I haven't tried this as I have a real pop filter but the old hands claim that a stocking stretched over a wire coathanger bent appropriately works quite well as a pop filter.
I'm wondering if there'll be much of a problem with the mics being used here anyway. LDCs seem very prone to picking up pops, I don't know if it's such an issue with the smaller mics or not.

Bob.

As always... thanks much. [I KNEW that a mic question would get awesome feedback from Bob Farss].

Wind is different from pop filtering. Sometimes you can get away with nothing more than those heel stockings that ladies wear and slip them over the sound pickup of the mic. For more aggressive prevention you may have to go to something bigger.

On one field shoot I forgot windscreens for a pair of Audio Technica 3035 mics. I couldn't get back to the shop in time to get screens and back to the show, but across the street was a Toys R Us.

I got a couple of Nerf balls, about 6" round, and costing $1.99 each, and slit them up the center so I could tuck the mic inside. Looked strange, worked good. NO wind noise.

In case you need something more "commercial", these guys have a lot of good screens at reasonable prices. I use their Mic Muffs for my field dialog mics. olsenaudio(dot)com

BTW, does anyone know if there is a third party repair shop for Panasonic mics?

A couple of my shotgun mics have seen better days. They need to be sent in. Panasonic is no longer servicing, only exchanges on current product.

"LDCs seem very prone to picking up pops, I don't know if it's such an issue with the smaller mics or not."

I've had people pop on Sennheiser 416's close miked and the diaphragm is not large and mounted at the back end of the interference tube in the 416.

Certainly LDC's are more prone to it but just about any mike is capable of popping under the right circumstances and close miking is generally when it will happen.

Like you I have a real pop filter but, as most of my close voice recording is with professional voice artists, I find they prefer to work without it and, because of their mike technique, avoid popping.

Singing and non professional VO I tend to head for the pop filter. The stocking over the coat hanger is a method I have used when I didn't have a real pop filter, sometimes a couple of layers of stocking are necessary.... depending on the previous wear and tear and ... aaahhh, ... oh of course the voice being recorded ;-}

New Hope Media

"I haven't tried this as I have a real pop filter but the old hands claim that a stocking stretched over a wire coathanger bent appropriately works quite well as a pop filter."

Note: that is a womans nylon stocking, not a man's stocking.

"Note: that is a womans nylon stocking, not a man's stocking. "

Certainly NOT a Christmas stocking!!!

nor is it a fishnet stocking ;-)

LOL!! Well, we're certainly not leave much room here for stocking ambiguity. :-)

Sorry to drag up this old topic but I just remembered a great trick an old hand taught me for vocalists mics.
Put a condom over the mic. It stops pops and stops saliva getting into your mic. This lady had a collection of prophylactics in her kit in various colors for just this purpose.
If you'd met this lady you'd know they weren't for any other purpose either :)

Bob.

I made some pop filters from black nylon stockings stretched over inexpensive embroidery hoops. They are easy and look very good painted.

John

"Put a condom over the mic."

I suppose this might work OK for singing in the shower, but I'm certain that this would seriously affect the frequency response of the mic, severely rolling off the high end, if nothing else. I've used this trick for recording outside in the rain and, while it recorded something, it sure didn't sound very good. In fact, it sounded exactly like someone put a condom over a microphone.

Putting "French letters" on the mike is best saved for underwater footage (and certainly extreme rain).