Gibraltar Key Tree Review – Best Keyboard Stand For 76 Keys
- marshallsoundz
- Oct 12, 2018
- 4 min read
The Gibraltar Key Tree is a brand new 76 keyboard stand that is top of the line. What I find interesting about this stand is that keyboardists have been making DIY Gibraltar keyboard stands for about 6-8 years now. They have been doing this because Gibraltar makes hands down the best hardware in the world today.
Overall, my review is that the Gibraltar Key Tree is the best keyboard stand available right now. This keyboard stand is the most durable and efficient stand that can hold two keyboards at once. What separates this from other stands is that it can hold a lot of weight and it doesn’t get ruined from overuse. My biggest problem with other keyboard stands in the past is that they always wear over time. This keyboard stand will not fall apart on you.
With this being said, here is my full review of the Gibraltar Key tree.
Table of Contents
Gibraltar Key Tree Review
This keyboard stand resembles drum hardware more than traditional keyboard stands. I say this because it is literally made by a drum hardware manufacturing company. The main reason why Gibraltar made this is that so many keyboard stands are just plain garbage. Honestly, this boggles my mind after 5 years of touring that so many traditional stands are just not put together well.
Portability: I love that when I finish playing shows I can easily break do this stand and put it away with our drum hardware. Many stands are bulky and when you put them away with other equipment, they just break. I have gone through probably 10 keyboard stands that have broken on me because I wasn’t able to pack them easily.
Look: I’m so tired of looking at traditional stands on stage. The Key Tree looks super fresh and cool to the audience. It has an all chrome look with black rubber stoppers on the ends.
Durability: Second to none in durability. I said this earlier, but I will say it again because this to me is the most important thing in a keyboard stand. Don’t waste money on the cheap stands that break and wobble on stage. Gibraltar is known for having the best drum hardware because of its durability and non-faultiness.
Stability: This is a huge factor that is not considered all the time. Where this stand sets itself apart again is in its stability. You can put two keyboards on this stand and not have to worry about it holding the keyboards up.
There is such a big difference in the way the hardware feels in comparison to a traditional X-stand. The X-stand feels like it might be good, but after a couple of weeks, it starts to really slip and show its true self.
Gibraltar VS Ultimate Support Stands
I would argue that Ultimate Support is the most popular for professional keyboardists today. I think this is because there are so many horrible classic X stands that can’t hold any kind of quality keyboard. Ultimate stands are higher quality in the sense that they don’t break as easily.
However, I personally haven’t had a great experience with them. I owned one for about a year and one of the arms of my stand snapped in half. Now I know this could be a faulty stand, but it’s my own experience and it kind of put me off if I’m going to spend money.
The Key Tree is considered a heavy-duty stand and it is meant for heavy keyboards. If you’re looking for keyboard stands that can hold a lot of weight and 88 keys, you can read more about 88 key keyboard stands here.
The Gibraltar Key Tree to me has everything that a keyboardist is going to want when gigging. They want to be able to leave the stage and not worry that their keyboards are going to fall over. Also, if you’re playing a show and you move around, you want a stand that doesn’t wobble around.
A little-known fact to musicians who haven’t toured is that every stage you play on is completely different. I can’t tell you how many times in the past I was setting up my old wobbly stands on uneven stages.
Key Tree Features
Tiers: 2 Tiers
Height Specs: The first tier is adjustable from 35-44 inches tall. I really like how adjustable this stand is and how accurate it is. You are able to lock the heights in comfortable to the same thing every time.
Width: The first tier is 30 inches and the second tier is 20 inches.
Color: Chrome
Key Tree Part Breakdown
20″ back T support base
30″ front T support base
24″ curved back support stem
36″ curved front support stem
30″ first-tier support bar
15″ second-tier support stem
20″ second-tier support bar
Who Is Gibraltar?
Gibraltar is a drum-based manufacturer that has built a reputation in the industry as the #1 hardware company. It makes total sense to me that they made a stand for keyboards seeing how there are so many stands that just aren’t cutting it.
Aside from making great hardware, Gibraltar also makes a sick drum throne that I have recently been using while I play.
Final Thoughts
This keyboard stand is definitely pricey, but in the long run, it will save you stress and money. Take it from a musician who has been touring for the last 5 years and playing in bands for 10 years now that this is the real deal.
Before heading out, you should check out my favorite digital piano accessories & headphones for pianists.
The only thing that some musicians might not like is having to set it up each night, but it’s no different than a drummer setting up each night. The traditional keyboard stands tried to streamline this process and by doing so, they made cheap products compared to the Gibraltar Key Tree.
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