Goby Labs' Guitar-hook and Stand-top for iPad are excellent accessories for the traveling musician whether going to live gigs, sessions in the studio, or back home. These first two new Thingy Series accessories are easy-to-use and portable problem solvers.
The GBX-302 Goby Labs Guitar-hook Thingy ($23.95 MSRP) is a guitar hanger that will attach to any vertical pole—such as a mic stand with tripod base. On stage, having your guitar or second guitar ready to go is a big plus but carrying a separate guitar stand is a big minus. The Guitar-hook Thingy is easily tucked into your guitar case and allows any mic stand on the stage to be enlisted for double-duty as a guitar stand.
It has a patent-pending pole grip mechanism that forms a closed loop around mic stands that measure almost 1-inch outside diameter. The aluminum quick-release shutter allows the Guitar-hook Thingy to be positioned at any height on a vertical mic stand without disassembly it or the stand itself. This feature is great for accommodating longer and shorter length guitars and basses as required. Once positioned vertically, there is a set of cushioned, vice-like jaws that tighten to lock it in place.
The Guitar-hook Thingy relies on the strength and leverage of the microphone stand to which it is attached and I found it worked great to support my Fender Strat securely. When lifting up the guitar for playing, I got into the habit of putting my foot on one of the stand's tripod legs.
The GBX-301 Goby Labs Stand-top Thingy for iPad ($23.95 MSRP) is compatible with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation iPad tablets and was derived from the GBX-300 Tablet Frame for iPad but has a compact stand adaptor instead of pole grip. It attaches on top of a mic stand in place of a microphone clip. It comes to fit both US and European-style microphone stands (threaded adapter) and has a thumb-release, universal ball joint mechanism that allows the iPad to be positioned in landscape or portrait modes or anywhere in between. I like that the clamps gripping the iPad are flexible and make installing/removing the iPad easy and without damage. Check: www.gobylabs.com
By Barry Rudolph
miniBio: Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer with over 30 gold and platinum RIAA awards to his credit. He has recorded and/or mixed: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and Robbie Nevil. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and also teaches recording engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. http://www.barryrudolph.
