If you are handy with tools you can make your own to your own specifications. I made mine, spent about 100 bucs

Making your own is the way to go. Cheap and easy, and custom made for your situation.
I use plywood and cover it with fabric (using a low tack glue)
Save that $$$$ for gear!

desk

Musician's Friend has a desk for $100 that has a keyboard drawer, monitor stand, and in the center beneath the monitor stand is a 19" rack mount gear area(8 space). Here's a link...
http:/www.musiciansfriend…

For $149 (though price may vary depending on the color, I got the color shown in the link below for $99, a lighter Maple finish was $149), Staples has what seemed to be the perfect desk, for me. Does about what you're looking for, so it might be good for you too:

[[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.staples…"]Mobiltech Desk[/]="http://www.staples…"]Mobiltech Desk[/]

What's really nice is that the left and right stands, which I put my nearfields on (of course), are attached to the desk at the side and back, rather than down the center of each stand; the speakers are mostly isolated from the desk. You can put your ear right against the left or right side of the desk and can't hear the music traveling downward through it.

"Audio/Video Studio Furniture" is expensive, "Office Furniture" is cheap and can often be just as useful, if not moreso =)

You all have great suggestions. I'd love to buy one of those desks at Musician's Friend. This one...

(Dead Link Removed)

Would be the perfect size for my studio. But shipping is $82! So I'm gonna look around more.

I'd like to build a desk, but I need to start making money quickly with my studio. I've invest about $5000 into it in the last 2 months, so I need to start paying that off. Building a desk, with my carpenter skills, would put me off another month. I've gotta find a quick solution.

If anyone else has any ideas please let me know!

Staples (the office supply store) has extremely studio friendly furniture cheeeeeap!

If you have one in your city visit them. They stockand carry stuff you won't see on their internet site.

mrbwnstn wrote: Building a desk, with my carpenter skills, would put me off another month.

Damn, I would build you something sweet in about 3 hours or so, but I've been in construction for 20 years.
Good luck reguardless

The Staples idea is a good one.

Or get a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood and maybe five 2 x 4's.
If I knew how to post a picture of my idea I certainly wood. (hehe)

Anything with a cloth over it is always unasuming, to most people.
Maybe you can find some old furniture. And throw a white cloth over it?
Just a thought ( a cheap one)

mrbwnstn wrote: You all have great suggestions. I'd love to buy one of those desks at Musician's Friend. This one...

(Dead Link Removed)

Would be the perfect size for my studio. But shipping is $82! So I'm gonna look around more.

I'd like to build a desk, but I need to start making money quickly with my studio. I've invest about $5000 into it in the last 2 months, so I need to start paying that off. Building a desk, with my carpenter skills, would put me off another month. I've gotta find a quick solution.

If anyone else has any ideas please let me know!

Those desks are the most shoddy pieces of junk i've ever come across, dont waste your money...
Better off getting something from ikea or office depot.

i would never buy a modern computer desk. the one i had recently was a standard heavy desk. if i could i would have a solid wood desk. screw particle board desks. i had one before and it could hardly hold up my 19" monitor, i dont trust that at all, which is why i got a new desk, plus the cheap POS fell apart and the space was more of an issue, and it was shakey and seemed like it would collapse under its own weight at any moment. with the big one, i had more room, stability, AND drawers to keep my pencils and shit in, even a 27" TV, even though i had to keep my computer on the ground.

id rather build my own desk than buy shit.

I had one of those desks from musicians friend and they were no worse than anywhere else that sells generic desks. In fact that desk has been in use for over a year and served me pretty well. I did however build my own into my wall and I love it compared to the old musicians friend desk. I also recommend building your own.

Studio Desk

I'm happy with this one that I got at Best Buy. It comes unassembled but goes together pretty easily.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=3830242&type=product&id=1051384800457

(Bush computer desk, Model: HM97410)

Plenty of room up top for 2 monitors too.

Paul

Hey mrbwnstn, If you haven't decided on a desk yet, check out a model called "JERKER" at IKEA. It's what I use. Rock solid, you can set the height at whatever you like, and it has a second recessed shelf (also completely height adjustable) you could set your screen/monitors on. It would be very easy to set it up so it looks essentially like the desk in the first picture you posted. Also has some practical optional accessories - there are these pivoting shelves you can get (also surprisingly, rock solid) that are mountable anywhere on the frame. Two of these shelves mouted on the outside make great speaker stands that are a nice distance apart. Cost for the desk & two of the pivoting shelves was around 250$ canadian.

It wouldn't have brackets for mounting rack gear though. You'd have to build your own, or just stack the gear.

Get yourself some rack rails and get someone to build it for you.

Step 1. Put an ad in a local paper saying you'll trade a few hours of recording time for someone to build your desk.

Step 2. Sit back and enjoy your new desk.

I just build a custom desk for a guy who traded me for 8 hours in his studio. I had to pay for tape but it was still a deal for me.

You can get cheap trunk carpet at Home Depot and if you want an arm rest, get an upholstery shop to make one for ya.

DON'T buy that cheap junk computer funiture at the office stores. Not too good for holding a 737 or a Pultec.

Get yourself some rack rails and get someone to build it for you.

Step 1. Put an ad in a local paper saying you'll trade a few hours of recording time for someone to build your desk.

Step 2. Sit back and enjoy your new desk.

I just build a custom desk for a guy who traded me for 8 hours in his studio. I had to pay for tape but it was still a deal for me.

You can get cheap trunk carpet at Home Depot and if you want an arm rest, get an upholstery shop to make one for ya.

DON'T buy that cheap junk computer funiture at the office stores. Not too good for holding a 737 or a Pultec.

lennynorman wrote:
DON'T buy that cheap junk computer funiture at the office stores. Not too good for holding a 737 or a Pultec.

Given the mentioned budget I don't think you have to worry that either of these pieces of gear are in any imminent peril.

~S