a flat surface when connecting them all. This insures that all the holders are aligned. Finally, connect the neck holders to the uprights on each end with a 1 3/4" piece (picture 3).

Step 7: Final Assembly

This is the easy part. Simply connect the top bar to the base.

Now the fun part: add your guitars! As you can see, this design holds a wide array of guitars. The neck holders make convenient places to store your cords or straps.

You can modify this design to hold fewer/more guitars. You just need to adjust the measurements and buy more/fewer T-connectors and end caps. If you are going to make this any bigger, I would recommend cutting the long bottom pieces in the middle and adding another foot for for support (about where the middle guitar is in the second picture). The PVC tends to sag over time even though the guitars don't weigh much.

Lastly, have fun! Customize your stand and post your results here!