I've been thinking about useful reviews for my Youtube channel, and the stats show that people like comparisons with counterfeit or just plain and simple dirt cheap mics, up against the usual branded products. Years ago, I played the cello, and just laid my hands on one for the first time in 40 years.

As a public service to RO and its potential visitors, I thought I'd research this topic and post a thread explaining the differences between real Shure SM58 mics and counterfeit models. In the last few years, a serious number of fake 58's have hit the global market. This isn't a myth, these fake mics are indeed out there, so here are some things to look for: