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.
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
