Attention Hercules stand owners!

[Pointy]

Just a word of warning to everyone, especially those of you with pointy guitars, and Rhoads in particular!

I had been using a Hercules stand with my Rhoads for years. Today it broke, and only luck saved my guitar's wing tip.

As I was moving the stand with the guitar on, the grip/trigger adjusting mechanism popped out. Fortunately I was holding the guitar. After inspection, the plastic grip thing has gone all sticky, the way that a cheap bicycle grip or tire would be if left out in the sun for a fe months. The area around the trigger hinge was all cracked; a piece had broken clean off.

The stand (this one, but they all use the same grip afaik) has always been indoors, never tossed around or mishandled in any way, I don't even smoke.

The way the mechanism is designed, there is a strong spring pushing the grip lever into the notches that keep the stand at the desired height (that part is secure enough) but all the stress is handled by the little strip of plastic that holds the pivot point that is the part that broke. A large area around it had stress fractures.

If you have guitars resting on Hercules stands - and many of us do - do yourselves a favor and have a quick look to see that everything is allright. A reminder that even set-and-forget mechanisms need a periodical check.

[bratfink]

I'll check mine. I reckon that warrants a call to whoever makes them to get them to come up with an updated design.

[straycat]

Mine has a more rubbery feel to it yours looks like hard plastic.
Had mine for 3 years and 99% of the time a guitar is in it.
Just checked and mine looks just fine thanks for the tip.

[Newc]

I use a triple-hanger that has all-metal construction.

[ginsambo]

No Pointy's pics have fingerprints on them so definitely the same sticky, rubberised plastic. Yeah mine have gone all sticky too. Weird. Guess I'II adjust mine so they are close to the floor if the stand does drop, then hopefully the auto grab retainer will stay retained.

Pointy, did you adjust the stand up or down alot?

No doubt the problem is that the plastic is, by law, the type that has to meet the EC or Californian Environmental on biodegradability or something equally useless. It is definitely starting to biodegrade by going rubbery and sticky. Mine don't even catch any sunlight FFS and noticed they are sticky as feck. Biodegrading plastic loosing its tensile strength.

I guess the solution is to stick a machine screw in there to stop the inner sleeve falling.

Apparently low grade PVC, the Plastizers which are toxic BTW, migrate to the surface, leaving the surface sticky and the rest of the PVC brittle.

Bummer I thought those Hercules GS stands were the nuts, whilst it ain't much to add a screw stop, I still feel a bit like the day I got my Action Man driver out from the loft and his wetsuit had vulcanised and melted, then his head fell off, well at least on the bright side, his eagle eyes still worked though eh. Talking Commando was OK too, but he did sound like he had been castrated.

[ginsambo]

Yep, definitely the migrating phthalates from the Hercules stands that have caused my liver damage and are causing my hair to thin.

That sticky residue will give you ball cancer. Don't stratch your balls after adjusting Hercules stands.

Judging by the fingerprints in the pic, it's just too late to save Pointy.


Seriously though this is what you get with big profit margins and cheap Chinese outsourcing.

[jdr94]

Guess hercules aint so tough after all lol. I use all metal stands.

[MetalDaze]

Thanks for the tip. I have a bunch of those stands!

[javert]

Bummer I thought those Hercules GS stands were the nuts, whilst it ain't much to add a screw stop, I still feel a bit like the day I got my Action Man driver out from the loft and his wetsuit had vulcanised and melted, then his head fell off, well at least on the bright side, his eagle eyes still worked though eh. Talking Commando was OK too, but he did sound like he had been castrated.

The horror... the horror

I suppose I better check out my Hercules stand. I hang my Vs on the wall at home but have them in a Hercules stand at band practice.

[VitaminG]

they have the same fitting on some of their mic stands too. I'm away from home so can't check them right now, but last time I checked them (used a guitar & a mic stand on a gig a few weeks ago) the grips weren't sticky and seemed to function just fine.

I don't think one faulty stand signals the EOTW.

[RacerX]

I always thought these were a cool design, but I never bought 'em because MIC.