Hang Guitar on Wall article
Hang Guitar on Wall for Beginners: A Complete Guide
My first guitar lived under the bed for a year out of pure friction. Here's the beginner-friendly way to get yours up on the wall instead, worries and all.
My first guitar lived under my bed for the best part of a year, mostly because getting it out of the wardrobe felt like a small ceremony I couldn't be bothered with most evenings. Looking back, that's the single biggest reason beginners stop playing — not lack of talent, just friction. Putting your guitar on the wall removes that friction completely, and it's a far less daunting job than it sounds. Here's the gentle version, aimed squarely at someone who's never mounted anything on a wall before.
Why bother, as a beginner?
When you're new, every bit of encouragement to actually pick the thing up matters. A guitar you can see from across the room, ready to grab, gets played far more than one zipped into a case in a cupboard. It also keeps it safely out of the way in a shared house or a smaller bedroom, where a guitar on a floor stand is one stray foot away from a nasty tumble.
The one thing to get right: what's behind your wall
Here's the only part that genuinely matters, so don't skim it. Guitars need to be fixed into a wall stud — the wooden upright behind your plasterboard — rather than just screwed into the plaster itself. Plasterboard on its own can't reliably hold a guitar's weight over time, and a fallen guitar is exactly the discouraging start nobody needs. A cheap stud finder, run along the wall, will show you where the studs are, usually about 40–60cm apart. If you genuinely can't get a stud where you want the guitar, a wall anchor rated for the weight will do the job — just don't skip this step to save five minutes.
What to buy for your first hanger
You don't need anything fancy for a first guitar wall hanger. Look for:
- A padded cradle — usually foam or felt — so it doesn't mark your guitar's finish
- A stated weight rating higher than your guitar actually weighs
- Mounting screws included, so you're not guessing at the hardware shop
If you'd rather see the fuller range of options before deciding, our buyer's guide goes through the choices in more depth. For a first guitar, though, a simple padded hanger from any music shop or a well-known online retailer is perfectly fine.
Your first installation, in plain English
Take it slowly and it really is manageable in one sitting:
- Decide on a height where the guitar won't bang into a door or light switch, and isn't in direct sunlight.
- Find the stud with a stud finder and mark it lightly in pencil.
- Hold the hanger against the wall and mark where the screws need to go.
- Drill a small pilot hole at each mark — this stops the wood splitting and makes the screw easier to drive in straight.
- Screw the hanger firmly into place.
- Give it a proper tug before trusting it with your guitar — if it wobbles, stop and check the fixing.
If any of those steps feel unfamiliar, our full setup walkthrough slows each one right down with more detail.
Common first-timer worries, sorted
"Won't hanging it by the neck damage it?" No — according to Acoustic Guitar magazine's own experts, this is a widely accepted and safe way to store a guitar, as long as the hanger itself is properly fitted and padded. The guitar's strings already put far more strain on the neck than gravity does.
"What if I rent and can't drill holes?" A guitar wall hanger genuinely does need a fixed point, so if drilling isn't an option, a floor stand is the sensible alternative for now — it's not as tidy, but it needs no commitment to the wall at all.
"Is one hanger enough if I get a second guitar later?" Yes, just buy a second one and repeat the process. There's no reason they can't sit side by side.
Small habits that help
- Keep the guitar out of direct sun and away from radiators — both affect the wood over time.
- Give the fixing a quick wiggle-check every couple of months, just out of habit.
- Don't let straps or cables dangle in a way that could catch and pull the guitar off.
The bottom line
Don't overthink your first guitar wall hanger. Find a stud, buy a padded hanger with a sensible weight rating, and take the installation one step at a time. It's a genuinely small job that pays off every single day afterwards, because the guitar you can see is the guitar you actually play. Once it's up, have a read of our piece on common mistakes to avoid — it's a quick way to double-check you haven't missed anything, and our overview guide is there if you want the fuller picture of how it all works.
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