Shure 55 (Elvis Mic)

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WhiteStrat

WhiteStrat

Don't stare at the eye.
Anybody use a Shure 55 (the Elvis mic) for anything? And is it any good at it? I want one--but I'm pretty much drawn to the nostalgic "cool" factor. I'm trying to talk myself out of it if there's no real use for it other than as a decoration...
 
You could use it for getting chicks :)

There's always one under the glass case at a local music store, and I can't walk by without looking at it. But I've never used one.
 
I almost bought one when I had a Ska band, but never did. Someday, maybe.
 
I bought one awhile ago. I also bought it cause I thought it looked cool. They told me it was the 57 capsule in a big steel case (don't know it that's true) But it sounded no better than my e835 I had at the time, different, but no better. But I took it back and got a Beta58 for the same price, which sounded alot better, at least for my voice. Bottom line, looks hella cool, sound alright. Not really worth it.
 
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Note that there are quite a few variants. The original 55 came out in 1939. There were 3 models- 55A (low impedence), 55B (mid impedence), and 55C (high impedence).I own a 55C which has been completely re-furbed by The Mic Doctor in Florida. They used 3-pin Amphenol cables. It was used by Franklin D. Roosevelt (remember- "A date that will live in infamy"?) and Douglas A. MacArthur's stirring speech before the D-Day invasion was done with a 55. Dubbed "Unidyne", it was the first unidirectional dynamic mic. Mine was used by Doris Day and Roy Rogers.

In 1947, the 3 models were replaced by one model, just called 55. It had a switch for low, middle, or high impedence. and the cool red silk inside the body was changed to blue silk. It was updated in 1951, and made quite a bit smaller and lighter, with the new Unidyne II capsule. Known as "the small Unidyne", that is what became known as the Elvis mic. It was used by every US president at least up through Kennedy. It was then discontinued for years, and reissued with an SM48 capsule, which, although perhaps a better mic, does *not* sound like a classic 55 at all.

Frankly, mine is a pretty cruddy mic, even if I give it the 100,000 (no shit) ohms it is looking for, but I use it for vintage radio plays, which I've been recording quite a bit of. What the hell? I had mine rebuilt because it is such a piece of history- a mic that changed the world.

If you come across an old one- note- The capsule was shock mounted with foam blocks which harden, and then crumble to dust over the years. The silk discolors and turns black also. The mic doctor really does great work, specializing in returning original 55's to spec, and has a bunch of new old stock amphenol cables and connectors. He is honest, and his prices are reasonable. Many of them were made, so it is not a particularly rare or expensive mic. It is worth it, however, to have it re-furbed. Note also that the original 55's don't quite fit the threads on most modern mic stands, although it comes close. You either need a vintage mic stand, or some teflon plumber's tape for the threads on the stand.-Richie
 
Richard Monroe said:
Note that there are quite a few variants. The original 55 came out in 1939. There were 3 models- 55A (low impedence), 55B (mid impedence), and 55C (high impedence).I own a 55C which has been completely re-furbed by The Mic Doctor in Florida. They used 3-pin Amphenol cables. It was used by Franklin D. Roosevelt (remember- "A date that will live in infamy"?) and Douglas A. MacArthur's stirring speech before the D-Day invasion was done with a 55. Dubbed "Unidyne", it was the first unidirectional dynamic mic. Mine was used by Doris Day and Roy Rogers.

In 1947, the 3 models were replaced by one model, just called 55. It had a switch for low, middle, or high impedence. and the cool red silk inside the body was changed to blue silk. It was updated in 1951, and made quite a bit smaller and lighter, with the new Unidyne II capsule. Known as "the small Unidyne", that is what became known as the Elvis mic. It was used by every US president at least up through Kennedy. It was then discontinued for years, and reissued with an SM48 capsule, which, although perhaps a better mic, does *not* sound like a classic 55 at all.

Frankly, mine is a pretty cruddy mic, even if I give it the 100,000 (no shit) ohms it is looking for, but I use it for vintage radio plays, which I've been recording quite a bit of. What the hell? I had mine rebuilt because it is such a piece of history- a mic that changed the world.

If you come across an old one- note- The capsule was shock mounted with foam blocks which harden, and then crumble to dust over the years. The silk discolors and turns black also. The mic doctor really does great work, specializing in returning original 55's to spec, and has a bunch of new old stock amphenol cables and connectors. He is honest, and his prices are reasonable. Many of them were made, so it is not a particularly rare or expensive mic. It is worth it, however, to have it re-furbed. Note also that the original 55's don't quite fit the threads on most modern mic stands, although it comes close. You either need a vintage mic stand, or some teflon plumber's tape for the threads on the stand.-Richie
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Sweet Richie!! Thanks for the info. The one I'm looking at is claimed to be from '67. Is that gonna have the 4 pin amphenol? I've got a S545 and an EV623 (both pistol grips) from the same era--and they use the 4 pin amphenol, so I've already got cables.

Y'know, they're all over ebay (who knows the year) but this one is local, from '67, and packed away in the original box and felt bag since '75. Might just be worth snagging.
 
What about getting a 55 body and sticking a condenser, ribbon or maybe something like an sm7b capsule in there? Now THAT would be cool.
 
Slowjett said:
What about getting a 55 body and sticking a condenser, ribbon or maybe something like an sm7b capsule in there? Now THAT would be cool.
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Unless of course the big chunk of metal body that makes it so cool looking, is gonna funk up the sound of whatever you put in. I dunno...just a thought.
 
WhiteStrat said:
Unless of course the big chunk of metal body that makes it so cool looking, is gonna funk up the sound of whatever you put in. I dunno...just a thought.
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The 55SH does use a Unidyne III capsule, but it's mounted on a flat piece of plastic the size of the shell, so it's much more of a subcardioid than a 57 is. If it had a skinnier mount, the shell wouldn't make as much difference as you'd think; mostly in extra-high frequencies where it doesn't have much response anyway.

I dig the tone, but not too many people like it. That's actually one of the last two dynamic mics I've kept (the 520DX is the other).

The big problem with the 55SH is it's overpriced, but it can be had cheaply used.

There is some dude who mounts I think a Beta 87 capsule in the 55SH, but I can't remember the particulars . . .
 
I fixed one

White Strat,

My drummer, Randy Gambill, has one that his father, Leon Gambill, had singing Rock n Roll in the fifties. So I know it's at least that old. No cable. I finally scored a amphenol connector for it on ebay for not too much and worked on it. I got the cable working ok but it had the disintegrated foam mentioned above. So it rattles a little bit. Randy tried singing through it once but it had more output than I expected or mismatched the preamp and it was a little bit weird. Not really distorted but raspy. Definitely not Elvis.

I told him I would work on it again when I got some foam and I forgot all about it until now. So I can see another disassembly in the near future.

Thanks also for the info about the impedance. I believe I'll just try it through a guitar amp first. I've got a Silvertone twin from the same era.

I'm thinking once I get it right it will be a quality vintage mic if you're into that like I am. But as far as Randy goes he liked the AKG D770 better but ever since I let him try my EV PL80 that's what he wants to sing through.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
Don't want to hijack this thread, but I have a related interest to these mics, and that is dynamics with lots of visual appeal for live shows. I normally sing through a 57, and my co-vocalist uses a 58... but I've thought of getting a couple of the EV Ravens or maybe the Heil Heritage mics. Anybody have any experience with these live???
 
I do a vintage show and so for that reason I have used a new model a lot on stage, and while I could get a good sound out of a 58 or a 57 or a 87 I just use mine for stage effect. the sound is not bad, my vintage EV664 sounds a little more mid rangy and if I have my choice live and feedback is not so bad... I would rather use my MXL 990 for the show.

So if stage effect is a factor as to why you're buying it then by all means go ahead and buy it. If you're wanting it to mic guitar cabs then save your money...
 
BudgetMC said:
Anybody have any experience with these live???
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I play in a few blues bands using the current Shure55 mikes for the look. They work fine and the on/off switch is a plus for bar band applications. Never used any of the other "retro" look mikes.
 
WhiteStrat said:
Anybody use a Shure 55 (the Elvis mic) for anything? And is it any good at it? I want one--but I'm pretty much drawn to the nostalgic "cool" factor. I'm trying to talk myself out of it if there's no real use for it other than as a decoration...
Click to expand...

I have one I will give to you if you'll pay for shipping.

PM me.


-Casey
 
Well... just scored a Heil Heritage on scratch & dent at MF for $73... gonna give it to my harmonica player/vocalist for Christmas. I'll let you know how it works out.
 
BudgetMC said:
Well... just scored a Heil Heritage on scratch & dent at MF for $73... gonna give it to my harmonica player/vocalist for Christmas. I'll let you know how it works out.
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Very nice...congrats for you and good for him (her?).
 
Well I just got a 55SH and it sounds pretty damn good. It was bought in 93 and used very little after that. Then it sat in a room for many years and then I acquired it. I really like it and it does sound similar to the 57 which is good. I'm just figuring out where I'm going to use it in my day to day applications...
 
carlosguardia said:
Well I just got a 55SH and it sounds pretty damn good. It was bought in 93 and used very little after that. Then it sat in a room for many years and then I acquired it. I really like it and it does sound similar to the 57 which is good. I'm just figuring out where I'm going to use it in my day to day applications...
Click to expand...

Let us know where you end up using it--and how it works out for you.
 
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