While a Mud Stand sounds like a magnificent party trick you might try at a rainy picnic after a few drinks, in this case we’re talking about an amplifier stand and isolation pad rolled into one.
Made in the USA with dense acoustic foam, it takes one step to assemble or take apart the three-piece Mud Stand. There are two side legs that are connected by one center bench piece. The single-page instruction sheet claims the Mud Stand can safely hold amplifiers that are up to 70 pounds and under 21” tall.
My favorite everyday guitar amp, the Fender Blues Junior fit perfectly, but what fun is an amp that’s only 16” tall and 30 pounds? I went out to my garage and brought in my Ampeg BA115. Weighing in at 62 pounds and towering right around the 21” mark, I now had a challenge for the Mud Stand!
Over time, the foam can compress, so the instructions suggest not letting your amp live on the stand for days or weeks at a time. I left the bulky Ampeg bass combo on the Mud Stand overnight and saw no signs of trauma. Once I knew the Mud Stand was impervious to my weight test, it was time to bring it out to a practice and a gig with the Fender Blues Junior.
Having the amp angled back and 11” off the ground gets the speaker closer to your ear and your guitar’s pickups. I was getting the most out of the 15 watt combo and no more having to bend over to get that cool, musical Hendrix-style feedback! Some practical perks of a foam stand are it can’t pinch your fingers or scratch whoever’s floor you’re playing on. Since foam helps to absorb vibration, the Mud Stand acts a buffer zone between your dialed in tone and an acoustically unfriendly hollow stage.
I’d also consider using it to hold an amp head to get it off a speaker cabinet which can cause tubes to rattle loose.
The Mud Stand is available now for $59. Learn more about it at mudstand.com.
