Product Spotlight
Ergoplay Johannes Tappert and Michael Troster
Ergoplay offer three main models; ‘Professional’, ‘Ergoplay Johannes Tappert‘ and ‘Ergoplay Michael Troster‘. Contrary to what the naming suggests, the Professional model is actually the entry model. The Johannes Tappert and Michael Troster versions are the more feature packed products within their range, offering more by way of adjustability.
Ergoplay guitar supports are amongst the most popular guitar supports in the world. They have a stellar reputation for excellence within the classical guitar community. One that has been built on years of dedicated service and development of their products. As a result their products are well tested and robust enough to withstand the rigors of regular practice, performance and touring.
Made with lightweight but sturdy metal, these supports are more cost effective than some other supports out there. Ergoplay supports use suction cups to adhere to the guitar. This is common practice for most guitar support manufacturers.
Ergoplay also offer replacement parts, making their supports cost effective not only for the initial purchase, but also throughout the product’s lifetime. Replacement parts for Ergoplay guitar supports can be found here.
Adjustability
Each Ergoplay guitar support has different levels of flexibility. The right choice for you will depend on your specific needs.
The Professional model is core product and the most basic in terms of options. It has an extending front arm which can be tilted backwards or forwards to achieve the correct angle for the player. There are two fixed suction cups at the end of the front arm which adhere to the side of the guitar. The rear part of the Professional model is fixed to the base of the support with no further adjustability, along with a single fixed suction cup.
The Ergoplay Johannes Tappert model has precisely the same core design as the Professional model, but with some interesting and useful tweaks. Each of the suction cups sits inside a pre cut channel, meaning the position can altered to achieve better contact with the guitar. This maximises the compression against the side of the guitar and helps the guitar support to stay better attached than the Professional model. This feature aids the guitarist in fine tuning their ideal playing position.
The Ergoplay Michael Troster model goes a step further. Not only does this model have the extending front arm and the same adjustable suction cups as the Johannes Tappert model, the inclusion of a rear arm that is adjustable in both height and angle gives the player even more options. Not only that, the Ergoplay Michael Troster guitar support also doubles up on suction cups on the rear, adding yet more security to an already stable product.
Security
The suction cups on all Ergoplay guitar supports are sufficiently large to ensure it will not come away during performance. With 3 suction cups on the Professional model and Johannes Tappert model, and 4 on the Michael Troster model, you can rest assured that not matter which product you go for, your support will be safely attached.
All guitar supports have their ‘break point’ whereby they will detach from the guitar. This is not a design flaw, but a necessity; you need to be able to remove the support to put the guitar back in it’s case. On the Professional model, there is enough flexibility for most players to be able to position the support in a good position without encountering the break point. That being said, it does not have quite the same range as the Tappert and Troster models which include the adjustable suction cups.
The Johannes Tappert model performs better, as both rear and front suction cups can be moved along a track to find a more optimal position. The stronger contact created through this suction cup positioning helps to increase the security of the support by improving the break point.
The Michael Troster model is without doubt the most secure, as both arms can be tilted in whichever direction required. This ensures a flush connection with the side of the guitar. The additional suction cup on the rear of the support adds another dimension of stability which will give players extra peace of mind.
Aesthetics
While it’s hard to get too excited about a piece of metal, as the brand name suggests, the Ergoplay products have been ergonomically designed and this does offer some aesthetic appeal. The curves of these supports, particularly the Johannes Tappert and Michael Troster models are easy enough on the eye so as not to be distracting. The fact that the frames are so thin helps to minimise it’s impact and gives a professional image.
If you want something that both looks good and is highly functional, the Sagework Atlas and Sagework Umbra are worth consideration. On the other hand, if you want something that is as inconspicuous as possible, the transparent and practically invisible Guitarlift is worth a look.
Our Review
I personally used an Ergoplay Johannes Tappert model from around Grade 6 right the way through music college, so I can attest to their quality at that level. I felt like it gave me enough flexibility to position the guitar where I needed it to be, without being cumbersome or difficult to work with. In fact, once I started using it I didn’t really give alternative guitar supports much thought, so it must have been doing it’s job quietly day in, day out. It’s only through running Classical Guitar Academy that I’ve branched out to try other supports (it’s now part of my job!).
“The ErgoPlay has changed my life.”
The Ergoplay Johannes Tappert model is highly flexible with it’s adjustable front arm and moveable suction cups. I’ve found it easy to achieve a mid height position to a high position through adjustment of the front arm alone. Those looking for a low position may favour the sleek little Gitano.
The Ergoplay Michael Troster model has the addition of an adjustable rear arm which can help to raise the entire guitar up, not just the neck. I’ve found that this is best suited to guitarists with a tall upper body, as raising the height of the instrument helps to achieve a more ergonomic playing position for people with this body type. The extra rotation on the rear arm helps to create a better contact than both the Professional model and the Johannes Tappert model for those who crave immense stability.
Alternatives
The main competitors to the Ergoplay guitar supports comes from Sagework, with the Atlas and Umbra models. These are similar in design but use magnets rather than suction cups. They are both more expensive so if budget is a key consideration, the Ergoplay models should still be top of your list.
Other popular guitar supports include the Gitano and Guitarlift, both of which use different designs to position the guitar in the best position.
For more details see the official Ergoplay website.