I've used the AKG D40 for years....it's a brilliant microphone, very similar to the Shure SM57 but with a smaller footprint. It doesn't have the presence spike of the SM57, which makes it more useful in a studio environment, as I get a reasonably flat signal. For live applications, I've seen a lot of big sound companies using it for micing guitar amps as well as drums, and it does the job. All metal - can survive a nuclear holocaust.