First and foremost, Up until recently I thought I was just a normal guy who thinks outside the box for the most part. My father (God rest his soul) Always said, Chris looks at things different. If there is a glass on a table some people would say, “That glass is half full.” others would say, “That glass is half empty”.. “Chris will walk up and ask, What’s the hell is in the glass?”. Recently during treatment I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, which is a high functioning form of Autism. It really opened my eyes as to who I was, and why I am the way I am. Now you can understand the rest of my story a little more clearly. I’m originally from Durham NC, When I graduated from Orange High School in 1990, I had a chance to go to art school and turned it down, because even though I was well above average in all facets of art, I did not enjoy it. I didn’t understand at the time it was a gift from God and that it should be used. I was voted “Best Senior artist” in a very large school, my senior year. I’ve always been able to do any type of medium from pencil, paint, airbrush to sculpting with clay.. I was always artistic in some way. I got it from my Mother’s side of the family. My mother was very artistic and good singer also, as well as other members on my Mother’s side of the family. So instead of Art school I went into the Navy at 18 and did 4 years with an honorable discharge. I apparently tested off the charts in mechanical ability on my ASVAB because it wasn’t long before all the branches were calling me to be a mechanic. I got that from My Father’s side. They could always fix anything or build anything, and so can I. I chose the Navy mostly because of the movie”Top Gun”. I wont lie about it! Also because My Father was in the Navy too. I joined in 1990. I was a Mechanic / Power Plant operator, until I got out in 1994, which has been the only regret I’ve ever had in my life. It was a love I have never forgotten. When I got out of the Navy, I went to work as mechanic on big trucks at Ryder Truck Company in Garner NC for about a year, before I was offered a job in start up of a cutting edge power plant. I moved to Fayetteville in 1995 to take that job. This job is where I found out I had a knack for inventing. On two projects I helped invent two low cost items to improve stability of the plant and save tons of money in the long run. After two years of working there, the plant lost funding, and was cut up and sent overseas, and Everyone from the plant manager down was walked to the gate. I worked other power plants for a short time after that and even though the money was outstanding the job was unstable due to regulations of the government on power plants. So I decided to go back to being a Mechanic, where I’ve always had a knack for troubleshooting. I went to work for Abbott laboratories as a robotic technician and once again found I had a knack for understanding how things work and how to make them better. I invented two items while at Abbott, that were patented by Abbot laboratories in robotics operations. I quickly advanced and became a name changer of the machines I was in charge of, So I thought. Until one week they brought in a group of 20 people that they wanted me to train on how to use the machines and work on them. Little did I know why at the time. They were all from Puerto Rico and very nice and learned super fast. Two months later, Abbott gave everyone notice that the plant was shutting down and going over seas.. Once again, I was laid off. I was offered a job to go overseas and turned it down basically because I love home too much to leave. Although I traveled the world in the Navy, and loved it, I could not see myself living nowhere else but in the USA. I quickly found a job being a mechanic once again at a paving company. Then 9/11 Happened! I decided Then, I would go back into the Navy to help my country one more time.. But My wife at the time was not having it! She did not want me to be gone for 6 and 7 months at a time. She then convinced me to do something in civil service, so I could still answer my call of duty. So I decided to become a Career fire fighter. In March of 2003 I was hired into The Fayetteville Fire Department, which I am very proud to be a member of still today. I only work 10 days a month for 24 hour shifts. I am a EMT/ Fire fighter, but being I have 20 days off a month on average, I decided to join a band as a lead singer in my spare time. It was then I found myself wanting a microphone that looked good but sounded great and just could not get what I wanted. I felt it was unfair that a bassist, drummer and guitarist could have any color instrument they wanted and any style but a singer could not. They just offered the same old, same old, dull and run of the mill microphone. They sounded good but had no style! I then did stumble across a Shure 55SHII which, I thought looked great, but when I got it home and starting gigging with it, I found it lacking quality in sound to say the least, especially being I was used to the sound quality of a SM58. I tried buying a few elements online that said they sounded like a SM58, but when I got them, they also sounded like crap! So I decided to build my own. I pulled apart my 55SHII and my SM58 to see all the insides and how they worked. That’s when I found that the 55SHII has the upper diaphragm of a Shure SM58 microphone but no step up transformer and no resonance chamber. No wonder they sounded like crap! 5 or so prototypes later I built a great sounding 55SHII but with the completed SM58 inside. I loved my first finished microphone so much, I thought others should also have one too, so I started selling them on Ebay. Little did I know in that moment Mutant Mics was born. So in early 2008 I sent my early design to Shure Inc applications division. They were nice enough to take a look at it and sent it back with the statement to this day boggles me. “Sorry, but we are not into building hybrids” as they called it way back then. They suggested I start building them and selling them myself. Which by that time, I had been doing already for 2 years mostly upgrade old vintage mics I would by online, and upgrade them.. Funny thing was while my mic was off in the mail to Shure, I started practicing with a Shure 58 beta stock microphone, and fell in love with the sound of it. I could not believe the difference in sound quality and how much better it sounded than the SM58 design, I built for my 55. I couldn’t wait for my 55 to come back home so I could modify it again! I started building my new design with the 58 beta installed in March of 2008 in my first black and red 55, called the Sith, named after Darth Maul in the Star Wars movies.. Now the fun begins 2009 Shure came out with a Super 55 with a 58 beta element very similar to my first design. Then in 2010 they released the Black and Red limited edition, which by now was my number one seller and had sold over 50 versions of it by then.. My first thought was What happened to “Sorry, but we are not into building Hybrids”? And next question was “Who works at Shure that is trolling my webpage? I guess I will never know, but If someone at Shure is trolling my webpage, I am sure that in the future they will release a new Fatboy version like mine, Then come out with a 55 with an 87 beta inside, like mine, next come out with screens you can change out in any color like mine, and last offer a custom microphones at request, like I offer! But I’m just a little man building one mic at a time, what do I know? They are a big corporation that can build thousands at a time, but apparently out of ideas. But I will not talk bad about Shure, I absolutely love their products, service, and sound quality. If it wasn’t for Shure Inc. I would have never got started in the first place, And if it wasn’t for them being a BIG corporation and not one on one, with a client, Like me, I would not be doing what I’m doing now. Now 3800+ mics later, with new and upgraded designs coming monthly, I still do all my builds myself, I do all my own web design, updating, one on one customer emailing, I do all my art designs, testing and labor myself. I do all my own repairs and and support also. I do all the paint jobs myself. And last, I do all my packaging and mailing ordering of parts and inventory. So I guess there is a “i” in TEAM after all.. Just look at the negative space inside the A! That’s right a dotted i. The only thing I do not do with these mics and I outsource, is Chrome plating and color chrome, and powder coating. So please understand when I say it may be a few weeks to a month before you get a mic you understand why.. Well that is the short of who I am, and how I got started doing this, and in my opinion its the long, So Thanks for reading. Sincerely, Chris.

(ANSWER) Well that all depends on what you get and what you need. I’ll first start with price for new mics and extras.

New 55 with 58 beta 235.00 (comes with free shipping in US, two year warranty discounted shipping of 10.00 out of the US, and free screen color of choice and free mic bag)
New 55 with 87 beta 425.00 (comes with free shipping in the US, two year warranty, discounted shipping out of the US and mic bag and free color choice on screen.)
Switch added 12.00 if yours is broken or you want on add.

Lights added 60.00
XLR added 25.00 (needed for vintage mics especially if lights are added)
Chrome added 200.00 (depending on the size of the mic, and type of chrome you choose. See my “what I can do page” for details on chrome)
Extra preformed screens 25.00 (35.00 for a fatboy)
Shipping free in the US, with the purchase of completed mic and 10.00 off shipping worldwide usually around 35.00 to 45.00 anywhere in the world after discount.

YES! I know that there are some people out there that just want a prop. But I do not normally sell them like that, But as I, say money talks and B.S. walks, so if you are willing to pay 120.00 plus shipping I can build you a new one that looks old but is new. Unless of course I have a vintage shell you rather have at the time.. You will have to ask on that and prices will vary. I also sell them in conjunction to a customer if they already had a 58 or inside element and wanted me to convert it and put it in one of my 55’s shell or other vintage mic for that matter.

I used to do this but I decided to stop do to problems people had with installs. Its just easier to send it to me.

Yes I do. Normally most of my sells are the newer 55Sh2 versions with your choice of element inside and screen color. These mic’s also come with free shipping in the US, and discounted shipping over seas. They also come with a free mic bag, and 2 year warranty. But on occasion I get a request for a genuine vintage 55 or other mics with the upgrade of the element and screen. These take longer to get because I would have to win one on Ebay and restore it, If I dont already have one in stock. Then send it off for chroming if needed. The price will vary on vintage mic’s due to the auction price to win one is never the same. But for a new 55SH2 with your choice of element the prices will be as follows for each model. SM58 / 55 hybrid is around 240.00, The 58 beta / 55 hybrid around 235.00.. The 87beta / 55 hybrid around 425.00. If you want lighted versions there is an added fee of 60.00 to each. Prices can vary do to changes in price for parts for me, and weather you buy from me directly or on Ebay. I can always do it a little cheaper directly and not on Ebay.

Well you can research this online at Shure.com and get the whole in’s and out’s but here is the short. But first, As for the Super 55 scroll down to #19 for the difference in my beta 58’s and the Super Modified 58 Beta. Now on to the difference in the Beta 58 and the SM58. The SM58 cost around 100.00 and for that price you can’t beat the quality of sound. The benefit of the SM58 is that its built like a tank. They can take a serious beating and keep on working. Now the 58 beta, its not as tough but it’s sound quality is much clearer and has more gain. It can pick up about 20db higher range than a SM58. and its about 5% higher in gain, and cost around 170.00. The SM58 and the 58 beta both are dynamic mic’s but one is cardioid and the beta is supercardioid, which basically means the Beta 58 has a stronger magnet. the SM58 is great for Live applications with singers who have plenty of power and want a mic that will last through a tough road. The 58 beta is a better quality mic, and the sound for the money is awesome for live shows. It is tough built also but it wont take the beating and drops a SM58 will but who plans on beating there mic to death. The beta also allows you to be a softer singer and still be heard. It also allows for the High pitched singers to have all there notes heard. I personally use the Beta 58 because I don’t have to push as hard, and it saves my vocals. the good news though is even though there is a 70.00 difference between the SM58 and the beta 58, I give a better deal on the Beta’s.

Besides the price? lol. Ok there actually is a big difference and like before you can search it at Shure.com, but here is the short. the 58’s (Beta and SM) both are Dynamic mics, and the 87 beta is a condenser mic. Basically a dynamic mic is the exact opposite of a speaker. a speaker works like this. A signal from a radio travels in the wire to a magnet and create a pattern. this pattern is picked up by a coil winding around the speaker horn and causes it to vibrate which moves the cone and makes sound through the air. Well dynamic mics work the same way in reverse. Sound from your voice vibrates a small diaphragm (speaker) which makes the small coil of wires vibrate in a magnet which creates a pattern and signal and travels down the wires to a board. dynamic mic’s do have a resonance chamber in the handle which actually makes them sound the way they do. Thats why you can not just cut up these mic’s and slap them in a 55 and they sound the same. That’s why I actually had to design a chamber in my mic’s. But a condenser mic works different. it doesn’t have a magnet or a resonance chamber. but it does use a magnetic field. sort of like an electric magnet you made as a kid with a nail and a battery. The capacitor has two plates which has a certain amount of voltage between them. One of the plates in the microphone is made up from light material which acts as a diaphragm.The diaphragm then will vibrate when it is struck by sound waves, which changes the distance between the two different plates which in turn changes the capacitance. condenser mic’s have a small element with plates inside coated with a thin layer of gold. these plates do not touch but are very close together. condenser mic’s, have to have a DC power source to work (phantom power) this power cause a magnetic field in the plates and when you make sound in the mic it reads the vibrations in this field and transfers it to a small on board computer chip and converts your voice into a analogue sound and is transferred down the wires to the board. These mic’s are pretty much the best sounding mic’s out there for the money. They can even be recorded with in a studio. That’s why they are so expensive. But they also are very sensitive and can distort out with too much power and sound going in…..meaning …..no death metal! lol.

Yes I do. I’m willing to work on any of them. I think there is always a way to try and fit something in one of the older mic’s. problem is a lot of these older mics don’t have a lot of space. but I do have two elements that can fit in tight places. (see past projects tab) I have 87 beta that can fit in a area of 2 inches by 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches now. But they are so expensive, so I found a way to convert a R115 element and boost the signal and change the sound and make it sound pretty good. (R115 element is what is found in a 55Sh2) So you can get one of them installed into a small area much cheaper for around 150.00. But if you have a mic you would like restored or retro fitted, just email me and let me know what you are wondering, and I’ll see what I can do.

Yes I do, and at a very fair price. Usually I can get one back to a almost new condition, and working for around 60.00 to 80.00 depending on what all is needed such as screens new switches, new wiring. new connectors, and such.

But the real question is why would you? Even if I rebuilt the mic to sound brand new again, it would still only sound as good as an 80 year old mic. these older mics pick up sound from 360 degrees, and are low on gain. So if you turn it up, it will feedback. Bottom line is they were great back in the day, but with music as loud as it is now, with reverb, and distortion added and everyone crowded on a little stage it will not be perform. They are not bad for, recording, bingo announcing or Ham radio, but that’s about it. So you might as well upgrade it to a modern mic.

Yes. I warranty all my mics for 2 years. But it is a limited warranty which covers normal use.. Every mic I send out gets a written warranty and is serviced by me. Free for two years all but shipping. Same as Shure.

As they say talk is cheap so the best thing is word of mouth from my past customers.. Simply go to my new Facebook page by searching Christopher Curry with Mutant Mics logo, and ask any body you want on my friends list. They constantly add new pics and tell me how happy they are with their mics. Also you can read my feedback comments on my Ebay. I’ve sold over 300 on Ebay, and over 3500 microphones total, from this website. I still have 100% feedback. Last but not least if you are not happy with your mic simply return it for a full refund!

Thats easy! Simply check out my pic’s or come up with your own design, then Email me at whoizitcc69@aol.com. once we come up with your final choices, Ill send you an invoice via email. My invoices are PayPal, but they take credit, debit or PayPal and you do not need to be a PayPal member. Once it is paid I will put you on the books and then order your parts.. Its that easy. You can also mail and pay with check or Money order, But they have to clear before I will even put you on the books..

It varies from time to time. But it mostly is determined by how many orders I have on the books.So the best thing to do is to get on the books ASAP. I can do small orders, warranty work and parts pretty fast just email me and ask. I usually have around 10 orders on the books and average around 10 mics a month..

To add lights to your order on any mic its simply 60.00 more.. Same for if you want your mic converted its still 60.00. Screens may be extra depending on the mic and size.. But a new screen is needed for the lights for the see through effect.

Yes, all the lighted mic’s will need phantom power. But not to sing through, only to light. If you buy a lighted version of the SM58 or the Beta 58 they will still operate under no phantom conditions but will not light…the Beta 87 is the only mic I sell that needs Phantom power all the time….and No, I do not sale battery back ups…One, all batteries eventually leak and corrode the element or finish. Two,there is not enough room. If you play places that do not have phantom power and you need it, buy a phantom power box, or an ART pre-amp with phantom power for about 25.00 to 55.00 on Ebay…

Yes I have a few ways to add different chrome finishes to your mic. check my “what I can do” page for details.

Yes, I have a few ways to make your screen look new again. all with different cost and different ways to install. First I can do it back to original. I charge 30.00 to 50.00 for this being its very hard to do and do correctly. the mic has to be sent to me for this option. the next two options do not have to be sent to me and i can mail out. One is called the pre-cut screen. Precut screens are foam screen just like the ones that came in these mics from the late 60’s on til today. I have three colors to choose from. Blue, Red. and Charcoal Gray. they come pre-cut to the shape of the inside of the mic. but you have to glue them inside. I can do this for you but you have to send me the mic. I sale these set of front and back for 5.00 plus shipping. Now the next and final option is the best. I call them preformed screens. Preformed screens are screens that already are shaped to the inside of the mic and require no gluing.. They hold themselves in place. They take about 5 minutes to put in and can be any color you like. You can even have them in foam as mentioned above. The best part about these screens are they act and sound better than stock. But you must tell me what element you have inside to make sure I build it to perform to that element. Preformed cost 25.00 plus shipping on small 55’s and 35.00 on fatboys. Ask if you want one for another mic also I may have them, such as EV726.

This is the old story of supply and demand. Yes I know a stock SM58 cost around 100.00 and the Beta 58 is around 170.00 new in there stock form. So why is the beta 58 hybrid cheaper than the SM58 version.. Well this is proof I do not do it for the profit.. I totally pass on the savings to the customer. In the beginning, all I did was the SM58 then I got so many request for other mic elements..such as the 58 beta and the 87 beta.. So after redesigning them as I did with the SM58, I started sell them also.. Well quickly the 58 beta started selling more and my whole seller started dropping the price. The more I bought the lower the price.. So instead of keeping the price the same, I kept dropping the price along with my savings. So now I can buy the 58 Beta as cheap as a SM58, And they are easier to convert, and they sound much better… So naturally I kept dropping the price, and I started selling more… Now 98% of the mics I sale are 55 / 58 betas. And the customers love them..

No the Super 55’s do not have a true Beta 58 inside. It has what they call a modified Beta 58. meaning the basic difference is the resonance chamber is a little smaller and the dynamics are worse and the polar pattern is not even close to a 58 beta. In Simple terms.. They have the same diaphragm and same magnet, But different shape and different magnetic field than a stock 58 beta and although they are close they are not as good with the dynamics (wind noise or puff sounds) and feedback repel. So Shure calls it a super cardioid mic, not a Beta 58. As far as the difference in mine and theirs.. is this, this design that the Super has is my old design, I did 15 years ago they used. I have changed my design 6 times since then to make it more like a stock 58 beta Due to complaints I was getting in my older designs… My newest design cannot get any better… It is top of the line. I cant go into detail, But my mics have a better polar pattern and way better design for the dynamics, and you do not get the puff sounds as with the stock Super or the feedback that can happen with the Super 55… Plus I have the full size resonance chamber in my design and its warmer…. Now it is hard to tell the difference in these things unless you are a perfectionist, but I am, and so are the majority of my customers and My version is better, and I have have three sound production companies with my mics that say the same thing.. And a one who say mine sound better than the stock 58 beta when it comes to wind noise and puffs.. But don’t worry all the Super 55’s I sell, I modify with the changes I’ve learned over the years to make them better also… So if you buy a Super 55 from me it will be better sounding, 10.00 cheaper than stock and you can choose what ever screen color you want! That’s the difference.

No, if you have a vintage element inside. the lights will not fit, not to mention the old vintage element do not like 48v running through them. But if you let me upgrade your element and add XLR to your mic I can light it then. If you are wondering why it may be a good idea to upgrade your mic you may want to read #9 above.

The lights work off phantom power from the power mixing board. If you look all over the board you will see a small button sometime in red, listed as PP Phantom +24 +48 usually very small and hard to hit by accident. If you do not have phantom power you can buy inline battery powered phantom boxes that go inline with your cord for around 30.00.. Now as to sharing my lighted design, unfortunately its a trade secret and I do not share it. My design is tried and true and been in the works for almost 20 years now. I do them in a way that it does not effect the polar pattern or draw on the magnet over time. I also build them in a way that if you try to back engineer them it destroys not only the lighting system but also the element. And that being said please ask first if your mic can be lighted. Some mics can not.