If you paid under $90US for it? It's a fake. Shure doesn't have to lowball that microphone much.

My favorite microphone!
Ms. Remy Ann David

Did you buy it from a seller on eBay??
Is that seller in China???

Look at the packaged literature, does it have many spelling, and grammatical errors??

Then it's fake.

Price is not a good indicator, either. I just bought a set of (6) 58's from a GC for $500.00 (that comes down to less than $85 each). And they threw in a set of (6) 20-ft. XLR cables (THOSE were from China!) with the deal. We'll use the cheap cables in choir rehearsals, not on the gigs...Still, a very good deal.

I've heard of fake shure mics being sold on ebay recently and i've heard a few of the following differences:

1. The weight, the fake one being lighter
2. The instructions manual, the fake one being a photo copy
3. The fake ones have an SM58 sticker instead of printed on neck

Apparently they look very similar though so I guess the only way someone can tell is if they already have a genuine one to check it with.

I think the obvious answer to telling the difference is going to be the sound quality though.

Hope this helps.

Holding a 58 in my hand (hard to type like this), I can tell you that on a real Shure mic the word SHURE is stamped under pin 3 on the XLR connector.

Also, if you unscrew the body (not the windscreen but the point below it) there is a date code stamped on the circuit board. The one I'm holding has two letters printed there, and a number just below the threads.

A counterfeit mic probably lacks these.

If you bought them cheap off of amazon they are most likely fake. I did this. Bought a few thought i was getting a deal ($67each), took a look at it and you could tell it just wasnt real. sent the guy an e-mail telling him they were fake. he credited my account and didnt even ask for them back. those guys are making a killer off that fake crap.