Gearank

TravLite Acoustic Guitar Stand: The Pickup and Go Stand

The GS301B TravLite by Hercules Stands is an acoustic guitar stand designed to be portable yet durable featuring a steel construction and rubber foam to protect the parts of your guitar that touch the stand. It also folds flat for convenient storage.

This was a supplemental purchase along with some other things on my trip to the local music store. It was priced just right for me to make this impulse buy along with the TravLite electric guitar stand. The role of a guitar stand is often overlooked, especially when you're used to keeping your guitars in their cases and stored in a cabinet or shelf. But having your guitar on a stand within arms reach at all times insures that you practice every chance you get. The TravLite acoustic guitar stand has served me well on many occasions and shows no signs of breaking down anytime soon.

In The House

Around the house, the TravLite is great to have. I can be playing multiple instruments in a single session manning my computer with an acoustic guitar within my reach and because of that I fumble less switching back and forth between instruments.

Please take me home.

Its portable nature does have a downside. Being compact, it has the tendency to add to my clutter and is less useful for organized storage purposes.

Also, having a child in the house, I can confidently say that this stand is NOT child proof and can be knocked down quite easily by curious kids trying to play with your 6-string.

Still, having an easy to access stand that you can easily take to the kitchen is a very welcome creature comfort indeed.

On The Stage

This is where the TravLite shines. Acoustic guitar is more of a supplementary instrument for the shows I'm currently playing so the acoustic guitar lives on this stand for 80% of the set. It does the job perfectly. It's more than presentable on stage, being low profile ensures that it is never a visual distraction. Also, it doesn't take much effort to chuck this in the trunk.

It's that barely there look.

If you're not too clumsy, it should keep the guitar standing bar seriously knocking it over. Stability has been sufficient so far, and I don't see it falling over no matter how wobbly the stage is.

Although light enough for most situations, the packed shape of the stand is a bit awkward, not fitting into either my guitar case or pedal case. A backpack works though so I usually cram it in along with my change of clothes and other personal effects.

I'm not sure if this is worth bringing along on plane travelled shows with limited luggage allowance due to its folded shape being a bit challenging to fit cleanly into a packing puzzle. There will be the odd time that this is too heavy to bring yet too light to offer ample support and stability.

Unintended Uses

Although I do have a TravLite electric guitar stand for my Telecaster and Jazz Bass, sometimes this is the stand left unoccupied so I have tested placing instruments not entirely shaped for this stand. It's not good. It hardly keeps electric instruments standing although I can’t fault Hercules for my laziness. It might work in a pinch, but I do not recommend this stand to serve a dual purpose.

Do not try this at home!

Overall

When it comes to utility pieces like this, my main 2 concerns are build quality - how long will this last, and intuitiveness - how easily and conveniently it does the job. The TravLite Acoustic Guitar Stand by Hercules scores high on both fronts. It's not the lightest nor the most secure but it's the right amount of both to be an excellent travel stand for my needs and use cases on the road and around the house. I give this piece a 92 out of 100.

Sometimes you have to fold.