| Author |
Topic: Coop de grace |
Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 24 Sep 2005 10:31 am |
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I know y'all are probably getting tired of all the pictures of shiny metal, but I'll test your patience with these and add a few pictures of some wood to even things out.
My lovely '84 Sho-Bud S/D12 Pro II Custom looked like this
I won't even show you the picture of the undercarriage -- you owners of later Sho-Buds know what zinc alloy 'pot metal' levers and brackets look like. It was an accident waiting to happen. 
John totally stripped the undercarriage and replaced almost EVERYTHING. New changer, new levers and brackets, bellcranks, rods, pedal stops -- everything.
This is what it looks like today
Here are a few more
top view
back -- showing the chromed teardrop levers
undercarriage view 1 undercarriage view 2
This illustrates the fact that John Coop is more than a master machinist / toolmaker. He is an artist. He appreciates what makes a guitar look classy and just makes it look like that. It was a beautiful hunk of birdseye and an attractive axe before. But the addition of just a little bit of color -- replacing the two tone brown & white fretboard and adding the decal in the middle made a big difference. Pedal bar polished out real nice too. He just took care of all the details.
And, perhaps needless to say, it plays like a champ and sounds like a Bud should -- even with me playing it.
John -- thanks my friend. Shot is smiling down on you.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 24 September 2005 at 11:48 AM.] |
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Sep 2005 12:51 pm
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You really know how to stick it in and twist it don't you? I wish, I wish, I wish, ---------
super axe
phred |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 24 Sep 2005 1:15 pm
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| Does it play in tune? |
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Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Sep 2005 1:29 pm
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This is really nice, can hardly wait for mine to come from there. I just talked to John he told me this was here, sure looks great I know you will enjoy it.
ernie |
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Carl Williams
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 24 Sep 2005 3:17 pm
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| Larry, she's a beauty! Enjoy your new Sho-Bud and give us some play-by-play on how it plays/sounds, etc. Congratulations to you and John on bringing another Sho-Bud back to glory! Carl |
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 24 Sep 2005 5:30 pm
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Larry,
Wow, bee-oo-ti-ful axe!
How about some sound files of yer Bud?
Got a tuning chart for it?
cheers,
Drew
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Drew Howard - website - Fessenden D-10 8/8, Fessenden SD-12 5/5 (Ext E9), Magnatone S-8, N400's, BOSS RV-3
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Dave Van Allen
From:
Souderton, PA , US , Earth
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Posted 24 Sep 2005 9:36 pm
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Larry- I think Earnest's question is serious(for once  ) I know he has a specific interest in aftermarket Sho~Bud equipment... |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 25 Sep 2005 5:52 am
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So you think Earnest's question is an earnest question, eh? Does it play in tune?
Only if YOU play it in tune. Otherwise, NO.
All seriousness aside, John's pull train is made from high quality, solid materials -- not stuff better suited for cap pistols. He has seen some changer fingers and axles with grooves so deep that it's a wonder they could pull at all. He also eliminated the clips that secure the pull rods to the bellcrank on the SuperPro undercarriage (I HATE them). All in all, he has eliminated all that's bad about (particularly the newer) Sho-Buds.
I've only had the guitar for a day and haven't played it out yet, but, from what I can tell (with new strings on it) it tunes up fine, plays very smoothly, and stays in tune very well. Cabinet drop is about 4 cents; there's a little hysteresis as with any guitar with tuning keys. Otherwise, I have no complaints.
EB -- was there something in particular you were fishing for?
Drew -- tuning is on my website -- not very different from my other guitars; I did split the Franklin pedal so I'll see how I like that.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 25 September 2005 at 07:00 AM.] |
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Buck Dilly
From:
Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Sep 2005 6:01 am
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| Speechless. I should have held out for lacquer. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Sep 2005 10:28 am
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| John will have mine wrapped up and finished soon, and we will get some picy's up. John was taught by the Lord himself---------------------------------------------- |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2005 10:50 am
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"Does it play in tune?" is a serious question.
All pedal steel guitars have tuning problems; we all know what they are. Does it pull/return consistently to the same pitch? |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 25 Sep 2005 12:02 pm
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yes it does -- as far as I've been able to surmise in two days of playing it.
For example, I raise my middle B string (would be 10 on E9) to D on a lever and to C# on a pedal. If you raise to D and then let off to C# it's perfectly in tune, then to B and it is likewise in tune. My other guitars tend to return a bit sharp. Not the Coop changer / mechanics.
Another example in the same vein: I lower 8 from E to D and also from E to D#. It returns perfectly as you raise it back from D to D# and E. I just checked it to be sure.
Works for me
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2005 12:46 pm
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Thanks Larry; that is great to hear.
| Quote: |
| If you raise to D and then let off to C# it's perfectly in tune |
I like that change on string 5 but letting off from D to C# comes back about 8 to 10 cents higher than raising B to C# (on my Zum, Franklin, and Sho-Bud with Marrs/Surratt parts. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 26 Sep 2005 1:22 pm
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ouch -- that's no fun
Everything I've tested returns fine. I haven't spent a lot of time looking -- and probably won't. If I can't hear it, it's not a problem for me, but I'm usually the first one to know when I'm out of tune.
My Zum, Fessy, and to a lesser extent, my push-pull have more return problems than the Bud.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
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Scott Alexander
From:
Richland, MI
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Posted 29 Sep 2005 3:38 pm
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Hi Larry.
Thanks for the pics. I can't wait to get my Bud from John.
My Bud is nearly a copy of Larry's with Larry's awesome E9B6 setup. For you folks that play the U12, Larry knows his guitars, and he is a wonderful artist. He has an ear that could detect a tuning problem with a cricket!
John is a sincere man who loves these guitars, and he has spent countless hours talking to Larry and myself learning the player and our needs.
Long live the rebuilt Bud.
My Bud was a disaster when I received it. On the my Bud's first gig, the D knee lever (LTB RKL) broke. Pot metal from Hell is being replaced at this very moment.
Steelin' Scott
Mullen U12 4 sale $1800.00 awesome guit
ShoBud U12 with a pad
Tele / Bigsby
Gibby Br6
Session 400
A few twins eh!
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