Guitarlift Classical Guitar Support Review

A Review of the Guitarlift, The Back Mounted Guitar Support
Guitarlift Website and Store

The Guitarlift has revolutionized classical guitar supports since its release. The back-mounted support works on a wider variety of guitars than most other supports and offers unprecedented levels of secure and stable guitar positioning. Never before has a guitar support been so quickly accepted and used by both professional and general guitarists on stage and off.When it was first released the size caused some hesitation but once you try it, that becomes a distant consideration. In this article I’ll review a few of the Guitarlift models as well as offer other considerations and comparisons at the end.

Summary: The Guitarlift is my most recommended professional level guitar support. It’s ease of use, stability, adjustability on almost any guitar or person, as well as the trusty back mounted suction cups make it a guitar support that I use and recommend without any hesitation. It simply checks all the boxes.

Models: One for All, Ultimate Black Matte Line, Premium Transparent Line, Professional Line, Young Student Line, and Silent Guitar Line.

Sizes Across Model Lines: Super Big, Big, Medium, Medium Long, Slender, Half, Crossover, Small, XS, Mini, Cutaway, Silent

Here is the YouTube review link in case you want to watch it there.

Guitarlift One for All Review

The newer One for All model is a fantastic evolution of the Guitarlift lineup. It’s made from 6mm thick transparent Perspex® which they describe as a “modern and extremely durable tempered acrylic glass, which is even more stable than the 4mm Plexiglas® of the Professional-Line models.” I found this to be true, it’s incredibly rigid and torsion resistant compared to the Professional Line which I already considered quite stable. I also appreciate the anti-reflective matte black coating which really places the guitar on display instead of the support.

How does it feel to play? The One for All model is even more stable and secure feeling than the professional line. The extra console that attaches to the side of the guitar really reduces flex from the suction cups and the new rigid material contributes to even more stability. It fits on my both my regular sized guitar and my small scale instrument without any compromise to my preferred position. I also love the leg cutout angle which I find very comfortable.

Does it stay on? I trust the Guitarlift to stay on during concerts and other situations completely. As long as I keep the suction cups clean I find they work great even on my French polish. If they get dirty and greasy I clean them with dish soap and warm water but I only do this every few months. In general, the back mounted suction cups on the professional line stay on well but with the addition of the console on the One for All model, I feel there is even more staying power as well as support from under the guitar preventing gravity from putting stress on the suction cups.

This is my now favourite Guitarlift and I’ll be using it and recommending often.

Guitarlift Professional Line Review

The Professional Line Guitarlift is an excellent guitar support as well and a bit more affordable than the One for All. I tried the Large but the Medium works best for me. They have a wide variety of different sizes to choose from so check out the Guitarlift Website and Store.

Stability and Trust: I love how stable the Guitarlift feels and how I can get the perfect playing position. Those are the two most important things for guitar supports. For those two reasons I love the Guitarlift and trust it performance far more than most guitar supports such as the Ergoplay. It also doesn’t slip on my left leg and might even keep the guitar vibrating longer and louder since the back wood of the guitar doesn’t rest on my chest. The back mounted suction cups almost never come off compared to something like an Ergoplay. Keep them clean and they work great. I clean them every few months with dish soap and warm water.

Initial Positioning: It was a new experience to position the Guitarlift at first but once you get a good position you could work out a quick system either with your suction cup protectors or by marking the position. I don’t need to mark the position anymore, I just know where the cups go but when I started I used sticky tabs to mark the edge of the guitar for easy positioning.

Considerations: It’s bulky to travel with but it works so well that I can’t complain. I’ve used it on French polish and polyurethane finishes to great success. The leg rest shape angle (on my years old model) isn’t perfect for me but I still like it. I’ve considered making it less cupped. I believe the new ones have a more relaxed angle (see the newer review video above).

Overall: A solid guitar support that feels great to play. It’s comfortable, stable, and secure. It’s on the big side but that is a small price to pay for something that works this well.

Comparisons and Competition

Guitarlift VS Ergoplay – The Guitarlift is the clear winner with a much more secure feel, more adjustability, and way more trustworthy suction cups in performance. I actually like my Ergoplay but it comes off so much that I can’t use it on stage. The Ergoplay does fold up small enough to throw in your bag and it’s more affordable but that is not enough to compete.

Guitarlift VS Woodside Support – I find the Guitarlift feels more secure when playing, therefore making it my preferred choice. That said, the clamp system on the Woodside will appeal to many people who either don’t want to or can’t use suction cups. I’d be happy to play the Woodside both in performance or practice making it a great option. You can see my Woodside review here.

Guitarlift VS Le Support – Overall, I recommend the Guitarlift to people more often as it’s more suitable to a wide variety of guitars and people in terms of sizes and positioning. My Le Support barely fits on my small scale guitar and I think I even compromise my position just slightly in order to use it. However, I love how Le Support makes contact on both legs making it feel super secure. I’m happy to play with either and I do use a Le Support but I’m more likely to recommend Guitarlift as a workable option for most people, especially when making recommendations online. So although I have a personal preference for Le Support, the winner in terms of usability and recommending something is the Guitarlift. You can see my Le Support review here.