One to Watch: Musical Instrument Stand Maker Caleb Blake

Careful craftsmanship goes into every guitar: from the technical aspect of tuning to the instrument’s overall aesthetic, they are mindfully designed objects. Guitar stands? Not so much. “What’s available on the market right now is mostly focused on functionality and price point,” says Caleb Blake, noting that mass-produced metal stands aren’t exactly made to be on display. The Campbell River-based furniture maker began his career in carpentry, framing houses for the better part of a decade before founding Natural Collection in 2019.

Blake himself plays the guitar (he grew up as one of eight children in a musical family—that’s one more kid than the von Trapps, if you’re counting) and started making instrument stands as a side hustle back in Calgary in 2014. “I missed the wood shop when I was out in the workforce, and I wanted to get more into doing finer woodwork,” he says. His evening and weekend gig became a full-time job in 2020, and a year later his Performer stool earned a 2021 Made in Alberta award in the Furnishings and Home Decor category.  

The designer and musician considers guitars to be beautiful all on their own, and his projects aim to complement that. “My main focus is design and functionality; the way I look at it, I’m building fine furniture for your musical instruments,” Blake says.

He crafts his guitar stands, wall hangers and music stools using hard, sturdy woods (think maple, walnut and ash), finishing the products with stainless steel pegs and soft Portuguese cork fabric. In the process, he’s transforming a strictly utilitarian eyesore into a real work of art—now that’s something to sing about.