Got pipes?

Who else here has a range? I don't mean a stove and I don't mean that grunting growling air movement that sounds like a bad Saturday morning either. <--- Please take no offense if this is what you sound like.

I am looking for advice on a mic purchase. I have finally decided that I might like to front but need a mic that will not hinder me. I might also need something durable too unless they sell mic straps and straplocks... :lol: I actually have a decent range and don't want to squash it by buying some mic that is going to sound dull or taper me off one way or the other. And before you guys flame me I am not in the whistle register like Mariah Carey either but can easily do Rob Halford and Sebastian Bach when they were in their primes. This is not to say that I am all squeaky either because I can do Bing Crosby too.

I have been trying to get an education by reading (step one) and now by finding people's personal experiences with their mics (step two). I just want to further narrow my search before going out and having to belt out a bunch of crap for hours on end in numerous stores finding that my vocal chords are getting tired and my ears are getting blown out. Basically I would like to narrow it down to say 4 or 5 mics being considered. In order to get your best opinions here I am not going to even give you guys suggestions as to which ones that I am currently looking at. I will say that because at worst I will end up using the mic at home only and for family karaoke stuff (might put it up to similar durability tests as being on the road though). I am not opposed to spending a couple hundred on a good mic that is relatively giggable (I know there are some nice high dollar mics that you would never gig). I know that there are great GP mics out there that you can get cheap and consider disposeable in multi packs and such. I really don't care if it costs $200 or $.02. I just want it to sound good and be durable.

So let's have it... Your top 3 recommendations to me for a giggable vocal mic are? and why?

Shure SM58 Beta. The one that all the rest are judged by. I have been using them for almost 30 years and they always do the job and sound great. I use a Sennhieser E835 sometimes as well if I want a little different sound but the SM58 is home. Best of all they are both relatively inexpensive

What Russ said... the SM58 is to vocals what the SM57 is to everything else. It's not the absolute best in *every* situation, but nothing is. It's just pretty darn good in most situations. Also, won't set you back too much cash in the event it ends up in the punch bowl at some point.

Thanks for your replies frankencat and CoG.

Now for the rest of you that I know sit on here during the weekday please reply...

Hey Russ, looking for a band to front? We need a singer! :lol:

Sure SM58 is the best there is

i wonder how many of those things have been sold to date...

Being that the original design was from the 50's I would say quite a few. I am assuming that the reason why it was so standardized is because the price to quality ratio. The durability speaks for itself and makes it so that you rarely ever have to replace it. Many production crews use it for this purpose alone. It is so engrained as a basic standard that many will shirk at anything else when they go to perform.

Anyone else wanna chime in with their $.02 on their preference?

Does anyone else use their voice?