Wall Hanging Guitars

[Malloc]

Alright masters of showing off PRS guitars on the wall tell me everything good and bad about about hanging guitars. Beyond the obvious like, “buy quality hangers”, some lingering concerns are things like:
-Does extended time hanging weaken the headstock?
-Do I have to worry about chemical interaction with the rubber and finish?
-How much ambient light will fade PRS dye and how quickly?
-Should I be concerned about temperature and humidity control for solid bodies? Hollow bodies?
-Anything else experience dictates as noteworthy

 

[Serious Poo]

IMHO, you're overthinking this a lot. Get non-reactive hanging mounts (e.g., String Swing https://www.stringswing.com/) , mount them on wall studs (or use wall anchors), measure twice cut once, avoid putting them near windows / fireplaces / heater vents, and enjoy having your guitars out.

 

[bodia]

IMHO, you're overthinking this a lot. Get non-reactive hanging mounts (e.g., String Swing https://www.stringswing.com/) , mount them on wall studs (or use wall anchors), measure twice cut once, avoid putting them near windows / fireplaces / heater vents, and enjoy having your guitars out.

Completely agree. I’ve been hanging my guitars for years without issue. If you’re worried about fading, keep them out of direct sunlight. It’s the UV rays that cause the damage. Primarily, you’d want to be most concerned about blue finishes. They tend to fade the most. Others, not at all. I have a full hollow Archtop, and two semi hollows that are hanging. I do keep me acoustic in its case.

 

[Tahlee]

Learn from my mistake.

My guitar hangers have two screw holes on top and one on the bottom. I used wall anchors with the butterfly nut that you push through a hole that you drill. The anchors hold 60 pounds so I put one in the bottom hole and I used two sheet rock screws in the top holes.

Well, the problem was that the weight of the guitar pulled the top screws out a little. Nothing will fall down, but it’s not good because it hangs forward a little. See how the Raspberry Singlecut Trem looks closer to the camera and lower? That was the first one that started pulling away on top. The bottom wall anchor will hold it but it just doesn’t look good like that.

Now I put two wall anchors in the top holes and use a Sheetrock screw in the bottom hole. So, now they will hold up to a 120 pound guitar!! I spray painted the anchor bolts black and Sheetrock screws are black, so they all look good with the black guitar hangers.

 

[Malloc]

Thanks guys. I do tend to analysis-paralysis myself.

 

[Joesnewmatch]

I've been using string swing hangers for about 15 years. I don't recall any specific problems, even with my nitro-ish finished DGT and Sunburst 245 (real nitro finish). I currently have Gibson, Collings, Danocaster, and PRS hanging on them and I've never experienced a problem. In comparison, I remember learning the hard way about nitro with a R7 and a rubber lined stand... not cool.

As for sunlight, no issues except that I think my Gibson CS VOS SG may have faded with exposure due to placement right next to a window with Florida sun sneaking out the edges of the blinds. That one is a 2013 that used aniline dye and if anything it probably makes it look even more authentic. Also, it could be a natural fade, but more likely due to sun exposure.

I'd rather have my guitars where I can grab them and use them. My only non-hanger is my one and only acoustic, but that's more a product of not enough hangers!

 

[DISTORT6]

If you mount a board horizontally across attached to the studs, you can mount the hangers anywhere on the board. You’re not married to using just the studs.

 

[Tahlee]

Malloc, can you please post a picture of those blue beauties in your avatar?

 

[Malloc]

I’ve posted them before, but here’s a few more (yes I have an addiction to blue guitars):

 

[László]

It’s not just UV light that will affect some finishes. All light consists of photons that can affect certain stains.

But,

The main issues in hanging guitars or keeping them out on stands are these:

1. All homes have dust that over time mixes with things like airborne cooking oil and grease molecules that float around and land on stuff that’s out. The mixture results in issues like scratchy pots, etc.

2. All rooms have temperature and humidity fluctuations over a 24 hour period that can affect wooden instruments in a variety of undesirable ways. Then there are the seasonal fluctuations. Cases not only buffer those changes, using a simple humidipak can reduce them further (yes, they work with electric guitars).

These things matter more to some players than to others who aren’t as obsessed with them, so it’s your call. I don’t know any orchestra musicians who don’t keep their instruments cased and humidity-controlled, but they tend to spend enormous sums of money on their prized and rare gear. Many get mortgages on them in order to own them.

Bob Taylor makes the point that as pretty as guitars are, they’re not wall art. They still have to function well as instruments, and he urges players to keep them cased. He’s a pretty knowledgeable person. I tend to agree with him on that point and keep mine cased when not in use.

 

[László]

I’ve posted them before, but here’s a few more (yes I have an addiction to blue guitars):

Beautiful!!

 

[Tahlee]

I’ve posted them before, but here’s a few more (yes I have an addiction to blue guitars):

Thanks. Your tops are to die for. That’s some nice wood.

 

[alantig]

Learn from my mistake.

My guitar hangers have two screw holes on top and one on the bottom. I used wall anchors with the butterfly nut that you push through a hole that you drill. The anchors hold 60 pounds so I put one in the bottom hole and I used two sheet rock screws in the top holes.

Well, the problem was that the weight of the guitar pulled the top screws out a little. Nothing will fall down, but it’s not good because it hangs forward a little. See how the Raspberry Singlecut Trem looks closer to the camera and lower? That was the first one that started pulling away on top. The bottom wall anchor will hold it but it just doesn’t look good like that.

Now I put two wall anchors in the top holes and use a Sheetrock screw in the bottom hole. So, now they will hold up to a 120 pound guitar!! I spray painted the anchor bolts black and Sheetrock screws are black, so they all look good with the black guitar hangers.

I'm gonna ask a stupid question (except, as my favorite radio talk show host used to point out, there's no such thing as a stupid question if you don't know the answer) - is there a reason you don't go back and put in the wall anchors on the earlier hangers?

 

[Davey]

If you mount a board horizontally across attached to the studs, you can mount the hangers anywhere on the board. You’re not married to using just the studs.

^This.

I just cut and stained a 3/4" stick of hemlock to match existing trim color. I actually located the studs first and calculated where the guitars would mount and proper spacing, etc. (I measured to keep 6" between lower bouts)

I do only keep my lower end ones hanging and all my acoustic, hollowbody and higher end guitars in the cases for the reasons Les mentioned.

If you go this route, just make sure you use a long enough quality screw to go thru the mounting board, drywall and grab enough of the stud as your holding up multiple guitars with 8-10 screws.

I used separate screws to mount the board to the wall and mounting the hangers to the board.

 

[veinbuster]

I wrapped my hangers with a strip of black cloth, just so I don’t have to care if the hanger material will react with the guitar finish.

 

[SinSir]

The board is the way to go, and I use hercules hangers.

 

[Malloc]

Great tips, thanks everyone!

I’m definitely leaning towards, “hang, but only players grade instruments unless I need some Zoom background talking points that day”

 

[Rider1260]

I have had my guitars hanging for 30+ years
Negatives - extra matainance from time to time ( dusting mainly ) some guitars might need a truss rod adjustment from time to time but to be honest it seems the same cased or hanging for me.
Positives - Get to see them all the time , makes it easier to play more and play all the guitars more !!!


IMG_5112 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/152274366@N08/

 

[Draconomics]

Never have had issues with wall hangers, though if it gets warm ill wrap the arms in fabric. Sometimes that foam rubber cushion stuff can stick to other surfaces. Now, you wanna hear about something not to do? Back when I was a cash strapped teen, I used nails wrapped in floral tape to hang my axes. Yikes.

 

[Tahlee]

I'm gonna ask a stupid question (except, as my favorite radio talk show host used to point out, there's no such thing as a stupid question if you don't know the answer) - is there a reason you don't go back and put in the wall anchors on the earlier hangers?

It’s on my list of things that I need to do. I already spray painted the bolts black. I’m on vacation this week so I’ll get it done this week.