If you read my little blog here (I assume you do), you might know that I write some reviews about gear I use from time to time. But the blog post with the most views by far is an article about a keyboard stand from Jaspers Alu, a manufacturer from Germany who specializes in giving your instruments a stable home.
The article is a few years old but I still get requests about the stand each time it´s visible in my content, so today I would like to summarize some of my experiences after 3 years of usage. Here is the original blogpost.
Disclaimer I didn´t get any money or goods from the mentioned companies in the video and / or blogpost. I have no connection to them: I paid all the bespoken items completely myself.
Video about the Jaspers Keyboard Stand 3R-150B
Here´s the video review. Members of my online community got to see this video with early access. Check it out!
First impressions of the Jaspers Keyboard Stand 3R-150B
If you look at the Jaspers website, you can see they offer a huge selection of stands in various sizes, widths and designs. I have the model "3R-150B" with rollers and 3 keyboard stands. Its 128cm high (thats not the highest), 150 cm wide and 50cm deep.
The upper tiers come with memory clamps. The lower tier is supplied with holders of 60 cm length. Its strengthened by a second tube and can be used for heavy instruments, I have my Model 12 sitting on it. The Other holders for the keyboards have a 40 cm length. All tiers and the lower level are height adjustable.
You can add various accessories, e.g. a laptop holder like the one I have above, music stands, mic stands, monitor holders and much more.
Specs of Jaspers Keyboard Stand 3R-150B
for 3 keyboards
black powder-coated aluminun
with rollers, 2 of which are lockable
Dimensions (HxWxD): 128 x 159 x 50 cm
with handwheels and memory clips for the upper shelves
the lower shelf, reinforced by a 2nd tube, has a 60 cm long pair of holders and is also suitable for particularly heavy keyboards
the other holders are 40 cm long
Load: lower shelf up to 40 kg / upper shelves up to 15 kg (or more, with shelf reinforcement as below) - with that much weight, the entire thing gets hard to roll
made in Germany
Suitable accessories: additional pairs of holders, monitor holder, micro swivel arm, sheet music tray, laptop shelf
How I place my gear on the Jaspers Keyboard Stand 3R-150B
My setup mainly consists of groove boxes and desktop synths and it works very well. Depending on the music I work on, I re-arrange the gear to have them better by hand.
On the top, I have a laptop stand placed in the middle. This is very handy because it makes recording and content production so much easier than changing between my desk beside and the stand during a production. I also have effects placed on the top and on the right hand side is the Soma Lyra-8.
In the middle, there is my Erica Synths Setup chained together and the Vermona Perfourmer. I have always placed the machines that I am currently working with the most in the middle level because the height allows me instand access to all knobs and I have all in sight.
At the bottom (which is the level with additional tube for heavier stuff) is my mixer to the right.
The middle level of this appliance covers something of the mixer (as it reaches far back against the wall) but that doesn't bother me as I usually don't have to adjust anything on it.
The Elektron appliances sit on slightly longer brackets and are therefore also easy to use.
Advantages of the Jaspers Keyboard Stand 3R-150B
The Jaspers stands have one huge advantage, and that is flexibility. You can adapt the stand to any setup you can think of, move the shelves, add new ones or take them away. Not only do they fit keyboards, but they also work wonders for synthesizers and effects pedals as you can see. Over the course of time, I have repeatedly made adjustments so that I always have the instruments that are currently used the most within easy reach. Even when new instruments are added, it's no problem.
Another advantage is that the parts are very durable and robust and when something gets broken you can buy replacements of each part separately. For example, one of the plastic handwheels on my stand broke and I was able to easily reorder one for 3 CHF.
What are the disadvantages of the Jaspers Keyboard Stand 3R-150B
However, this flexibility also has its downsides. On the one hand, it takes quite a long time to set everything up and adjust it according to your wishes and everything sits in place without wobbling. This alone makes this stand unsuitable for mobile use in my opinion; the system has clearly been designed for permanent use in the studio. The weight also supports this theory.
Another aspect is the price. Jaspers products are quite expensive, especially for beginners - its much more appealing to invest in a new piece of hardware rather than an expensive stand. For example, the 3R-150B version costs CHF 320 at Thomann, including castors and 3 keyboard trays. In February 2021, when I ordered the stand, the price was CHF 299. The energy crisis sends its regards. A single pair of brackets 30B length 30 cm costs CHF 37 including the pipe clamps for fastening. I've bought a few extra brackets over the years, which quickly adds up to a few hundred extra francs.
Don´t get me wrong on this point. I’m not really sure if the price tag is a real disadvantage. In my opinion, it makes sense to invest a bit more for gear that you gonna use for a long time. The Jasper IS costly but I never regret my decision and I’m happy about this stand each time I fire up my setup.
Is this stand for you?
When I look back, I can only tell you that it was hard to spent so much, but I don't regret - it was a very good decision to go for this stand. It's much more fun to work and it's pleasing me every day when I turn on power and start creating.
There are various alternatives of course, Jaspers is not the only company making Keyboard stands. These are mostly fixed, that means you cannot add additional brackets to it. And that doesn't automatically makes them cheaper :)
Price and availability of the Jaspers Keyboard Stand 3R-150B
You can order stands, mounts and accessories directly from the Jaspers website and many specialist retailers also stock the range. I ordered mine from Thomann Music, as the customs duty for import into Switzerland is already included in the price they are generally cheaper than direct orders from the manufacturer.
At Jaspers, for example, the 3R-150B stand costs CHF 340 as of 6.8.2024 plus CHF 67 shipping plus customs. At Thomann the stand is listed for 299 CHF including shipping and customs.
What’s your opinion?
That was my little overview of this stand and how I use it. If this video was helpful, leave me a comment or a like and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel. I’m also thankful for other options and ideas to keep setups tidy.
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