Nothing is foolproof, but the pub prop is remarkably reliable in pretty crowded settings, and if you set it against the pain of getting a loved instrument crash to the floor and get stomped, it's remarkably good value.

The only significant flaw it's got is that it needs a fairly square-edged table, and lots of pub tables are cut on an angle. I've passed that suggestion on to Brian, and I'm hoping he'll come up with a revised model sometime that will take care of that problem.

But I'd sooner trust my guitar to a pub prop than to any expensive guitar stand I've seen - even aside from the convenience, I think it is a lot safer, especially in the settings it is primarily intended for. (And as has been pointed out, it's great for mandolins or fiddles as well.)