Sho Bud Changer

Criss Mills · From: Georgia, USA

I have a Sho Bud Pro II D10 w/ alum. necks from the 70's. I need to rebuild the E9 changer but cannot get it out of the neck. Removed the two allen screws on the top but it does not move. Can anyone help?

Also - I located a site last year that sells new changer fingers for it but cannot find it again on the web. Anyone know who sells the parts?

Thanks
Criss Mills

Martin Weenick · From: Lecanto, FL, USA

The only thing holding the finger houseing down should be 4 wood screws down through the top. Martin
_________________
Several custom steels. NV-112 Boss DD-7

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

If it's the "birdcage" changer, the all-pull fingers aren't going to work, and in my humble opinion, if you can work with the birdcage, it's an excellent sounding changer.

Which isn't meant to imply that the birdcage is not an all-pull changer, but that the fingers are different. Also, the fingers on the birdcage are cast aluminum, if that's an issue.

Criss Mills · From: Georgia, USA

There are no wood screws- only the 2 allen bolts on top that go into the aluminum neck. I am wondering if there are hidden screws behind the pickup. I do not see any on the bottom side.

Criss Mills

Criss Mills · From: Georgia, USA

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This should help clarify the situation. And correction- it is a super pro model. I have already taken out the 2 allen screws. I think the others hold the neck to the wood body.

Criss Mills

Andy Hinton · From: Louisiana, USA * R.I.P.

Chris; I think you have to remove all pullrods then drive the axel out. May even heve to remove the neck which is fastened thru the deck with 6 or 8 screws. The man to get changer fingers from is John Coop. Think He is a Forum Member. Andy H.

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

Criss Mills · From: Georgia, USA

Thanks everyone- I got that far and did not have to take the neck off or the changer body out.

The axel does not show much wear to my eye or touch and the fingers all seem about the same. Some looser than others on the axel. The problem started with the high E string not returning all the way. I disconnected the rods and it still seemed to stick a little and wiggle to the side more than the other fingers so I assumed it had problems at the axel.

Guess I need to replace them all while I am at it and hope it cures the problem. Would that be the opinion of those who have already been through this- get new set of Coop fingers and put it back together?

Glad I joined the Forum- a lot of good advice and help out there that cannot be found otherwise.

Andy Hinton · From: Louisiana, USA * R.I.P.

Chris: I don't think you had a finger problem; sounds like your return springs have stretched, a common thing with Buds. The fix is to cut about 2 wraps off the springs that don't pullback enough & rebend the hook. Simple huh. Andy H.

Steven Black · From: Gahanna, Ohio, USA

You have to remove the necks, if it were wood then you would not have to remove them, I have a Pro III and had to do it to my guitar to fix a pickup, I later sent it to John Coop to update to a new pedal changers, his super fingers style which work really well.

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Florida USA

I just picked up my rebuilt "Cooperized" LDG from John Coop last Friday. He lives about an hour or so from me. Trust me, he has every conceivable Sho-Bud part that was ever made. I saw 'em. Better yet, he makes replacement parts that are miles better than the originals. We talked for a couple of hours and there's no doubt in my mind that he knows more about Sho-Bud steels than anyone. Incredible.

I'll be posting pictures of the LDG after I play it out on a gig.

Criss Mills · From: Georgia, USA

Thanks Tony, I think I might put it back together first and give it a try- a lot of trouble but it might be worth it.

Criss

Criss Mills · From: Georgia, USA

Andy Hinton
I wanted to move the fingers around to put the ones in best condition where I had the problem... but I do not understand the logic of the springs. The lower cams with the holes for the pull rods that lower notes i.e. E to Eb, all have springs on them. The upper rod holes that raise notes seem to be associated with the cast finger on the axel which also has a spring...however not all of them have springs. The high E string which is raised and lowered has no spring and like one other finger does not even have an eye on the casting to receive a spring. The rest do have eyes but only some have springs. What is the logic here? Should there be a spring on all? or a spring on the ones that raise and a spring on the ones that lower?

Confused?

Criss

Andy Hinton · From: Louisiana, USA * R.I.P.

Chris: The springs I was refering to are the obes you see first with the guitar turned upside down. They are called return springs. The other springs down next to the deck are helper springs, supposedly to make the raise pedals easier to push. They work well on the larger strings but on strings that both raise & lower like the E's & some B's & G# 6th str. they can creat a problem. Thus no helpers on some of the fingers. This could also be part of your problem. Can't say for sure without having my hands[eyes] on the thing. Hope this helps you a little. Sorry if my post confused you.
I have a 78 Pro II I bought used ten yrs. aggo. When I first got it all the fingers had helpers on them. Couldn't get the high E to lower enough. took off the spring problem solved. Kept playing & adjusting 'til it felt & sounds right. I think there may be 4 helper springs left on it & is the easiest pedaling steel I've ever tried to play. Anything else I might can help you with just shoot me an email or post it. I don't post anything EVERY DAY but I surf The Forum almost every day.
Andy H.

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Most likely just a return spring problem. That with some lube.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i would definitely try the spring approach first!

Criss Mills · From: Georgia, USA

All

Thanks for the changer help- I am working my way through the spring logic now. The changer had 6 "helper" springs on the upper pull fingers to raise strings. They seem to have hardly any tension on them (to almost none) before the pedals and levers are pressed. Should they be tighter to provide help to the raise pedals and levers?

The C pedal has always been much harder to depress than the A pedal- could this be part of it?

Thanks
Criss

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Andy and Chris, John Coop told me to take off the "helper" springs on any lowers. But my guitar is a '67 rack and barrels axe. The most primitive R&b style. So,,,YMMV.

Martin Weenick · From: Lecanto, FL, USA

Bent, I didn't know he had a aluminum neck, I must have missed that part. Most all old Sho Bud wood neck guitars had 4 wood screws holding the changer houseing down. I also use machine screws from underneath to hold down the changer houseing, it's a much better way of attaching it. Martin.
_________________
Several custom steels. NV-112 Boss DD-7

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