By Carlos Martin Schwab
A good portable guitar stand balances portability (weight and size), stability, and durability. Two other factors on the list are flexibility (for use with different instruments) and aesthetics. Chinese brand Xvive has released a stand that excels in all these factors, the G1 Butterfly Guitar Stand. Let’s take a closer look at it.
Design
G1 was designed in Germany. It’s made of metal (aluminum alloy). Still, the stand’s perforated design dramatically lowers its weight, so you get both stable, sturdy, and lightweight, and attract attention for its avant-garde, distinctive look.
With a butterfly wing design that forms a triangular base and neodymium magnets, it assembles in seconds and is supported at 4 points with silicone feet for added stability. Its 420 mm opening distance makes it one of the most stable portable stands on the market today. The base on which the instrument rests is silicone-coated and has 2 different heights, allowing it to be used with electric, acoustic, and bass guitars.
Its foldable design is reduced when closed to 13.27“ x 10” x 2.44″ (337 mm x 255 mm x 62 mm) which, together with a weight of 1.75 lbs (796 g), allows it to be carried in the external pocket of a regular gigbag. It comes with a sturdy bag too.
In use
I have a recording studio where I need to keep my guitars handy after I take them out of the case. I don’t like to use hooks to hang guitars or even stands for multiple guitars because I consider that none of them keep the guitars well cared for, so I always have a portable guitar stand handy. Until now, it has always been a K&M Heli 2 for acoustic guitars which is less portable than the G1 because it is heavier, has a shorter opening distance, and, when closed, is larger than the G1.
Conclusion
Apart from being really portable, resistant, and stable, it has a huge flexibility of use. With a retail price of $ 69.99, which is a bit high compared to other portable guitar stands, it can be a solution for instruments that have not been able to use a portable stand so far.
More info at https://xvive.com/audio/product/g1-butterfly-guitar-stand/
Carlos Martin Schwab thanks Peter Murray of Xvive for his technical assistance with this review.
