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Topic: Rack And Barrel ShoBud Change |
Mike Moffitt
From:
South Carolina
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Posted 13 Sep 2019 8:20 am |
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| I have a 1973 ShoBud Model 6139 that I would like to change to something easier to deal with.Any suggestion on an inexpensive change? I just don't care for rack and barrel. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 13 Sep 2019 2:22 pm
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I would keep the original changer intact, its a BIG part of the sound.. Don't hack it out of there!...
I personally would go with the Sho Bud 2 hole puller system... Uses most of the rack and barrel parts except the racks themselves, and is a lot lighter, quieter and smoother than the racks.. A bit primitive by todays standards, but still a fine system... Less tuning issues than racks as well... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 13 Sep 2019 2:25 pm
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I failed to see the word "inexpensive" in your original post.. Unless you are a master machinist and can make all the parts yourself, I doubt that word will have much relevance to this project unfortunately.. bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Kevin Fix
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 13 Sep 2019 4:56 pm
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| Rack and barrel system is the same system Lloyd Green has been using for years and you cant beat his tone. I would seriously have to say that he has the best tone of any player I have ever heard. My opinion. Would be cheaper to buy another guitar. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 13 Sep 2019 5:52 pm
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| Kevin Fix wrote: |
| Rack and barrel system is the same system Lloyd Green has been using for years and you cant beat his tone. I would seriously have to say that he has the best tone of any player I have ever heard. My opinion. Would be cheaper to buy another guitar. |
Rack and barrels work ok, no question.. However that same changer with the barrels behind 2 hole pullers makes for a lighter, better playing and quieter steel guitar..Agreed, though, its probably not cost effective to do that change over if you had to buy all those pullers, cross shafts and brackets unless he finds a pile of them someone will let go cheap..... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 13 Sep 2019 6:52 pm
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Yes I agree with everything Bob Carlucci has said for any upgrade to the rack and barrel and NOT LOSE the sound. Those were the best sounding fingers shobud ever made; don't change them or just go buy a freakin brand new modern pedal steel...same diff.
And NO lloyd green is not playing a rack and barrel or even a barrel tuning...yes his LDG kept the awesome sounding single/single fingers like that are on the type shobud were talking about...but Shot added a extra raise hole only to the fingers that are raised twice to give him the nylon tuning....upgrade shortly after inception of the first LDG or course and a shorter keyhead gave him a longer scale and less harmonics on other side of rollers.....Ok sorry I'm getting long winded on the tech stuff....but if you want to upgrade the rack and barrel; do what Bob C. said.
Ricky
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Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2019 4:24 am
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Best advice?.. Keep the guitar as it is, well lubed and nicely set up, and pick up something else.. Even if you do all the work yourself, to do a total change over I bet you are looking at close to $1,000 in parts.
Ricky would know better, but the 2 hole pullers each were like $32 each new last time I looked, and the brass insert another $12, and that doesn't even factor in the cross shafts and brackets.
As I stated, maybe someone on the forum could hook you up with a pile of good used stuff at a decent price.. Personally, I say love that wonderful old guitar for what it is, and enjoy playing it. Use the money you would spend on the changeover for another great pedal steel.
The 6139 with R&B is one of the sweetest most classic pedal steel tones ever made ...
I had a 6140 [6 pedal no knees] that I added 3 knee levers to, many years ago.. I miss that guitar more than any other and still long for it although I sold it well over 40 years ago.. the sound is unmatched by anything I have had since... If you really want to change the undercarriage, I know some of the modern steel builders, and steel guitar rebuilders would be happy to put a great modern mechanism under there that will play great and stay in tune, but I can assure you it will cost the same as keeping your 6139 intact, and buying another pedal steel... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Mike Moffitt
From:
South Carolina
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Posted 14 Sep 2019 8:10 am Gonna Keep It.
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From all the replies I guess I will keep the Bud as it is. Will have to find someone in the area that can make the needed adjustments to it. It pedals real hard,and the c pedal rod seems a little too far from b than b is from a.
Thanks for the replies and advice. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2019 1:06 pm Re: Gonna Keep It.
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| Mike Moffitt wrote: |
From all the replies I guess I will keep the Bud as it is. Will have to find someone in the area that can make the needed adjustments to it. It pedals real hard,and the c pedal rod seems a little too far from b than b is from a.
Thanks for the replies and advice. |
If it plays hard, and you can't do the work yourself, get it checked out by a pro... The R&B system IS a dinosaur, but I had a few back in the day, and although it was a bit clanky, that setup should NOT play hard.. Actually the 2 or 3 I had were fairly nice playing.. Get it set up by someone that knows Buds, explain exactly what its doing, etc.. the system should play pretty nice, if not, get it looked over... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Jay Jessup
From:
Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Posted 17 Sep 2019 10:28 am
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Mike, You've already heard from Ricky whom I consider an R&B expert, I shipped my old R&B Bud to him last year and it came back working great and has been my favorite guitar since then after sitting in its case in my storage room for 12 years!
However if you don't want to ship it then it might be worth a call to Billy Knowles as he lives just off of I-40 between I-95 and Wilmington NC so may not be that far from you depending on where in SC you live. Billy is known as an Emmons expert but I don't see any reason why he couldn't get your old Bud up and performing as it was designed.
Because they made lots of these guitar (by pedal steel standards) and they don't have all the bells and whistles of a modern steel they probably will never be worth a lot dollar wise but they sound great!! Good Luck. |
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