Fake Top-Name Microphones on Ebay             - A Warning

By Andy Highfield

The Shure SM57 and SM58 are two of the most popular dynamic microphones around and are used by countless bluegrass bands around the world.

Recently, very large volumes of out-and-out fakes of these (and other) popular Shure microphones have been appearing on auction sites such as Ebay and in various private adverts in music and technical magazines and websites. These usually offer “new and boxed” Shure microphones “with warranty card”. These illegal fakes not only look incredibly similar to the genuine article, they are labelled as Shure’s and even the packaging has been copied in fine detail. In fact, some examples are so good that unless you take them apart (or have them examined by an expert in Shure’s anti-piracy department) they are guaranteed to fool the average buyer.

The company says that counterfeit Shure microphones are currently being sold through a number of websites, while music shops around the UK are also receiving emails directly from traders offering to supply fake 'Shure' products.

Recently, thousands of pounds worth of fake products were seized by Sefton Council Trading Standards Service - acting on information provided by IP investigators Intellectual Property Management Services (IPMS) - following a raid on premises in Maghull, Liverpool. Another consignment was also intercepted at East Midlands Airport.

In Liverpool, three boxes containing 45 imitation Shure microphones, which usually sell for £120 each, were confiscated. Trading Standards officers worked with Merseyside police during the operation and a man was arrested for breaching the Trade Marks Act 1994.

Shure Europe GmbH has already mounted a hard-hitting Shure Against Counterfeiting campaign, designed to inform end-users about fake products; this is backed up with a series of guidelines. Back in the UK Dennis Harburn confirms that his company will have no hesitation in prosecuting traders contravening the Trade Marks Act 1994. They will also seek to close the offending web sites by contacting the Internet Service provider. He adds, "We will now run ad campaigns warning people against fake mics and to educate customers to the fact that they should only buy from authorised resellers."

It is not only Shure who are the victims of this commercial scale counterfeiting operation. Fake microphones by Sennheiser, Rode and even Oktava have also been appearing. In one anti-piracy raid in China, fifty thousand fake microphones were seized and destroyed. Tens of thousands more were seized in other raids in Thailand.

These microphones may look the part externally, but inside, it is a different story. Cheap, poor grade capsules are used, the wiring is of very low quality, and in some cases these products may even pose a serious danger as none of the electrical safety measures that the genuine products comply with are present. Needless to say, they sound nothing like the real thing either. So, if you have grabbed a ‘bargain’ microphone on Ebay and it does not  perform quite as well as you expected, this is very likely the reason.

How to avoid buying a fake microphone:

1. Know the genuine product. Look for small differences in detail: type of screw heads visible, general “look and feel”, differences in finish colour and texture, etc. Be aware, however, that some fakes are so good that you can only tell if you take them apart!

2. Do not buy ANYTHING that claims to be a major manufacturer’s product that “ships from China”. It is almost guaranteed to be a fake.

3. I would advise against buying microphones on Ebay – period. It is just not worth the risk. If you must buy on Ebay, at least pay a bit more and use one of the established Authorised Dealer’s shops rather than an unknown seller.

4. Genuine, brand new Shure or Sennheiser microphones are not sold at rock-bottom, silly prices. If the price is too low, that is certainly one warning bell that should be ringing. The old saying goes that “if it looks to good to be true, it probably is”. In this case, take note! Be aware though, that some sellers of fakes price the item just low enough to be attractive, but not low enough to indicate by itself that something is wrong.  Some also try to sell the fake as “barely used” or as an “unwanted gift” to reduce suspicion.

5. Check seller’s feedback and contact information carefully. Unfortunately, some sellers of fakes have good feedback because their customers really believe they have got themselves a bargain and are happy with the transaction! Look out for very short term listings (one or three day auctions) or very new listings. Sellers of fakes try to get you to bite before the auction is deleted. Ebay have recently ceased accepting short term auctions for many items that are frequently counterfeited because of this.

6. If you have been ripped off, report the item and the seller to your local Trading Standards department (Better Business Bureau in the US) and also let the real manufacturer know. They are keen to track these items and prosecute those involved.

Further information:

http://oktava.tula.net/fake/

(How to detect fake Oktava mics)

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Counterfeit-Fake-Shure-SM58-Microphones_W0QQugidZ10000000003253226

(One person’s account of buying a fake SM58)

http://www.jands.com.au/JANDSWEB/downloads/ShureAlert.pdf

Shure’s Australian distributor’s consumer alert notice.