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| Important Info to ponder regarding "Great deals" on Shure Microphones https://mail.karaokescene.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15071 |
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| Author: | Steven Kaplan [ Wed Nov 19, 2008 3:47 am ] |
| Post subject: | Important Info to ponder regarding "Great deals" on Shure Microphones |
Jian, You were absolutely correct, I wasn't aware of the extent of the current Mexican production of Shure Microphones, yet clearly it states an authentic Shure microphone will be Made In Mexico and not China. I never knew this. This is scary considering the following quote from the article to follow; Quote: Unfortunately, their popularity has created a large problem: counterfeit microphones produced in China, sold at rock-bottom prices. What's even worse is that these microphones are hard to spot, unless you know what to look for -- the counterfeiters have gone as far as to reproduce the packaging and included accessories down to every last detail. With the ability to produce accurate copies for under $1 in factories in China and Thailand, counterfeiters are making a huge profit off musicians and sound engineers looking for a good deal on a solid product.
The following is good for ALL of us to know since we all love deals but the counterfeit market is huge in this area on sites such as Ebay. Buyer beware ! http://homerecording.about.com/od/micro ... e_Mics.htm |
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| Author: | Steven Kaplan [ Wed Nov 19, 2008 3:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Important Info to ponder regarding "Great deals" on Shure Microphones |
Just checked my own SM58, I never noticed but right on the exterior it states "Assembled By Shure Inc In Mexico", Low Z and at least the Pins are numbered 1,2,3. I haven't taken the ball off yet, probably won't bother.. But this microphone is at least 10 years old, so they've been made in Mexico for a LONG time...I'm glad I found this out, had I not found this out I'd see the "Made in Mexico" on it, and think I had a fake..  .
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| Author: | Jian [ Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:10 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Important Info to ponder regarding "Great deals" on Shure Microphones |
Steven Kaplan @ 19th November 2008, 7:57 pm wrote: Just checked my own SM58, I never noticed but right on the exterior it states "Assembled By Shure Inc In Mexico", Low Z and at least the Pins are numbered 1,2,3. I haven't taken the ball off yet, probably won't bother.. But this microphone is at least 10 years old, so they've been made in Mexico for a LONG time...I'm glad I found this out, had I not found this out I'd see the "Made in Mexico" on it, and think I had a fake..
.You have the real one alright. The band that I work with have 2 fake sm58. They were bought knowing very well that they were fake. They are use mostly for live band karaoke and not by the band singers. |
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| Author: | Steven Kaplan [ Wed Nov 19, 2008 2:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Important Info to ponder regarding "Great deals" on Shure Microphones |
It scares me knowing the meticulous degree of science, and craftsmanship as well as computer design that is put into the counterfeiting "art" regarding Vintage market reproduction. Since the material and effort to construct a counterfeit Shure microphone (in accordance with what I have read) is at times a dollar or less, likely that area doesn't use the sophistication of craftsmanship used in Musical Instrument Vintage counterfeiters (of Fender, Gibson, Strad violins, etc.. anything that can be sold for almost $1000 that would otherwise command 10X that if genuine today in the exploited market) big name costly vintage items- where woods are put in smoke-filled chambers, knicked, electronics with authentic looking shabby old wire insulation, pots recreated with vintage dates.. knecks dated in obscure but proper places on the instrument... It's VERY scary that today there are more people thinking they own authentic 1960's Stratocasters than the numbers produced during designated years (not to mention very few of the authentic models would still be around this many years later and not fallen into a state of disrepair).. Sort've like Woodstock 1969 (or the original woodstock); While 1/2 million MIGHT have been there in 1969, each year there are an additional 10 million that insist they were there.. .. Everybody wants to be a part of history.. Yet people don't realize that even back when in those days that are now "history" there were horrible products being made that get thru production by even the best name manus. Meaning folks got lousy costly top name products too in those days that aren't worth much and never sounded that good, or were a great quality to begin with, But the import market is smart ! We know the level of sophistication regarding not only machinery that many Asian, and other foreign factories have have, but also given the low-wages paid to help, the man hours the employees can take to seeming hand-create the nuances of these vintage items making to cost effective to counterfeit the item. Some of the items are better quality than what is made in the United States today... So old name, and vintage really can't mean much to the wise buyer ! In EVERY area of electronics whether it's microphones, FX devices, the instrument buyer must do TREMENDOUS research or like you stated, do a head-to-head comparison with an actual fake product, yet that doesn't mean he isn't doing a head-to-head with two fake products in front of him either  Some things are really buyer beware, and NOT going for "The bargain" is the only way to shop ! The reputable dealer that MUST support the product and is restricted by terms of the products manu that sets the terms for the product leaving no margin for haggle. Such as Shure. A distributor of Shure microphones can not sell an authentic new Shure SM-58 for under $50. I don't think Shure allows that. The terms are clearly set by the products manu. Not the retailer. You know what is scarier ? People that think they are getting a used microphone in excellent condition like that for $50 and getting a deal (which it would be assuming it was an authentic used Shure SM-58), that is something I would do, buy the used older one in excellent condition to save about 30 dollars, yet in this case the original buyer (who might not have been aware) and me end up the fools.
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| Author: | Steven Kaplan [ Wed Nov 19, 2008 2:21 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Important Info to ponder regarding "Great deals" on Shure Microphones |
How about folks that think they are buying a vintage recording microphone for a few hundred dollars used (made by Neumann, Pye, or one of the German companies many years ago) ? |
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