Karaoke Forums

I just had another microphone stand die. After repetitive use the grip strips.
What kind of stands do you guys use?
I've been looking at the Hercules microphone stands at the Guitar Center. It doesn't use the conventional screw to tighten grip. Have any of you used them?

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Check out the following under "commercial" category !  I'd go with the heavier offshape base I've listed in the link beneath this one ! The MS25E
http://www.atlas-soundolier.com/

If you value your microphones, I'd go with the weighted base model such as this stand. http://atlasmicstands.com/details.cfm?PN=MS25E

I'd go with nothing less than that weight a base personally. Using the MS25E search, you'll find that you can do better than Atlas 108 dollar retail price.
http://www.fullcompass.com/Products/pages/SKU--46330



Bab's surprisingly for the cost of SOME of the model's of Hercules stands, the reviews aren't great.   I would stay away from Onstage, they are generally a lighter weight, and although I got a few grades up from the botton line, with a 6 inch goose-neck, and boom arm and Shure SM-series microphone, it often ends up "Mike end" heavy, and topples over (from its tripod base) wanting to fall into the piano... I DO NOT like that !!!! I'd avoid having a boom microphone attachment for customers (btw), I'd think most would, but MANY around here make probs for themselves offering boom arms, or something else that will send their microphone ball end first into the ground !!! I'd never go with a lighter weight stand, or without a heavy base, or really anything under about 80 bucks roughly. ESPECIALLY in a bar setting where people doodle... in time from all the fiddling around subpar componentry strips, wears out, and get's knocked around.. Even pushed over... I've had about 3 of those in my little studio. (mid-grade Onstage, even Quik lok, and WOULD NOT recommend them for a commercial venue).... If its for you, you still need durable parts on the stand because you keep knocking down, and setting up... My favorites were the heavier duty Atlas stands of days old. Again, NO boom unless it's fixed, or anchored really well overhead (which isn't found in most KJ settings) or has a base nailed to the floor  !.....  Ultimate Support sturdier models are very good too, and US often has lifetime replacement and support on certain models and Items, but I've never used or touched a heavier duty US mike-stand so firsthand, I can't vouche for those, yet many do.   I have their apache keyboard racks, and lighting trestles, and "Thinker Toy" stuff...  Bought some of it used 10 years ago, but if a joint or coupler, or ANYTHING breaks, US replaces it free of charge.... Read their current policy.   Go into a LOCAL music store, check out a SIMPLE Commercial quality microphone stand (no boom arm) that's HEAVY, with a good weighted base; nothing sloppy folks will constantly knock over. For this as I stated, you will likely have to spend abit more and the simpler to operate with a good clutch, or well made threading & material the more conducive it is to securing (Protecting) your microphone ( people will doodle around with couplers and clutches often just out've nervousness, or needing something to twist and turn) In congested bar environments EVEN your own equipment should be sturdy and heavier in wieght, balanced well ! EVERYTHING get's banged into at bars...We had folks knocking boom arms with momentum into our guitars and toppling them microphone first into our amps and cabs ALL the time...GOD did I hate that !!!!  I'd get just a sturdy stand after you get a few brands and model numbers you can research... If you see a much better deal online, order it online.... IF not,  check out STURDY weighted stands that are balanced well... and not so light that they will fall over as much... As for :bang for the buck: it was hard to beat the 60's heavier gage metal Atlas microphone stands with heavier wider iron bases, like a 25 lb cast iron plate ! ... Yet unless you can find one used someplace,  they aren't readily available... I also have a few Atlas, and Bruno stands from days gone by...   I want to see if Atlas makes commercial grade stands that are affordable today.. stands for school kids on stage, and lecture events that are a heavier decent quality with good coupling...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

We use the Ulra Microphone stand with the quick release.  Had them for over three years, used 6 nights a week in a moblie rig.

Also if the grip strips, there is an o-ring inside which may have let go and needs replacing.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I prefer the tripod base over the round weighted base, especially when you get the ones that pick up the stand like a 'rock star'.  Standard screw type height adjustment.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I use a brand called Ultimate they have a round bottom base, a lever actuated height adjustment and a butterfly clip. They are very durable

http://www.ultimatesupport.com/s.nl/sc.8/.f

My main weekend gig has a really nice custom bar type KJ booth. I use a non slip foam mat to set my wireless mic's on. Once they are placed on the mat the mics do not move. It also keeps them from getting worn by repetitive removal from the stands. I use this method whenever I can.

You can view this mat in my album to get the basic idea. The green mat in the first picture front left corner is the one I use. My other systems use black ones....all the same stuff.

The material is available in most variety stores and is sold in 3ft rolls and is available in several colors.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

For karaoke I switched to the TV stand with mike clips. Since the changover I've had at least 80% less mike drops and It's saved me a pile of money on damaged mikes. The stands always seem to get knocked over once everyone's drunk , but noat as muck with the combo stand.

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ROBDOG *WOOF WOOF*

I have the Ultimate MCL-80 they aren't bad. $50 is a reasonable price, but most of the people here won't spend over $50 on a microphone.

I don't use mic stands.   I went all cordless and simply hand them over.  I took the mic clips/holders off of my TV stand to keep people from trying to jam them in.  It has worked out very well since.

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

Flipper,


  I used to love Ultimate Support, Not sure if you recall, but about 4 years back they had a section called "Thinker Toys", Where people could submit photo's of their studio workstations with custom length tubing, 45 and 90 degree elbow joints, rack mounting apparatus, shelves, microphone extensions for the Apache A-frame keyboard workstations which I own two of, corner towers, full wall units, there was just no end to light trestles, and speaker add-on sections a person could build...  I have one two tier 48 inch, and one three tier 60 inch (with one tier removed I had synths over the Hammond B-3 which sat between the end brakets on the Apach-60 inch... They are very sturdy, and can't be beat for home use, problem is, U.S. has now discontinued their decent products.. I'm afraid they are going "middle-lower end" quality slowly but surely now-adays because with their fabulous liberal lifetime warrantee on ALL decent componentry that they sold, they might not've been selling enough higher end product, people like me would crack a 90 degree coupler joint, call and they'd send a new one right out.. I couldn't say enough great stuff about U.S. loyalty to their lifetimes warantee, and I'm sad they are doing away with their better A-frame stuff. They've discontinued a decent weighted oblong base mic stand, and awhile back a noticed they discontinued a FABULOUS foundation for a full wall studio setup that can be expanded on, and ONLY imagination is the limit (Apache A-frame racks)..  I'm glad I grabbed two, I'm sorry they no longer have their "Thinker Toy" section...

http://www.fullcompass.com/Products/pages/SKU--9892

An example of a workstation allowing for side wings for computer equipment, control cabs, and a Hammond organ at the base in a stationary studio setup SIMPLE to build was custom components, braces, tubing sold by the foot, etc...Of course a hardware store can cut aluminum pipes too that are the comparable diameter, but these types of setups were a blast using the US Thinker Toy section.


The beneath project isn't a bad idea at all.. I should do something like this with the one rack I no longer use...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Oh Marty, ya GOTTA have at least one!

But I hear you... the uneducated mic'ers love to jam mics in! !

You know, they always seemed to cause more problems than they were worth.  I had a gig in a very large bar, more known for live music, and their mixer was front-of-house - the mic stands were necessary for sure.  For the smaller joints, I haven't missed them at all.

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

Any opinions on using a decent quality wireless headset microphone for your own purposes instead of a microphone that requires being supported ? I know "decent quality" is subjective but is there a "good enough" affordable headset microphone out there for such applications ?  I too have found that in certain environments a microphone stand just becomes another obstacle.. or potential weapon, there are times when you really need to conserve all the space you can, and either have stuff anchored, or not present.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Im never happy if theres not a mic stand. I sing too much with my hands and have to be able to move freely without having to hold a mic. Have to tell the songs story with my my hands. Also I play alot of air-upright bass and cant really do that holding on to a mic. Holding a mic creates a feeling of imbalance. So Ill do it without  stand if Im forced to. But i probly wouldnt go back there again. Need to have at lease 1 mic stand available for those that like or need them. Just set it off to the side when its not requested. As to the type of stand---the ones with the heavy metal base hands down. The tripods seem to fllizy and again dont have the right FEEL to them which created a discomfort distraction for me--Im afraid Ill knock it over while moving around. With other people the stand gives them something to hold on and achor themselves. Some of them look like thier holding on for dear life. They actually NEED the stand to make it thorugh the song. Others like to do the Elvis thing and dance around the mic stand.
So to my mind you have to have a stand or your doing some of your singers a disservice. Without fail if i go in some where and dont see one-the first thing Im asking is DO YOU HAVE A STAND. And they say no-then I say OH...........with a big look of dissapointment and deflation. Its all about having what the custies may want. Not about if its convienient for the KJ. As to breakage---everything breaks sooner or later. Cords, mics, songbooks etc etc. As to the cost....its $20 bucks for a stand. It just a cost of doing business. As to expensive cordless---have one lesser corded mic for the stand. The average custie wont know the difference on the sound qualitiy anyway if they are mixed well when singing.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

That's a very good point.  Only thing is, to get a microphone stand with a decent weighted base today, will likely not be as little as $20, unless you are lucky enough to find an old Atlas type in decent condition.  In fact, this might be a good time for people to consider searching Ebay for older weighted microphone stands... A decent oblong weighted base today, (I wouldn't wish to go with just a smaller round iron base, I'd want a decent HEAVY oblong base, harder to knock over) hey, wouldn't it be nice if they made some gyroscopic type device that makes it tough to knock  the stand over ?  It just keeps standing back up like those plastic punching bags ?  Hmmm,  Maybe I'll go back to my "Inventors" thread, and bring this up  LOL
I wouldn't go with a boom arm however.  That is pretty much asking for trouble IMO...


ADDED IN:

Kurt was correct Bab's,  these are a dime a dozen at BIN auctions on Ebay, likely close for a couple bucks less in bidding contests,,,

http://cgi.ebay.com/Professional-Round- ... dZViewItem


Personally, I'd go with Zzounds,  There's alot of stuff that's free S&H, at least there used to be, and you have more of a seletion of the weighted base stands.  Check out this page !

http://www.zzounds.com/cat--Microphone-Stands--2832

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".