When Buying the Stand Just Makes Sense

In past posts, I’ve talked a lot about custom stands—their cost, the limitations of space, and why I often ended up building my own solutions instead of buying something off the shelf. Most of the racks and stands in my studio exist because there simply wasn’t a commercially available option that fit the exact space, dimensions, or purpose I needed.

However, during this studio redesign, there was a first.

For the first time, I purchased an actual stand designed specifically for the gear it was meant to hold.

The Behringer 2600 and a Change of Approach

When Behringer first released the 2600, I wanted one immediately. Even at Behringer prices, though, it just wasn’t in the cards at the time. Years passed, and eventually, the idea of owning one started to feel realistic enough that I began planning for it—not just financially, but spatially.

This time, instead of designing and building a stand from scratch, I decided to buy one.

After some searching, I landed on an 8U 19-inch rack unit from Riveco. Assembly was straightforward—though, like most flat-pack projects, it took a couple of missteps and a redo or two before everything clicked. Once assembled and with the rubber feet removed, it fit perfectly on the shelf where I planned to place it.

And this is where something became very clear to me.

Knowing When Not to DIY

Unlike my external rack unit for compressors and mic preamps—which made sense to build myself—there was absolutely no way anything I could have constructed would have been as clean, sleek, or elegant as this rack in that particular space.

Buying the stand wasn’t a compromise. It was the best decision.

That got me thinking.

Buy, Build, or Customize?

Have you ever reached a point in your studio where buying a stand or rack simply made more sense than building one? Or the opposite—where customizing or hacking a solution was the only realistic option?

I suspect for most of us, the answer is a mix of all three:

• Buying stands designed specifically for certain devices
  
• Customizing or hacking furniture when space is tight
  
• Building something from scratch when no other solution exists
  

Sometimes space constraints are so specific that off-the-shelf options just won’t work. Other times, the commercially available solution is so well designed that trying to replicate it would be a waste of time and effort.

Function vs. Presentation (and Why It Doesn’t Matter)

I’ll admit I’m probably making an incorrect assumption here—but often when we talk about racks and stands, we assume that look, presentation, and layout are central concerns.

And sometimes they are.

But I’ve seen plenty of studios that resemble more of an electronics workshop than a showroom: metal shelving, gear stacked tightly, cables visible everywhere. In those spaces, functionality clearly takes priority over presentation—and that’s completely valid.

At the same time, a studio that looks visually polished or more like a storage room has no barring on its impact or functionality.

Let me rephrase that before I offend anyone:

• A visually striking studio isn’t inherently less practical
  
• A utility-focused studio isn’t inherently less impressive
  

What matters is how well the space works for the person using it.

In my case, I’m sure some people would look at my studio and think it resembles a storage shed more than a showpiece—and honestly, I’m fine with that. It works for me.

Whatever balance you strike between buying, building, customizing, or ignoring appearances altogether, I hope your studio remains a place where creativity feels natural and enjoyable.

Happy building—and happy creating.