This nifty little number was constructed for a gentleman with an old antique walnut table. He had his multitude of stereo and video components on the table and his wife was having a fit. Great system! Everything ran off of one remote. Anyway, he said he didn't want a back or sides because of the "pretty brick" wall it sits against and he wanted access to the hook-ups. It's difficult to keep something like this from racking without at least a back. I used through tennons (the dark diamonds in the uprights) in the side rails and one inch thick shelves for rigidity. After 9 years, it's still hanging in there.