So I finally got around to making this public service announcement for all Ebayers interested in the Shure 55SH model mic. I have seen thousands of fake Shure 55SH model mics sold on Ebay over the years and to anyone who doesn't know what to look for then please read the following as it's meant to keep you from buying a counterfeit, cheap knock off...

 Shure Brothers stopped selling the 55SH model mic this past year as you can see in pic # 2. I screen shot that photo from their actual website. If you are buying a "new in box" 55SH here on Ebay or Reverb you are absolutely buying a counterfeit microphone which is most likely being made somewhere in China and while it's a fancy looking mic...it's not a good sounding mic by any means as the counterfeits use a very cheap element.

 Props to whomever is selling these counterfeits as they are selling a lot of them at around $50.00 to 200.00 each. The physical finish on them are pretty nice too but again, the sound quality is absolutely terrible. I've done side by side comparisons of the real 55SH and the generic models and it's night and day. 

 Now I understand that some people just want a nice prop piece to display and not really use. If that is you...by all means buy the generic model. It's a great price but if you are a singer or broadcaster then you will be throwing your money away.

 Sellers on Ebay are generally selling the 55SH in the box that looks like what seen in pics # 3, 4, 5 & 6. The boxes look legit as do the documents but they are not real documentation.

 The 55SH shown in the pics is one of many fake mics I have bought by accident right here on Ebay. After purchasing my 5th or 6th mic that was fake I decided to make this listing as there are a ton of seller here that are purposely selling them "new in box" and they don't even care that they are doing it.

 The dead give away on these generic 55SH mics is easy to spot and here are a few things to look for.

 1. The real 55SH has a satin chrome finish. The satin chrome is a bit duller than the fake 55SH with the polished chrome finish. That's just the easiest way to tell them apart. You can see how glossy the chrome finish is on the fake mic. 

 2. You'll notice in pic # 12 on the Shure badge that there are two small Philip screws holding the badge in place. Shure never used Philip screws for the badge. Shure used flat head screws only. If you see the Philip screws then the mic is a fake. Even the badges are different designs.

 3. The next step is to open the mic up if you have any doubts? The there are just 4 small screws holding the front screen onto the mic. Unscrew them and take it off.

 In pic # 15 you'll see an actual 55SH on the left and the fake 55SH on the right. Notice right away the difference between the actual Shure dynamic cardioid element and the fake Chinese version. Another dead give away. It only takes about 15 seconds to take the front grill / screen off. Another 15 seconds to put it back on.

 If you are looking for any brand new Shure microphones then you need to go to a reputable dealer. Ebay is NOT the place to buy a cheap new Shure mic because it won't be an actual Shure mic. Buying a used mic is the way to go but there are so many generic mics floating around the U.S now that you really have to be careful who you buy from. 

 Anyways, this is just a way to inform all potential buyers about what to look for and I hope this helps a lot. It's sad that Ebay can't stop the scammers on here but I'm doing my best to put them out of business doing what they do. The fake mics really do sound terrible.

  If you want the fake mic in the pic I'll sell it to you but it's going to be a lot more expensive with my shipping than the other fake mics. :) Best of luck in your search for the real 55SH models as they are out there to be had. If you have any questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to help. That's what I'm here for. Cheers!     

                 As with all my vintage microphones...