I am looking for clamps to attach mics (SM57s and Beta 52s as appropriate) to Marshal 4x12s, snare drum stands (for under-snare mic - prefer not to use a rim clamp for this) and kick drum (either with a hole or no front skin). Does anyone know what is available? I have scoured google for about an hour and only found one product for guitar amps which requires screwing a plate into the amp. We will be using mostly rented/borrowed backline so can't do this. I just want to remove the greatest number of mic stands from the stage as possible.

Completely agree-I hate mic stands they make for a really cluttered looking stage with lots for hyperactive band members to knock over.

For guitar amps if you have an amp on a case or two cabs stacked on top of each other then Z-bars are a great idea. I think John Henrys now have them in stock.

Snare wise I've seen clamps made using drum hardware to clamp onto the upright post of a snare stand with an arm holding a mic clip. I've not had a problem using clip on mics for snare bottom what's the reason for avoiding this?

For the kick the Beta 52 is a heavy old beast so mounting it can be tricky-probably best to leave this on a conventional stand if you're renting backline as you never know what's going to get thrown at you.

Jim

The problem (that's not really a problem exactly, but would be nice to keep things simple) is that we do band nights with anywhere up to 8 or so acts with short changeover times. Said acts always want to use their own snare. Mounting the under-snare mic on the stand would leave one less mic to re-attach for every act.

Unless anyone knows of a specialist solution for this then I may try experimenting with goosenecks.

Incidentally, do John Henry's do mail order?

The new drummer will probably alter the position of everything slightly anyway, which means you have to adjust the mics, so a rim-clip may be as quick.

How about one mic stand with two mics on?

For snare, Studiospares do 408080, 408800, and 409730 among others, any of which may do the job. I've also seen clamps made by drum kit manufacturers.

I often use a telescopic table top stand for snare bottom & SM91-beta for kick as it needs no stand.

For guitars, the Z bars seem like the best way to go.

I'm struggling to find anywhere that stocks z-bars. Google definitely doesn't like it. Any ideas?

Mark: I would rather eliminate stands for snare all-together. We work with metal acts a lot and they tend to insist on huge kits on small stages, so any little bit of space helps.

Edit: the 409730 looks like it may work clamped to the snare stand. Will probably give that a try.

We do a lot of battle of the bands style gigs, that also require fast changeovers.

I've never had a problem with these short boom mic stands, with a low profile heavy base. Use them with SM57 Beta57A or D112, for guitar amp, Bass drum and Snare bottom.

http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~S...2BK~ID~1188.asp

Edit to add... Shure do a variety of drum clamps, including the A50D, A56D etc.

Some here. Don't know about delivery to UK though.

Edit: I've sent them an email, so may be able to tell you later.

Another vote for the small boom with cast base for the snare. Attach one of these for the bottom mic.

Now that looks useful.

The only problem I've had with the short booms, is if one bands guitar amp is a bit on the small side, the guitarist tends puts it on a beer crate or a chair. So there has been the odd gig where the short boom had to be replaced with a standard boom stand, because the short boom can't reach.

if you use a mic like a sennheiser E606 for guitar, you can hang them off the top of the amp by the cable. good sound on those, too!

RatSound in California sell Z-bars (I think they may have been one of the first to come up with the concept) and definitely ship internationally.

It seems Rat Sound don't sell them... I would have thought these would be common - why don't Thomann or Dolphin or even Dawsons stock these?!

z-bar in the uk...

http://www.toursupply.com/uk.htm

http://ecomm.toursupply.com/cgi-bin/tsi/Zbar.html

240/5 all the way from our lovely German friends K&M or for the more concerning 24030.

Poppadom

Depends on budget of course, but if no satisfactory solution for mounting the under snare mic can be found; how about having two under snare rim-clip mics and fitting them as they go on/come off so that once on stage there is just the XLR connection to make?

Would need a good SM to prevent mics walking though.

We'll probably be using 57s, so we may just use two sets of clamps and mic clips if it comes to it. Either that or a pile of 57s.