Review of Le Support for Classical Guitar
A full demo and review of an excellent new support for classical guitar.
Buy or Learn more at Le Support
Big thanks to Le Support and Thomas Viloteau for sending me their new guitar support to try out and review. Knowing this support was designed by one of the world’s greatest guitarists, I already knew I had to give it a try. This back mounted support offers a very wide range of leg contact and adjustability making it one of the most stable and comfortable supports. I was skeptical of the size and the optional strap but I’m completely won over. I’m using the professional line model in the video but they also have the Etude model that uses thinner material and no strap option. Here’s my YouTube review link if you want to watch it there.
Quick Summary
Le Support is the most secure and comfortable feeling classical guitar support I’ve tried. The combination of non-slip contact on both legs and the weight of the support results in a very stable and secure feeling while playing. My guitar stays exactly where I position it and I can even be completely hands-free. It might be larger than some people want but after two weeks of using it I can’t go back to other supports. I’ll be using Le Support in all my future videos and live performances.
Thomas Viloteau – History and Demo
The Good Stuff
- Non-slip contact on both legs
- Hands-free guitar position
- The foam-rubber leg material is comfortable and does a nice job of not slipping
- The weight of the support, which I didn’t like at first, actually centres its gravity downward between the legs making the guitar really hold its position. I love it now.
- Simple but elegant design
- Gentle curvature and angles make it comfortable on the legs. I don’t like how some supports hug my leg and inner thigh so much, this is much better.
- Easy and quick to put on the guitar and adjust once you’ve used it for awhile. At first it takes time to find the right angle and memorize how it looks on your guitar.
- The strap is great. I was so skeptical but it’s amazing for some situations where ultimate security is needed.
- Multiple colours available
Concerns
- It’s large. But it feels great so I accept it. More on this below in the Extra Thoughts section.
- For an extremely small percentage of people it might not position the way they want. But that is true of any support. I’m very small and like my small scale guitar super high and over to the right so I consider myself to be an extreme example but it does work for me. See the video for clarification. I think it would work for almost everybody but thought I’d mention it.
- The suction cups have never come off for me but depending on your guitar’s finish that will always be a concern.
Comparisons
I feel Le Support is very unique in its conceptual design because of the contact on both legs, hands-free positioning from the size and shape, and the optional strap. Since the materials that are used and back mounted suction cups, many people will compare it to the GuitarLift but I consider this to be quite unique and different in usability and design. If you try it out you’ll find that it feels very different so the comparison ends quickly at the materials.
Clear or with Colour
I now have two Le Supports and I’m loving the nocturnal colour, I think it’s a really nice subtle semi-transparent colour for concert settings.
Extra Thoughts
In the case or out? If you take off the rubber foam, suction cups, and hooks it does fit in your case nice and flat and a micro fibre cloth overtop would protect your guitar. That said, I don’t think I’d trust it in my case with my guitar so for transport around town I would attach it onto my guitar case with a velco strap.
Images
Bob McIntyre from Williamsburg, VA here. I have a Yulong Guo guitar with a “violin-style” “rounded back.” Do you think Le Support work on such an instrument?
No, I don’t believe it would work on a rounded back. You might be better off with just an Ergoplay in this instance. The WoodSide clamp system ‘might’ work but I don’t have experience with rounded backs.
I’ve just received my Le Support. Do you leave it on the guitar while it’s on a floor stand, between practice session, or do you remove it each time?
Thanks
Anthony
I remove it just to be safe. Plus, I always leave my guitar in it’s case no matter what.
Hello, Bradford.
Now that you have had the support a few months, do you use the strap much, or seldom use it? The Etude model looks tempting, but don’t want to be sorry to not have a strap.
I never use the strap, feels secure for me without it. But I will admit that it feels great when I tried it a few times, I just don’t like being strapped in. I want to actually just make a single strap that attaches to my belt on the right side of the support since I always wear one and that side is more likely to slip (although it doesn’t with this support). I think that would be better for me.
AlohaBradford!
This is Francois from Vancouver, Canada. Discovered your great YouTube video review and have some questions:
~Q1: Like all elastic straps, with time time will overstretched. A nylon strap would last forever. How durable is this elastic strap?
~ Q2: The rubber tubing and suction cups, how durable are they? Quality & long lasting material?
I agree with you, this guitar support from France is the best on planet!
Thank you kindly!
Namaste,
Francois
Q1: The strap seems to be good quality but I don’t know if it hold it’s elasticity, it is as far as I’ve owned it. I am actually just going to make a strap for the right leg side that attaches easily to my belt though.
Q2: They seem very durable. I’ve been using it every day since I got it and it seems brand new.
Thank you for the thorough review of Le Support. I really like it. However, I have a concern with it.
I saw pictures with guitars with Le Support on, while on a guitar stand, but always ones where the guitar body rests on the bottom part of the guitar stands (such as the foldable guitar stands). I keep my guitar on a hanging stand, such as this one:
https://www.gibson.com/en-US/p/Mini-Guitar/ASTD-WN/ASTD-WN
I was wondering whether Le Support can be left on the guitar while it is hanging on such a stand, because given the weight of Le Support and the fact that its weight is not distributed symmetrically along the longitudinal axis of the guitar, it would mess with the balance of the guitar on the stand.
Or do you mount/unmount Le Support before and after each guitar playing session?
I would unmount suction cup supports because the suctions can come over over longer periods of time. It only takes 2 seconds to put on once you are used to where they go.
My wife and I bought a pair of etude supports. We can already tell the difference on the first day. It’s easier to find chords. I was maxed out on my other support. This support has more options for guitar height and angle. I’m still trying to figure out how to remember where to affix the suction cups the next time I use the support. I can take a picture and maybe that’s how I remember where to fix it.
For the first week I used sticky tabs (like the ones for books) to mark the edges of the guitar on the support but now I just know where it goes. You’ll end up memorizing it.
Ordered one to use on my 7/8 guitar, the ErgoPlay is so slippery it really robs me of my training time to fight against it! Thanks Bradford!
i’d order this type of support pronto but I am left-handed. I see no mention of a lefty support of the website. The cups would have to be reversed for me.
I’m assuming that it would work exactly the same. The logo would be facing the other way but that’s not very noticeable.
$180 for the cheapest one!? I better learn to make these.
Well actually, did you check out the Etude version? It’s €89,99 EUR which is around $95 USD (as of June 2024).
Thanks for your reply. I didn’t see that one! Unfortunately the clear is sold out, but I may get the black one.
Can it be used on French polish?
I’ve used suction cups on my French polish for decades now. In general it is completely fine. I suppose, anything you do repeatedly on your guitar can cause marks and scuffs over the years, even where it touches my chest or legs there is wear. But I consider it perfectly safe. If your guitar is brand new though let the French polish harden for a few months.
My guitar has a body length of 457 mm / 17.99 inches, an upper bout width of 254 mm / 10 inches, and a lower bout of 330 mm / 12.99 inches. Do you think this support will fit on my 630mm scale length guitar?
So my guitar is a 630mm and I like my guitar up high so I’m maxed out but it works for me. If needed any more height it would not work unless I used a footstool at the lowest setting along with it. On my regular 650mm full size there is plenty of room. So, could be at your own risk.
Thank you for introducing Le Support to us. It sounds anazing. My problem are the suction cups (that do come off my guitarlift). Is there a solution to this?
It depends on the finish of your guitar as well as keeping the suction cups clean. I wash mine every few months with dish soap and warm water to clean them. You can try using a suction cup protector page or cling vinyl (at your own risk of course).
Thanks for the comprehensive review. You convinced me that this is the guitar support to get; therefore, I have already placed an order for the Estrellita model including the optional strap. I am eager to compare Le Support with the GuitarLift. Do you find that Le Support works equally well with your full-size Saers guitar and your custom short-scale instrument?
I will be using it on my small scale guitar but I do think it fits better with my full size guitar. I’ve almost maxed it out with my small scale but I’m pretty short as well. On a full size there is lots of room for height especially if you move one of the suction cups.
Looks like it is made very well and also has different colors options. I’m afraid of the suction cups not holding well on different finishes. I have the StageWork support and one of my guitars has a nitrocellulose finish on the top,back, and sides. But I have seen many videos of musicians using this product with positive results. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge and review. John Offutt
Great review. I am sold and ordered it yesterday. Have been using the Gitano for months now but don’t like it.
Hope you enjoy it!