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Double Bass Bob G. is now carrying the H-Clamp!!

wxfloyd

wxfloyd

Mar 4, 2005
345
52
Denver, CO
#1
I just went to his page and happened to see [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]!!
This is pretty nice seeing that before the only way to purchase it was overseas, and then you had to succumb to the ever decreasing dollar. I will probably be picking one of these up in the near future...
 
#3
Yea, I just got my H-Clamp from Gollihur music and tried it out on a big band gig yesterday (used with a shure Beta 57 mic). It was wonderful. Before, I used Chris Fitzgerald's mic setup (rubber bands and foam), and although that worked well, it was just a hassle to setup and take down every gig, plus I never had much faith in the rubber bands durability. With the H-Clamp, the setup was much faster and much more reliable than rubber bands, and the mic picked up the natural sound of the bass with all the nuances (such as the air, the finger sounds, arco) that pickups have trouble doing. If anyone is considering using a mic, I would highly recommend the H-Clamp.
 
#6
jrlynch said:
got mine, too. haven't played it out yet, but i gotta say it's exquisitely made, very light, very smart design ... it's seems crazy to spend that kind of money for what is basically a mic bracket, but you're definitely getting your money's worth.
Click to expand...
I guess I thought it was worth the money, but I understand that's relative / subjective. The trad mic spots between the bridge legs or stuck in the afterlengths just weren't the best spots tone-wise for my mic + bass combination. Having the ability to mount the mic at variety of locations, distances from the table, angles to the table and all that, and have it stay put, well that just opens up a bunch more possibilities to get a good sound - at least in my case. That's one of the reasons I thought my AMT w/ the gooseneck was so cool before I got the H-clamp.

I agree about the pricing variance thing. I definitely paid more for mine before Bob started carrying them. But no regrets. Glad they are easier to get now. IME the customer service from the folks at Exploraudio has been exceptionally good too.
 
#7
What I dig about Bob, he just knows what needs need to be filled and then does it at a good price. I would encourage the good man to shoot Bob Heil an email and hook up the new stubby PR 40. Together the Stubby and H clamp make for a super versatile, killing set up.
The H clamp is such a great tool for recording too. When it is on the bass and I have a good mic attached I stop thinking about the mic, the placement, my position, bumping into it etc. I can just play and concentrate on all the musical things. I don't know how many times I've bumped a stationary mic, ruining a take (I move around a bit) or caused a jump in a club as that big sub bass whack happens...let alone the scars on my bass...
 
#8
I'm strongly considering asking for one of these gizmos for x-mas from the missus. Is there a limit to how big a mic it will hold? The Heil stubby sounds like a perfect solution, but they aren't in production yet. The PR 40 sounds like a winner, but looks like it'd be huge on this clamp, plus a little awkward since it's end-firing.
 
#9
I think technically the weight limit is 500 grams. But at that weight you might be restricted to using the "captive boom" feature. Hard to 'splain w/out the owner's manual in front of me.

My Beyer is 320 grams, and is end-firing, so I understand what you're saying. The shorter Heil or "stubby" would allow a lot more placement options, and more positions perpendicular to the top like piro said to minimize bleed and get a good strong signal.

I also had some issues with the way the top or table of my bass slopes or domes upward from the edge. In the middle bout on my bass, the top domes up from the edge in a way that prevents the disks from getting a good grip. The table (obviously) is domed, not flat. So the disks can slip on my bass. With a lighter mic than the Beyer, this might not matter. But I had to find a spot near the end of the middle bout where the top does not dome up so quickly and is "flatter". With a roundback bass, you've potentially got the same issue with the back of the bass too.

But I want to say that Robert at ExplorAudio has been extremely helpful at trying to work through these issues with me, suggestioning various options, offering to send prototype spacer disks, all far above and beyond my expectations.
 
#10
Chris Fitzgerald said:
I'm strongly considering asking for one of these gizmos for x-mas from the missus. Is there a limit to how big a mic it will hold? The Heil stubby sounds like a perfect solution, but they aren't in production yet. The PR 40 sounds like a winner, but looks like it'd be huge on this clamp, plus a little awkward since it's end-firing.
Click to expand...

I've tried it with a variety of large mics and gigged a lot with the PR 40. With some Threadlocker on the brass adaptor and mic mount it is surprisingly stable (I don't have Bolos problem)
...The thing is, if you are just going to keep the 57beta or whatever you have on there it might fit better between the legs but if you want to put other mics on there (condensers, mini's stubby etc.) it works really well. For the week I had the stubby, I just stopped thinking about the mic, it kind of became like a pick up on there, the sound was easy to dial in and I just left it there. They are a really great combination of products (for live playing into a rig like the AI)...seems like a business expense more then a christmas present though....
 
#12
I guess in general, maybe the lighter and smaller the mic, the easier to work with I reckon. Although that might cause a potential increase in "handling" noise. Toward that end, I noticed that the shock mount Bob is offering (also from Exploraudio I think) is only an extra $10.
 
#13
flatback said:
What I dig about Bob, he just knows what needs need to be filled and then does it at a good price. I would encourage the good man to shoot Bob Heil an email and hook up the new stubby PR 40. Together the Stubby and H clamp make for a super versatile, killing set up.
Click to expand...

Flatback, Is this the Stubby or just the regular size PR-40?

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thnx, Brian
 
#15
It looks like the H-clamp has significantly lowered the price the market will bear for players seeking a high quality and usable mic system for their instruments.

The days of AMT and other clip on mic systems the only choice are over, and of course some folks will always be satisfied stuffing the mic under the bridge or tailpiece.
 
#16
bolo said:
I guess in general, maybe the lighter and smaller the mic, the easier to work with I reckon. Although that might cause a potential increase in "handling" noise. Toward that end, I noticed that the shock mount Bob is offering (also from Exploraudio I think) is only an extra $10.
Click to expand...

The clip we offer is not from ExplorAudio, it's just an inexpensive general use clip with rubber band sorta isolation. Given how so many mics have decent built-in isolation, not much is needed in most cases, but there are exceptions. And most exotic mics often have their own isolation mounts.

Rob at ExplorAudio has been excellent to work with, he's a sharp guy ready and willing to help. I have the model for cello (identical except for clamp length), too, and will also be bringing in the clamps for acoustic guitars. There are a lot of fellow players in my past who would have loved to avoid dealing with mics on stands!!
 
#17
christ andronis said:
I had a little trouble with the balance. If you extend the arm that holds the mic too far, the weight of the mic causes it to start "drooping". If you find the right balance point, then it works fine.[/QUOTE

Yes, I'm having this problem with my old carved German Bass. The back is to round in the spot that is ideal for mic (M-88 or Beta 57)placement on that instrument, and the clamp creeps. I'm looking for some lighter dynamic mics as an alternative. There are a plethora of options out there once you start looking!

On my old Kay though, there isn't any issue at all; the shape of the bass accommodates the clamp wherever I place it.
Click to expand...
 
#18
bolo said:
I also had some issues with the way the top or table of my bass slopes or domes upward from the edge. In the middle bout on my bass, the top domes up from the edge in a way that prevents the disks from getting a good grip. The table (obviously) is domed, not flat. So the disks can slip on my bass. With a lighter mic than the Beyer, this might not matter. But I had to find a spot near the end of the middle bout where the top does not dome up so quickly and is "flatter". With a roundback bass, you've potentially got the same issue with the back of the bass too.
Click to expand...

I worry about this a bit. Has anyone tried one of these clamps with a LaScala?
 

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