The tall DS630B
As an alto and tenor player, I have always found it difficult to find one stand that can hold both of my saxophones securely. Previous stands with the adjustable bendy arms have hugged my alto nicely, until they were wrecked by my bulky tenor. I've been known to prop a resting saxophone up on the stand with my knee after spotting it about to fall – thank goodness for lightning-fast reflexes!
I was therefore quite excited to receive two Hercules saxophone stands in the post. To me, Hercules has always been a brand that screams quality and commitment to the cause. I already own a couple of its music stands and a guitar stand, so naturally I was expecting big things going into this review.
Let's start with the DS630BB. Upon taking the stand out of the box, I notice immediately how it folds up completely flat, which is an immediate tick in the pro column for me. When I travel for saxophone gigs, I like to take as few bags as possible – this includes being able to stick my stands inside my standard-size Herschel rucksack. So, my first port of call is to to try this folded stand in my rucksack, along with a few clothes, smart shoes and my iPad which contains my sheet music. Success! It fits in, and coming in at less than a kilogram, it doesn't add much weight either.
Let's look at the stand now unfolded. It unfolds with satisfying clicks, showing that the stand is in place and secure. It sits sturdily with its thickly braced legs, while the rubber feet resist movement on the floor. Nice height, though predominantly designed for seated position. So far, so good…
I have a tendency to throw one saxophone down and pick another back up in quick succession between tunes, so I need a stand that won't decide to tip over during a song as a result of my clumsiness, but this is where Hercules’ unique AGS (Auto Grip System) plays a pivotal role. Upon placing my alto in, the arms slide around the bell with a vice-like grip that it performs again and again no matter how vigorously I pull while sitting or standing. With the tenor, it's a slightly different story. Tenors are awkward beasts at times, so I took my time securing the stand, so that I could have absolute faith in its structure. For comfort, I would have liked to have seen more opportunity to adjust the height to increase the distance between my tenor bore and the floor.
The DS630BB
Priced somewhere around £30 across various retailers, this stand comes in slightly pricier than most. But what you get is quality, durability and consistency – plus the ability to daisy-chain more stands if required, such as flute and/or clarinet, which makes this stand perfect for the seasoned pit player.
Now onto the taller stand, the Hercules DS730B. I'm not sure why I have never thought to try a tall stand before, this is a treat! Coming in at 5’3, I'm not the furthest from the floor, however, being able pop my alto on and off the stand without bending down is an absolute delight.
Unlike the DS630BB, this stand comes in two chunky parts and doesn't leave much room for anything else in my backpack, which doesn't really fit in with my ethos. It's also heavier than the DS630BB, coming in a little under 2kgs.
Assembling the stand is simple: fold out the legs, screw on the second half, adjust as necessary, job done – the screw top part also feels much more secure than a pipe assembly. The height varies between 90-130cm which means it is perfect for just about anyone.
Again, Hercules’ AGS doesn't disappoint. It can handle pretty much any rigorous pick-ups and put-downs, thanks to its thickly braced legs.
Looking across the market, again this stand comes in slightly higher than average at roughly £40 but it's fairly unrivalled. You'd be stretched to find a stand that boasts the same build quality, consistency and trustworthiness, so I feel that it's a fair price to pay for something that is clearly made to last. After all, your saxophones are likely to be worth hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds, why not invest in a stand that will take care of them?
To conclude, Hercules has outdone itself with this pair. Though pricier than others, with no shortage of copycats about, you can be sure that not only will you get durability and quality, you'll also have 100% confidence that your saxophones will be securely held time and time again.
With both, there's no danger of them skidding away during ‘A Land of a Thousand Dances’. Surely that's worth the cost alone!
