FWIW, I played around a bit with my
Bogen Heavy-Duty Flex Arm today and thought others would like to know: this sucker is
plenty heavy duty. It holds my AKG 414s + shockmounts + stereo bar solid and steady at any angle / orientation: vertical, horizontal, and everywhere in between. Nice for clamping and adjusting the angle / orientation of your mics. No worries about the mics drifting. The bottom end is a female 3/8" thread, top end a combo 5/8"stud and 1/4" male thread. If you like using a compact stand (like I do), this is a great way to get a little extra height out of your setup without moving to a larger stand, or gain a lot of flexibility in your clamping setup.
FWIW, the cheapo gooseneck I picked up at the local musicians gear store did not fare as well.