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Post new topic Carter vs. Sho-Bud
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Author Topic:  Carter vs. Sho-Bud
Bari Smith


From:
Spartanburg SC USA
Post  Posted 26 Aug 2006 6:05 pm    
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Pros?Cons?How does the"feel"compare?
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Curt Langston


Post  Posted 26 Aug 2006 7:55 pm    
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Sho-Bud in it's day............
Carter today........


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Kevin Hatton

 

From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
Post  Posted 26 Aug 2006 11:40 pm    
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You can't compare the two, they are two different guitars. Carter has superior mechanics. Sho-Bud has superior sound (personal opinion). Though a Sho-Bud in poor condition is frustrating to play. The Carter will play flawless. Each is a good guitar.

[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 27 August 2006 at 12:40 AM.]

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Micky Byrne


From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
Post  Posted 27 Aug 2006 12:46 am    
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Hi Bari, I have both, and both are universals. The Carter I have is a 2000 with BCT, and my Sho-Bud is around 1974, one of the old ones with tear drop levers and wide pedals. I agree with Kevin to a certain extent. On the sound, it depends on the amp and amp settings. I have to tweak the amp for each guitar to sound the same or as near as possible. Mechanically the Carter is great, but so is the Sho-Bud when it is set up correctly. In a way the Carter sounds more like the P/P I used to have years ago, before I went on to universals.

Micky Byrne www.mickybyrne.com
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Billy Carr

 

From:
Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 27 Aug 2006 2:15 am    
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Well, I've just purchased new Carter #6, so I guess that speaks for itself. My favorite Sho-Bud was the 3 LDG's I've had over the years. Those LDG's, all 3, had a wonderful feel to each one and great tone. The first two had Sho-Bud p/u's and the last one, I put a BL-705 in it. Years ago, I can still remember playing Super Pros that I would've given anything to have owned but couldn't afford one at the time. Today, there's so many great guitars being built until any brand is pretty much going to be good. But getting back to your topic, Carter vs Sho-Bud, mechanics in my opinion will be the Carter. For tradition, definitely the Bud's.
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Frank Parish

 

From:
Nashville,Tn. USA
Post  Posted 27 Aug 2006 4:43 am    
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The Carter has shorter pedal travel and is as soft or softer to the touch. There is no comparison in the mechanics and you don't break your back to carry the Carter to the gig. The second string half stop is the best of any I've played period, solid and tunable.
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Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 27 Aug 2006 6:35 am    
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I've owned both, and the only comparison I can make is that I love both of them. Besides that, they're not similar in any way, in my experience.
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Michael Barone


From:
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Post  Posted 27 Aug 2006 8:15 am    
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After playing a Sho-Bud Pro-1 for a while, I thought I would never be able to use a half stop. Then I got a new Carter. The easy, precise half stop made a world of difference.

Another difference that affected me a lot was the presence of the higher strings, particularly strings 3 & 1. On my Sho-Bud I just could not get the high strings to match the volume of the low strings (to my personal satisfaction) after trying a few different pickups and eq adjustments. I got into the habit of picking them harder.

My Carter is balanced and smooth, and has the tone I've been looking for.

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Mike Barone
2006 Carter S10 5&5, Sho-Bud Pro-1 5&5, BJS 15/16" Bar, Nashville 112
Assorted Guitars & Keyboards
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Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 27 Aug 2006 8:17 am    
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I don't find the 2nd string half-stop on my Carter as stiff and accurate as the half-stop I installed on my Pro 1.
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Paddy Long


From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
Post  Posted 27 Aug 2006 5:01 pm    
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The Carter hands down ...my old Super Pro was a dog by comparison.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 28 Aug 2006 12:30 am    
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Chris, are you saying the PRO 1 factory half stop is more positive and accurate as compared to the current Carter factory half stop ?

Or did you add a half stop mechanism ?

The Carter half stop is not bad , although for my tastes required a bit more "STOP" which I have accomplished. I set it up as directed by John and Bud and then added another home brew mechanism, designed much like the EMMONS LEGRANDE 1/2 stop assy.

But I really didn't need to...

What can be done on any D10 is to add yet another pull to a C6TH string on the same lever, adjust it so that it does not become active until it is at the half stop postion of the lever. Basically you will be just adding an additional SPRING to tighten up the half stop position. Obviously you will need another Bellcrank and rod to do this.

My RKR basically stops dead at the half stop and is very stiff to get the full tone lower.

I personally use the half stop very often, the full tone now and then so this works for me.

It can be done.



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TPrior
TPrior Steel Guitar Homesite

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Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 28 Aug 2006 4:18 am    
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Yes, Tony, I installed the half-stop on my 'Bud and had that thing set super stiff. I can't get the Carter half-stop as stiff. If there's a way to tighten the Carter half-stop, I can't see it. I can see where it can be adjusted for position, but nothing to tighten it. The added pull on the C6 is a good idea. But I'd like to use any extra rods and pullers, if I had any, to add changes on the E9.

Is there a way to tighten the built-in half-stop on the Carter?
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