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Topic: what is the best sho-bud and why? |
Chris Erbacher
From:
Sausalito, California, USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 10:29 am |
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| what is the best sho-bud and why? changer design? mechanics, pickups? why in your opinion is a certain bud better than others? i'm curious because i am thinking of trading my emmons p/p for a bud and am wondering if i do that what one to trade for, i already have a zb that i would trade for another, but i do like the sound of the old bud's too, so i am doing a little advanced research before/if i decide to do the trade. thanks in advance |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 10:58 am
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The best tone is usually considered the old The Profesional,
with rack n barrel mechanism.
But they are heavy as the day is long, clank a lot and don't have as many pulls available.
The Pro-II's before potmetal parts were pretty good mechanically.
At the moment my likely choice would be a The Profesional, but with a Duane Marrs rebuild underneith.
You get that great sound, and new mechanics.
Ricky Davis will no doubt log on with some more precice info on the middle years.
I have a '81 Pro-II 8+8 with a mix of old potmetal and Duane's parts. 2 raises & 3 lowers.
Sounds real purdy. |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 11:04 am
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I'll give you my take on a first year ShoBud LDG that I recently bought. This particular guitar has what is commonly called the birdcage changer I believe (someone correct me if this isn't it..) Whatever it's called, it has the same changer as the earlier Professional, but rather than rack and barrel, it's bell crank and barrel. There are some pics of that mechanism on Ricky Davis' "House of Wood" web site. Apparently, this combination of bellcrank with barrel is some sort of transition before the later changer with nylon tuners.
Tone and sustain-wise, this guitar is really good, but I don't know how much of it is the changer/mechanical stuff, or if this is just a really good LDG. I DO know it's much better than a Pro I that I had with the double raise/single lower changer and nylon tuners.
Tuning wise it can be tempermental, but I wouldn't think of changing anything at this point, I'd be afraid it would change the way the guitar sounds. I expect Ricky will jump in here, but we've talked a bit about the sound of that particular era ShoBud guitar, and I think we both agree they are some of the best...I've also played a really good Pro II with this mechanism that was owned by a buddy in San Antonio, same thing, great tone and sustain.
IF you're willing to deal with a little of a tuning stability challenge from time to time, I think the guitars with these old changers are great. I should add that when I say tuning issues, I'm comparing this guitar to a '67 P/P that is probably the most stable tuning guitar I've ever owned. The LDG is very giggable. Some nights I don't touch the changer at all, other times I seem to chase tuning a good bit. YMMV... 
I see Mr. Donald has weighed in with a vote for the rack or bellcrank and barrel guitars as well while I was typing.... That's two votes.
[This message was edited by Bill Terry on 27 June 2004 at 12:07 PM.] |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 12:11 pm
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I vote for the Pro III with aluminum necks, wide pedals. Double raise, Single lower.
I've had mine since 78 and have done closer to three thousand than two thousand gigs with it by my reckoning. The nylon tuner nuts need to be replaced after a few hundred thousand pulls, and with the advent of blue loctite, can be rejuvenated. Also the set screws on the fingers need to be retightened periodically, as they tend to work loose.
The pickups never lasted more than a few years, with the tops being pulled up and/or liquid invading them seemed to be the biggest problem. I got the originals rewound by J Wallace, and I wouldn't go any other way.
The changers have never failed, and I've taken it apart to clean stuff, string ends, motel keys, bullets, mice etc out from above the spring sets WDed and lubed everything.
I too have a "The Professional" into Mr Marrs for a refinish and a change from an 8 and 1 to an 8x6 with two verts.
In my studies, I didn't like the Shorty Superpros, nor the narrow pedals or the keyless, but I only tried one prototype in 79.
People swear by the rack and barrel birdcages, and Gary Morse for one plays a '69 on his road gigs. Great axe.
One thing you can't seem to get away from is an inherent weakness caused by the full length line of screws that weaken the grain of the wood on the front. Marrs has come up with a system replacing it with a solid plate, which is about the best feature I think he's put on the ones I've seem. Mine hasn't cracked on the front, but I've seen a couple for sale that were.
For tone, class, and overall instrument, I haven't seen an axe yet that has anything on a good solid old Sho~Bud.
One lately I've seen unless there's something wrong with it that is not being mentioned,, ( I doubt it), is a Marrs rebuild of an Old Profess like mine for 2500. I paid 400$ for my "hull" in 83, and I'll probably sink 2 grand into it before it's done.
If it works out the way I plan, wouldn't trade it for 2 $6000 guitars. I don't care what they were made out of...
EJL |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 1:07 pm
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the best Sho~Bud in my book is LDG,Never had a bad sounding LDG and I had a few.They all sounded great.Pro I and II are very good so is Professional,Pro III with aluminum necks couldn`t cut it for me and Super Pros with wood necks are definetly on the bottom of the list.Saying that,I still think that Sho~Buds are great guitars and that every serious steel player should have a PP guitar and a good Sho~Bud (of his choice)and then everything else.
DB |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 1:18 pm
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| For a modern steel...with the sound of an ol' Bud, try a Fulawka! Neat sounding axe...they sound a lot like the old "fingertips" that made Sho-~Bud famous! [This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 27 June 2004 at 02:22 PM.] |
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Larry Robbins
From:
Fort Edward, New York
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 1:30 pm
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I would cast my vote for the 73 PROII model
IMHO. Round front,curly maple,wide pedals,
barrel tuners behind two hole pullers....
Sounds Sweet.Stays in tune.SMOOOOOOTH action!....NOT for sale at any price! 
Good luck in your search.If you find the right one,I think your search will be over
for ever.
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Sho-Bud ProII,Nash 400,
TC Electronics M300.
"Kindly keep it Country"
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 1:34 pm
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Could someone post a pic or link to a pic of the "barrel tuners behind 2 hole pullers".
Thx,
~pb
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 2:36 pm
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I'll go with exactly what Larry Robbins just said, as my vote.
Here's a live pic of the barrels behind pullers that Bill speaks of and this is the LDG version of the Pro II that Larry speaks of...Just AWESOME...but you ain't gunna find any..ha.
Ricky |
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Paul Warnik
From:
Illinois,USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 4:20 pm
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| I recently got one like Larry R desribes/the very early Pro-II/Probably the best 'Bud I ever owned (and I have had every model from Maverick to Super Pro including some very early permanent undercarriage,pull-release,and fingertip tune models) |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 27 Jun 2004 8:59 pm
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I'll have to go with what Ricky says about these Sho-Buds with the bell cranks but barrel tuners. I have a Pro 1...3 and 2 and I just have to have 2 more pedals and 3 more knee levers and I'll be happy with that. They play smooth and easy with the string spacing and sound just great.....al
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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