Is Sho~Bud Crossover Really That Bad ?

Jake Palmatier · Post by **Jake Palmatier** » 19 Apr 2008 8:22 pm

I BOUGHT A SHO BUD CROSSOVER OF EBAY ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND TOLD A FEW FRIENDS AND THEY SAID HOW BAD THEY ARE TO STAY IN TUNE AND HOW PEDAL ACTION ISNT SMOOTH AND LOUD, THE FUNNY THING IS NOT A ONE HAS EVER EVEN SAT DOWN AT A CROSSOVER. THEN I BEGAN TO RESERCH ON HERE AND SEEN DIFFERENT PEOPLE SAY THE SAME THINGS. AND I'VE GOT TO SAY I HAVE A BUD PRO 2 AND HAD A MULLEN AND THIS CROSSOVER IS THE BEST TO STAY IN TUNE PEDAL ACTION SMOOTH AND OVERALL GOOD BUT HEAVY BUT ID RATHER HAVE A WELL BUILT HEAVY GUITAR THEN A LIGHT CHEEPLY BUILT ONE, IM BEGINNING TO WONDER IF THESE PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS OR IT ALL IS HEAR SAY. COULD SOMEONE SHED A LITTLE LIGHT ON THIS. THANKS

Tommy White · Post by **Tommy White** » 19 Apr 2008 9:26 pm

Jake,
I began my pedal steel guitar journey on a Sho-Bud, Baldwin cross-over in 1970. I still hold those guitars near and dear.
The Sho-Bud was a great lesson in pedal steel guitar mechanics and tone.
Go in peace and search no more.

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 19 Apr 2008 9:33 pm

I think the biggest problem with the crossover happened if you threw the lever to switch the pedals to the other neck while having any of the pedals engaged. Otherwise it switched ok. I've never owned one, but that's my understanding of it anyway.

Anyway, you got an endorsement of that model by Tommy White. That's about as good as it gets!!!

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 19 Apr 2008 10:00 pm

Jim Bates · Post by **Jim Bates** » 20 Apr 2008 6:35 pm

I bought mine new in '69 and played it until I got a used Pro-III in late 80's. The crossover was a great guitar for my needs then. It is truly a universal guitar and I got it because of it being the only guitar at the time that I could easily change my chopedants, and I did many, many times. All the other guitars I saw then either had welded in place pedal setups or the early Emmons p-p which were too confusing for me to change around.

The only problem I had with the crossover was that you could get the pedals to work smoothly and quietly, without any lost motion on one neck, but when you switched over to other neck you got some 'slop' or looseness in the pedal action. With some compromising, I was able to minimize the lost motion, but not totally.

Yes, the guitar is very heavy, but I was younger and stronger when I bought it. Now, I am ........

Enjoy it; it is a fine guitar.

Thanx,
Jim

Dave Diehl · Post by **Dave Diehl** » 21 Apr 2008 3:16 am

I have never used one but Buddy Charlton once told me to "stay away from it". That was all I needed.

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 21 Apr 2008 3:55 am

I never owned one, but I had a friend that had one and I used to play his. I never saw anything wrong with his guitar. It is really a great concept.
Doesn't Williams guitars make a crossover?

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 21 Apr 2008 4:15 am

There are two in the Portland area, I just had a fellow bring one by last week end. We did not set it up as we were working on another guitar.

Larry Behm

Ernie Pollock · Post by **Ernie Pollock** » 21 Apr 2008 4:57 am

I had two of them, my first guitar was a crossover, the crossover part was broken did not work, I use it with 3 on E9th & 3 on C6th, great sounding guitar but I only had that one about 3 months, its in california now, I think. the last one I had, was exactly the same, but I rigged it up with several of the pedals working both necks, actually worked good for me & I used it playing out for about 8 months, what a sound they had!! But as the other posts mentioned, they were heavy & by todays standards, I would agree with Buddy Charletons suggestion, especially if you not a mechanical person.

Ernie Pollock

this is the last one I had, I think it is for sale now, anyone interested, let me know I will give you the guys phone #, he is not on the net.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 21 Apr 2008 6:33 am

My first good guitar was a Crossover. I did have issues with it, but I didn't have a clue as to how to work on them back then. I could switch over to the C6th neck, and everything would be okay. But when I switched back to the E9th neck, things would be messed-up!
Earnie! Look at my S-10. Coulda been made the same day as yours!

Ernie Pollock · Post by **Ernie Pollock** » 21 Apr 2008 11:25 am

John, I had a little S-10 very similar to that one myself, found it in a record store down in Va. Bought it for $200.00 It had 3 & l, nice little guitar, don't have a clue where it is today. I have had so many steel guitars over the years.
I also had a nice Pro II, Pro III and a Black Super Pro at one time, & we wonder why folks think steel players are a little, I guess the term would be 'nuts', but I have enjoyed every minute I have spent with the pedal steel & would not change one thing!!

Ernie Pollock

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 21 Apr 2008 11:29 am

Earnie, I think I paid $150 for the 6 pedal 2 lever guitar about 20 years ago. Just put it in a closet as I was playin' nothin' but my Kline Uni at the time. The restoration is almost done, and I am anxious to hear it! Owned it for 20 years, and never even set it up! Stoopid!

Josh Engle · Post by **Josh Engle** » 21 Apr 2008 5:22 pm

I love the tone of mine. I too bought one on ebay about a year ago. I did a complete tear down and refinish. These guitars are very easy to work on, I have found.
I don't play C6 yet so I haven't had any tuning issues. I just wish it was easy to add a few more knee levers. That's the main reason I don't play it much. I talked to John Coop about converting it to a more modern setup. I liked the ideas he had, and prices were more than fair. Please post any tricks you find with the Crossover.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 21 Apr 2008 5:35 pm

I have two and I wouldn't part with them. My only regret is that they only come with one knee lever.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 21 Apr 2008 7:32 pm

Josh, that is the best-looking Crossover I've seen yet. Very interesting burst.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 21 Apr 2008 9:43 pm

last one i saw up close belonged to ernie hager..he was changing strings on it one day at the music store in santa cruz where he worked!

Jim Bates · Post by **Jim Bates** » 22 Apr 2008 7:46 am

I added a left knee lever to raise the E's to F on the outer neck. I used the left knee lever kit from a Sho-Bud Professional. Mounted it the exact same way. Coop my have the parts you need for this.

Otherwise, be inventive with your chopedants. Remember you can have multiple raises and lowers on any and all strings, providing you have enough rods and collars.

Thanx,
Jim

Josh Engle · Post by **Josh Engle** » 23 Apr 2008 6:41 pm

Chris LeDrew wrote:Josh, that is the best-looking Crossover I've seen yet. Very interesting burst.

I appreciate the compliment Chris. I got kind of bored seeing the same type burst on most steels. The color got a little darker than I wanted, but it really is a beauty. I wish I had about five more to try some more colors!!

Anybody out there have a picture of a crossover with added knees?
Jim Bates idea sounds good, but i assume Jim meant removing the C6 undercarriage, and adding a knee where all the C6 parts where. Can you only do one Jim?

Josh Engle · Post by **Josh Engle** » 23 Apr 2008 6:44 pm

Jim Bates · Post by **Jim Bates** » 24 Apr 2008 7:51 pm

Sorry, I sold that guitar to Coop in the mid 90's. I will look in my files and see if I ever took pics of my work. (Coop, it's the red and black one I sold you, if perchance you might still have it.)

No, I did not touch the C6th mechanism in any way. The lever mechanism is added at angle at the head end of the C6th hardware. The 'puller' part is attached on the E neck and in-line with the E cnahgers and placed to the left (towards the head) of the pedal one mecanism.

I created a jumper to reach from the C6th new pedal to pull the new mechanism on the E side. This is all too confusing!! I will try to find a picture.

Maybe someone has a picture of the underside of a Professional showing the lever mounted at an angle.

Thanx,
Jim

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 24 Apr 2008 8:04 pm

This is a pic of a Baldwin from that era, although it is not a Crossover. It has aluminum end plates and came original with 8+3. I owned it briefly, but sold it due to my limited expertise dialing in a rack and barrel.

According to Bobbe Seymour, it is a 1969 transition guitar - phasing out the Crossover and ushering in the Professional. Apparently Curly had one just like it. This guitar had incredible tone. Interestingly, my Jackson Blackjack has a similar tone: thick and rich, with an effortless upper register. But that shouldn't be surprising, seeing that David Jackson built both guitars.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 25 Apr 2008 7:34 am

Chris! That guitar is extremely beautiful, and extremely interesting. I've never seen a changer end like that. Halfway between a wood wrap-around and the latter all aluminum mount. On another thread, Bobbe told me that Shobud switched to the all aluminum mount in '68.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 25 Apr 2008 9:14 am

I had a Sho-bud Crossover . Played it at a club in Interlochen, Mi. Played good for me and sounded fine.
I liked it but it was very heavy. I liked the crossover idea too. Pedal changes can be made in a minute, any amount too.
But I wanted to go to a Single 12 for the extended tuning capabilities.I was always experimenting with tunings.....al

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 25 Apr 2008 10:51 am

It was certainly the looker, John. All I know is that it had incredible tone. The C6 was surreal - glassy and bassy all at once. I bet you know the sound I'm talking about. Those knees are original as well....pretty cool the way they fold up.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 25 Apr 2008 11:26 am

Chris- not to go a little off topic, but how do you like your Jackson steel or not like about it?..al.

:)

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Is Sho~Bud Crossover Really That Bad ?

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