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Topic: Sho-Bud 12-string Owners? |
Tom Bradshaw
From:
Walnut Creek, California, USA
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Posted 19 Mar 2005 1:37 pm |
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I'm having new fretboards made up for 10 and 12-string Sho-Buds. The stock fretboard on the 12-stringer I have is 3" wide at the nut. This board doesn't cover the full complement of strings on this guitar at the nut end.
Here are some dimenstions: The width of all 12 strings is 3 1/4" at the nut. The neck on which the board sits is 3 7/8" wide.
I am thinking of having the new fretboards made so they will be 3 3/8" wide at the nut end. This will work fine on the guitar I have, but would such a board fit other 12-string Sho-Bud necks?
Does anyone own a 12-string Sho-Bud that has a much narrower string-width than 3" at the nut?
I'd hate to have the boards made up and discover that I'm the only person who has a 12-string Sho-Bud with wide string spacing (at the nut end) as this one is. Please let me (and other readers) know if a new 12-string Sho-Bud fretboard would fit on the neck of your Sho-Bud 12-stringer if it were 3 3/8" wide at the nut.
Incidentally, the width of the fretboard at the opposite end is quite satisfactory. ...Tom [This message was edited by Tom Bradshaw on 19 March 2005 at 01:38 PM.] |
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Ray Riley
From:
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted 19 Mar 2005 10:30 pm
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Tom, I just measured mine.
At Nut wood 3 3/4"
Fretboard 2 7/8" Should be3 1/2"
wood At 14th fret 4"
24th fret 3 3/8 Should be 3 3/4"
bridge wood 5 1/2"
Looks like 1/16th aluminium 24 frets 17 3/4" long set 1/4" from Nut. Hope it helps. Ray
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Sho-Bud S-12 and a brand new N112
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Bill Flores
From:
Ventura, California, USA
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Posted 20 Mar 2005 12:00 am
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| Tom, my fretboard is 3 3/16 at the nut.I think the 3 3/8 fretboard would be a big improvement.Would it be a direct copy of the stock one? In any case ,I would be interested in one if/when you have them made. Thanks, Bill |
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Tom Bradshaw
From:
Walnut Creek, California, USA
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Posted 20 Mar 2005 11:21 am
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I was beginning to think I was the only person who owned a 12-string Sho-Bud.
Ray: It looks like there is a bit of a difference in Sho-Bud 12-stringers since your wood width at the nut is 1/8" narrower than the instrument I have. Your measured your fretboard and it came out 1/8" narrower than what I have. That's odd. It makes me think we both erred a little and the board is actually 2 15/16". Regardless, both of our fretboards are too narrow at the nut end. Also, I plan to have these boards made so there is no gap between the board and the nut block. That makes the Sho-Bud I have look tacky.
Bill: You somehow got a fretboard that is at least 3/16" wider than what Ray and I have. You are correct that the board should be wider. I was thinking of making it at least 3 3/8" wide. That would cover the strings. I'm thinking that if I made it, say, 3 1/2" wide (and you and Ray both feel is best), I might run into a 12-stringer with a narrow neck and the board would not cover the wooden neck (hanging over slightly). Do either of you think that is a possibility?
I have dropped an email to Duane Marrs, asking him nearly the same questions. Duane is an expert on these guitars. I hope to hear from him and settle my dilemma. Maybe others will chime-in here and settle it for me (us).
Yes, I'm having these boards made up. They will look identical to any other Sho-Bud fretboard--same shade of red and same semi-gloss black finish. The Sho-Bud 12-string board is the only one I was thinking of changing its dimensions.
My primary purpose in having the boards made up is because of my restoration work. I hate putting an old beat up fretboard back on a guitar that otherwise looks new. I'm having replica fretboards of the Dekley, Sho-Bud and MSA guitars made. I did a survey on the "Accessories" topic thread some weeks ago and discovered that most Forumites who wanted new fretboards were owners of these guitars. If I were able to get enough people (25) who wanted new fretboards for other brands to make a reques, I'd have those brands duplicated too. However, any brand that is currently available from the manufacturer is not one I'm going to have replicated.
I will probably be willing to send one of these boards to any Forumite who requests to see one. They can check it out and if they like it they can buy it or if not, return it.
I hope this covers things. I'd appreciate all input on this subject. ...Tom |
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Bill Flores
From:
Ventura, California, USA
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Posted 20 Mar 2005 12:09 pm
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| Tom, my neck width at the nut is 3 5/8, so for my guitar the wider the fretboard the better.My fret board is of the late type,just black background, white markers and edges.I do have trouble in certain lighting conditions that the 1st. or the 2nd . string can be invisible due to the edge of the fretboard resting right in my line of vision.Hope this helps. Bill |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 20 Mar 2005 12:58 pm
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All the 12 string Sho-bud necks are the same size; I think the difference is in everyones measuring.
Tom; you have one and your measuring it; so what ever exact you come up with; it will be right for any 12-string Sho~bud>no worries.
Tom; if your going to make 10-string Fretboards; I would be interested, as I still haven't found newly made Sho-bud fretboards to be exact in the fret lines. If you do; here are the exact to the center of the fretlines from the center of the nut for a 24" scale 24 fret line board>
fret note Inches
0 E 0
1 F 1 23/64
2 F#/Gb 2 5/8
3 G 3 53/64
4 G#/Ab 4 61/64
5 A 6 1/32
6 A#/Bb 7 1/32
7 B 7 63/64
8 C 8 57/64
9 C#/Db 9 47/64
10 D 10 17/32
11 D#/Eb 11 19/64
12 E 12 1/64
13 F 12 11/16
14 F#/Gb 13 5/16
15 G 13 59/64
16 G#/Ab 14 31/64
17 A 15 1/64
18 A#/Bb 15 33/64
19 B 16
20 C 16 29/64
21 C#/Db 16 7/8
22 D 17 17/64
23 D#/Eb 17 21/32
24 E 18 1/64
I know you probably know this; but so far, all newly made Sho-bud fretboards are not even close to this exact scale.
Ricky
[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 20 March 2005 at 01:06 PM.] |
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Tom Bradshaw
From:
Walnut Creek, California, USA
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Posted 20 Mar 2005 2:27 pm
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Thanks for the info Ricky. I was provided with "proof" copies of all the fretboards before the final silk-screening, so checked the fret markings with the measurements you provided. My ruler doesn't have 32nds or 64ths on it, but my visual observations makes me believe that these boards are nearly right on with what you provided. I used your 2nd fret measurement as my base point. The measurements that were end in 1/8ths and 1/16ths appeared to be right on with the fret lines in your masurements.
As you know, the 3 fretboards I'm replicating (MSA, Sho-Bud and Dekley) are all are for 24" neck lengths. Initially, I noticed that there was a "variety" of differences in the fret lines on a new Sho-Bud 10-string board, as compared to an old one. Why thoes lines were changed between one printing and the next was a bit amazing. I also had 10- and 12-string fretboards of all three brands when I embarked on this project. I discovered that all were a bit different between the brands. I did some measuring on my own and concluded that the Dekley was the most accurate, although the old 12-string Sho-Bud was very close to the Dekley (but as you mentioned, was quite off from the new 10-string Sho-Bud board.
Comparing all the "proof" copies of the three boards, I'd say they are so close to the measurements you provided, that I'll be very pleased with the finished product.
I will be able, before the final production run, to widen the Sho-Bud 12-string boards to 3 3/8" at the nut. This will be a much better layout as Ray and Bill recommend.
All the fret symbols on all the boards will be nearly identical to what was originally printed on all the 3 boards. I discovered some graphic and registry errors in all the symbols on all the boards when originally printed. Those errors have been corrected. All three designs will look the same at first glance, but if closely examined, it will be seen that certain flaws that were in the original boards have been removed.
Thanks for everyone's input. I'll alert everyone on the "Accessories" topic when the boards are completed. ...Tom[This message was edited by Tom Bradshaw on 21 March 2005 at 07:09 AM.] |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Winnie Winston
From:
Tawa, Wellington, NZ * R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Mar 2005 3:33 am
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Speaking of 12 string Sho-Buds...
Long ago, Bill Keith had a S-12 Sho Bud "fingertip". It was a terrible guitar-- knee levers that would not budge, a LKV that lifter the guitar off the floor when activated...
I do not know what became of this instrument, and I'm curious if anyone ever saw the s-12 fringertip.
JW |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2005 1:02 pm
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I had an S-12 Sho~Bud for a while and I think the reason I had such a hard time playing it is because it had a 10 string fretboard. I had a hard time seeing the strings, the fretboard didn't cover the neck adequately.
Erv |
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