Jump to content

Nice picture of Fisher Boom


Laurence

Recommended Posts

Yes, Richard, the boom arm in your pic is a Mole Richardson, but the blue base is not (the early Mole and Fisher arms were interchangeble from one base to another). After seeing your close-up of the blue base, I'll edit my statement "...definately a Fisher" to "...definately a Fisher-like design". I don't recognize the brand of the blue base in your picture (the logo looks like an abstract "bp", but it is more like the Fisher design, with the steering wheel and chain-driven crab steering feature. Sadly, the boom arm in your pic is missing the counterweight compartment, which had the ability to add and remove lead weights to match the microphone and arm length being used.

I still maintain that the rolling base (and probably the arm, too) in the photo at the top of this thread is not a Fisher, but an early Mole Richardson. I own that exact base and completely restored it years ago, and the arm that came with it has the same MR logo as the one in your close-up. The base could be a mix-match, but I'll know Thursday. Stay tuned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

However... I'll say that the base in the top photo (and the base I was referring to in Nashville) is very much like the Fisher model 3 base, which I now see has the same expanding wheel base design. The arm that came on my base is definitely Mole, but I'm starting to wonder about my base. Keep in mind that I have one Mole Richardson Perambulator "crank-up" base, two Mole Richardson boom arms, and one base of yet to be confirmed manufacturer, that looks very much like the Fisher Model 3.

gt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I showed these pictures to the boom technicians at Fisher yesterday. They said they've seen mis-matched booms, with arms and bases swapped from different manufacturers... and they've even seen the end caps swapped out (like that plate with the Mole Richardson logo in the photos above)... but they both agreed that nothing in Richard Lightstone's photo was manufactured at Fisher. They also agreed that the Marilyn Monroe photo, which they have taped up on their wall, was all Fisher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I've learned a few things today. I concede that the photo at the top of this thread shows a Fisher model 2 boom arm and a Fisher model 3 base.

To explain why I thought might have been an old Mole Richardson base...

As mentioned, i have two Mole Richardson boom arms (often mistaken for Fisher Model 2 boom arms because they are nearly identical) and the bases they came on. One of these is the unique Mole-Richardson chariot-like base called "Perambulator" with the crank-up platform. The other is still of unknown manufacture, but very much resembles the Fisher Model 3 base shown in the Marilyn Monroe photo at the top. I've attached photos of both of mine below.

The real mystery to me now is whether my unknown base was made by Fisher or Mole-Richardon. I can't find any reference to this style of base in the Mole catelog. However, the tubular frame looks more like the construction of the Mole than the Fisher. (i know... big yawn). If anyone has clues about this, I would like to know.

It all leads me to the next question: Does anyone know the history of the Mole-Richardson and Fisher booms? These boom arms (particularly the Model 2 Fisher and Mole arms) are so similar -- nearly identical -- that I have to wonder which came first (who copied who). Likewise, the Fisher Model 3 base is very similar to the older base I have, that I'm betting was made by Mole-Richardson.

So, who copied who? Did a machinist from Mole jump ship and go to Fisher?

My old base with Mole-Richardson arm (mole paint part of 1990 restoration)

post-124-0-29555600-1328839348.jpg

Brake OFF

post-124-0-22446300-1328839576.jpg

Brake ON

post-124-0-08273100-1328839613.jpg

Frame similar but different from Fisher

post-124-0-16571900-1328839674.jpg

Different than Fisher Model 3 base. (early Mole-Richardson or Model 1-2 Fisher?)

post-124-0-84646400-1328839740.jpg

Current style Fisher Model 3 base (still much like the one in the Marilyn Monroe photo at top)

post-124-0-76664000-1328839911.png

My Mole-Richardson Perambulator and boom arm.

post-124-0-67432200-1328840323.jpg

post-124-0-21362000-1328840352.jpg

Fisher bases. Models: ?

post-124-0-68049600-1328840400.jpg

Fisher arm on Mole Richardson base

post-124-0-16458800-1328840804.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The photo that you labeled as "Fisher bases. Models: ?" was taken at Fisher. That's their Boom Room... and yes, those are dot matrix printers on the table by the wall. In fact, when I was there yesterday I took some photos of the boom base in the right of your photo, Glen, with plans to post it here and see if anybody could guess what it was. You beat me to it. The two cool innovations it has is that hinged platform that folds closed to make the boom smaller... and it's got a really cool hydraulic pump-up lever in the front. There's a small plate bolted on the front that says "Revue Studios"... gotta look that up. The boom base in the left of that photo is also one hanging around at Fisher which I saw yesterday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Revue Studios was the predecessor of NBC Universal Television, operating from 1943 to 1962. Here's a picture I took at Fisher yesterday of the same boom that's in Glen's picture, showing the platform extension folded up. And you can see the pump lever for the hydraulic in front... it pumps up about 2 inches with each throw of the lever. It also has 2 (not just 1) handy storage buckets down below.

post-735-0-41246600-1328884899.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

ARRRRGH!

had a student come to me today needing "another wireless mic" for a shoot in a studio class: three cameras (switched) on two people sitting talking.

When they couldn't find a lav mic they were moving the (already present) studio boom overhead to "point at the one without the lav on"...

GRRRR!

as you were....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ARRRRGH!

had a student come to me today needing "another wireless mic" for a shoot in a studio class: three cameras (switched) on two people sitting talking.

When they couldn't find a lav mic they were moving the (already present) studio boom overhead to "point at the one without the lav on"...

GRRRR!

as you were....

And what did you teach this student at that opportunity for learning?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...