Hi Mike: That thing-a-ma-bob piece you're talking about is used to keep the stand from tipping in the direction of the player, and adjustable to accomodate carpeting or uneven floors. This though is 'unrelated' to the issue that Uncle Dave and others, (myself included) are referring to.

The Apex stand utilizes 2 bars (tribars) which are mounted to the center column, each projecting out at 45 degree angles. The keyboard sits on top of these 2 bars. The Tyros keyboard is solidly supported by these bars, but a problem occurs if you press down really hard in the far upper right or far upper left corners of the keyboard. The opposite corner of the kb will pop 'up' because there is no support by the tribars directly underneath the upper right or upper left portions of the kb. I definitely DON'T recommend utilizing the Apex stand in a situation where people have free access to the keyboard setup, especially if left unattended, but for stage performance type situations, or when you don't need to leave your equipment unattended, the Apex stand really shines, as it's sturdy & solid, and creates a sleek clean professional looking visual presentation. My opinion is that X type stands, Column Style (Apex) stands, as well as the Quiklok Monolith stand ALL have different advantages/disadvantages. I own all 3 types because I like having the option of utilizing a particular type stand best suited for a given situation. Just call me a keyboard stand 'junkie' I suppose.



hi José, I agree with you about the Tyros music rack and think it's not very well designed or rugged. For many of my gigs now, I don't utilize a music stand or take along music, but play by memory (or ear) as a music stand (& music) can be distracting to the audience. When I do utilize a music stand though, I take a along a lightweight portable music stand which can quickly be placed/removed behind the keyboard when needed.

To illuminate the music on the stand, I have used, and recommend either the clip on tiny gooseneck style halogen lamp made by Litelight:
http://www.littlite.com/products.php?category=1

or Concertlite II by Lampcraft: http://www.lampcraft.com/product.htm



hi Al, My experience with the Apex stand & Tyros is that the Tyros is sufficently heavy to remain stable on the stand, especially because the new longer 18" tribars fully support from the rear center of the Tyros all the way to the front edge of the keyboard, supporting the keyboard almost fully across the front (lengthwise) as well.

Btw: I'm curious if the people here who've experienced keyboard instability were using the shorter 13" tribars or the new longer 18" ones. Using the 18" tribars really make a big difference in offering much better stability.

Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 08-08-2003).]