Sho Bud info wanted

Jake Wood · Post by **Jake Wood** » 2 Jun 2014 7:26 pm

Hey Pickers, I have been talking to a guy about this sho bud,He doesnt know much,i know less. Any help would be appreciated,like model,approximate year,sounds like it needs a little TLC,it is a 8 pedal, three knee. Maybe a approximate value. Thanks Jake

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 2 Jun 2014 9:57 pm

Before Goober and Jethro unleashed their vengeance on it, I think this started out as a mid-70s model (square front, nylon hex tuners, narrow pedals, dustcatcher fretboards). Given how hamhandedly the aprons of this have been defaced, I'd be very wary of what the undercarriage holds. The pickups are possibly more functional than attractive, lost as they are in those cavernous cutouts. (I'll let others theorize which make and model the pickups are; suffice it to say they're not original.)

I think you need an experienced player to evaluate its functionality and perhaps an exorcist to undo the ravages of its unfortunate past. If it's a mess, you're looking at hundreds of dollars to have it straightened out. It may be OK, but with all the pathetic "decoration" on the body, I'd limit my offer to a few hundred until I knew that it's going to play without issues. Ricky Davis and James Morehead are the resident Sho-Bud gurus hereabouts.

Unmessed with and set up, a D-10 like this is worth mid-teens and maybe then some. Even as a huge Sho-Bud aficionado, I'd guess it's worth hundreds less.

(The good news is that at least it's not the late-'60s Convertible model.)

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 2 Jun 2014 10:44 pm

I believe the pickups are Bill Lawrence pickups. Not sure, but possibly 705's. I know they are not 710's, as that is what I have on my guitar.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 3 Jun 2014 2:38 am

I agree with Ben. Without undercarriage pix, it's a pig in a poke, and the body and tailpiece mods have me worried.
Without seeing the undercarriage pics, I'd assume it'll need at least 6-800 in repairs so I'd not spend more than 1500

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 3 Jun 2014 6:34 am

just a guess a early pro 11?? 2 lower 2 raise

p.w

Marco Schouten · Post by **Marco Schouten** » 3 Jun 2014 8:57 am

I would say a 1977-1978 Pro II Custom, treated with some .... enhancements ?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 3 Jun 2014 9:03 am

what a bunch of closed-minded stick-in-the-muds! this is a cool steel with personalty. as long as it functions well it's beautiful.
every darn steel doesn't have to have a pristine restoration as many of you seem to think.

it's obviously a one-of-a-kind unique custom.
offer the guy $1000.

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 3 Jun 2014 9:58 am

I'm with Chris.

Some details: The pickups look like original Bill Lawrence 705's (though BL apparently did have other -05 models, but we seldom seem to hear of them)--no longer made, but thought by many to be among the best PSG pickups ever made.*

And given the picture's angle, it looks to me as though the changer is triple-raise/double-lower, not double/double. Undercarriage pics would be useful in assessing the guitar's mechanical health.

*There are "reissue" 705's currently made by a different maker--opinions seem to differ as to whether they are not as good, the same, or maybe better than the originals. I don't know, but I sure like the original 705 I have on my LDG.

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 3 Jun 2014 8:02 pm

Is it a "Baldwin Era" Shobud? I'm only asking because I've only seen pedal rods centered to the body/pedal bar like that on a Crossover? Thanks

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 3 Jun 2014 8:42 pm

The pedal rods don't look "centered" to me. In the first pic, i think I see the front leg, maybe with some black tape on it. If that is the front leg, the first pedal looks like it is in pretty much the same place as other guitars.

Larry Waisner · Post by **Larry Waisner** » 4 Jun 2014 1:59 am

What Chris said!
Those are early model BL 705's. The knee levers are 1970's to 1980's the changers are late model triple raise double lower and I bet she sings like a bird with absolute Sho~Bud tone.
The guitar is definately worth a grand.
Best Regards All :0)
Larry

chris ivey wrote:what a bunch of closed-minded stick-in-the-muds! this is a cool steel with personalty. as long as it functions well it's beautiful.
every darn steel doesn't have to have a pristine restoration as many of you seem to think.

it's obviously a one-of-a-kind unique custom.
offer the guy $1000.

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 4 Jun 2014 3:31 am

Thanks Richard! After studying the pics, I can see that you are spot on.

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 4 Jun 2014 4:40 am

chris ivey wrote:what a bunch of closed-minded stick-in-the-muds! this is a cool steel with personalty. as long as it functions well it's beautiful.
every darn steel doesn't have to have a pristine restoration as many of you seem to think.

it's obviously a one-of-a-kind unique custom.
offer the guy $1000.

Yep. I with Chris on this one too. Cool, funky old guitar that I bet sounds like a million bucks.

Larry Waisner · Post by **Larry Waisner** » 4 Jun 2014 8:58 am

Hey Jake,
I sent a pm your way.
Larry waisner

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 4 Jun 2014 9:57 am

BTW, the reason I & Larry say the pickups are original 705's is that they have chrome surrounds. The "reissue" ones have black surrounds. The RI are called "Bill Lawrence" but are not made by Bill (he's now deceased) or his own company, whose status I don't know. They are made by a former business partner of Bill's with whom, from what I understand, he had a falling out, and Bill got the losing end of the deal.

In any case, those originals are much sought after!

Larry Waisner · Post by **Larry Waisner** » 4 Jun 2014 10:44 am

Jake,
Do you have the serial number? That will tell you pretty close when she was produced.
Larry-

Ian Worley · Post by **Ian Worley** » 4 Jun 2014 11:09 am

Looks like homemade body/necks, the inlays are different than Sho-bud used, and it doesn't line up well with the end plates. As Larry suggests, a serial# would help, it's probably only on the endplate. Hard to tell, but in the first pic it looks like a non-gumby headstock, perhaps started life as a late 70's Pro III/Super Pro?

Jake Wood · Post by **Jake Wood** » 4 Jun 2014 4:29 pm

I messaged the gentleman for more pics but havent heard from him for a couple days.He also has a BMI 12 string that I am eye ballin`.I have it post under BMI info wanted,I will try and go there on friday and get more info. I got your PM Larry,I will maybe call you when I am there and see if we can figure it out.Thanks

Benton Allen · Post by **Benton Allen** » 4 Jun 2014 6:28 pm

Looks like a pig to me!
I tend to agree with Ian. I don't think it's a bud at all. Looks like something cobbled together using a few Sho-Bud parts.
Good Luck!
Benton

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 4 Jun 2014 9:02 pm

Find out if/what the serial number stamped into both the endplate and the wood body (underneath) is...make sure they match. There are threads that help date Shobuds. Mine dated to within 3 days of what the seller told me before I bought mine, so it helped.

You should be able to triangulate the authenticity of the guitar in that way...My guess is 1977, I'm no expert.

I'm not a fan of the cutouts on the top...maybe they were meant to house second set of pickups for a different tone...it would at least be visually tolerable.

Don't buy any steel without getting detailed undercarriage pics.

Ron Pruter · Post by **Ron Pruter** » 6 Jun 2014 1:58 pm

looks like a triple raise to me

Jake Wood · Post by **Jake Wood** » 7 Jun 2014 8:32 pm

Called the music store when I got into town today, he said there was someone looking at the steel. I went down there to check on it. They started out at $2000, had it on sale for $1000, sold it for $450, I am bummed, it looked like a Frankenstein in the pics but it was cool.thanks for all of the info everybody

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 7 Jun 2014 8:50 pm

Yeah...was worth more than that in parts.

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