7 String Resophonic Guitar

Charles Reece III · Post by **Charles Reece III** » 5 May 2013 9:17 am

I JUST ACQUIRED A "SHO-BUD" 7 STRING RESOPHONIC GUITAR . IT WAS MADE BY SHOT JACKSON FOR BILL JOHNSON,(MARTY ROBBINS "DOBRO" PLAYER) I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT SHOT MADE 7 OF THESE. I KNOW THAT CARROL PARHAM (IN STEVENSVILLE, TX) HAS ONE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE & WHO HAS THE OTHER 5. DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? THANKS IN ADVANCE. CHARLIE REECE.

Jack Aldrich · Post by **Jack Aldrich** » 5 May 2013 9:52 am

My friend and mentor, Larry Blum, played one in the 70's. It had a spruce top and mahogany (if I remember correctly) sides and back. He had it tuned G B D G B D E (from bottom). I tried to find one at the time, but no luck, so I bought an 8 string from Rudy and John Dopyera. I went down to their factory in Escondido, CA to ask if they had 7 stringers. They said that they'd never made one.

Charles Reece III · Post by **Charles Reece III** » 5 May 2013 10:36 am

I have a custom made 7 string O.M.I DOBRO. I GOT IT IN APRIL OF 1994. GIBSON HAD BOUGHT O.M.I IN 1993 & IT WAS ONE ON THE LAST ONES MADE BEFORE THEY MOVED TO TENN. IT IS MADE ON AN 8 STRING BODY.I HAVE PICTURES IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED. I TUNE IT TO E MAJOR, E, G#, B, E, G#, B, E. (LOW TO HIGH) I HAVE BEEN USING SEMI FLAT NICKEL STRINGS THAT I GET FROM SCOTTY'S MUSIC. HOPE THIS HELPS. CHARLIE.

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 5 May 2013 10:39 am

There's one for sale on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/151038460896?ss ... 1423.l2649

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 5 May 2013 8:40 pm

I have a 1962 Sho-Bro..7 string...Bobbe told me Shot bought Harmony Dreadnought bodys and made his Resonators from them... mine is large, heavy and sounds great!! E6th tuning...[url=http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1205/4090_image_

Andrew Roblin · Post by **Andrew Roblin** » 6 May 2013 3:50 am

I didn't know about the Harmonies. Interesting.

Shot converted some other 6-string resonator guitars to 7-string, his preferred configuration. And he had a storeroom full of Gretsch-made resonator-guitar neck blanks and bodies he periodically put together in different styles, including 7-string Sho-Bros.

I saw several of these made when I worked at Sho-Bud 1979-83.

The late Gene "Slyde" Wooten, a wonderful musician and tech, set up most of the resonator instruments made, repaired or refurbished at Sho-Bud. Gene set up instruments for Jerry Douglas, among others.

Andrew Roblin
Internationa Sho-Bud Brother & Sisterhood
Member #79, Janitor

David Knutson · Post by **David Knutson** » 6 May 2013 1:26 pm

I also have a Shot Jackson 7 string that seems to be a bit of a rarity. No one I've asked about it has ever seen one with this body style. The "SJ" logo is apparently not so unusual. I'm told that Shot used that logo after he was no longer associated with ShoBud or ShoBro.

Andrew, do you have any insights? Or anyone?

Here's a couple of pics.

Andrew Roblin · Post by **Andrew Roblin** » 7 May 2013 4:09 am

David--

Shot sold the right to use the name "Sho-Bud." Although many people continued to call it "Sho-Bud," the official name of the store changed to "The Shot Jackson Guitar Center" around 1980 or 81. After that, Shot used the "SJ" logo on instruments built there.

The body of your SJ resonator guitar looks unusual to me, too. I don't recall seeing another like it. But I don't play resonator guitar and am not an expert.

Andrew Roblin
International Sho-Bud Brother & Sisterhood
Member #79, Janitor