You’ve spent good money on that new guitar and you want it to look as good as it plays. But how do you find the right hanger for your guitar? It’s a question many new guitar owners ask themselves. Unless you keep your guitars in perfect tune at all times, they will start to suffer from the effects of gravity over time. From a slight droop downwards, to an uneven neck angle, the minute changes can really take their toll on your instrument’s appearance – and sound – over time. Luckily, there are plenty of affordable solutions out there that can make a world of difference to any instrument hanging from them. What type of hanger should you get? If you’re not sure, here are some key tips:
Know your options
First and foremost, any guitar hanger you get for your instrument will need to be compatible with its scale thickness – and that means reading the product description carefully. If the hanger you ordered is too small for your guitar, you could risk snapping the neck or even the body of your guitar. Similarly, if the hanger you got is too large for your guitar, it could cause the neck to droop too far. So, knowing the scale thickness of your guitar is key to choosing the perfect hanger. Next, you’ll want to take a look at the product description to see what type of hanger is being recommended. The main difference between types of hangers is the material they’re made of, as well as the coating they come in. Plastic hangers are the most common, with steel and plastic coatings being the most popular. Rubber hangers are more durable and flexible than plastic options, but they’re also a little pricier. Nylon and composite hangers are lightweight and durable, but they’re also a little pricier than the plastic and steel options. And finally, wooden hangers are naturally more expensive, but they’re also naturally more durable. So, if you’re interested in trying a new type of hanger, wooden options are worth looking into.
Understand how a hanger works
As we mentioned above, when hanging your guitar up, the angle of the neck will have a big impact on its appearance and sound. To minimise the risk of damage, most manufacturers recommend hanging your guitar at a 15 degree angle. So, you’ve got a good starting point. However, it’s important to remember that a guitar’s design will also have an effect on the angle of the neck. So, if your guitar has a particularly sloping body, it will be inclined to droop down even more than a guitar with a relatively vertical body will. In this case, you’ll need to either raise the guitar to a steeper angle or place a block or brick underneath the instrument to provide extra support. You’ll also want to take into account the size of the body and the scale thickness of the neck. For example, if you have a guitar with a smaller body and a thicker neck, you’ll need to find a hanger that’s a little thicker to match. And the same goes for scale thickness – if your guitar has a thinner scale than most, you’ll need to find a hanger that’s a little thicker to match.
Find the right balance of strength and flexibility
As you’ll have seen from the above section, finding the right balance between the strength of your hanger and its flexibility will have a big impact on how well it holds your guitar up. So, you’ll want to pick a hanger that’s designed with a balance of strength and flexibility in mind. For example, look for a hanger that’s made from a combination of steel and PVC to give it some flexibility while maintaining its strength. Similarly, look for a hanger that’s coated in rubber to give it some flexibility while also protecting the instrument’s finish from getting scraped up against the wall. Stick to products that are certified by a third-party organization to give you peace of mind. And, when it comes to price, you’ll want to pick a product that’s within the budget you’ve set aside for this purchase.
Be mindful of scale thickness
Finally, as you’ve hopefully seen from the tips above, you’ll want to make sure you take the scale thickness of your guitar into consideration when choosing a hanger. You don’t want to pick a hanger that’s too large for your guitar’s scale, or a hanger that’s too small. So, what’s the best way to pick a hanger that’s sized appropriately for your guitar? You’ll want to measure the scale thickness of your guitar and work out how much space you’ll need between the wall and the guitar to allow for its droop. From there, you can pick a hanger that’s designed to fit the space available between the wall and the guitar.
Don’t forget the strings
Finally, don’t forget to hang your guitar up with its strings on. Not only does this help protect the strings from getting damaged, but it also ensures your instrument looks as good as it plays. If you’re planning on hanging your guitar up with the strings on, you’ll need to pick a hanger that’s designed to accommodate this. Once again, you’ll want to make sure you pick a hanger that’s certified by a third-party organization to give you peace of mind. And, when it comes to price, you’ll want to pick a product that’s within the budget you’ve set aside for this purchase.
Take measurements before you shop
As we mentioned before, you’ll want to make sure you pick a hanger that’s sized appropriately for your guitar. However, before you pick up that tape measure and head to the store, you’ll want to make sure you pick a hanger that’s compatible with your guitar’s scale thickness. You can do this by reading the product description carefully and looking for the scale thickness of your guitar. From there, you can pick a hanger that’s designed to fit the scale thickness of your guitar. This will help ensure you pick a hanger that’s sized appropriately for your guitar. From there, you can choose a hanger that’s certified by a third-party organization to give you peace of mind. This will also help ensure you pick a hanger that’s within the budget you’ve set aside for this purchase.
Conclusion
If you want a guitar that looks as good as it plays, you’ll need to invest in the right hanger. It could be the difference between a guitar that’s in perfect tune, and one that’s suffering the effects of gravity.