Buying a boom pole: Kestler&Meyer ??

[Sanjin Svajger]

Hi,

I'm in the process of buying a boom pole. I'm seriously looking into this boom:

MICROPHONE »FISHING POLE«-23770-000-55

Does anybody have any info on this company and their boom poles? Nobody that I know of hasn't held one of this boom poles... The trick is it's very cheap. 4,6m goes for about 100€.

thanks!
S

[Gary Nattrass]

Hi buddy I haven't used their boom poles but we had a lot of their mic stands at ITV Tyne Tees in the 80's and they were very good quality.

Only problem I can see is that glass fibre can be quite springy and it may not be as rigid at longer lengths and heavier than other poles as it needs to be thicker.

Personally I am using the Gitzo carbon fibre 3 section boom pole these days as they are very light and good value too: http://www.prokit.co.uk/index.php?vi...ource=googleps

[Sanjin Svajger]

Hi Garry!

Springy? Really? Damn... The problem is that I need one delivered now and this is the only one I can get in 2 to 3 days. As for the weight I think it's quite light. It's 0.,8kg with a length of 4.6 meters. Don't you think so?

[Gary Nattrass]

Yes glass fibre is basically re-inforced plastic and whilst it may be OK on short extensions when it is on longer ones it may be very springy and make the mic bounce quite a bit, don't worry as panamics with an 816 on full extension do this too and it may be OK for most uses and your boom op or you will get used to it.

The alloy ones bounce too and are even worse as they can break or split in time.

Beware when working with it an handling the glass fibre sections as any fibres that may come loose due to scratches and wear could be painful if they got under your skin.

Sure it will be OK for you but I love my little Gitzo ones and they are big enough for most jobs inc drama.

[Sanjin Svajger]

It sounds like fibre glass is a hassle. But for 90€ even if my sound guys gets to hate it - it still won't be such a loss if I'll buy a different one.

Thx for the help Garry.

Br
S

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Sanjin Svajger

Hi,

I'm in the process of buying a boom pole. I'm seriously looking into this boom:

MICROPHONE »FISHING POLE«-23770-000-55

Does anybody have any info on this company and their boom poles? Nobody that I know of hasn't held one of this boom poles... The trick is it's very cheap. 4,6m goes for about 100€.

thanks!
S

K&M are an excellent company and make the finest mic. stands around.

Their boom poles are well made and good value for money - I have one, but I only got it as I don't use a fish pole very often.

My No.1 choice for poles would be Ambient in München in Germany.

My No.2 choice would be Rycote.

Both these are carbon fibre poles as opposed to aluminium; though Rycote do also make aluminium poles.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Sanjin Svajger

... The problem is that I need one delivered now and this is the only one I can get in 2 to 3 days. As for the weight I think it's quite light. It's 0.,8kg with a length of 4.6 meters. Don't you think so?

I would say that either Ambient or Rycote would be able to get one to you in 2-3 days.

As you are in Slovenia, you could easily drive to Ambient and back in a day and pick it up in person.

[John Willett]

I spoke to Ambient this morning (actually about their new EMESSER fig-8 mic.) - they do keep boom poles in stock (not all, but a good selection), so I would give them a ring as they may be able to get one to you very fast.

I spoke to them in English (my German is pretty bad).

I hope this helps.

[Sanjin Svajger]

John, I really appreciate the help! But I've already ordered the K&M 4,6m boom pole. Your words on K&M are reassuring and I hope the pole is going to work alright - at least at shorter to medium distances.

Again thx for the help. I'll report back when I do get it if somebody else will ever wonder about K&M:)

Thx
Br
S

[Gary Nattrass]

Don't get me wrong it may be OK and I certainly will be interested in your reports on it.

[John Willett]

The K&M is a nice inexpensive boom pole - but I would put it in the category of a good semi-pro one, rather than one used by a professional sound recordist.

[Sanjin Svajger]

Originally Posted by John Willett

The K&M is a nice inexpensive boom pole - but I would put it in the category of a good semi-pro one, rather than one used by a professional sound recordist.

Yeah. I thought as much... If we won't be pleased with it I have an option to get an lightly used Manfrotto 373-3,6m carbon fibre boom. What's interesting is that I can't find a single ting about this pole on the net...

[Sanjin Svajger]

Well I got the boom pole in my hands and I couldn't be more disappointed. It's build quality is very disappointing and this isn't just some superficial bickering - it's useless.

The joints tighten alright but the problem is they almost don't want to be untightened. One joint untightened so that I got left with 2 separate sticks in my left and right hand! The stick is only threaded to the joint not glued or anything else...
The screw at the end of the pole is part of the last extension arm which can't be tightened so much that it would compensate for the weight of the microphone and the blimp at the end. What you get is that no mater how you rotate the pole (around it's z axis) in your hands the blimp/microphone always turns to the ground! I mean seriously - they sell this to people??

So I guess that from my experience with this item I would strongly disadvise anybody to buy it.

The first photo shows the pole coming into 2 parts and the second one the thread.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Sanjin Svajger

Well I got the boom pole in my hands and I couldn't be more disappointed.

Well - I did suggest Ambient or Rycote above this one.

Having said this, I don't have this problem with my K&M boom pole.

Is it a genuine K&M or could it be a Chinese copy?

If you found the end pole cannot be tightened enough to compensate for the weight of the mic., as you said, then under European Law it is not fit for purpose and you can return it for a full refund.

[Sanjin Svajger]

Originally Posted by John Willett

Having said this, I don't have this problem with my K&M boom pole.

You don't? Interesting...

Originally Posted by John Willett

Is it a genuine K&M or could it be a Chinese copy?

It's from a trusted reseller so my guess would be no. But anything is possible.

Originally Posted by John Willett

If you found the end pole cannot be tightened enough to compensate for the weight of the mic., as you said, then under European Law it is not fit for purpose and you can return it for a full refund.

I'll do that!