Formica Sho-Bud?

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 21 Dec 2011 4:36 am

That's the one, and I can say that it looks even better close up in the flesh so to speak. A fantastic renovation project, and definitely a one off.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 22 Dec 2011 9:53 am

It looks like Buddy Emmons was playing one with Ernest as well, back in the day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL8xnVbj ... re=related

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 22 Dec 2011 1:50 pm

^That's the guitar on the Midnight Jamboree LP cover, a D9 Bud and I remember reading that Buddie said it had the most incredible zebra wood front apron. So no, definately no mica on that one!

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 22 Dec 2011 3:02 pm

I remember reading that Buddie said it had the most incredible zebra wood front apron.

Too bad the wood didn't show up with early TV technology, the trim across the top fooled me.

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 22 Dec 2011 7:40 pm

thanks for the kind words guys! I was kinda proud of that one myself.........you never really know if you'll detract from a guitars' mojo when totally changing the looks in such a fashion. My good luck that it turned out ok.
sincerely,

MC

Jerry Cobetto · Post by **Jerry Cobetto** » 16 Apr 2015 8:49 pm

I currently own the black mica Sho-Bud in question. I purchased it from (then) Steel Guitar Nashville in September 2012. Love the guitar!

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 16 Apr 2015 9:13 pm

You scored, Jerry. I played it it Bobbe's shop prior to the refinish and it was killer then. Plus it had the Rugg mojo.

I notice it has the smaller Gumbys...they're pretty rare.
Very cool...

Jerry Cobetto · Post by **Jerry Cobetto** » 17 Apr 2015 1:45 pm

Thanks, Skip! Funny thing, I was at Bobbe's shop (Steel Guitar Nashville - NOW Steel Guitars of Nashville), for the first time, with my wife (I had to drag her there - LOL!) when were in Nashville in August 2012. I was just there, browsing, but didn't buy the guitar yet. Not long after we were back home in Illinois, I just had that itch to purchase a Sho-Bud, which I had wanted to for years. So, I went to Bobbe's web-site and saw this beautiful black Formica Sho-Bud, with Lynn Owsley sitting in back of it. The description talked about that being one of only two Formica "Buds" ever made, and that it was originally a prototype for Hal Rugg to try out. So, I knew that I had to have it. Vic made the copedent to my preference, raised it two inches (I'm a tall guy - around 6' 1"), and then shipped it to me. "Sweet!"

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 17 Apr 2015 4:26 pm

Nice job Mike! What a difference that made to the Pro III as most (all) are lacquered. It's got some real good looks going for it. Great find Jerry. Would be curious as to the shortened squatty gumby head compared to original. Maybe this was transitional between the Professionals and Pro's to Super~Pro era where everything was shortened & lightened. A beauty you have there! Time for me to think about going through my original 76 Pro III that you've played as well Cass

Jerry Cobetto · Post by **Jerry Cobetto** » 17 Apr 2015 6:18 pm

Oops! I forgot to give a big shout-out (Kudos) to Mike Cass for all of his work on my Mica guitar years back. Molto grazie, Michelo! (Many thanks, Mike!)

Craig Baker · Post by **Craig Baker** » 17 Apr 2015 9:03 pm

Never met a Sho~Bud I didn't like. Back in the late 70s, Jimmy Krebs in Newport News, VA had an unusual Sho~Bud. Black and red sunburst maple. Great sound of course,

Craig

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 19 Apr 2015 1:34 am

youre quite welcome!
since that body doesn't come apart in 2 pieces like an Emmons, trimming the ends @ the step is pucker time for sure...you only get one chance w/gloss black mica. Loooove those little Gumby heads! If you want the original cammo mica I may still have at least some of it, I'll look around my shop...no promises tho.
Glad it found a great home.

MC

Jerry Cobetto · Post by **Jerry Cobetto** » 19 Apr 2015 2:20 pm

Gosh, Mike, I'm so glad you responded! I'll try not to bombard you with too many questions about the mica "bud" (Yeah, right! LOL!) but, gotta' ask, first of all, there were two made, weren't there? According to Bobbe Seymour, one was originally made for Hal Rugg to try out, but it had a "funky" Formica finish to it, and, apparently, some of the guys at the Opry were giving him grief over that. So, he went back to one of Shot's sons (was it Harry or David?) and asked for another one, but with a "hipper" finish to it (a black finish). SO, is that second mica Sho-Bud (the original black one) NOT the one I currently possess? According to the series of posts (including yours) in this forum, you re-finished the "funky-looking" one (I'm assuming the very first of the two mica prototype guitars that Sho-Bud made), the one with the cammo finish, to a black mica finish, and I'm assuming that one is mine. So, that begs the question: where is the original black Formica Sho-Bud (the second one of the two prototypes)? Also, Mike, what year, exactly, did Harry or David make those Formica prototypes for Hal? An acquaintance of mine, in my area, who knows a lot about Sho-Buds, also knows about my mica "bud," and knows it was the precursor to the Pro-III. He was looking for a serial number on mine to gauge the year it was made, but there isn't one. Then it "hit us," well, with it being a prototype, there probably is NO serial number for it! I really appreciate any answers to these questions that you, OR ANYONE ON THIS FORUM, can give me! Thanks, much! [P.S. yeah, if you have some of those original Formica pieces around your shop I'll take them! If nothing else, for nostalgia's sake. If you need money for them, let me know how much. Also, I can give you my address later. If you can't find them, though, "no biggie!"]

Jerry Cobetto · Post by **Jerry Cobetto** » 19 Apr 2015 2:47 pm

Another question, or two, for you, Mike, or anyone else on this forum, for that matter: I recently purchased a mahogany-finished Fender Artist D-10 from Billy Cooper's shop in VA. It is a very nice guitar! [For years, I've always wanted a Sho-Bud AND a Fender pedal steel, along with the Miller that I've had for many years, and NOW I have one of each!] I love the guitar! As you are very much aware, Sho-Bud was contracted by Fender to make them (i.e., basically, a Sho-Bud undercarriage with a Fender body, neck, changers and ash-tray tuning key heads). My basic question is, what year(s) were those guitars made? I've read were Sho-Bud was contracted by Fender to make those guitars in the early 70's, but, according to Bobbe Seymour, David Jackson (I think it was) made 4,400 of them primarily in 1976. If, indeed, though, they were made for more than one year, what years were they made? What year were the first ones made, and what year were the last ones made? Which serial numbers match up with which year(s)? As much research as I've done on those Fender steels (ALONG with the two Formica Sho-Bud prototypes), I can never find exact manufacturing dates! Sorry, but I'm a very curious individual, and I always strive to be exact (or as close as possible) on the manufacturing dates of my instruments. Thanks for indulging me!

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 20 Apr 2015 12:40 am

the one I re-mica'ed was originally the cammo color horn, and Im pretty sure that it is your guitar. As far as I know, Hal used that one somewhere during the years he was on The Wilburn Bros. TV Show...think Ive seen it on there some. I believe the other mica guitar was an S-10, kinda reminded me of a custom Maverick in a way. Johnny Cox would know better I think as he actually worked @ Sho-Bud in his younger days. PM me your address in case I run across the cammo mica remnants...thx.

MC

Jerry Cobetto · Post by **Jerry Cobetto** » 20 Apr 2015 11:16 am

Good information, Mike! According to one of Bobbe's on-line articles about the guitars, though, he talks about him buying TWO twin-neck mica prototypes from Sho-Bud, and that the original black one went to some preacher in South Dakota. He didn't mention anything about one of the prototypes being a single-neck. That doesn't mean, though, that you're not right. Maybe, he got his information wrong back then. And, of course, he's not around anymore to ask. He did, in one of his posts on this forum, mention getting the brown (cammo-colored) guitar at some point, and having it re-worked cosmetically (I assume he is referring to when you re-finished it?). I recently got a hold of Dawn Jackson, and she thinks that her dad, David, helped build those two prototypes sometime in the early 70's because the Pro-III (which those two prototypes were the forerunners for) came out around '74 (I believe). Dawn says, though, that her dad cannot recall the exact year those prototypes were made. But, again, she thinks early 70's (maybe '72 or '73). Does this sound about right? You had stated that your believe Hal Rugg had played the cammo one (the re-finished one I have) a few times on the Wilburn Brothers Show. Do you happen to know what years Hal played on that show? I know that the Wilburn Brothers Show went all the way up to '74. Thank you for your patience with my questions!

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 20 Apr 2015 9:54 pm

no idea of the exact year on the Wilburn's Show, but I did see the cammo guitar on there a few times for sure. That's the one I re-did while working for Bobbe.

Jerry Cobetto · Post by **Jerry Cobetto** » 21 Apr 2015 6:31 am

Okay. No problem! So, the bottom line is, for sure, I possess the very first Pro-III prototype (the original birds-eye/cammo Formica one) that is NOW black (after you re-finished it)? "Sweet!" Like I had said in my original post, "I love the guitar!" Also, so "neat" to own a piece of music/steel guitar history! Again, Mike, great job on the re-finish to black mica! You know, please don't think I'm nuts (LOL!), but I actually thought the original cammo Formica finish wasn't half-bad. Well, if nothing else, it was unique! I would've taken it as is, although, the black mica is a little more classy.

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Formica Sho-Bud?

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