Sho-Bud amps- ???

Terry McArthur · From: North Hills, California, USA

Hello,

Would any body know the difference (other than the obvious) between the Sho-Bud dual channel "Christmas Tree" amp and it's single channel counterpart? These were released at the same time.

I'm looking at a single channel version and don't want to miss-out on any features or quality that the 'tree' amp might have over it. I do realize that the 'tree" amp has all the controls in a little box in the upper left hand side and the single looks like it has standard knob layout. Also, I have seen both silver face and black face of the single.

Thanks - Terry

Michael Douchette · From: Gallatin, TN (deceased)

MOST guys that I know always said the single channels sounded better, and were less prone to problems... fwiw...
_________________
Mikey D... H.S.P.
Music hath the charm to soothe a savage beast, but I'd try a 10mm first.

http://www.steelharp.com
http://www.thesessionplayers.com/douchette.html

(other things you can ask about here)
http://s117.photobucket.com/albums/o54/Steelharp/

Terry McArthur · From: North Hills, California, USA

Thanks Michael - This is the kind of info I was looking for.

-Terry

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

I think John Floyd used to be an amp tech at Sho-Bud.

Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

Hey Terry, sorry for the off topic but it's great to see you here!! Just wanted to say that those are some incredible guitars you're building!! I've played Deke's original TNM few times and checked out your new ones at the Geek Show last January. Keep up the great work!! Smile

Terry McArthur · From: North Hills, California, USA

Jussi,

Well, fancy meeting you here as well. Thanks for the nice comment.

I've alway loved the pedal steel and lately have been thinking of getting one. I may be to old a dog to start now though Sad

but these steel guys have the best amps. I've been trying for months to get one of those Christmas Tree amps like Deke has. You've probably played through that too. I didn't know you were into steels as well.

Take care, hope to see you again soon.

Terry

Michael Lee Allen · From: Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois

DELETED
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"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."

Michael Lee Allen · From: Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois

DELETED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."

Michael Lee Allen · From: Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois

DELETED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."

Michael Lee Allen · From: Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois

DELETED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."

Michael Lee Allen · From: Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois

DELETED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."

Terry McArthur · From: North Hills, California, USA

Holy smokes - Now that's covering the category.

Thanks Michael. The amp I'm looking at looks just like the Single Channel except it has a black knob plate instead of the silver and has the Sho-Bud logo plate at the bottom. I would say it's probably a little later model than in the catalog picture.

Thanks again. I'm quite sure that these catalog pictures are going to help a lot of people.

John Floyd · From: R.I.P.

The Christmas Tree and The Single Channel have identical Circuitry as Far as Preamp Design. They Both were Designed By Kenneth Cain. The Later Models With The Slider Pots, I'm not sure of, they may have been developed by Baldwin after the sale of the company.

I gave Herby Wallace a Stack of Schematics of the single channel and christmas Tree models, that he could pass out or have ready for his customers about 7 years ago. He may still have some. You need to contact Herby, as I am no longer involved with Electronics and retired. Thank God Very Happy

John

Terry McArthur · From: North Hills, California, USA

Thanks John,

Can you verify that the amp in the pictures is a single channel version of the Christmas Tree?

BTW who coined the name "Christmas Tree"? I have not seen a model number for these amps. Either the dual channel or the single. Not even in the catalog.

John Floyd · From: R.I.P.

There were a lot More of them Made Than Anything Else, I don't recall The Model Numbers or if there actually were Model Numbers.

There was one other Model that was farmed out to a Company in Nashville called Nuclear Devices or something to that effect and it had a preamp that clamped to the leg of a Steel Guitar. These didn't sound as good as the other Shobud Amps, but are extremely rare. There is nothing Magical about ShoBud Amps, The Secret was in the JBL D130 15" Speaker, almost any clean amp with the same speaker will sound good.

The Christmas Tree Dual Channel was called that, Because Shot Jackson looked at The Lights On the lit up Control Panel and said that Looks Like A damn Christmas Tree.

He once told me that My Cabinets Looked Like Chicken Coops. Laughing

He was a plain spoken Man and didn't waste any time getting to the point. He was a Good man with a big Heart and Helped Those Who needed it.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

"vitrato"???????

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

chas! Cool! A lefty and a righty! Do they have "vitrato?"

Terry McArthur · From: North Hills, California, USA

Chas - You don't see a pair like that everyday.

John Billings - The Christmas Tree (2 channel) has Vibrato the single does not.

John Floyd or anyone - Can you verify if the amp in the pictures I posted is the Single counterpart of the Christmas Tree?

Thanks

Michael Lee Allen · From: Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois

DELETED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."

Lonnie Portwood · From: Jacksonville, fl. USA

The "Christmas tree", so called because of the colored lights behind the knobs, was designed (the controls, not the amp)by Billy Robinson, Hall of Fame member, who also designed the "SHO-BUD" logo. Billy followed Jerry Byrd as the WSM staff steel player in 1948/49, at the age of 19.Later served in the military, came home, became a graphic artist. Billy is quite a painter as well. You can usually hear/meet Billy at the convention in St. Louis, and some of the regional steel shows. Billy is a true gentleman and great musician. Lonnie Portwood
_________________
Music is probably the most "spiritual of mankinds emotions, and when practised with a pure heart, can lead one into the presence of God, who invented it. Lonnie Portwood

John Floyd · From: R.I.P.

Terry McArthur · From: North Hills, California, USA

John,
Sorry, didn't notice that your answer was in the Subject line.

So, what were the production years of these amps?

John Floyd · From: R.I.P.

Probably 72 - 79 or so at Shobud, around 79 The Whole Operation was sold To Baldwin. There was Some Association With Baldwin going Back to the 60's, They Worked together on Several Projects. I was there around 73 - 74. In 74 I made some different colored Naugahyde Cabinets for the Dj Convention Week. This came about Because Lloyd Green wanted a green pad for his Guitar, I had enough Material left over to cover his amp too and at first management chewed me out for not going thru them for doing Lloyd's amp, then they got to thinking about it and sent me out to buy some more materialof different colors and cover several single channel models for a display. It turned out to be one of the wonderful ideas that management often came up with. Shocked

The Person That Can Tell you more about ShoBud's History is Leslie Elliott, Ron's Wife. She ran Shobud or Music City Manufacturing. When Shot came to the Factory he went directly to Leslie to find out what was going on. I always said that I worked for Leslie and Hid out from David, Shots Son. Very Happy

Joe A. Camacho · Posted 25 Aug 2008 9:32 am **Re: Just Guessing, Would be a Rough Estimate!**

That's funny, I've got a blue one, and always wondered who would re-cover this amp on blue... Even the reverb tank and power cord are blue.

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