Would you gig a older sho-bud?

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 12 Dec 2015 5:03 am

I grew up loving the sound of the Sho-bud. I have always wanted one and it seems like the time to get one is now. But I wonder how many still gig their 70's Bud weekly. I am a weekend warrior now, but my guitars get there work out every weekend. So can I gig it if I buy it?

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 12 Dec 2015 5:18 am

yes, I bring out the Pro I , a 77 build, once a month to a regular gig .

I have brought out the Pro III now and then as well, a 75 build.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 12 Dec 2015 5:24 am

Yes. Period.

Do whatever maintenance that it needs. Get it up to snuff, if necessary. If you are a nervous person (I am), replace pot metal undercarriage parts on late Pro 1 and Super Pro (and LDG's of that era) guitars. Otherwise, leave them alone because there are far more guitars that don't break parts than there are that do (I am personally aware of enough guitars that snapped knee lever brackets so I can't get it out of my head).

A Bud is a workhorse. Not a fragile museum piece.

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 12 Dec 2015 5:47 am

I'm gigging my '75 6139.

Never even occurred to me not to.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 12 Dec 2015 6:05 am

I agree.. No reason to be afraid of a Bud if its "running good".. I will only give you this piece of advice, and it WILL piss off some of the resident Bud lovers.. I AM a Bud lover by the way, However after may years of owning and playing Buds onstage and in the studio, I must tell you they are not all created equal.. I have owned at least 12 pro model Sho Buds in the 39 years I have been playing, so I do have some experience.. Some of them are very tempremental, and you will have issues keeping them in tune. I have had owned and played every mechanism and changer that Sho Bud made except for the old pull/release.. Rack and barrel, 2 hole pullers, Super Pro and the various changers they used. For whatever reason, I have had a hell of a time keeping them in tune sufficiently... I was always tweaking the end plate nylons, or the Allen sockets depending on the changer type.
Any Bud I ever owned was simply not very dependable concerning tuning stability compared to other brands. Some were better than others, but not one was as stable as my other steels, MSA, Carter,Marlen,GFI,Williams,Fessenden, Dekley, Fender,ETS, MCI, and probably a few others I have forgotten... If I ever find a Bud that was really tuning stable, I wouldn't play anything else.. I have talked to MANY other veteran steel players that said the same thing as I have.. However to be fair, I will say this.. MANY guys have told me I am crazy, and that their personal Sho Bud guitars play in tune, and STAY in tune.. They aren't liars so I must conclude that I just got about 12 or 13 "bad ones".. In my opinion a better looking, playing, or sounding guitar has never built. However, the tuning stability issues I have experienced have me very wary about Buds as a stage instrument.. I simply grew weary of having to keep the tuning wrench right on the guitar deck all night long and having to use it.. Other, more stable brands?.. I would take the wrench out once a week tops... Some like the MSA's, Carter and my old Marlen pull/release, I sometimes don't touch the endplates for a month or more.
One day I hope to find a nice S10 Bud to buy where the seller tells me it simply stays in tune, period. I would buy it and sell whatever steel was my #1 at the time, and just play the Bud... They are out there, believe me. Too many good players swear by their Sho Bud guitars for it not to be true.. In my own case, I simply have never found the right one, and always went to guitars I liked less, but trusted more....bob

Ronnie Boettcher · Post by **Ronnie Boettcher** » 12 Dec 2015 9:06 am

I bought my 77 LDG in 77, and it is played weekly. I have done some mods to it, and changed the narrow pedals for the older wide ones, and it plays better now than when it was new. I did move the left knee levers left, to suit my taste, and I have changed a few of the 2 hole pullers, to 3 hole pullers. and raised the body some so I could get my knees under it. All that took was to lengthen the 3 pedal rods.
Go get one and play it, just set it up for "you".

Craig Baker · Post by **Craig Baker** » 12 Dec 2015 9:24 am

Sho~Bud is the steel guitar that country music grew up on. Many of the great old songs that a lot of us love were recorded with a Sho~Bud. It compares to a Piper Cub or a Lionel train. It's a great part of Americana. Two years ago I worked a Patsy Cline play. The director wanted to create an authentic stage set. Can you think of a better steel for a Patsy Cline play? A Sho~Bud steel and an old RCA ribbon microphone added to the enjoyment.

Craig

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 12 Dec 2015 12:30 pm

If I had one, it would probably be my "go to" guitar. I wouldn't even have to think about it.

Dave Campbell · Post by **Dave Campbell** » 12 Dec 2015 2:19 pm

gigging with mine. it's never the weakest link, i'll tell you that.

mike nolan · Post by **mike nolan** » 12 Dec 2015 2:31 pm

Make sure that everything is working.... then play it. I have gigged Sho~Buds for years. I'm hunting around for the right 12 string to build out as a 7X6 uni.... someday when I have time.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 12 Dec 2015 2:45 pm

Would you gig a older sho-bud?

I don't see why not...

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 12 Dec 2015 4:04 pm

Bob Carlucci wrote:...after may years of owning and playing Buds onstage and in the studio, I must tell you they are not all created equal...

I had two Sho-Bud Crossovers, and they sounded completely different. (They both had their original pickups, by the way, so that was not the cause.) $:\$

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 12 Dec 2015 4:54 pm

The tuning stability is a curious issue. When not being played mine will lose a few cents every day almost like there is some kind of creep going on. Maybe the ultra low cost strings I have on it are the problem. ...With the brass behind two hole pullers. .. seems that every time you engage a change there may be a slight chance of friction turning the tuner enough so it eventually moves slightly out of tune... seems to happen in some barrels more than others. . I have often thought that putting some kind of light duty thread lock product would help.

Thus said, the instability is not so bad it bothers me...I tune the open strings about every third day and a few of the changes about once every few weeks.

Jack Aldrich · Post by **Jack Aldrich** » 12 Dec 2015 8:57 pm

I really miss my 76 wood neck ProI! I traded it for a metal neck ProIII when I wanted to get into C6. It sounds ok, but not that rich sound my wood neck had.

Jim Cooley · Post by **Jim Cooley** » 12 Dec 2015 9:14 pm

Absolutely. I never had a problem with my '73 LDG with barrels behind 2-hole pullers. Great tone and stayed in tune as long as I gave it 30 minutes or so when moving to a significantly warmer or colder venue. Play that Bud.

Joe Minor · Post by **Joe Minor** » 12 Dec 2015 9:29 pm

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 12 Dec 2015 10:21 pm

I rebuilt my 1976 Pro III this past spring and have been playing it out. It was my main guitar for many years before I bought a SuperPro. Feels great, back in the saddle.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 13 Dec 2015 7:55 am

When its the only pedal steel you have, then YES.
https://youtu.be/scaGSh9LxTA

https://youtu.be/SRsGOpuZfCk
This is me playing with the Graham Reynolds Composer of all Richard Linklater movie sound tracks; in which I'm in most sound tracks. This is a show in Marfa; 14 piece band.
so yes you can play with a old Sho~bud; as I played on over 100 CD's with a sho-bud and 15 movie sound tracks and many commercials and even the Grand Ole Opry>
https://www.facebook.com/ricky.davis.37 ... 775709100/
Ricky

Allan Kirby · Post by **Allan Kirby** » 13 Dec 2015 8:15 am

I gig regularly with my 1974 Sho-Bud 6139. That is why I own it. It is a solid, reliable, gigging guitar and has a consistent sound. It has acquired some significant bruises as a result of gigging, which just gives it more character. I have other guitars but the Sho-Bud is the "go to" instrument.

Patrick Laffrat · Post by **Patrick Laffrat** » 13 Dec 2015 8:31 am

Sho-Bud, what else?

Storm Rosson · Post by **Storm Rosson** » 13 Dec 2015 8:47 am

If it works okay then hell yes, a few makes come close to the Bud sound but IMO nothin sounds like a bud except a bud.On a lighter note,if you want to play a bud it will ,by default, have to be an "older" bud. I heard they quit building new buds about 19-20 years ago (just a guess)

. If you want a "new" Sho-Bud, then send your used one to that "guy" who posted on this thread 3 posts above. I think his name is Ricky Davis. When he gets thru "servicing" it,it will be a new bud (prolly better than new). P.S. Ricky is one of the best psg rebuilders, restorer,set-up tech,... oh yeah and PLAYER anywhere. BTW rumor has it that Ricky likes buds too

...Stormy

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 13 Dec 2015 9:03 am

+1 on Ricky! He certainly can get them to play! I'm counting on mine too, for upcoming gigs.
Thanks for the links Ricky, always inspiring!

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 13 Dec 2015 9:56 am

Thanks Storm and Eddie.
Hey Eddie here is your "Sho~Bud" in action after I finished setting it up>
https://youtu.be/oqxN0ETxpRY

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Dec 2015 12:10 pm

doesn't lloyd green play a sho-bud?
i've heard he's a professional.

Terry Winter · Post by **Terry Winter** » 13 Dec 2015 12:20 pm

I'd say probably......A good friend of mine one night brought his Sho-Bud Professional for me to play and I was so scared about....age of strings?....will it hold pitch?....how is it set up?etc. It was not played for some time. Well boy did I have fun, other than two knees reversed to mine it played sweet and fine. Had a great night! I do realize this might not always happen though