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Topic: Best overall Sho Bud? |
Gary Meyer
From:
Sacramento, California, USA
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 8:31 am |
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| In your humble opinions: Which model is the best overall Sho Bud model? Maintaince/durablity/tone etc. |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 9:36 am Re: Best overall Sho Bud?
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Gary you are hopefully going to get many answers on this, but on the whole I think the answers will be on any of the older Sho-Buds before they went to the Pot metal that infuriated many players who had knee levers snap off while playing. The majority of Sho-Buds have great tone due to the good Maple they used and the way they were constructed, however every steel will differ in playing ability depending on how they've been set up. Maintenance is pretty much a "must" on all steels especially if the player gigs out alot.
Micky Byrne United Kingdom
Sho-Bud and Carter universals |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 10:41 am
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| Super pro II,,,,,,,,,,,,,? |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 10:47 am
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| Pro II, amen |
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Don Sulesky
From:
Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 11:06 am
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I'm sure the SuperPro II is the best.
I've owned two SuperPros one with aluminum and one with wooden necks and I have had no problems with either one.
I find no problem with the pot metal knee levers.
From my experience watching how rough some are on the knee levers I can see how they would break them, but if you are careful and not act like a bull in a china closet when you play then they should stand up well. |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 11:23 am
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I owned one of the pot metal wonders and it had no sustain, kind of like a banjo. A pretty terrible guitar all around.
On the other hand, my Pro II Custom was a great guitar. Not all Pro II's are created equal. Mine was assembled by Paul Frianklin and previously owned by Jim Vest. It had a lot of sustain and was very stable mechanically. The undercarriage had knee lever stops that were beefier than many I had seen on stock Pro II's so MAYBE some were built out of better parts than others?
Greg |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 11:54 am
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None of the Super Pro IIs ever had pot metal zinc parts, all were machined aluminum. All seven of the guitars that were built.
These guitars are a little expensive today because of the collector demand but if you are going to play Sho-Bud, this is the greatest choice,if you demand the best. However there are other Sho-Bud Models that will work and very well too ,,,, up to a point. As far as the zinc (pot metal) parts go, sure, a little brittle and weak, but very easily replaceable with aluminum or steel factory duplicated parts.
Sounds like some of you are not familiar with the differences in the Pro II, Super Pro, and the Super Pro IIs. These three Sho-Buds are all very different built guitars, no body parts will interchange, totally different bodys. As a matter of fact, I'll tell you something that almost no one knows, the Sho-Bud Super Pro II wasn't even built or designed by David, Harry or Shot Jackson, but by an employee named Gene Haugh in Magazine AR. It was to be an improvement on the Sho-Bud guitars that were being made by The Baldwin Kustom Grestch Co. of Chanute KS. And it was an improvement. But when Fred Grestch bought the entire company from Baldwin, (so he could have his name,"Gretsch" back) he stopped production on the Super Pro II because , in his words, "We have to many steel guitars models already", that expensive one has to GO!". And go it did. A shame.
Show how wierd I am, if I had to play Sho-Bud and couldn't have a SP II, I'd play a well built, well adjusted permenant early '60s model like I played with Paycheck in the '80s. But this is just me. And are they good guitars? Naw, but I like the funky factor. It looks good in my '48 ford.
Bobalero
Last edited by Bobbe Seymour on 29 Feb 2008 1:39 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 12:46 pm
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You sound like quite an authority Greg, how many Sho-Buds have you owned? Which ones? How long did you have them and when did you start your education on these great guitars?  |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 1:01 pm
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Hey Bobbe S,
When you get a chance, take a look at my post & pics, and see if you know anything at all about this Sho-Bud SuperPro Steel Guitar.
It's also in the Steel Players, with a direct link to this site. Thanks Don |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 1:13 pm
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Don Brown,I know when it was built approx. and who did the inlay, (Coly Colman did several of these) but I don't know who the first owner was.
It is a standard Super Pro, Not a Super Pro II.
Looks very nice though.
Bobbe
Last edited by Bobbe Seymour on 29 Feb 2008 1:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 1:19 pm
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Thanks Bobbe, I figured if anyone knew anything at all about it, it would be you.
Chick sends a hi to ya too.
Thanks again
PS: The entire pedal board front is also Mother of Pearl inlay as well. |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 1:45 pm
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Don, I'm sure I really don't know "everything", but when most of these guitars were built, I was a Sho-Bud player, dealer, in Nashville and the Jackson boys were my great friends. We spent a lot of "Steel guitar time" together.
Two other folks that knew what was going on were the Elliotts, Ron and Leslie. I think Leslie Elliott worked at Sho-Bud for 16 years or so, this is where I got to know the great playing talents of Ron Elliott. (and his humor!)
B. |
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Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 3:05 pm Re: Best overall Sho Bud?
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| Gary Meyer wrote: |
| In your humble opinions: Which model is the best overall Sho Bud model? Maintaince/durablity/tone etc. |
Mine  |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 4:38 pm
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I owned an 80's Pro 1 and a '76 6139. The '70s model sounded better, to my ear. Much more sustain and a real nice growl. I also found that the two-hole pullers on the older model were less rattly than the later rod clips. The '69 Baldwin D10 I had was hands-down the best tone-wise, but without the know-how to properly adjust the rack and barrel, I had to let it go.
I don't think you can go wrong with a mid-70s, two-hole puller 'Bud. Just my humble opinion from limited experience.
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Joe Minor
From:
Picayune Mississippi
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 5:11 pm
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Il like pro 3
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Bill Moran
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 8:25 pm
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Joe, Never liked blue but that is a great
looking ProIII. Would look good in my
music room !! 
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Bill |
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James Collett
From:
San Dimas, CA
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Posted 29 Feb 2008 9:06 pm
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Mine- oh darn, I don't have one 
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James Collett |
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Jimmie Martin
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2008 1:46 am sho-bud
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Joe those are some very nice sho-buds there. It looks like you take great care of them.  |
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William Fraser
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2008 5:20 am Best Bud
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I have been told,the round front Pro-II is amongst the best ,
 all around models.I liked the tone & lack of choice,on my Pro-I better, but playing a solid old D-10 is like driving a Packard , it feels like it has 9 main bearings & weighs 6 thousand pounds & smoooth. I better stop. Billy Lee Fraser
 
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Billy Lee ,Pro-II,, Session 400,Session 500 , Supro , National, SpeedDemons,& too many Archtops & Stratotones.Lots of vintage parts for Kay ! etc. |
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Antolina
From:
Dunkirk NY
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Posted 1 Mar 2008 5:34 am
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| Chris LeDrew wrote: |
| I don't think you can go wrong with a mid-70s, two-hole puller 'Bud. Just my humble opinion from limited experience. |
What Chris said.
_________________
The only thing better than doing what you love is having someone that loves you enough to let you do it.
Sho~Bud 6139 3+3
Marrs 3+4
RC Antolina |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 1 Mar 2008 6:26 am
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| For some folks, the best could be the famous Maverick! |
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Jeff Hyman
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2008 7:12 pm
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How do LDG's compare to a PRO-2 and is there a way to determine date-of-build?
_________________
Jeff Hyman
jeffshobud@gmail.com
Sho~Bud LDG
WEBB and Fender Deluxe
www.cactus.com |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 1 Mar 2008 7:25 pm
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Jeff, from what I've learned here and by word of mouth, the Pro II and LDG models were concurrent. They were both in production for roughly ten years, starting in '73. Serial numbers are famously uninformative on Sho~Bud guitars in general. You have to go by the characteristics of the guitar, namely the mechanics, headstock, pedals, etc. Even then , there are variables. It's an addictive habit, figuring out this elusive brand of steel. A lot of guys here can narrow a 'Bud down to its year of manufacture merely by seeing one pic.
Check this link out:
http://www.planet.eon.net/~gsimmons/shobud/models.html
For all of Bobbe's joking around, he probably knows the most about the Sho~Bud legacy.
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 1 Mar 2008 7:34 pm
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| Truer words hath naar been spaketh Chris.. |
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Duane Reese
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Posted 1 Mar 2008 9:54 pm
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Make my vote for 1973 Pro-II model 6155 with barrels and 2-hole pullers (what Billy Lee is playing in the pic, which used to me mine, and now I own another one two serial numbers off).
The mechanism may not be all things to all players, but of the Sho-Buds, those are the ones. |
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