Gator Frameworks GFW-MIC-0821 Compact Base Bass Drum and Amp Mic Stand

Of all the things I've got on my desktop including various deviecs, toys and souvenirs, this simple almost crude hunk of iron and plastic and steel is prolly the most lovable. It has one job to do, it does it well, everything fits and just works, it never complains, and it's so solid it will probably outlive me, my desk, my house, and the whole neighborhood.I'll likely buy a second one for my other office over all the other boom arms and mic stands I've tried. More expensive but better built and more functional. As heavy as it is, you're still getting a better price in terms of dollars per pound of iron than other mic stands.It's not super sophisticated and there are only two functions setting it apart from a cheap mic stand – the telescoping boom arm and a counterweight at the back in case the thing attached to the end of the boom is a little heavy. That an the super heavy base mean it's not going to tip over no matter what. Unless you do something really wrong, it's not going to tip over.Practically you can set it down on your desk, mount a microphone or lighting device or in my case a webcam rig on a gimbal at the end of the boom arm, adjust the counterweight so it's balanced just right, and then swing it around in when needed – so for me I can swing it right in front of me to the exact spot I want in 3 dimensions I'm using it and then push it out of the way when done.You could also find your own way to use it, like miking up a drum kit.

I mainly mic sitting classical guitarists and found the Gator Frameworks GFW-MIC-0821 ideal for this purpose: takes up little space and allows positioning the boom from beneath and out of the way of hands and music scores. Classical guitarists sit while playing so most boom stands are too tall and add to the visual clutter. This wee Gator is heavy enough to be stable and resist kicking over but easy to transport. Plus it has a small footprint, ideal for cramped spaces. Tripod legs are great for standing performers but get in the way of footstools and music stands used by classical guitarists.The main post allows only a few inches of height adjustment but by moving the boom you can get enough height to mic the bridge or fingerboard. This Gator model is well made and designed although I have some concerns about the longevity of the plastic handles on the tightening bolts.If you use a small to medium mic, you should not experience any problems with boom drift from mic weight. I mainly use a Neumann KM184, a small condenser mic, and a Neumann TLM 102, a small large Large-diaphragm mic, and the stand proved to be ideal, allowing the boom to be used at full extension. I don’t own a large mic but I’m pretty sure the counterweight on the boom is too light, so not a good stand for heavy side address or stereo mics unless used with the boom locked straight up or barely extended.Great design and build for the bucks: small footprint, stable for small and medium sized mics and perfect for sneaking a mic under the music stand of a sitting musician.

We use this in a church setting with our drums and guitar amplifiers. Occasionally moved around and dropped once ina while for sure, and still works. Such a sturdy and reliable microphone stand with an excellent and perfectly weighted base!

This is a great mic stand for the money. For people complaining about the adapters loosening I don't understand there is a set screw exactly for this reason. For people complaining about it tipping over that's why there is a version with a 2.5 lbs counter weight. The first thing I did when I got jt jn was clean all the threads and apply loctite and it seems to be a very good stand for something this inexpensive. When I worked in the studio I usually used Tama but that's a bit too expensive for my home use case here so this fit the bill at just over 1/3rd the cost of a comparable tama low profile stand with boom arm. The machining is certainly not fantastic but it functions fine. Don't buy it expecting a professional mic stand but this is good enough. I haven't been satisfied with any other cheap mic stands I've purchased so was pleasantly surprised I didn't have to send this one back and bite the bullet on the tama iron works one. So bottom line is this a professional mic stand... not even close but for 60 bucks the deluxe base one is passable. Seems some users ordering the deluxe are getting the standard and I can imagine the standard tipping over very easily. I still wouldn't put a very heavy or expensive mic on here or would probably at least add a sand bag if I did for some insurance. For the relatively light weight large diaphragm condensers I'll use with it I'm not too worried though.