Custom-Made Snake Wood Body for SHURE M44 / M55 Cartridge Series

Custom-Made Snakewood Body for Shure M44 / M55 Cartridge Series

This custom-made cartridge body is crafted from genuine snakewood (Brosimum guianense)—one of the densest and most acoustically refined exotic tonewoods available. Designed specifically for the Shure M44 and M55 cartridge series, it replaces the original plastic housing and elevates the cartridge to an entirely new performance level.

Why Snakewood?

Snakewood is renowned for its extreme density, rigidity, and natural damping properties. These characteristics make it ideal for precision audio applications, as unwanted resonances are absorbed rather than reflected back into the generator.

Compared to the stock plastic body, snakewood:

• Dramatically reduces micro-resonances

• Provides superior mechanical grounding

• Improves energy transfer from stylus to cartridge body

• Enhances long-term structural stability

Sound Improvements

The sonic transformation is immediately noticeable and highly musical:

• Tighter, deeper bass
  Bass becomes more controlled, textured, and authoritative without bloat.

• Cleaner, more natural midrange
  Vocals and instruments gain body, realism, and emotional presence.

• Smoother, more refined highs
  High frequencies are extended yet free from glare or harshness.

• Improved dynamics and transient response
  Attacks are faster, decay is more natural, and timing is more precise.

• Larger, more stable soundstage
  Better separation, improved imaging, and clearer placement of instruments.

Overall, the cartridge sounds more open, organic, and analog-correct, with a clear reduction in coloration compared to the original body.

Craftsmanship

Each body is hand-made, individually shaped and finished to highlight the unique natural grain of snakewood. No two pieces are identical. Precision tolerances ensure a secure fit for Shure M44 and M55 generators while maintaining optimal alignment and mass.

Who Is It For?

This upgrade is ideal for:

• Audiophiles seeking maximum performance from classic Shure cartridges

• Vintage hi-fi enthusiasts

• Analog purists who value natural timbre and tonal density

• Listeners who want to transform a legendary broadcast/DJ cartridge into a high-end listening tool

Conclusion

The Custom Snakewood Body turns the Shure M44/M55 from a capable classic into a serious audiophile cartridge, unlocking resolution, musicality, and refinement that the original plastic body simply cannot deliver.

A true upgrade in sound, feel, and craftsmanship.