On the list of needs and wants, an A-frame record easel to hold my vinyl sleeves while I’m listening to records falls squarely in the “wants” column. But for me, this minimalist stand is exactly what I’ve been searching for ever since I moved my record player to a location where I don’t have a place to store the sleeves or vinyl on deck for playing.
What typically happens when I’m listening to music is that I put the sleeve on top of my Rotel amplifier, which means I’m covering the air vents and risk overheating the amp. More than likely I leave the records flat on a nearby table and they end up sitting there for days after I forget to put them away. All vinyl nerds know that storing your records flat on their backs is a major no-no, but I’m lazy and forget sometimes.
Enter the Wesley & Kemp A-frame record easel; the perfect solve for my oddball problem. The powder-coated 20 gauge steel frame looks like it’s made out of the same bullet-proof material as the old sheet music stands you use to have in music class. The shape and small footprint allows me to sit the stand on my Rotel, because the gap between the two sides is more than enough room to keep the vents clear. Wesley and Kemp affixed substantial rubber and cork strips that run across the bottom of the stand to keep the stand from scratching the surface of my amp (or any place you put it).
At $45, the Wesley & Kemp A-frame record easel is not inexpensive, but it is made in the USA and is definitely worth the price. Available in Euro White (whatever that means) and Matte Black, you can buy your very own through Wesley & Kemp’s online store. Also check out their t-shirts, mugs and soy candles.
*In case you were wondering, Nada Surf’s “high/low” was the January 2016 Vinyl Me, Please album of the month, and they did a bang up job putting this thing together. Nada Surf is so much better than “Popular” and the record is definitely worth a revisit.
