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Author Topic:  Would you gig a older sho-bud?
Greg Johnson


From:
Greencastle, Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 5:03 am    
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I grew up loving the sound of the Sho-bud. I have always wanted one and it seems like the time to get one is now. But I wonder how many still gig their 70's Bud weekly. I am a weekend warrior now, but my guitars get there work out every weekend. So can I gig it if I buy it?
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 5:18 am    
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yes, I bring out the Pro I , a 77 build, once a month to a regular gig .

I have brought out the Pro III now and then as well, a 75 build.
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Last edited by Tony Prior on 12 Dec 2015 5:25 am; edited 2 times in total
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Jon Light


From:
Saugerties, NY
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 5:24 am    
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Yes. Period.

Do whatever maintenance that it needs. Get it up to snuff, if necessary. If you are a nervous person (I am), replace pot metal undercarriage parts on late Pro 1 and Super Pro (and LDG's of that era) guitars. Otherwise, leave them alone because there are far more guitars that don't break parts than there are that do (I am personally aware of enough guitars that snapped knee lever brackets so I can't get it out of my head).

A Bud is a workhorse. Not a fragile museum piece.
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Jeff Mead


From:
London, England
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 5:47 am    
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I'm gigging my '75 6139.

Never even occurred to me not to.
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Bob Carlucci

 

From:
Candor, New York, USA
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 6:05 am    
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I agree.. No reason to be afraid of a Bud if its "running good".. I will only give you this piece of advice, and it WILL piss off some of the resident Bud lovers.. I AM a Bud lover by the way, However after may years of owning and playing Buds onstage and in the studio, I must tell you they are not all created equal.. I have owned at least 12 pro model Sho Buds in the 39 years I have been playing, so I do have some experience.. Some of them are very tempremental, and you will have issues keeping them in tune. I have had owned and played every mechanism and changer that Sho Bud made except for the old pull/release.. Rack and barrel, 2 hole pullers, Super Pro and the various changers they used. For whatever reason, I have had a hell of a time keeping them in tune sufficiently... I was always tweaking the end plate nylons, or the Allen sockets depending on the changer type.
Any Bud I ever owned was simply not very dependable concerning tuning stability compared to other brands. Some were better than others, but not one was as stable as my other steels, MSA, Carter,Marlen,GFI,Williams,Fessenden, Dekley, Fender,ETS, MCI, and probably a few others I have forgotten... If I ever find a Bud that was really tuning stable, I wouldn't play anything else.. I have talked to MANY other veteran steel players that said the same thing as I have.. However to be fair, I will say this.. MANY guys have told me I am crazy, and that their personal Sho Bud guitars play in tune, and STAY in tune.. They aren't liars so I must conclude that I just got about 12 or 13 "bad ones".. In my opinion a better looking, playing, or sounding guitar has never built. However, the tuning stability issues I have experienced have me very wary about Buds as a stage instrument.. I simply grew weary of having to keep the tuning wrench right on the guitar deck all night long and having to use it.. Other, more stable brands?.. I would take the wrench out once a week tops... Some like the MSA's, Carter and my old Marlen pull/release, I sometimes don't touch the endplates for a month or more.
One day I hope to find a nice S10 Bud to buy where the seller tells me it simply stays in tune, period. I would buy it and sell whatever steel was my #1 at the time, and just play the Bud... They are out there, believe me. Too many good players swear by their Sho Bud guitars for it not to be true.. In my own case, I simply have never found the right one, and always went to guitars I liked less, but trusted more....bob
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Ronnie Boettcher


From:
Brunswick Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 9:06 am    
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I bought my 77 LDG in 77, and it is played weekly. I have done some mods to it, and changed the narrow pedals for the older wide ones, and it plays better now than when it was new. I did move the left knee levers left, to suit my taste, and I have changed a few of the 2 hole pullers, to 3 hole pullers. and raised the body some so I could get my knees under it. All that took was to lengthen the 3 pedal rods.
Go get one and play it, just set it up for "you".
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Craig Baker


From:
Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 9:24 am    
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Sho~Bud is the steel guitar that country music grew up on. Many of the great old songs that a lot of us love were recorded with a Sho~Bud. It compares to a Piper Cub or a Lionel train. It's a great part of Americana. Two years ago I worked a Patsy Cline play. The director wanted to create an authentic stage set. Can you think of a better steel for a Patsy Cline play? A Sho~Bud steel and an old RCA ribbon microphone added to the enjoyment.

Craig
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 12:30 pm    
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If I had one, it would probably be my "go to" guitar. I wouldn't even have to think about it.
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Dave Campbell


From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 2:19 pm    
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gigging with mine. it's never the weakest link, i'll tell you that.
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mike nolan


From:
Forest Hills, NY USA
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 2:31 pm    
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Make sure that everything is working.... then play it. I have gigged Sho~Buds for years. I'm hunting around for the right 12 string to build out as a 7X6 uni.... someday when I have time.
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Damir Besic


From:
Nashville,TN.
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 2:45 pm    
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Quote:
Would you gig a older sho-bud?


I don't see why not...
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Alan Brookes


From:
Brummy living in Southern California
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 4:04 pm    
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Bob Carlucci wrote:
...after may years of owning and playing Buds onstage and in the studio, I must tell you they are not all created equal...

I had two Sho-Bud Crossovers, and they sounded completely different. (They both had their original pickups, by the way, so that was not the cause.) Oh Well
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Tom Gorr

 

From:
Three Hills, Alberta
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 4:54 pm    
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The tuning stability is a curious issue. When not being played mine will lose a few cents every day almost like there is some kind of creep going on. Maybe the ultra low cost strings I have on it are the problem. ...With the brass behind two hole pullers. .. seems that every time you engage a change there may be a slight chance of friction turning the tuner enough so it eventually moves slightly out of tune... seems to happen in some barrels more than others. . I have often thought that putting some kind of light duty thread lock product would help.

Thus said, the instability is not so bad it bothers me...I tune the open strings about every third day and a few of the changes about once every few weeks.


Last edited by Tom Gorr on 12 Dec 2015 10:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jack Aldrich

 

From:
Washington, USA
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 8:57 pm    
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I really miss my 76 wood neck ProI! I traded it for a metal neck ProIII when I wanted to get into C6. It sounds ok, but not that rich sound my wood neck had.
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Jim Cooley


From:
The 'Ville, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 9:14 pm    
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Absolutely. I never had a problem with my '73 LDG with barrels behind 2-hole pullers. Great tone and stayed in tune as long as I gave it 30 minutes or so when moving to a significantly warmer or colder venue. Play that Bud.
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Joe Minor

 

From:
Picayune Mississippi
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 9:29 pm    
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Kevin Mincke


From:
Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA
Post  Posted 12 Dec 2015 10:21 pm    
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I rebuilt my 1976 Pro III this past spring and have been playing it out. It was my main guitar for many years before I bought a SuperPro. Feels great, back in the saddle.

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Ricky Davis


From:
Bertram, Texas USA
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2015 7:55 am    
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When its the only pedal steel you have, then YES.
https://youtu.be/scaGSh9LxTA


https://youtu.be/SRsGOpuZfCk
This is me playing with the Graham Reynolds Composer of all Richard Linklater movie sound tracks; in which I'm in most sound tracks. This is a show in Marfa; 14 piece band.
so yes you can play with a old Sho~bud; as I played on over 100 CD's with a sho-bud and 15 movie sound tracks and many commercials and even the Grand Ole Opry>
https://www.facebook.com/ricky.davis.378/videos/215775709100/
Ricky
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Allan Kirby


From:
Ontario, Canada
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2015 8:15 am    
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I gig regularly with my 1974 Sho-Bud 6139. That is why I own it. It is a solid, reliable, gigging guitar and has a consistent sound. It has acquired some significant bruises as a result of gigging, which just gives it more character. I have other guitars but the Sho-Bud is the "go to" instrument.
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Patrick Laffrat


From:
Gemenos, France
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2015 8:31 am    
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Sho-Bud, what else? Smile


Last edited by Patrick Laffrat on 13 Dec 2015 2:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Storm Rosson

 

From:
Silver City, NM. USA
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2015 8:47 am    
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If it works okay then hell yes, a few makes come close to the Bud sound but IMO nothin sounds like a bud except a bud.On a lighter note,if you want to play a bud it will ,by default, have to be an "older" bud. I heard they quit building new buds about 19-20 years ago (just a guess) Winking. If you want a "new" Sho-Bud, then send your used one to that "guy" who posted on this thread 3 posts above. I think his name is Ricky Davis. When he gets thru "servicing" it,it will be a new bud (prolly better than new). P.S. Ricky is one of the best psg rebuilders, restorer,set-up tech,... oh yeah and PLAYER anywhere. BTW rumor has it that Ricky likes buds too Razz ...Stormy Mr. Green
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Edward Rhea

 

From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2015 9:03 am    
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+1 on Ricky! He certainly can get them to play! I'm counting on mine too, for upcoming gigs.
Thanks for the links Ricky, always inspiring!
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Ricky Davis


From:
Bertram, Texas USA
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2015 9:56 am    
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Thanks Storm and Eddie.
Hey Eddie here is your "Sho~Bud" in action after I finished setting it up>
https://youtu.be/oqxN0ETxpRY
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Ricky Davis
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chris ivey


From:
california (deceased)
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2015 12:10 pm    
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doesn't lloyd green play a sho-bud?
i've heard he's a professional.
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Terry Winter

 

From:
Saskatchewan, Canada
Post  Posted 13 Dec 2015 12:20 pm    
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I'd say probably......A good friend of mine one night brought his Sho-Bud Professional for me to play and I was so scared about....age of strings?....will it hold pitch?....how is it set up?etc. It was not played for some time. Well boy did I have fun, other than two knees reversed to mine it played sweet and fine. Had a great night! I do realize this might not always happen though Smile
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