Upgrading from student model. Sho Bud?

John McNally · Post by **John McNally** » 31 Dec 2014 2:56 pm

I've been playing steel for a couple of years now. As I start gigging more and more, I feel like it's time to upgrade from my Zum Stage One. It's a good instrument but I feel like it's time for a change.

I have a $2,00 budget and want something reliable. I love the way the old Sho Buds sound and have my eye on a 70's Pro One. Anyone have any recommendations?

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 31 Dec 2014 4:01 pm

Try it first...make sure youll be satisfied with the mechanics and ergonomic fit for your body.

After over 15 years with it from newbie stage...my MSA U12 is still my number 1...i paid less for a full on universal than what a Stage 1 or any other beginner guitar costs. I also own a Shobud and Fessenden...both great in their special way though. THE Fessy has a GREAT modern recording tone. THE shobud does old country...but my MSA just makes playing easy, fits me right, has the nicest pedal shape of the set, and no complaints about the tone...maybe not as crisp sounding as the others...but it sings a bit more.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 31 Dec 2014 4:26 pm

John,
I have had them all (well, most of them) and in my humble opinion
you are more used to a "modern" steel feel like the stage One.
What you need is to step up to more features, a more solid guitar, positive stops,
and things that only the best cared for older guitars still have.

I will shamelessly plug one I'm selling because I consider it to be
a very solid, modern pro guitar that you may like. Like Tom Gore said,
the Fessendens have a "GREAT" modern tone, but more than that, they're an extremely
solid and versatile guitar. Look for my Fessenden 3&5 Posted here on the forum.
It is extremely clean and very well kept.

Whether you buy mine or any other, you would want to consider the age
relative to the care that has been taken of it. A very well kept
Shobud is a great guitar, for that matter, so is an MSA, a Fessy, or any other.
They all start out good. It's what happens after that that makes them great, or not.
Good luck. The guys on here will steer you right.
JB

Casey McKinnon · Post by **Casey McKinnon** » 31 Dec 2014 4:44 pm

Hi John,

I have both an old Pro 1, and an LDG... I think they're great guitars, and if you've got a hankering for one, you'll never be satisfied with anything but!

On the other hand, I was at Al Brisco's last week and sat down at a brand-spankin-new GFI Expo S-10, ($2K USD), and it felt great. The changer was super-smooth, and the tone was great. If I had one of those, I wouldn't feel like I was missing anything to be honest. I'd probably be saving myself a few headaches too.

All that said, my Pro 1 is my go-to and probably always will be.

Casey

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 31 Dec 2014 5:22 pm

The Jackson Steel sounds similar to a Sho-Bud. The builders, David and Harry Jackson, Shot Jackson's two sons build these guitars. I play a Jackson Blackjack Custom and it's a great guitar. The pedal action is awesome, playability and tone are awesome!The Blackjack Custom is my main guitar after playing Emmons and GFI guitars.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 31 Dec 2014 9:42 pm

I'd get this one.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=276503

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 1 Jan 2015 12:22 am

For $2000 you can afford a decent used steel. Sho Buds can be great guitars but you need to know what you are doing if you buy one. They are not consistent. It will be very easy to find a Sho Bud that won't play near as well as your stage one. Vintage steels are not like vintage guitars.

John McNally · Post by **John McNally** » 1 Jan 2015 7:34 am

Thanks for the replies guys. Mike, I'm very intrigued with the idea of a 12 string. I've never played one personally but I like the idea of having the "power chord" capability. I'm a little tentative about going with more pedals (more to learn) but it would also have more options.. Its kind of the same struggle with going single neck vs E9/C6.

Jason Putnam · Post by **Jason Putnam** » 1 Jan 2015 8:25 am

I went from a stage one pedal steel to a Shobud Pro 1. I love my Shobud. It all depends on the person really. I love the tone of it. Sure, I've had to tinker up under the hood a little bit but I don't mind that. I have added knees, changed my copedent to a couple different things to try. I've only been playing for three years so it's not that hard to work on. Tuning has not really been a problem for me. I can play for weeks without having to touch my end plate. The best advice I can give you is to go get what YOU want. That's really the only thing that will make you happy. Happy New Year!!

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 1 Jan 2015 10:34 am

John Booth wrote:John,
I have had them all (well, most of them) and in my humble opinion
you are more used to a "modern" steel feel like the stage One.
What you need is to step up to more features, a more solid guitar, positive stops,
and things that only the best cared for older guitars still have.

john, you seem to offer lots of advice as if you're an old experienced player. how long have you been playing pedalsteel?

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 1 Jan 2015 1:45 pm

Bob Hoffnar wrote:For $2000 you can afford a decent used steel. Sho Buds can be great guitars but you need to know what you are doing if you buy one. They are not consistent. It will be very easy to find a Sho Bud that won't play near as well as your stage one. Vintage steels are not like vintage guitars.

Yes.. Bob is right on the money.. Sho Buds are good, IF you get a good one.. There are a LOT of worn out clunker Buds out there, and some other wise nice ones simply are very temperamental.. I have looked for years, for a solid Bud that stays and plays in tune, and keep coming away disappointed.. You MIGHT luck out with a good one, but its more likely you won't... bob

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 1 Jan 2015 2:30 pm

Bob Hoffnar wrote:For $2000 you can afford a decent used steel. Sho Buds can be great guitars but you need to know what you are doing if you buy one. They are not consistent. It will be very easy to find a Sho Bud that won't play near as well as your stage one. Vintage steels are not like vintage guitars.

I'll second every word of that! Definitely try an old 'Bud before you buy it (commit to a purchase). If you're not skilled at fixing them, there are a lot of old steels out there I wouldn't recommend. In fact, there are even some new steels out there that I wouldn't recommend, either!

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 1 Jan 2015 3:34 pm

If you like the Stage One, it seems like the Encore would be the logical upgrade. They look very good to me. About Sho-Buds, I've owned several and have no interest in another, unless it would be rally cheap. They are usually way overpriced, and most have been played to death. There are many very nice late model guitars in your price range. Consider the Justice guitars, they are very good. And you can probably find a nice Carter that would be excellent too. Take your time, you will find one you like.

Dave Campbell · Post by **Dave Campbell** » 1 Jan 2015 3:58 pm

like you, i bought a stage one when i first started playing. i had a hankering for an old bud, and when the opportunity came i bought a mid 70s LDG from someone on the forum.

coming from the stage one, the LDG was great in that it has exactly the same copedant. other show bud models do not, so your tinkering will begin, or your brain will have to relearn some stuff.

i have spent a lot of time getting the vibe of lots of different instruments over the years. i loved the stage one and was blown away by how well it did what it did for the price. but when i got the LDG it felt serious. like, for real i'm a pedal steel player. sure there's more slop in the mechanism, but it just feels so solid, and when you dig into it, it just gives up more of that sho bud thing. i probably got lucky, but my bud works well, stay in tune, and doesn't break strings.

it's so heavy it's ridiculous.

like folks say, there's something about the sho bud, and if you have a hankering for one, then you might as well get one. all things pedal steel considered, they are a bargain.

good luck!

Antolina · Post by **Antolina** » 1 Jan 2015 4:15 pm

Dave Campbell wrote:like folks say, there's something about the sho bud, and if you have a hankering for one, then you might as well get one. all things pedal steel considered, they are a bargain.
good luck!

I couldn't agree more.

James Sission · Post by **James Sission** » 1 Jan 2015 4:33 pm

Donny Hinson wrote:
Bob Hoffnar wrote:For $2000 you can afford a decent used steel. Sho Buds can be great guitars but you need to know what you are doing if you buy one. They are not consistent. It will be very easy to find a Sho Bud that won't play near as well as your stage one. Vintage steels are not like vintage guitars.
I'll second every word of that! Definitely try an old 'Bud before you buy it (commit to a purchase). If you're not skilled at fixing them, there are a lot of old steels out there I wouldn't recommend. In fact, there are even some new steels out there that I wouldn't recommend, either!

Funny, when I first started looking at steels back about 2005 or so, a biker buddy of mine who plays steel told me: A sho-bud is totally cool, like a shovel head Harley. Both are fun to own if you can work on them.

Dave O'Brien · Post by **Dave O'Brien** » 1 Jan 2015 4:51 pm

Lots of good advice here from the older guys (only)

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 5 Jan 2015 5:54 pm

I like my MSA classic because I can totally rip one apart from A$$#01e to apetite and put it back together in under 3 hours. They are one of the easier 'older' guitars to work on. Like the bud its heavy and a bit sloppy but there is something about sitting behind a guitar thats older than me feels good.

Shobuds are super cool too.

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 7 Jan 2015 10:15 am

You might want to consider spending that $2000 with a really good teacher and some new courses rather than getting a different guitar.

I like ShoBuds too, but I wouldn't want to live with most of them for very long at a time.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 7 Jan 2015 2:55 pm

Michael Douchette has toured with a Stage One. Unless you're dissatisfied with the tone, or feel you need that 5th lever/2nd neck, I don't think there's a need to upgrade.

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 7 Jan 2015 5:32 pm

Gary Carter uses a stage one for some of his live shows too does he not?

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 8 Jan 2015 1:20 pm

Bill said;
"They are usually way overpriced,"
I disagree Bill. I think they're usually underpriced. Parts and upgrades are available.
JB

Antolina · Post by **Antolina** » 8 Jan 2015 1:49 pm

Bill Moore wrote: About Sho-Buds, I've owned several and have no interest in another, unless it would be rally cheap. They are usually way overpriced, and most have been played to death.

I gotta go with JB. I've owned several very good Buds at very reasonable prices.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 8 Jan 2015 2:12 pm

Priced quite low, IMO.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=277541

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 8 Jan 2015 2:22 pm

Well, everyone has their own opinions; personally, I'd never recommend a Sho-Bud to any relatively new player. I've had 4 of them, 5 counting the Maverick. If you're happy with yours, that's great. I'd stay with the Stage One, I had one and liked it quite a bit, before I'd go with a Sho-Bud. With a 2k budget, there are tons of other, better options. Which is my opinion, of course.

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Upgrading from student model. Sho Bud?

Upgrading from student model. Sho Bud?

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