Hello and welcome to The House of Chrome.

 You are looking at a beautiful 1940's era Shure Brothers 55 model (1st generation) dynamic cardioid microphone often referred to as the "Fatboy" made famous by several musicians including a young Elvis Presley himself. Classic, clean deco lines give this mic the attention it deserves. This 55 made it's debut in 1939 and had a run of 11 years until the second generation of smaller 55S model mics came along in 1951. This 55 has a cast zinc body with a glossy satin chrome finish. It comes with the period Shure S-36 model stand in which to display as well as the lower A85C on / off adapter.

 Pic # 2 shows this very model in an old 1940's catalog I have along with it's basic specs.

 Pic # 3 shows a young Elvis using the 55 while performing live. It was his go to mic for many years.

 It should be noted that almost every 55 out there currently is not capable of being used for any purpose as the original elements are just wore out or non-working. I very rarely ever get a hold of a good working and this 55 mic is one of them. It has the original element that still works but it's just old and tired. This would make an excellent display piece however anywhere it sits in your home, studio or office and they rarely come this nice.

 The 55 model had the adjustable impedance switch on the bottom rear of the head of the mic while the 55A, 55B and 55C did not have that switch and all had factory settings of high, Med and Low impedance. 

 This particular 55 has extremely lite wear and certainly way above average compared to most 55 Fatboy's you'll come across on Ebay. The ribs are free of any fractures or dents. There are no engravings but there are a few scratches and a couple scuff marks. Both the front and rear silk screens are evenly colored and look very good but there are a few spots where are rips located entirely on the front grill. The satin chrome finish has an incredible luster and the Shure badge shows typical lite wear. Still completely legible however. I would rate the mic a true 7 + on a scale of 1 - 10. 

 This 55 comes with original hardware and unlike too many 55's for sale on Ebay, this one still has the original front and rear grills. No mix matching on my mics. The stand thread still screws onto any stand you choose to use and the joint mechanism holds strong. 

 The 55 sits on top of it's original A85C on / off adapter which was an accessory sold by Shure Brothers for several years as the 55 did not come with an on / off switch. The A85C fixed that problem. It bolts right to the underside of the 55 and gave the operator the option to activate the mic only when needed which was great if you were a broadcaster.

 The A85C then bolts to the S-36 otherwise you could screw the A85C onto any desk or floor stand you have.

 As you can see the adapter is in very nice overall condition but the button mechanism is defective as it's live at all times. It can be fixed of course but that would require some time and patience to resolder all the wiring within.

 You'll notice that the mic comes with a very good period S-36 microphone desk stand. This is an all aluminum stand that has a very nice original painted finish and compliments the mic very well and makes for a very stable platform. Shure made this stand from 1939 up until 1960. 

 The stand has the front emblem and the painted insignia is very nice. The brass bolt is included to mount the A85C. The 5 rubber pads are still present and in excellent condition. It also has the cable clamp as well.

 There are no dents, fractures or corrosion on the stand but there are some heavier scuff marks and a few lite scratches. With the mic on top it's appx 12 inches tall X 5 inches wide X 7 inches deep. 

 This is going to look very nice anywhere it's displayed.

         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 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 an unpaid case will be opened and item relisted. Domestic buyer will get priority shipping.

  If you have any questions feel free to ask and...thanks for looking.

Listeda month ago
ConditionVery Good (Used)
Very Good items may show a few slight marks or scratches but are fully functional and in overall great shape.Learn more
Brand
Model
  • 55S Unidyne Microphone
Finish
  • Satin Chrome
Categories
Year
  • 1940's
Made In
  • United States
Microphone Type
  • Dynamic
Wired/Wireless
  • Wired
Electronics
  • Analog
  • Solid State
Polar Pattern
  • Cardioid

Product safety information may be available here.

The House of Chrome

Escondido, CA, United States
Joined Reverb:2018

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