Hercules vs LPs

[canon_mutant]

Just FYI . . .

This is apparently a thing that I was not aware of. I have had [2] Hercules triple guitar stands for a decade. Last night I was watching the Allman Bros special on AXSTV and BAMM! One of the stands just collapsed dropping my guitars in the process. And, yes, it was naturally my 50th R9 and LP Axcess. My R9 has a huge ding now and the Axcess hit so hard it popped the tremolo block clear out of the guitar. It seems to be otherwise undamaged as was the [3rd] cheaper Godin. My 3rd stand with my Carvins and Strat is a different brand and seems to be fine.

Yeah, I know, should have been in their cases. But, I learned years ago on another guitar even that is not bullet proof. I play them all regularly so I've done this for 10 yrs without incident. The plastic clamp literally disintegrated over time to almost a soft sticky rubber like crap. Same problem on my other one with cheap[er] guitars had not fallen. Actually they have both fallen clear to the other end of the mancave now during a profane tantrum. Apparently you can get a replacement if you have your receipt . . . from a guitar stand . . . you bought 10 yrs ago?

I can fix the Axcess. Not sure what to do with my R9? Just live with it I guess . . .

Add it to the freakin 2020 pile!

 

[Mincer]

Oh man, that is awful! I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a stand to not implode, even after 10 years.
I would take a pic of the stand send it to the Hercules company. As far as your R9...well, you got a good story, at least.

 

[Rt4957]

I too have had a Hercules failure,although while taking a guitar off of it,,luckily not falling.It had that same gummy gooey feel to the connecter and parts just fell out. I am curious what causes the failure.

 

[Artie]

This is a bummer. I have two Hercules stands: a triple and a double. I wonder if they'd do a recall/replacement before they fail?

 

[ErikH]

Oh man, that sucks. I've never used a double or triple stand like those. I used to have Rockstands 5 guitar stand but those line up in a row. Nothing to fail really there. The only Hercules stand I have is a single and it was bought for my Dean ML since it wouldn't work on any of my other stands.

Maybe Hercules will take care of this one. As for the R9, don't what can be done. A good tech that repairs finish repair like that would be able to tell you.

 

[St_Genesius]

Well, this is sightly terrifying. I've got a few thousand dollars hanging from some decade-old Hercules clamps right now...

 

[canon_mutant]

I would just look for a sticky rubbery feel to the plastic. If so, get them down.

I may have a decent luthier look at my R9 to see what can be done? I don't know any in the Kansas area but I got a reference to one over in MO. Sent him a message.

 

[Artie]

Hey canon . . . could you possibly take a pic of the failed part? I want to make sure I inspect the right section. My stands are only a couple years old.

 

[Mr. 80's]

I always considered Hercules hangers to be poorly designed. IMHO they just look like something ready to fail at any moment.

 

[canon_mutant]

Hey canon . . . could you possibly take a pic of the failed part? I want to make sure I inspect the right section. My stands are only a couple years old.

Sorry, was not getting my notifications . . .

So, these were in the trash so they have crap all over them now but here is the culprit.

 

[dave74]

Single wall hangers should be fine then. They don't have that part and also don't have the weight of three guitars on them.

 

[St_Genesius]

All of mine are wall hangers with metal plates. I checked them out last week and nothing has turned gummy on the plastic bits, thankfully.

 

[LesStrat]

:saeek:

 

[canon_mutant]

Wonder how far I'd get in small claims? $10K of guitars are now easily 1/2 price given scratches, dings, and divots. Now I play all my guitars which is why they are always out so these were not perfect condition. But they were not at all damaged before. Guess I'm lucky they still play OK?

Just sick . . . but at least it ain't covid!

 

[ehdwuld]

If you want insurance or claima to devalue your guitars
they will probably take ownership of said instruments
You may be in the lesson learned camp

 

[Aceman]

Without knowing the root cause of the specific failure...can’t say.

But, I use a LOT of stands, and one really has to tighten them up fairly frequently. Just regular use, guitar in and out of stand, can seriously loosen them up.

 

[Top-L]

I have an old metal stand 30 years old... Where the lower support inserts into the tube, the hole is rounding out. Each time I put guitar on the stand, it rounded out the hole more and more. Proably hundreds of times plunking guitars onto that stand. Now the lower support droops. I should probably throw it away.

Was there damage over time, or did a weld fail spectacularly?

Now I use those string swing wall mount wood hangars, drilled into wood.

 

[canon_mutant]

The plastic decomposed over time into a spongy sticky rubber feeling crap until it failed.

The lesson I learned?

Short of having guitars in cases at all times when I play them daily . . .

But, the point of this thread was to warn others about this.

Small claims was perhaps a poor attempt at sarcasm . . .