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BlowsMeAway Productions presents…
The Ultimate Series
Short, light Shure microphones with built-in volume control.

Kenny Neal
"It took me a long time to find the solution for my harmonica set-up on stage. Greg's Ultimate 58 took care of the problem. Coming from the deep South of Baton Rouge, Louisiana we have a different approach on the harmonica. I learned from my dad, Raful Neal and Slim Harpo. We stick to the true sound of the harp and that's what I like about the Ultimate 58. It's very comfortable to play with the harmonica, it sounds great and the volume control give me all the leeway I need that I didn't have before. Thanks Greg, an excellent job."

......Kenny Neal

Check Kenny out at kennyneal.net

Rob Paparozzi is the front man for Blood Sweat and Tears, and has his own blues band, the Hudson River Rats. More on Rob at his web site....
"The Ultimate 57 feels amazingly comfortable in the hand and looks so much hipper than a stock 57! Having the volume control really helps you to back off when you accompany another soloist. If you play a 57 you need to add this to your arsenal and you won't be dissappointed...I just Love this mic and Greg's work is always Class A in my book!"

..... Rob Paparozzi

Billy Branch

"I've been performing with the Ultimate 545 now for a few months. I love it. It gives me the range of tone I'm looking for, and it is so much more comfortable to hold than the much longer and heavier mic it replaced. Greg cares a lot about his customers and worked with me to ensure I got what I really wanted and needed. I'm happy to recommend BlowsMeAway Productions to my friends and fans. "

... Billy Branch

More on Billy at his web site

Listen to Ben's work on the YouTube video Like a Hobo
and see him perform with Charlie on the UK's GMTV show.

More on Ben's MySpace Page

 "I've been using the Shure Unidyne 545 for years so when I discovered the Ultimate 545 I was naturally interested. And upon arrival at Greg's workshop to check it out, I was extremely excited by its weight, colour and volume pot.

I now own both the Ultimate 57 and Ultimate 545.

Not only is Greg a skilled craftsman; he has a level of professionalism and integrity which is rare in today's business; and his passion for the harmonica is indisputable upon listening to his harp playing and singing."

.......Benjamin Edwards
"As a harpboxer, I need a microphone that is clean for vocals while still maintaining warmth and pop for vocals and beatboxing. Although a stock 57 delivers on those needs, it can become very uncomfortable to hold with one hand for an extended length of time. Greg's Ultimate 57 not only solves the problem of weight, but also allows me to adjust the volume level on the spot to give me a much greater control of my sound. I am extreamly pleased with the performance of my Ultimate 57, and I am proud to say that it has become my regular microphone for gigs. Awesome job, Greg!

Brandon Bailey, winner of the 2008 Orpheum Star Seach and Jefferson Awards performer and Ultimate 57 user
Anyone who plays with a Shure stick mic - like the popular 545, SM-57 or SM-58 - knows what wonderful harp mics they are - great tone and range. Their biggest drawback for harp players, however, is the hand fatigue that comes from holding the relatively small diameter head with all that weight hanging out the back. Adding an external volume control only makes it worse. Now there’s a solution.

The Ultimate 57, Ultimate 58 and Ultimate 545 are the shortest, lightest examples of these mics possible, and include an integrated volume control. I machine each barrel to precise tolerances in my own shop. It is made of aircraft aluminum for strength and light weight, and anodized to greatly reduce scratching and keep it looking great. Not only does the shorter length reduce the cable's leverage on your grip, the center of gravity of the Ultimate mics moves toward the front, further improving grip comfort.

Here is some data for comparison:

Standard SM57
Ultimate 57
Weight
9.8 oz
6.7 oz.
Length
6 1/8"
5 1/8"

But wait, there's more! All models can be ordered in high or low impedance configurations. See the "Ordering" section on this page for a list of available configurations.

Get a grip! Some people find the smaller diameter of SM57 and 545 heads too hard to hold in the rear of the hand without cramping. BlowsMeAway has a solution... The Bulletizer!

The Bulletizer, shown here installed on an Ultimate 57 with optional billet knob

Special offer: Order a Bulletizer with your Ultimate 57 or Ultimate 545 and the Bulletizer, normally $49, is only $39.

Grill Lock Option: The floating grill of the SM57 and 545 can make some noise when handheld, especially noticeable on slow ballads. The Grill Lock option reduces but does not eliminate handling noise. There is no charge for this option, but there is a VERY IMPORTANT caveat. Once it is locked, turning the grill can rotate the actual element on its internal mount. You WILL feel a distinct rubbery resistance to this, and if you simply stop there no damage will be done. If you force it beyond that, even 1/4 turn will break the hair-like wires that lead from the element to the solder lugs you'd see if you unscrewed the cartridge from the base.  This isn't meant to scare you away from this useful option. As long as you know about it and you don't hand your mic to ham-fisted strangers, you should be fine with it.

Important information:

  • Other mics? Although the Beta 57 and Beta 58 cannot be Ultimatized, some other Shure models can. These include the PE54 and the Shure 565. I do not supply these mics, but if you supply the donor mic, I can Ultimatize it!

  • Mic Clips: Note that the non-tapering barrel means that Ultimate series mics do not fit in a standard Shure mic clip. However larger 30mm clips like the Shure WA371, AKG SA61 and the Radio Shack 33-372 fit the mic properly. I can provide the WA371 if needed, for $14.95.
Here's the incomparable Jason Ricci tearing it up on his Ultimate 57. That's a wireless transmitter plugged in the end of the mic. The tune is "Hip Shake."

Personalize your Ultimate! Want your Ultimate engraved? Sure! Only $49.

Personalized Ultimate 545 shown with Bulletizer installed.

Pricing:
     Ultimate 57 $219
Ultimate 58 $229
Ultimate 545 $229
Any of the above, customer supplies working donor mic: $139

Note that the SM57 and 545 above are shown with optional custom volume knobs. These are available at extra cost. See Mic Mods Page for more information.

Ordering: I need to know how you want the mic set up:

A) Low impedance with XLR connector (like a stock SM57 or SM58)
B) High Impedance with Screw-on Connector
C) High impedance with XLR connector "Pin 2 Hot"
D) High impedance with XLR connector "Pin 3 Hot"

All options require a cable that matches that particular configuration:

  • Low impedance configuration requires a standard low impedance XLR<-->XLR cable. Connect this directly to a PA or wireless transmitter, or connect to a high impedance input like a harp/guitar amp by adding an impedance matching transformer. Note this configuration will not work properly with high impedance XLR cables, i.e., cables with an XLR connector at the mic and and a 1/4” plug at the other. See options C and D above.

  • High impedance mics are supplied with your choice of standard Switchcraft style 5/8" screw-on connector, or XLR connector. High impedance XLR can be wired "Pin 2 Hot" or "Pin 3 Hot" and must match your cable to work. If you don't have a cable already, I recommend the screw-on connector (and a cable to go with it if you need one.) This is the shortest, lightest and most secure combination.

If this is confusing feel free to ask more questions. Once you know what configuration you want, let me know and I will send you a PayPal invoice.

Contact BlowsMeAway to purchase.

Warranty: BlowsMeAway warranties the Ultimate Series Microphones for 2 years from date of purchase. Failure due to over-rotating the element on an SM57 or 545 with the Grill Lock Option is not covered under warranty.
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