Have you ever been to used musical gear shop? How about a pawn shop? If so, have you ever noticed the large amount of used budget mics they usually have available? There's a reason for this. Its easy for someone to let go of a piece of gear that hasnt ever lived up to their expectations.

Shure mics generally will remain in a persons' collection long after they have bought much more expensive mics as their business or their taste or their ears grow.....An AKG mic has a long lineage but these are the lower end of their line.

Buy the Shure. Keep it forever. I have. Two of my SM57's are over 40 years old. Sound great! Still work.

I say get the tried true and trusted sm57 or 58.
You could most likely get the same deal from sweetwater in the 57's. although I have said this before let again state, build a relationship with A sales rep at the different places you shop and over all it will save you money.

Another mic I will toss out there is the Audix OM2 you can get these off Ebay cheap and they are very nice mice!!!!!!! very nice!

Shures are a standard. i've seen AKG mics of the same like come and go but the SM57/58 has been around for years and will continue to be. you know why? they are a standard.

look on CraigList or in other used musical equipment listings. you should be able to find 57's or 58's in good condition for $60 bucks.

I used to work for NBC network television for nearly 20 years as a primary audio engineer. You watch TV don't you? And what do you see everybody singing on with virtually every popular group you see on television today? This is a trick question. And I'm SHURE you won't get it wrong.

Here's something funny to think about. The SM57 and the SM58 are actually the same microphone. One just has a metal ball with a little extra foam inside the metal ball. And that SM58 used to be nearly $10 more than the 57. Today they are the same cost. Get 58's. And then when you want a 57? You simply unscrew the ball and then you have a 57 without its fancy little hat on. That makes it much easier to put on snare drums, tom-toms. Doesn't make any difference on the guitar cabinet whether it's a 57 or a 58. And when he is associate for vocals that you are recording, stick on an extra foam condom a.k.a. Pop filter. SHURE actually makes a specific foam Pop filter for their 58's but you can use anyone's. It then makes that 58 as great for vocals as the $3000 + German, Neumann, 87's. And that's no joke. SHURE actually repackages the same capsule into a more studio oriented form factor that includes a couple of extra switches that customize the response of the microphone called the SM 7, and charge you an extra $200. Not necessary.

Many used 57 & 58's that look like they have been chewed on, beat to hell, run over with a car, usually still work well. There is almost nothing you can purchase today that you can pass down to your children and your children can pass down to your grandchildren and they'll still be using it. You might be able to say the same for a Rolls-Royce or an API but those cost a little more than $100 and they don't even include any microphones. Go figure?

My console is a Rolls-Royce and my other preamps are Cadillacs. My microphones I got from the 7-Eleven.
Mx. Remy Ann David

since we've been hearing both brands since at least 60's recording they both rock. shure has the 57/58 that rules, and akg has the c12/414 that rules. the incarnations vary a fair amount less with shure. The 57/58 just isn't bad, it's not, to the point where if it is, it ain't the mic, check the guitar amp or something else. there is still IMHO a better general/overall mic for the price.

AKG i like alot.k240's are in a lot of photos. but ya gotta get what they are known for. like a c12 or 414 or 240. otherwise it's just a name that sells some low endstuff too.

nobody says 57/58 are bad, unless they are broken, which they usually aren't.

I'm absolutely in agreement on buying 3 SM57s. But another warning sign for the AKG mics is that they have a switch. There may be applications where you want one, but recording is not one of them, and they are rarely of use in a live band situation. On a cheap mic it is a real danger. A cheap moving part that can easily go bad. It requires a couple of extra solder joints that have to be made in seconds on an assembly line. An invitation for failure.