A new ukulele stand

YogiTom

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Full disclosure, I have one of these on order. I went for the Maui fishhook design made from solid curly maple (custom request), and should be done in a week or so.

I can’t remember the Internet rabbit hole I went down to find their site for my original order, but they now have a Kickstarter campaign going: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/k-stand/k-stand-a-new-kind-of-instrument-stand

Figured I’d share here for anyone else interested! I’ll post my thoughts on mine once it arrives.
 
That's a clever, handsome design. The originators deserve to do well.

John Colter.
 
Those qualify as furniture or art (or both). Hopefully they are great as uke stands.
 
I hope (with our help) they will reach their goal $40,000 by August, then production can start and we will all benefit.
Wonderful design from the mind and heart.
 
Wow, nice! Wish I had room in my tiny house for something that beautiful for holding a uke.
 
Sweet. .....
 
they now have a Kickstarter campaign going:
Unless I'm mis-reading something, the smallest contribution that includes an actual stand is $300? :confused: that's nuts
 
Unless I'm mis-reading something, the smallest contribution that includes an actual stand is $300? :confused: that's nuts

When I checked they only had one taker and, sorry to say, at those prices, they may have trouble getting more. I stand corrected, they have 4 at that contribution.
 
Unless I'm mis-reading something, the smallest contribution that includes an actual stand is $300? :confused: that's nuts

Yeah, I’m not sure there. I ordered mine from their website before the Kickstarter launch. They definitely had options for less than that before...

I will say my solid wood request on the Maui hook was somewhere around $360, I think? Will have to go back and look. It is definitely more art/decor than pure utilitarian, and I know you could buy several quality ukes at that price.

Still, I don’t know why more reward levels don’t exist...
 
There’s a $200 level available if I’m not reading wrong. Comes with a 10” stand.
 
There’s a $200 level available if I’m not reading wrong. Comes with a 10” stand.

They are adding new categories. I looked when OP first posted and I didn't see the $300 category. I presumed I must have missed it, but after reading your post I looked at their kickstarter page which was still up on my computer and carefully scrolled for the $200 level, and it wasn't there. Then I refreshed the page, and it was. I guess they are realizing that the expensive ones are unlikely to have enough takers, so they are adding cheaper ones.
 
They are adding new categories. I looked when OP first posted and I didn't see the $300 category. I presumed I must have missed it, but after reading your post I looked at their kickstarter page which was still up on my computer and carefully scrolled for the $200 level, and it wasn't there. Then I refreshed the page, and it was. I guess they are realizing that the expensive ones are unlikely to have enough takers, so they are adding cheaper ones.

Guess they are still figuring out how to campaign.. and I think they would most probably update the category.

Just my humble opinion, even so with the new categories, one needs to pay $600 for a 20” stand which is appropriate for a guitar. So that’s cutting out the guitar folks as they could easily find a foldable stand with lower price.

$200 and $300 stands are of 10” which said to be for soprano and concert. There’s a 12” at $500 also meant for concert and soprano. I guess it could be a typo to meant concert and tenor.

I would think they should add an even cheaper category that comes with an entry stand made of some random plywood or even chipboard for all the given sizes at 10”, 12” and 20”. There are folks who need only the functionality of the stand without the beauty of it. The $200 seems to be the same build as the $300 without the artwork.

Again, if one views the stand as a functioning beautiful piece of artwork which i agreed that it is. Then it is totally justifiable for the price. Just my 2 cent worth and hope no offence taken by anyone.
 
Again, if one views the stand as a functioning beautiful piece of artwork which i agreed that it is. Then it is totally justifiable for the price. .

I think they are gorgeous works of art. I do have doubts as to how many people can or would pay that much for a stand, and a plain stand at $200 seems like a non starter for me. I do hope that they do not sell the high end ones they are giving away for less than the pledge amounts later, as that would not seem right for the early supporters. i found it odd that it is no longer possible to just order one, like Tom did, and compare the offerings and prices.
 
It isn't an online store. It is a kickstarter campaign. Think Shark Tank. When/if production gets going, the price will be lower and well worth what you are getting. I'd be tempted to help them out if I sold the 1918 Style 2M, It is the last of the 8 Martins I listed last year, but one of the best.
 
I think they are gorgeous works of art. I do have doubts as to how many people can or would pay that much for a stand, and a plain stand at $200 seems like a non starter for me. I do hope that they do not sell the high end ones they are giving away for less than the pledge amounts later, as that would not seem right for the early supporters. i found it odd that it is no longer possible to just order one, like Tom did, and compare the offerings and prices.

I’m not sure the prices would go down, but there should definitely be more options. I seem to recall the cheapest model (small, plain birch ply) when they were taking orders on their website was <$200, but now I can’t remember...

I’m excited to see how mine looks holding a uke, and to see how portable it truly is.
 
Innovative idea and quite attractive, as others have mentioned the price is the stumbling block.

Sadly the Chinese/Vietnamese will pick up on the idea and have a similar device on the market for $10 retail in no time at all.:)
 
Innovative idea and quite attractive, as others have mentioned the price is the stumbling block.

Sadly the Chinese/Vietnamese will pick up on the idea and have a similar device on the market for $10 retail in no time at all.:)

I didn't want to mention that but you are absolutely right.
 
Innovative idea and quite attractive, as others have mentioned the price is the stumbling block.

Sadly the Chinese/Vietnamese will pick up on the idea and have a similar device on the market for $10 retail in no time at all.:)

I didn't want to mention that but you are absolutely right.

While you are both undoubtedly correct that it could—and likely would—be copied and produced en masse cheaper, part of the appeal to me is that I know that I am supporting people here in my own backyard.

There will always be knockoffs for any product, but I don’t see why it should stop them from making a go at it. If that were the case, “luxury products” wouldn’t exist because there would be no demand for them. A $12 bottle of sparkling wine and a $300 bottle of vintage champagne may on paper be the same thing—fermented, bubbly grape juice—but given the option and funds, I’d drink the champagne every time. Not because it is cool to drink expensive wine (I would argue it isn’t, but that’s another thread), but because it would in fact be a higher quality product made to exacting regulations. The cost isn’t always arbitrary, and I’d trust a $300 stand with my more expensive ukes over a cheap knockoff any day of the week.

Just my 2¢.
 
While you are both undoubtedly correct that it could—and likely would—be copied and produced en masse cheaper, part of the appeal to me is that I know that I am supporting people here in my own backyard.

There will always be knockoffs for any product, but I don’t see why it should stop them from making a go at it. If that were the case, “luxury products” wouldn’t exist because there would be no demand for them. A $12 bottle of sparkling wine and a $300 bottle of vintage champagne may on paper be the same thing—fermented, bubbly grape juice—but given the option and funds, I’d drink the champagne every time. Not because it is cool to drink expensive wine (I would argue it isn’t, but that’s another thread), but because it would in fact be a higher quality product made to exacting regulations. The cost isn’t always arbitrary, and I’d trust a $300 stand with my more expensive ukes over a cheap knockoff any day of the week.

Just my 2¢.

Well, a couple of things. First, to sell a luxury good, you'd have to market it to appeal to the luxury market. Starting this product off at a high end crafts or art fair, especially a curated one, such as the Affaire in the Garden in Beverly Hills, which is reasonably close to them, would have gone a long way in establishing them in a higher end market BEFORE they get cheaply copied and it becomes harder to differentiate themselves. Second, they should truly understand their market. A market for an expensive piece of high quality, functional art with great woods and design elements is not the same market as the probably non-existent one for an expensive, basic plywood functional object, devoid of the beautiful artistic elements and gorgeous woods.
 
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