Your Favorite Things: Mic Stands

[RCinMempho]

This is the first weekly installment of my new weekly feature thread

Your Favorite Things

This week we discuss mic stands.

What do you look for in a mic stand? Old-style disc bases or three-legged wonders? Booms or straights? Favorite brands? Brands to avoid? Best bargain? Black or chrome? Do you use the clip-on cable holders? Which ones gig the best? Anyone use the one-hand clutch models? Which ones pack the best? Which ones are lightest?

Tell us the skinny folks. The TFF archives await.

[Alpine86]

I prefer the disc base ones, because I have always inevitably stepped on legs of the 3 leg one and broken them..

Boom over straight, because sometimes I use a talkbox, and it gives me better clearance when I play.

[Kap'n]

For rehearsal, I like the disk bottoms for stability, but I like transporting the three leg variety better. The wife likes the mic clips, but she doesn't use the stand much, unless she's playing percussion in the song. Me, I don't sing, so it doesn't matter.

Booms, always.


My biggest mic stand peeve: Why is it that nobody can figure out that keeping the center pole in contact with the floor makes a three leg stand unstable?

[RCinMempho]

I always used the disc stands until my current band which is outfitted with the three-leggers. I like the portability of the folding legs, but on-stage the disk stands seem less intrusive to me.

Any tips on hauling stands? I guess I need a drumstand case or something for all of them.

[pc]

For me, it's this: (The steel circular bracket on the pedalboard holds a mic stand).



I connect a boom to it to give me a little clearance over the board. For the rest of the band I prefer steel-base stands--less chance of tripping over the legs. BTW--the best steel-base stands have that U-shaped notch in them so you can stack them on each other for easy transport. :yay

[Kap'n]

BTW--the best steel-base stands have that U-shaped notch in them so you can stack them on each other for easy transport. :yay

I believe those are made by Ultimate Support Systems. They make other great stuff, like their guitar and amp stands. Ordinarily I don't purchase things from manufacturers with a corporate religious philosopy, but in this case I make an exception.

[pc]

Kap'n, as a moderator, I know I'm going to kick myself for asking this, but I just gotta know? What philosophy at USS? I don't know anything about this.

[pc]

Okay--belay that request. I just went to their website. "Wow" is all I can say.

They do make some great stands though.

[Kap'n]

They do make some great stands though.

That they do.

FWIW, the link:

http://www.ultimatesupport.com/company.html

BTW, I'm not meaning to demean, belittle or whatever folks who have a corporate religious philosophy. If you support that stuff, cool. It's just not my bag.

[Rickenjangle]

Their statement seems to me to be crass pandering to the religious right, a ploy to become the "official" support system for all Christian musicians out there. Like they're cashing in on their faith. That ranks right up there with televangelists and pig-blood-throwing pro-lifers in my list of reasons why many people are anti-Christian.

Scary. Still, they really do make a great product. Then again, if the product is great, I wouldn't care if it were made by Zoroastrians.

[RCinMempho]

I see the advantage of the stacking u-base stand in the studio, but does that really make them easier to load/unload for a gig?

[Kap'n]

I see the advantage of the stacking u-base stand in the studio, but does that really make them easier to load/unload for a gig?

Maybe if you cart a lot of your stuff. I carry my stuff, and I throw all my stands in an Army-surplus duffle bag. MAN that thing is heavy. I can't imagine moving a stack of those stands without a cart.

Duffel bags make awesome conga bags, too.

[RCinMempho]

And another question, does anyone actually remove the bases from the stands on a regular basis?

[juniorspecial]

FWIW,

The people I've seen that are really good at dancing with a mic stand (Rod Stewart, Iggy Pop, Mick Jagger, Debby Harry, etc.) seemed to all use mic stands with legs. So that's a consideration, too.

[Gtrplyr]

And another question, does anyone actually remove the bases from the stands on a regular basis?

I seen some problems with the threading end up getting striped eventually. Usually sooner than later.

[shunka]

Tripods for portability and safety ( they're nearly impossible for a drunk to tip straight back into your face, if you set them up with one leg pointing at you). Disc bases are great in a bar fight however.
Almost always with a boom or at least a goose neck to provide room for my axe and my gut.

[RCinMempho]

Disc bases are great in a bar fight however.

That's not an issue for me. I play a Tele.

[RCinMempho]

So none of you guys are going to reveal your top-secret mic stand tricks?

I like this little gadget for selling CD's at gigs.

Mike Caddy - holds drink, some small stuff, and DISPLAYS YOUR CDS

[pc]

I put nothing on my mic stand except for the rubber clip that holds my picks. Anything else would go flying as soon as the first drunken, moronic well-wisher stumbles into the stand. I've already taken more than my share of SM-58 windscreens to the teeth, I don't need a cup of my favorite beverage launched onto my pickguard.

I'm just saying is all.

[Fendercrazy]

first drunken, moronic well-wisher stumbles into the stand. I've already taken more than my share of SM-58 windscreens to the teeth,

I've had my lip cut a few times in similar situations.

[RCinMempho]

I guess the big foam windscreens are a safety device!

[frank thomson]

I prefer the disc base ones......

Boom over straight, .........

bingo!

also, i put a weight (ya know...barbell weight) on the base (ya know, thru the hole) to give it stay-putted-ness!

but when just doing vocals.....NO STAND! (and i loved...loved...just dropping the mic on the stage when i was done. Man, did the soundman hate me!):lol

[Annie D.]

I prefer the heavy disc bases. Right now, for the first time in my life I'm using footed CHEAP stands. I hate it. Doesn't roll up to me when I beckon. Falls over on those plywood bouncy stages.

Booms for me 'cause I play keys AND guitarsnstuff.

Yet if I'm just singing I DO like a stand alone down the walkway. Take it outta the clip and do it justice.

[Annie D.]

I loved producing controlled feedback thru Larry's twin with my mic...

RIP amigo

[Tele-Bob]

Cast metal bases for me.

Those light legged ones are just no good when a fight breaks out.

[chuckocaster]

So none of you guys are going to reveal your top-secret mic stand tricks?

here's ole chucko's secret...

round base, straight stand (somtimes with the "goose neck" which i refer to as "the nuge" mic stand), pic holder, and an sm 57. pretty basic, and it works well for me.

[Mikey]

RC,
For transporting those stands, I found a pretty good, cheap way of doing so. I got a golf club travel case with wheels for only $29.00 at the local grocery store. I also carry all of my cymbal stands and power cords in the same bag. WARNING! carrying all that stuff in one bag makes it heavier than all get out and a little unweildy, but it does work. If you could find a nice hard case travel case for golf clubs that would be even better. For just carrying mic stands though, the soft case works well. If you have the heavy circular base model, min has a zip pocket on the front that holds three of the bases perfectly.