There is a reason the SM58 has been the microphone in front of more singers, comedians, ministers and bingo callers than any other model on Earth: it is almost impossible to kill. That same toughness is exactly why buying one used makes so much sense. A dynamic vocal mic with no fragile electronics inside is one of the few pieces of audio gear where “pre-owned” rarely means “compromised”, and in Australia, where a brand-new one carries a premium, a refurbished SM58 can put a true industry-standard mic in your hand for noticeably less.
The numbers that change the conversation
Top refurbished shure sm58 microphones on eBay right now
Here is a live snapshot of what Australian sellers are listing today, sorted so the better-value examples surface first.
Listings update automatically and open in a new tab.
Why second-hand is not “second best”
Most electronics depreciate because their guts age: capacitors dry out, batteries swell, firmware goes stale. The SM58 has almost none of that. It is a passive dynamic microphone, a moving coil, a small magnet and a diaphragm, with no internal battery, no phantom-power circuitry to fail, and no software. The cardioid capsule that gives it that famous off-axis rejection behaves the same in a fifteen-year-old unit as in one bought yesterday.
That is why touring engineers happily pull a decade-old SM58 out of a road case and trust it on a lead vocal. The parts most likely to show wear, the spherical steel grille and the internal pop filter, are precisely the parts Shure designed to be unscrewed and replaced. A refurbished SM58 has typically had exactly those serviceable bits cleaned or swapped, which is often all an older mic needs to sound box-fresh again.
You are not buying a worn-out gadget. You are buying a passive workhorse that was built to be dropped, sworn at, and used for twenty years.
The savings are real
A used or refurbished SM58 commonly lands 20-60% below the new Australian price, and the lower end of that range still buys you a fully functioning, genuine mic. Because there is no battery to degrade and no screen to scratch, condition mostly comes down to cosmetics and the state of the grille, neither of which affects the sound on a lead vocal. The dollars you save are not coming out of audio quality; they are coming out of someone else having already absorbed the depreciation on a near-indestructible product.
New vs used, side by side
| Brand new | Used / refurbished | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Full RRP | 20-60% less |
| Capsule performance | As specified | Identical, no electronics to age |
| Grille & pop filter | Pristine | Cleaned/replaced if refurbished |
| Cosmetics | Flawless | Accurate wear, paint chips possible |
| Warranty | Full manufacturer | Seller/refurbisher terms + ACL |
| Environmental cost | New manufacturing footprint | Reuses an existing mic |
The five-minute checklist before you pay
- Confirm it is a genuine SM58, not a clone. The model is heavily counterfeited. Look for clean Shure logo printing, a serial number, and the characteristic weight, a real SM58 feels dense and substantial in the hand.
- Check which variant you are getting. The plain “SM58” needs a separate XLR cable; the “SM58-LC” is the cable-less version, and the “BETA 58A” is a different supercardioid mic. Make sure the listing matches what you expect.
- Inspect the grille. A dented ball grille is cosmetic and unscrews off, but ask whether the internal foam pop filter is intact, a missing or rotted one lets more plosives and breath through.
- Look at the XLR connector pins. They should be clean and straight, with no green corrosion. Bent or tarnished pins cause crackle and dropouts.
- Ask for a quick sound test. Any reputable seller can plug it in and confirm it passes audio cleanly with no intermittent cut-outs when the cable is wiggled at the base.
You have more protection than you think
When you buy from a business, a music store, a refurbisher or an established eBay trader, the Australian Consumer Law applies regardless of what the listing says. The mic must be of acceptable quality, match its description, and be fit for the purpose of capturing vocals. Those guarantees cannot be waived by an “as is” or “no returns” note. If a refurbished SM58 arrives dead or turns out to be a counterfeit, you are entitled to a repair, replacement or refund. Keep your receipt and the listing screenshot.
Ready to find yours?
Compare current refurbished and used SM58 deals from trusted Australian sellers below.
Red flags to walk away from
- A price that is suspiciously low. An SM58 at a fraction of normal used pricing is the classic signature of a counterfeit capsule in a real-looking shell.
- No serial number, or blurry logo printing. Genuine units have crisp branding and a serial; fakes often get the font subtly wrong.
- Audible crackle or cut-outs in a demo. On a passive mic this usually points to a damaged capsule lead or a failing XLR connector, repairable, but factor in the cost.
- Heavy rust around the grille or connector. Surface scuffs are fine; corrosion suggests it was stored damp and may have internal issues.
- Seller refuses to confirm it passes audio. For a mic this easy to test, reluctance to plug it in is a reason to move on.
Frequently asked questions
Does a used SM58 sound worse than a new one? No. With no battery or circuitry to degrade, the capsule sounds the same; the only variables are the replaceable grille and pop filter, both of which a refurbisher can renew.
Do I need phantom power for it? No. The SM58 is a dynamic microphone and runs entirely passively, just an XLR cable into a mixer or interface input. Phantom power will not harm it, but it is not required.
How do I spot a fake? Check the weight, the serial number, the sharpness of the logo printing, and the price. Genuine SM58s are heavy and well-finished; lightweight, cheap, oddly-printed examples are the ones to avoid.
Is the plain SM58 or the SM58-LC better used? They are the same microphone; “-LC” simply means “less cable”. Buy whichever is cheaper and supply your own quality XLR lead.
The bottom line
Very few microphones are as well suited to the second-hand market as the SM58. It is passive, serviceable, ruggedly built and designed to outlast the people who use it. Buying refurbished lets you skip the new-price premium and the manufacturing footprint while still getting the exact mic that has anchored stages and studios for generations. Verify it is genuine, check the grille and connector, lean on the Australian Consumer Law where it applies, and you will own a true industry standard for years to come, at a fraction of the cost of new.
This article may contain affiliate links; see our Affiliate Disclosure.