Mic stand for double bass

[james_guitar]

(This post is a little niche, but then I can't be the only upright bassist here that also sings...)

I've been having problems with mic stands at gigs as they're not the easiest of things to adjust whilst your holding your double bass. Most of them require bending down and using two hands. They're also often quite hard to untighten.

I was looking in PMT in Birmingham today for straight stands (which are the only decent choice for old vintage-style microphones) and came across the MS20!B. It's a fantastically engineered piece of kit as you just need the one hand to adjust the height, and it only requires quick and gentle pressure from your thumb to get the job done.

[url="http://www.herculesstands.com/mics/MS201B.html"]Hercules MS201B Straight Mic Stand[/url]

Admittedly a straight stand takes a bit of getting used to (with a big double bass in front of you), but it's more than worth it for the style and kudos of a vintage microphone.

[thisnameistaken]

I just use a 58 on a boom stand, just like I do when I'm playing bass guitar.

I don't think I could use a straight stand at all to be honest.

[james_guitar]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1314403' date='Jul 24 2011, 01:29 AM']I just use a 58 on a boom stand, just like I do when I'm playing bass guitar.

I don't think I could use a straight stand at all to be honest.[/quote]

I have a 58 as a backup - it's good, but a little box-ey for my liking.

As for the boom stand v.s. straight stand thing the vintage mics look horrendous on boom stands.

Punters really dig the vintage mics, especially when you're doing jazz or any other throwback gigs. They're going to notice and appreciate that kind of touch far more than a £500 double bass pickup or super-expensive, top-of-the-range bass amp.

Edited July 24, 2011 by james_guitar

[thisnameistaken]

OK. Well I paid £60 for my pickup so thankfully I haven't wasted any money there...

I would like to see a longer shot of you to see how this stand works out with your right arm and the body of the bass. I just can't imagine that working for me at all.

I used to have an old stand that could be adjusted with one hand. It had a heavy circular bass and the telescoping upper half seemed to have a pneumatic action or something. Worked well but it was heavy as hell. Bit like this one: [url="http://www.radiotronics.co.uk/item.php?partcode=P657B"]http://www.radiotronics.co.uk/item.php?partcode=P657B[/url]

[lanark]

Why would you need to adjust the height of the stand mid-set anyway?

[Happy Jack]

Nice piece of kit, but I'd hesitate to buy anything that features a [i][b]Quik-N-EZ Adaptor [/b]for instant microphone attachment[/i].

lolz, simples, cu l8r m8.

[james_guitar]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1315793' date='Jul 25 2011, 02:57 PM']Nice piece of kit, but I'd hesitate to buy anything that features a [i][b]Quik-N-EZ Adaptor [/b]for instant microphone attachment[/i].

lolz, simples, cu l8r m8.[/quote]

I'm not sure if you should pay too much attention to a products marketing language. I got to try the stand out at PMT which was a quick and easy sale. It was a display model, so I didn't get the box/marketing blurb.

Why is it handy to adjust the height during a performance? - I run a few jazz sessions and ocassionally get guest singers up, so the option to adjust the stand height for others without putting my bass down. It's also just handy to tweak it if you're not completely happy with the mic placement once you've started your gig.

As far as stands go, Hercules make great products. I've already got the guitar wall hangers (which also have the automatic-locking system) as I used to teach through a music shop and recall many guitars falling victim to damage. I'm also about to buy the Hercules Double Bass stand, as from what I can tell it's cheaper than most stands and far safer.

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/hercules_hc_ds_590b_double_bass_stand.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/hercules_hc_ds_59..._bass_stand.htm[/url]

I'd be intrigued to see if you have any issues with Hercules products other than their markering (and whether slogans like 'Im lovin' it' have exclusively caused you to boycott McDonalds or any other companies that use them).