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Vintage RARER 1970's Shure SM53 dynamic cardioid microphone w accessories SM59 SM54 SM58 ELVIS # 5
£445
ExcellentReverb10d ago
Sold by
T
The House of Chrome
Details
- First Seen
- 30 October 2026
- Last Seen
- 9 November 2026
- Times Seen
- 18
About this listing
Vintage RARER 1970's Shure SM53 dynamic cardioid microphone w accessories SM59 SM54 SM58 ELVIS # 5 is a used item in excellent condition, listed on Reverb. The asking price is £445. It is offered by The House of Chrome through Reverb. It is in our Microphones category. Used Gear Hunter first saw this listing on 30 October 2026 and last saw it on 9 November 2026. It has been seen 18 times in our scans. Prices are converted from the seller's currency when we scan the listing, so the amount you pay may differ slightly. The seller sets shipping, and import duty or VAT may apply, so check the final cost and the item's details on Reverb before buying.
From the seller
Hello and welcome to The House of Chrome.
You are looking at a quality studio mic from the 1970's & 80's era. This is the Shure Brothers SM-53 model dynamic cardioid microphone that has been cleaned and tested. It comes with it's original Shure A57E mic clip, new exterior Auray pop filter and Shure mic case shown. This was a higher end mic used for studio work and public speaking events. The SM-53 variant model was often used by Elvis Presley while performing live as seen in pic # 3.
Pic # 2 shows both the SM-53 & SM-54 in an older data sheet I have. Both mics were basically the same except that the SM-54 had a much larger pop filter / front screen so as to reduce the dreaded "pops" you can get when singing or speaking to closely to the microphone.
This is an American made example having excellent quality control. These rarely fail and were built to last 100 years. Back when such things mattered. Again, mic has been tested and has perfect tone and 100% output. No issues. You will however notice that the signal strength on the SM-54 & SM-53 are nowhere close to as strong as an SM-58. You'll want to use a very good preamp with decent gain to get maximum performance out of these mics. So long as you do you'll have no issues with any SM-53 or SM-54 you use. I think the magnets used in these models were smaller which is why they are needing more gain. You'll be much happier if you use either the SM-53 or SM-54 with some good quality audio equipment.
The Shure SM-53 & SM-54 mic sold by Shure for about 10 or 15 years before being discontinued. It has a very unique and more aggressive look with a flatter head. It has a specific 1980's look that was a bit more bold than the typical stick mic sold today or even then. The mic is appx 7 1/2 inches long X 1 1/2 inches wide at the front grill. It comes in a silver painted finish and this mic is quite beautiful as it was gently used and well stored.
As you can see there are just very lite signs of wear on the mic itself. There are no fractures or dents. Just a couple very lite scuff marks and scratches on the handle. The stock painted finish is very nice. The Shure label looks very nice as well and completely legible. The serial number is faded and very hard to make out but it's 7642. The globe is free of any dents or odors but there are some small spots of tarnish that I could not remove. This mic has a new inner foam insert (pop filter) in the front grill and it helps greatly with sound performance. The original pop filter was completely degraded. Mic is 100% complete and solid. No loose parts.
You'll notice that I'm also including a brand new Auray brand exterior black foam pop filter for improved performance. You'll notice the difference in tone as well. You may like it or you may not want to use it at all but it there for you either way. It fits like a glove and looks great on the mic.
The bass drop off switch / lever works (as seen in pic # 14) perfectly as well and gives you a lot of control over the tone when using the mic. The XLR pins were cleaned as well as they were quite tarnished. You'll get a perfect signal once a cable is inserted into the mic though no cable is provided.
The mic clip is a Shure model and it works perfectly gripping the mic firmly. It's just as nice as the mic. It will screw on to any American desk or floor stand. It's an A57E model.
The metal Shure mic case is included. It's original to the mic and a great place to store the contents while not in actual use. It will protect the mic nicely and the locking mechanism on the lid works great. The case shows an absolute minimum of cosmetic wear. Zero dents or corrosion and I added two new inner foam pads that will do an excellent job of protecting the mic.
This mic is a very conservative 8 on a scale of 1 - 10 physically speaking. Many would rate higher. The real beauty of this mic is the sound it produces. Hook this one up and you are ready for any live event.
MICROPHONE STAND SHOWN IS FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY...NOT PART OF THIS SALE.
If you're looking for a solid SM-53...this is your mic.
And as always...
I can promise you will be happy with it for the price paid. If not...I have a no hassle return policy. The return shipping will be on you as I believe that's fair but the purchase price would be refunded. Simply return in the same nice condition...period. Check my rating. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS are welcome as well. BUYER MUST PAY WITHIN 24 HOURS or will lose rights to this item, unpaid item report will be filed and will be relisted. If you don't intend on buying this...do not commit to buy please. Domestic buyer will get priority shipping.
If you have any questions feel free to ask and...thanks for looking.