My studio was starting to look like a music equipment junkyard. Strewn about everywhere were guitars, amps, microphones, all kinds of gig accessories, plus studio equipment as well as old and new monitors. And all the wires… Forget about it. Additionally, there were pieces of furniture I never used. When I walked in the room it was not warm and inviting. I felt like I was running an obstacle course just to get to my computer.

Because I spent so much time in there, and because I wanted to be more productive and creative, I needed to make some changes.

The first thing I did was remove unnecessary furniture. Next I cleaned enough space in the closet so I could store all my gig gear. Then there was one major thing to do: Install a guitar wall to get the guitars and accessories off the floor.

Let me state at the outset that I am less a “do-it-yourselfer” and more a “try-it-this-way-and-that-way-until-I-get-it-right” type of person. In fact, while installing the SlatWall MX Panel and the SlatWall MX Strip, my wife and I looked more like Laurel and Hardy than Do-It-Yourself TV hosts.

But no one knows how long it took us to complete the project, or how ridiculous we appeared while doing so. All people see is the final product and it looks great.

I learned several things while doing this project.

·      First, Stud Finders don’t always work.

·      Second, not all builders separate their studs exactly 16 inches apart.

·      And third, how useful Spackle can be.

While I can honestly say that the task can be accomplished without DIY skills, it would be quicker and more efficient to partner with someone who has those skills.

The on-site directions at Diamond Life Gear are informative, but I wish they would have had some specific DIY videos from the company. Even though there are some decent YouTube installation videos by customers, I think a couple of “official” company videos about the product addressing common installation issues as reported via their support people, would be helpful.

(Watch our video to see our installation process.)

I really liked the angled Guitar Hangers. With the guitars hung diagonally on the wall its like you’re in the middle of Guitar Center. The fact that the guitar hangers can be angled is great for two reasons. First, you can get more guitars on a strip when the hangers are angled. Second, the guitars look more impressive at that angle: like a Guitar Center showroom. I chose 12” hangers for my acoustic guitars because they’re bigger and stick out farther from the wall than my smaller electric guitars, for which I chose the 6” hangers. Picture: Acoustic blocking smaller guitars. I put the small guitars up front and the acoustics toward the back so I can see all the guitars. Picture: Small guitars up front. Putting the acoustic guitars up front hide the small guitars from view.

We played around with the placement of baskets, waterfalls attachments, and guitar hangers. Your choice of accessories will be determined by your individual needs.

I would recommend Diamond Life Gear SlatWall products. And since you’re going to need another person for at least part of the installation, I would also recommend partnering with someone who has decent “do it yourself” skills…and a good sense of humor.