Cheap Boompole or Make My Own?

olsonbock623

olsonbock623

Active member
Ok after buying a dvx i am one poor kid, but I know that getting good quality sound is very important, so I'm getting a shotgun mic. I've heard good things about the at897 and I can't afford much more, so I think I'm going with that unless somebody convinces me that there is something better in that price range. The question is, what to do for a boompole. Would it be best to make a cheap one using a painter's pole until i can afford a decent boompole, or would I be fine getting the cheapest one I can find? This is about what I could afford right now. Would something that cheap really be much better than what I could make?
 
I think there was a thread around here recently, where people concluded that Rode NT is a bit better than AT897
 
That pole you linked to only extends to 4 feet something. I'd go with a nice paint pole and save your money for something a little more versitile down the road (if you decide that you need something else). I picked up a "Contractor Grade" pole at a paint store two years ago and I haven't used anything else since. I paid about $20 for it and it works great.
 
Just be sure to extend the paint pole and lock it down in the store. Make sure it doesn't move/rattle/squeak.

Then head over to the bicycle section and buy some...um...don't know what it's called..."handlebar foam rubber" Rubbery-foamy stuff about 12" long.

Slip 2 pieces of that onto the lower section of the paint pole as handgrips.

...Made that sound easy, didn't I. :) It's NOT. Handlebars are thinner than paint poles, so you gotta force that stuff on something fierce. I used spray silicone lubricant, and it STILL took me about a half hour to get them on.

Dan
 
There's a silver aluminum pole (with yellow fittings) that you'll seen Gyoury endorsing for their Chinese Lantern and I cut my teeth on that pole for booming mics also. It's at Home Depot and it's less then $20... that may even be the one Horse is referring to.

There are 3 advantages to a real pole and it's up to you what they're worth.

The first and biggest advantage is the ratio of collapsed length to extended length. The real poles go from 2.5' to 9' (my K-Tek is 28" collapsed) and the painter's poles go from 5' to 9'... (please apply appropriate ratios of min/max for longer/shorter poles). A 5' pole isn't very portable and there will be a few times when you want a shorter stick to just barely reach out in front of the camera. If you're against a wall or have some other obstacle behind you having as much out the back as the front may be a problem.

The second advantage is performance to weight. If you get the aluminum pole you'll have a decent pole that's not rediculously heavy and it will have a reasonable bend at the junction of the two sections. The yellow fiberglass poles are just nutty... that will get heavy QUICK... even though they're only a couple extra pounds... that's a lot when you extend it. If you're a strong, young guy and you boom for very short periods you'll be fine... and actually I suggest a fishing rod holder as a boom pole holder for everybody. Still, you're looking at $30+ for a good yellow fiberglass pole.

The third reason I like real poles is 'cause they offer a professional solution all the way around and they aren't that high. I often recommend a K-Tek Avalon in aluminum (with the internal coiled cable) for $225... it goes from sub 2.5' to about 9' and has the coiled cable through it... which is a HUGE convenience (in my opinion) and you already have the slotted exit for the cable at the top and the standard 3/8" mount for any mic mount to attach. If you don't want the internal cabling then it's only $125.

So what do you get for $125? You'll be surprised! These poles are super-light and look really nice... I mean REALLY nice. They look pro 'cause they are pro... and at the end of the day you can fit it in your tripod bag!

I realize painter's poles are dirt cheap... but if you line 'em up side by side and compare what you get... you'll see that each price fits each pole.
 
Would there be any reason not to get a cheap cable like this to go with a homemade boom pole? Will cheap cable affect the sound quality much?
 
I have cheap cables and i have expensive cables and they have the same sound quality.
 
id have to agreewith Mattinstl. although im a DYI guy at heart i realize that you get what you pay for.. or what you bleed for. so unless you can make a pole of the same quality for less cost and have the work involved be worth less than it would cost to buy it.. just buy a pro pole. youll be glad you have a pro pole whenever you use it.
 
I think I will buy the Rode shotgun mic and throw together something temporarily until I can afford a decent boompole.
 
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