Shure SM57/58's pricing?

nick

Phoned around for pricing on a SM57/58, generally ranged from R1600-R2100 odd. Called Music Mate in Sable Square in Montague Gardens, Cape Town, salesman said they are selling the SM57 and 58 at R1199 ???

Its fairly close to my work so took a quick drive over there, have the 58 in stock in the box in the display cabinet with R1199 on it so I ordered a 57, for R1199..

Now Im paranoid its a fake, reading up now how to spot a fake but what are the chances a largeish music store chain like Music Mate would sell? Hoping I have some recourse if it is.. otherwise thats a seriously good price. Collecting it Monday, reading online how to spot a fake so will post if anyone else is interested in aquiring one.

Warren

It's certainly possible. I paid about R1300 for mine up in JHB about some time ago.

AlanRatcliffe

nick wrote: Now Im paranoid its a fake, reading up now how to spot a fake but what are the chances a largeish music store chain like Music Mate would sell? Hoping I have some recourse if it is..

Price depends on when they bought them and in what quantity. I know at least one store that bought a bunch when the Dollar was in excess of R10...

Fakes are easy to spot if you know what you're looking for. And yes, you always have recourse with a store - it's the guys selling them on Gumtree for R750 you have to watch out for.

domhatch

sounds reasonable - bought my 57 from music connection for 1k straight about 8 months ago, 58 for 1100 about 3 months ago. and i promise neither of them is fake. i know because, well, it would be embarrassing it they were, and i can't abide embarrassment.
8)

FruitarGeek

What are the tell tale signs of fakes? I'm currently looking for some on Gumtree, and I don't want to be screwed when I find one

nick

Adrian Rogowski wrote: What are the tell tale signs of fakes? I'm currently looking for some on Gumtree, and I don't want to be screwed when I find one

Would need the mike in your hand to spot but so far it seems if you open it, the fakes use incorrect colour wiring, also there is no transformer, just a big blob of hot glue, the bag seems to be shorter and the bottom of the mikes XLR jacks arent labelled SHURE with 1 2 3 next to each pin.

AlanRatcliffe

Some fakes do have transformers, but they get the wire colour wrong (should be yellow and green).
The other external telltale is the Shure logo below the grille is a sticker rather than printed on the body. And the embossed Shure missing from the XLR that Nick mentioned.
Some of the fakes the capsule looks completely wrong.
The weight is different too - lighter. But to know that you need to know how a real one feels and have the fake in your hand.

Basically, I only buy one sight unseen if I know the person I'm buying it from. Otherwise get it from a store you can trust and where you have recourse if it does turn out to be fake (unlikely).

nick

Right so they arrived yesterday afternoon but only collect it this morning. Seems to check out fine, bag is as long as the originals, correct wiring inside, has a transformer but it is hot glue in place. Bottom XLR has 1,2,3 and Shure stamped, has registration card and I could register it on shures website.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: The other external telltale is the Shure logo below the grille is a sticker rather than printed on the body.

This is the only thing, mine seems to be a sticker..

AlanRatcliffe

nick wrote: This is the only thing, mine seems to be a sticker..

Can be hard to tell by sight actually. Feel for where it overlaps at the end of the sticker by running your nail around it.

majestikc

I got one for R900, now that I checked out a couple vids on the fakes I think I got scammed.........son of a bitch, will double check for shure though (....get it) later.

nick

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
nick wrote: This is the only thing, mine seems to be a sticker..
Can be hard to tell by sight actually. Feel for where it overlaps at the end of the sticker by running your nail around it.

Definitive bump

Cellphone pic unfortunately.

majestikc

With all the "tell tale signs" around what's to stop the Chinese from faking them perfectly now.

nick

majestikc wrote: With all the "tell tale signs" around what's to stop the Chinese from faking them perfectly now.

Nothing unfortunately, probably just gets easier. Only thing that may catch them is the serial number which can you can register on shures website and it'll surely tell you if its genuine or not.

AlanRatcliffe

nick wrote: Definitive bump

Cellphone pic unfortunately.

Doh! I was talking 58's Sorry! :-[ The 57's look exactly like that!

nick

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
nick wrote: Definitive bump

Cellphone pic unfortunately.
Doh! I was talking 58's Sorry! :-[ The 57's look exactly like that!

Whew ?

nick

FYI, weight is one way of determining if its fake, mine weighs 280g

majestikc

Mine is real, green and yellow wires, weighs almost 300g, no sticker with the raised "R", silver grill, leather bag says "assembled in mexico" (or whatever).

Got it for R900

Fingerpicker

I bought a couple of SM58 switchless mics for about R800 from a major dealer in Sandton. (Mexican)