| Author |
Topic: Round front LDG |
Shane Byrd
From:
Lynn Haven FL, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2018 9:34 am |
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| So, I’ve got my heart set on a ‘73-74 LDG, but recently got thrashed bidding on one on eBay and I’m rethinking. How much work is involved if I pick up a same era Pro/Pro II and convert it to an SD10? I know most of the Pros I’m finding only come with a couple of knee levers instead of four. Would I be better off just holding out for what I want or is a conversion doable? |
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Eric Philippsen
From:
Central Florida USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 2:44 am
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Sure, a conversion is doable but you’ll probably have to manufacture the parts. Some of those would be available through the “Wanted To Buy†section of the Forum. There are some on the Forum who would do it for you who would also have the parts.
Is it worth it? That depends on the cost and the quality of the conversion. I’ve seen plenty of added knee levers that are poorly done which ultimately devalue the steel.
Any LDG is worth holding out for but an earlier one with Gumby headstock, teardrop levers and a dustcatcher board is pretty darn cool. I play Emmons steels but stumbled across an earlier LDG not too long ago. One look and I had to have it. No regrets whatsoever. |
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Marco Schouten
From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 3:06 am
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If you really want a round front LDG, you won't be happy with a converted other guitar, you might as well buy any other brand SD10. I would wait until another one is for sale.
_________________
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo |
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Dave Campbell
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 4:31 am
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| i like the idea of a conversion, and you have the added benefit of having a few extra pedals for spares. also, with these old guitars, it's nice to have a spare set of changer fingers. |
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Shane Byrd
From:
Lynn Haven FL, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 6:50 am
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| The idea of a conversion sounds so easy, but I think it’s based more on the frustration of “the one that got awayâ€. My own experience with unfinished projects is telling me that I should probably hold off and wait until what I really want turns up again. And, Eric, if you’re the one that outbid me, I hate you, but congrats! ;D Hahahha! |
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 10:53 am
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A hacked Sho-Bud is...a hacked Sho-Bud.
There's square front LDG's for sale all the time. |
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Shane Byrd
From:
Lynn Haven FL, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 1:26 pm
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| Yeah, Drew, it would be easy if I wanted a square front Damir(sp) has a gorgeous one for sale right now. |
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Bill Moran
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 2:04 pm
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sshawaiian@austin.rr.com
Contact Ricky Davis and he will find what you want. Rick is the go to guy on ShoBud's.
_________________
Bill |
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Eric Philippsen
From:
Central Florida USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 2:42 pm
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Shane,
No, I’m not the one who outbid you on EBay. I found my LDG here in Indy from a guy who quit playing steel.
Best of luck in your search. One will come along. |
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 3:05 pm
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There's nothing wrong with an older vintage square front LDG...unless you've got a jones for that rounded body. The round-fronts had 1up/1down changers with barrels behind two hole pullers, while the first-gen square fronts had 2up/1down changers with nylon tuners.
Lloyds famous Sho-bud has the updated changer and nylon tuners, even though it's a round-front body. There's a few other features that are unique to his steel, but that's another story.
Damir does have a nice one on his site. That one is a newer vintage...Super Pro undercarriage, shorter body & no gumby. Nothing wrong with that one, either.
The last time I played with Dan Dugmore he was playing one exactly like that.
Back to your original question... I'd advise against converting a perfectly good D10, just on general principal. The LDG you want will come along eventually. |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 3:26 pm
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| Skip, I knew (only learned recently) that Lloyd's guitar has a nylon tuner-type changer, but do you know what it is specifically, and when he had the change made (and by whom?) |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 3:32 pm
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Wellllllll...ha......
A "round front" LDG is the first year LDG ONLY(lloyd has #1 and I have #2). So it was made from May 1973 until May 1974. during that time; the mechanism was the best sounding Sho~bud finger ever made; the Single/Single and so two hole pullers on round crossbars pulled the Barrels for tuning.....then at that time in '74; Sho~bud D-10's went to a new body style(square front) and nylon tuning system as they progressed to a Double Raise/Single lower finger(not the single/single anymore) and so did the LDG.
If you find a "round front" LDG....pay anything for it; as this is what it sounds like>
https://youtu.be/GV9pRD641ZY
https://youtu.be/_oXAFD1nX8g
https://youtu.be/scaGSh9LxTA
Ok; so custom a D-10 to a SD-10 Sho~bud around that era...would be a first year Pro II...so that would be barrel tuning; single/single...two hole pullers on round crossbars....as those were round front....and you would remove all the back neck stuff...and make/add pad...and you then made a (the ultimate ShoBud D-10 worth way over 2000 grand.....into a SD-10 worth maybe 1500.00....
yes it would sound Great and play Great....and they are almost as hard to find as that first year LDG ...ah..ha. and I certianly have worked on some that that happened to...
So good luck in your search....and if one finds a first year Pro II barrel tuning Sho~bud they want to be a SD-10 Sho~bud....sure I'll do the work; but it will cost you an extra 500.00 to do the work....so you will end up paying close to 3000 grand to do that....ish....
Ricky
_________________
Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 3:35 pm
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| Ricky, I'd guess you know the answer to my question above? |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 3:47 pm
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Yes Brint. Lloyd loved the new LDG made for him...but after a little time playing it; being extremely picky as lloyd is...he did't like some over tones going on; so they came out with a shorter headstock which corrected those hysterics and they welded on a couple raise holes to the original single/single to pull raise the 4th and 5th strings twice and fix the rods to do nylon tuners and get rid of the barrels...that was done and also made different knee levers for him so that they can be in a better position to where and how he sits. So yes Lloyds LDG shortly became very customized for him...(that what shobud was as they always were a custom shop and met anyones needs with what they had built) Lloyds LDG is a longer scale than any Sho~bud because of that custom made Keyhead... Just know all the Jacksons and Duane Marrs and Paul Franklin Sr. were involved with many and everything at that time in Sho~bud history; but I'm not going to say who did this or who did that....ha.... as I was NOT THERE.
But I do listen to my mentors and learned a lot about the Great pedal steel guitar ever made.
Ricky
_________________
Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com |
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 5:51 pm
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| Nice playin' Ricky... |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 6:00 pm
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I would rather die then butcher this unbelievable instrument into SD10 
_________________
www.steelguitarsonline.com
Last edited by Damir Besic on 1 Jul 2018 6:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 6:05 pm
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| Damir, that's exactly what shouldn't be chopped up. It's perfect just as it is. |
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Shane Byrd
From:
Lynn Haven FL, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 7:06 pm
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| Ricky, you are making me jones for one even more! Hahaha. I thought I was safe bidding over $3k on the one that ended last week, but someone else wanted it just a little more than I did... |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 9:23 pm
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Yes Damir; that is the MOTHER SHIP of all pedal steels...and I wouldn't alter that one in such great shape either....but aweful one; I would....ha.
Yes Shane.....that certainly is what a first year LDG is worth if one somehow by miracle comes up for sale...
I would pay anything for one.
When I found mine....I was looking for it for 15 years; as it was the first one produced for sale as new production...and I would of paid anything for it then; which now has been close to 15 years.
After I started playing it...I knew I would never play the other pedal steels that I had which was this one here that was handmade personally for me and priceless> https://youtu.be/IqmIKfL_VS4
Ed Fulawka that built it, understood and off it went to someone that I knew loved it and would play it all the time, like it should be.
And the other one I sold was what I cut all the Dale w
Watson stuff with and played the TV Grand Ole Opry with it here>
https://youtu.be/GBYcZJqU56Q
As I knew my LDG was the only and last pedal steel I would have and play>
| Quote: |
| Nice playin' Ricky... |
Thanks Skip....You'da Man!!!!!
_________________
Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com |
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Shane Byrd
From:
Lynn Haven FL, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2018 10:14 pm
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| That is truly a thing of beauty, Ricky! |
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Jason Putnam
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2018 12:48 pm
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My round front 74 Pro I sounds that good but didn't cost nearly as much as an LDG!!
_________________
1967 Emmons Bolt On, 1995 Mullen PRP 3x5,Nashville 112, JOYO Digital Delay, Goodrich Volume Pedal, Livesteel Strings |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 2 Jul 2018 12:55 pm
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| Jason Putnam wrote: |
| My round front 74 Pro I sounds that good but didn't cost nearly as much as an LDG!! |
that is all a matter of personal opinion, we all hear in a different way, and we all like different things... to you your pro I sounds just as good as an LDG, to someone else it doesn't... as long as you are happy with your guitar, thats all it really matters...
_________________
www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2018 1:04 pm
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Jason; my LDG cost me 600.00 ....how much was your S-10??
Yes I would of paid anything for it; cause it was the 2nd LDG ever made; but 600 was all the man wanted for it.
And Like Damir just said; everyone hears things differently...and I certainly don't think All LDG's sound the same..as Dicky's LDG that I set up for him...certainly sounded different from mine when he played it...ha....and it was made the same month as mine...
But yes if your S-10 is a single/single Changer....to me; those were the best sounding Changers Sho~bud used.
Ricky
_________________
Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com |
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Shane Byrd
From:
Lynn Haven FL, USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2018 10:48 pm
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Well... I broke down and bought an S10 6139 from Alex at Texas Steel Guitars. Since he had already converted it to 3x4 it was pretty much a no brainer for me. No incurring the wrath of the Sho Bud gods by chopping up a D10 and no spending the rest of my life hiding under a bridge waiting for a first year LDG to pass by. Hahaha
https://youtu.be/VF0mMjRwSuI
The George L pickup sounds a little thin, but it’s hard to tell with video recordings, so I’m definitely going to wait to hear it through my own amp before I make up my mind whether to keep it how it is, go original, or do a BL710.
I did my research on here before I sprang for it and Alex has a good reputation. He even answered late night messages on Reverb faster than I possibly could have expected |
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