Shure 55 microphone re-fit

[K3ZW]

Hi everyone  :-)

I picked up a Shure 55 housing ( ELVIS MIC ) at a hamfest today. I was wondering if anyone out there have retrofitted aftermarket replacement elements in to a Sure 55.

I retrofitted a D-104 with a W2ENY kit and I am very pleased with how it funtions. How ever to make it work in a Sure 55, I would have to come up with a power source for the element.

Has anyone out there done anything like this ??

[Steve - K4HX]

Nice pick up. There is so much room inside one of those you could put almost any cartridge inside. A electret condenser would be cheap and easy. The current production 55s use the SM48 cartridge. I would image you could fit one inside. Shure sells the 48 cartridges.

[KL7OF]

They are popular as tail light housings on backstreet chopper cycles.....

[W2VW]

Some of those mics are well used. We found one at ZRF's place that was pretty w.o. inside.

Anyone ever get around the boxy sound of the original?

[KA0HCP]

I've got a 55S, the little brother with the  original element.

I don't understand the issue.  The shell is big enough to mount almost any element that strikes your fancy...  If you need power, just run another wire...

"Just do it" 

bill

[k7yoo]

I have been using a refitted 55 for nearly 10 years. I bought a Marshall condenser mike and carefully removed the guts and installed them in the 55 housing. It sounds as good as my much pricier Audio-Technica. I think I bought the Marshall when it was on sale at Musicians Fiend for around $60. It was the cheapest painted housing one I could buy. My guess is that even some of the higher priced units use the same guts.
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