Microphone stand for live vocals : straight or boom?

[mambo4]

I'm thinking of getting a mic stand for vocals ( while playing bass,for rehearsal not gigs )
I'm curious if there is reason to prefer or avoid boom stands?

My thinking is a boom stand will keep out of the way of my bass,
but maybe also just be awkward and in the way...


What's your experience? (any preferred brands?)

 

[BrentD]

The boom mechanism could eventually wear out I guess. I'd get a boom stand anyway for the very reason you mention.

 

[Aloe]

boom is more universal.

tama makes killer mic stands, koenig and meyer a bit behind, but good. on the cheaper end IME Soundking worth a look. take one with a big metal twist, not a plastic knob for the arm (look at k&m 210/2 and you'll see it)

 

[Pep]

Peavey "V Base" Mic Stand. I have two of them and they're discontinued. What I like about them is two-fold.
1) It tilts toward you which not places the main part away from you.
2) The extended "V Base" makes a nice area to place the front part of my pedalboard tilting it back towards me.

 

[Wasnex]

I mainly used straight stands for vocalist who take the mic off the stand.

Definitely a boom to sing and play. Using a boom keeps the stand further from your bass and feet. AFAIK the industry standard is still K&M.

Notice the handle on the clutch. IME the extra torque makes it easier to lock down the boom.

 

[darev]

That V base is cool.

I've fronted bands for many years and have learned that I, myself, prefer a boom to keep the instrument away from the stand when moving and shaking my money maker. Also helps if there's a tuner or pedals in front as well but I kick mine to the side of the stand FWIW.

The only preferred brands I would recommend are to not buy cheap ones. On-Stage and the ilk will strip out on you at the worst time. Always. Tama used to make banging mic stands. Don't know if they still do but if so I'm sure they must cost $1K a stand these days. Those are the only ones that I still have left from the olden days. All of the others have died not always in the line of duty. I replace them with K&M. Life is too short for cheap mic stands.

 

[Goatrope]

Boom because I put it to the side of my pedalboard. It needs to reach across to where I usually stand, at the center of that board.

 

[JRA]

AFAIK the industry standard is still K&M.

i'd agree with that. i bought 10 of them around ~1985 (?). they still work great! i used them in the studio, on stage --- never failed. and they 'break down' and pack up to a fairly small package. they're heavier than a lot of the modern/aluminum stuff, though.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Boom stand....
All day long. Even if you set it up as a "straight "stand. More options.

 

[MIMike]

I was in a band where the BL provided the mics and stands; he used straight stands with a gooseneck on it. They worked surprisingly well for making quick height adjustments as well as keeping the stand away from the player and instrument. Boom stands were used for the drummer and keyboardist, but the gooseneck stands were quick to pack and unpack. They were about a foot long if I remember correctly.

 

[iqi616]

I think a straight stand is for singers - easier to lean on for floor gazers or swing around like Jagger or just take out the top part and release their inner Freddie.

 

[brianrost]

You can always take the boom off when not needed.

I prefer them when singing becuase there's more clearance for the bass. It's useful for miking amps, drums, etc. Straight stands are fine for vocalists who don't play anything.

 

[DWBass]

Straight w/round base for me.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Boom, for both practical, and safety reasons.

Practical : even if you don't play keyboard bass, or have a pedalboard, it just gives you more room to perform, without the stand getting in the way.

Safety : on those rare occasions where there's a potentially lethal electrical fault, not having a mic stand accidentally touch your bass strings is desirable.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Boom. But no plastic collars for the tightening knobs. They strip out in no time.

BBB

 

[5StringBlues]

I like the old-school flexible gooseneck stand, easier to adjust on the fly than a boom.

 

[Stylee Mousse]

My singer/bass player used the straight stand w/gooseneck mentioned upthread. Worked great for her.

She's why I played guitar for 20 years. We are still together, somehow!

 

[dbflats]

Hercules makes a nice and very adjustable boomer. Can cantilever pretty far over fat pedalboards and such. I'm liking one I got about a year back.

 

[aglide]

I like the Hercules stands that have the "hideaway" boom. Transporting regular boom stands is kind of a pain.

 

[bassfran]

Straight w/round base for me.

Same here, always preferred. Nothing to fail or move once tightened. Solid.
I have a $20 On Stage one, lives in the trunk. Keep a spare clip handy just in case.