There is a type of chair that I have been using for 3 decades, it's called a kitchen ladder chair. It's a high chair w/ a back. & has 2 fold-out steps. I like this chair for extended playing because it allows me to play in the classical guitar position, & also allows me to switch my leg to different heights on the steps to relieve stress. (There are many versions of this chair that one will find in a search, but look for the type I have described).

This folding bar stool from IKEA is my go to jam stool. I’ve also had it on stage to perch on between songs while a long winded guitar player tells stories .  It’s lightweight but strong.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/franklin-bar-stool-with-backrest-foldable-black-black-50406465/
 

I use folding "parsons chairs". Padded seat and back. Typically sold in pairs for ~$130 sometimes on sale for under $60 each.

Essentially a folding straight-back dining chair. Much more comfy than regular folders.

They're usually wood, but metal ones are available. I take mine to jams. I can't be comfy sitting on a picnic table bench. Steel folding chairs are terrible...and usually too low for me.

I found a nice wooden folding chair at Costco a few years back. Well-suited for playing and light enough to lub around. Don’t know if Costco still sells them, and of course local stores have some control over inventory.

It's important that the chair not have arms. Sewing rockers are a good choice for players of stringed instruments.

homedepot.com/p/Costway-Grey-F...qmbNtB6tA

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Originally posted by RB3

It's important that the chair not have arms. Sewing rockers are a good choice for players of stringed instruments.

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I'll second this. Any armless chair of reasonable height will do. I currently use a Gustav Stickley sewing rocker.

Several years ago I found 2 folding chairs with backs but no arms at Walmart. They work well for both sitting in at jams and for easy storage and handling. We used to put our chairs in the storage area of our motorhome so they'd be available for jams. I don't know if Walmart still sells them or not.

I embroidered new seat covers for them with our names and various bluegrass instruments on them. Always a hit at jams. I'd sell them except for the names embroidered on them.

quote:Looks nice  and at what is a reasonable price

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Originally posted by jdeluke137

This folding bar stool from IKEA is my go to jam stool. I’ve also had it on stage to perch on between songs while a long winded guitar player tells stories .  It’s lightweight but strong.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/franklin-bar-stool-with-backrest-foldable-black-black-50406465/
 

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quote:thanks,   whatever folding chairs I have accumulated for banjo purposes even if they dont work out fit in around here when we have all the neighbors over.   

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Originally posted by Texasbanjo

Several years ago I found 2 folding chairs with backs but no arms at Walmart. They work well for both sitting in at jams and for easy storage and handling. We used to put our chairs in the storage area of our motorhome so they'd be available for jams. I don't know if Walmart still sells them or not.

I embroidered new seat covers for them with our names and various bluegrass instruments on them. Always a hit at jams. I'd sell them except for the names embroidered on them.

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thanks

Well at home I just use my office chair that I swiped from my office at work when I retired and removed the arms. But used office chairs are easy to find. The university here in town sells surplus equipment every Wednesday and they have a half dozen office chairs every time, good ones, hardly used. Generally speaking, the arms only have a couple bolts holding them on.

On the road, out and about, I found a pretty sturdy but light poly folding chair at a garage sale that for some reason just fits me. I didn't even buy it for that purpose, it just seemed like a good chair and it was two bucks. I've had it for years. It found me you could say. I try to stand as much as I can, but that chair is always close by. It isn't anything special. It is also good for camping, fishing, and tailgating.

One day I was in sweetwater, TN and saw a large thrift shop. They had a bunch of sturdy, real oaken chairs for 4 to 10 bucks each. I picked two that matched and they are perfect, padded seats, sturdy back, cool scrollwork, and short seat depth. Later I found out they were handmade in TN by a Hatfield ancestor of my wifes in 1882. Pretty awesome and totally random find.

I have a hawaiian mate in one of the bands Im in who weighs 435 lbs. I cringed the first time he sat on one, but 4 years later (he weighs a mere 365lbs now) the chair is fine.

I have broken many foldout metal chairs and am currently looking for some old school ones that were built like tanks.

Regarding those high priced "Pick n Glide" chairs that no longer seem to be available, it turns out that the seller of those was importing common gliding rocking chairs from China, taking the arms off and installing an angle bracket in their place. Then marking them up 3 to 4 times.

I've never used one myself, but have seen a lot of these folks use: amazon.com/Liquid-Stands-Guita...196&gQT=1

Google "folding camp chair without arms." They're not expensive, if someone walks away with it, it's not a big loss. Here's one at Amazon.

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Originally posted by MoJoBanjo

I've never used one myself, but have seen a lot of these folks use: amazon.com/Liquid-Stands-Guita...196&gQT=1

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Thanks for the link. It kinda looks perfect, but I wonder if it is a little "tippy", side to side, if you don't sit down squarely. I read many of the 320 reviews and did not see that as a complaint.

quote:Thanks Joel.  I have seen them advertised and as I wrote sat in one in the home of a banjoist here in florida who has one.   They dont seem to be particularly suited for banjo playing which for me to be comfortable without being errect and receiving good back support.   The pic and glide seems to be more the kind of chair one can sit it, think one is going to play the banjo, and then poor oneself a drink, and so on.

I am just wondering why no one is marketing a good banjo playing chair.  One issue may be that the real heart of the banjo population is the bluegrass crowd.  Bluegrass is pretty much played standing up.

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

Regarding those high priced "Pick n Glide" chairs that no longer seem to be available, it turns out that the seller of those was importing common gliding rocking chairs from China, taking the arms off and installing an angle bracket in their place. Then marking them up 3 to 4 times.

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quote:Nice to hear from you Bill.  Oh  I have about 3 or 4 chairs that fit in that category.  I have a metal standard one and one made of a kind of plastic with a broad back.  They are pretty easy to find in Thrift shops here in Florida if you hold out to get a good one and dont take junk first

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Originally posted by wtalley

Google "folding camp chair without arms." They're not expensive, if someone walks away with it, it's not a big loss. Here's one at Amazon.

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The nice thing is, this is from Amazon. If you don't like it, return it fairly easily.....after you get up from the floor.  ;-)

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Originally posted by gcpicken

quote:

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Originally posted by MoJoBanjo

I've never used one myself, but have seen a lot of these folks use: amazon.com/Liquid-Stands-Guita...196&gQT=1

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Thanks for the link. It kinda looks perfect, but I wonder if it is a little "tippy", side to side, if you don't sit down squarely. I read many of the 320 reviews and did not see that as a complaint.

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I use an orchestra chair I got from Shar Music like 12 years ago. It is the best thing since sliced bread! Incredibly sturdy, and the seat height is adjustable from way down low like 14" to normal stool height of 32 or so.. Steel, with maple seat and back rest. Its so good and I am so attached to it, that my guitar player drove all the way back down to Virginia to retrieve it when we forgot it at a show down here! But of course the damned thing has been discontinued by Shar and I've never been able to find out who actually made it. Prolly discontinued because the thing is designed to last into the next ice age.

That Liquid one looks interesting. Adjustable and most of their stands are pretty bulletproof. Padded a bit too, which is nice.
https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Stands-Guitar-Stool-Adjustable/dp/B0CM3Z267T?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A205NGHGNY52SP&gPromoCode=16523579608771596196&gQT=1

Seen that around,  the issue looking at it is it convenient for carrying around in a normal sized car trunk or back seat?

quote:

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Originally posted by MoJoBanjo

The nice thing is, this is from Amazon. If you don't like it, return it fairly easily.....after you get up from the floor.  ;-)

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Originally posted by gcpicken

quote:

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Originally posted by MoJoBanjo

I've never used one myself, but have seen a lot of these folks use: amazon.com/Liquid-Stands-Guita...196&gQT=1

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Thanks for the link. It kinda looks perfect, but I wonder if it is a little "tippy", side to side, if you don't sit down squarely. I read many of the 320 reviews and did not see that as a complaint.

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Tony, the site's "information" says, 

• EASY SETUP AND TRANSPORT: Setup takes under a minute, fold it up and take it from gig to gig.

Dunno where it's made, and I've noticed more than a few translations from Chinese (?) that are a bit iffy.   While they wouldn't deliberately mislead anybody ......... Or would they???  Otoh, owners/users legitimate referrals should carry a fair bit of weight [bad pun (?) duly noted].

[Edit: If the Liquid Stands one ^^ is unstable, it should be fairly simple to add a bit of tubing to the back "feet" (?) to extend the base.  Matching the diameter of the tubing would make it relatively inconspicuous.  Again, being a putterer helps.]

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With total disregard for, ".... a long list of chairs from thrift shops, yard sales, and what I see other players use" here's my cheapskate solution. Lowered the right arm of a folding lawn chair to make room for the banjo.  Modified a golf cart so it will accommodate: a banjo/guitar in a case, the chair, a cooler, a few songbooks.  It works real well for moving any distance, or over uneven ground, but the golf cart is still a bit "clunky" when folded up.  It's probably only cheap if you're a scrounger / thrift store shopper / DIYer.

quote:

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Originally posted by Owen

Tony, the site's "information" says, 

• EASY SETUP AND TRANSPORT: Setup takes under a minute, fold it up and take it from gig to gig.

Dunno where it's made, and I've noticed more than a few translations from Chinese (?) that are a bit iffy.   While they wouldn't deliberately mislead anybody ......... Or would they???  Otoh, owners/users legitimate referrals should carry a fair bit of weight [bad pun (?) duly noted].

=================================================================================

With total disregard for, ".... a long list of chairs from thrift shops, yard sales, and what I see other players use" here's my cheapskate solution. Lowered the right arm of a folding lawn chair to make room for the banjo.  Modified a golf cart so it will accommodate: a banjo/guitar in a case, the chair, a cooler, a few songbooks.  It works real well for moving any distance, or over uneven ground, but the golf cart is still a bit "clunky" when folded up.  It's probably only cheap if you're a scrounger / thrift store shopper / DIYer.

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How many beers/fishing rods will fit in the holes in that arm?