How to Set Up and Use Hang Guitar on Wall

Right, let's get this guitar up on the wall properly — no wonky screws, no drywall giving way six months from now. This is a straightforward job with the right tools and about twenty minutes, and doing it correctly the first time means you never have to think about it again. Here's the whole process, start to finish.

What you'll need

• A guitar wall hanger rated for your instrument's weight, with mounting screws included
• A stud finder (electronic or magnetic — either works)
• A spirit level
• A pencil
• A drill with a pilot-hole bit sized to your screws
• A screwdriver, or a driver bit for the drill
• Wall anchors rated for your wall type, if you can't hit a stud

How to set up and mount a guitar wall hanger

1. Pick your spot. Check the guitar will clear doors, light switches, furniture and foot traffic once it's hanging. Avoid direct sunlight, radiators and any exterior wall that tends to feel damp.
2. Find a stud. Run the stud finder across the area and mark the centre of the stud lightly in pencil. This is the single most important step — plasterboard on its own isn't strong enough to hold a guitar reliably.
3. Mark the height. Hold the hanger against the wall at the height you want and mark through the screw holes, or measure down from a reference point if that's easier.
4. Level it. Rest a spirit level against the top or bottom edge of the hanger's mounting plate and adjust until it reads true before you mark anything final.
5. Drill the pilot holes. Use a bit slightly narrower than your screws, drilled into the stud centre you marked. Don't oversize the hole — a snug pilot hole gives the screw something to properly bite into.
6. Fix the mounting plate. Screw the hanger's base or bracket into the pilot holes, tightening firmly but without stripping the hole. If you're going into a stud, you shouldn't need anchors at all.
7. Attach the cradle or arm. Follow the specific hanger's instructions here — some clip on, some are one integrated piece already fixed in the step above.
8. Test it before loading it. Push down and pull outward on the empty hanger with some deliberate pressure. It shouldn't flex, creak or shift in the wall.
9. Hang the guitar. Rest the headstock (or neck, depending on the hanger design) into the cradle and check it's fully and evenly seated, not resting on one edge.

No stud where you need one? Here's the fix

Sometimes the ideal spot for the guitar just doesn't line up with a stud, and that's fine — it happens more often than not. The answer isn't to skip proper fixings, it's to swap them:

• Plasterboard: use a toggle or cavity anchor rated for the hanger's full loaded weight, not just what the packet suggests as a minimum.
• Plaster over masonry or lath: drill carefully to avoid cracking, and use a plug rated for the base material underneath, not the plaster skim.
• Brick or concrete: use a masonry bit and a proper expansion anchor sized to the screw and load.
• Mounting several guitars: consider a French cleat board fixed across two or more studs instead of individual point-fixings for each one.

Whichever route you take, the anchor's rated load should sit comfortably above the guitar's actual weight — treat the packet figure as a ceiling you never want to approach, not a target.

Setting it up so it stays safe long-term

Once the guitar's up, a couple of ongoing habits make a real difference:

• Give the fixing a firm wiggle test every few months, especially in older houses where plaster can shift slightly.
• Check the cradle's padding periodically for any marking, softening or discolouration against the guitar's finish.
• Keep straps, cables or capos from dangling in a way that could snag and pull the instrument off the hanger.
• If you ever move the guitar to a different wall, don't reuse the old pilot holes as your new fixing points — start fresh with a new stud check.

Locking hangers: one extra step

If you've bought a locking-style hanger — a sensible choice with kids or pets about — the setup is identical up to fixing the mounting plate. The only addition is engaging the latch or clip over the neck once the guitar is seated, and checking it clicks or clips fully home rather than just resting in place.

The bottom line

Setting up a guitar wall hanger properly — the whole point of this guide — comes down to two things: hitting a stud (or a genuinely rated anchor when you can't), and levelling and testing the mount before you trust it with the instrument. Follow the sequence above in order and it's a job you do once. If you'd like the reasoning behind why headstock suspension is safe in the first place, our overview guide covers it, and if you haven't bought a hanger yet, the buyer's guide is the place to start. Once it's up, have a look at our list of common mistakes to avoid — most of them happen at the fixing stage, exactly where this guide has just taken you.

Frequently Asked Questions