You're right, standard mic booms don't work very well. :(

I take the top section of a Ludwig Atlas cymbal stand out and replace it with a boom and goose neck from a mic stand. The Ludwig stand is lighter than some big Tama double braced stuff but good enough for a mic.

You need to have a short section of a mic stand to screw the boom on. I swing the mic behind my head when I'm not using it. The best way seems to be if the mic stand is behind me and comes over the top of my head, but often there's not enough room behind me at gigs for that so it goes on the side.

I've thought that I should make a mic stand that comes up out of my trap case, as that's often beside me at gigs.

Hi,

K&M metal boom stands are sturdy. I never buy the plastic alternatives after a couple of failed experiments. The more expensive you go, the fewer hassles and regrets. I don't have any boom drooping with my more expensive metal stands. With the plastic stands, nothing would keep some of them in business, not pliers not beautious women, nothing.

I just set mine up near the hihat without a gooseneck. I have used your set up (gooseneck etc) in the past, and it is tippier. What I did was just throw something heavy on the back leg of the stand tripod (usually some piece of luggage that was kicking around the stage, but I eventually brought along one of those fabric ankle weights to use as a counter weight.)

Patrick

This may be heavier duty for what you need, but I have one for my studio recording to hang heavier ribbon/tube mics:

http://www.markertek.com/Audio-Equipment/Microphone-Accessories/Microphone-Booms/Quik-Lok/QL-A50.xhtml

Alternately, you could get some sandbags used for camera tripods or some cheap free weights to help hold your stand a bit steadier.

That Quiklok is nice.Don't really need wheels.But that's the idea.Maybe I need to pick up a stand at a studio sale-thanks for all your inputs-also like the soft weights on the tripod legs.....