The Real #3 Sho-Bud

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 18 Nov 2005 3:09 pm

In 1957 I went Shot Jacksons garage in Madison, Tn. to order the 3rd Sho-Bud double-neck guitar that was built, I ordered the guitar with a high G# as the 1st string, Ricky Davis has been kind enough to post some pictures that were taken a few months ago, back in those days, the E9 neck was on the bottom, In 1959, I sent the guitar back to Shot, and he converted it to a double-9, later in 59 I played this guitar on a live TV show in Tucson, Az. with several artists including Buck Owens and Wynn Stewart, You will notice on the pictures, that over the next few years, knee levers were added, along with a version of the Lucky Seven "ala Bill Hankey" string savers on strings 3 and 5, I still have this guitar with serial # 003 that I had Shot put on it for Insurance reasons, I know there has been a lot of controversy, as to who had the first Sho-Buds, but Jimmy Day got the first one,"Yes, I'm aware that Don Warden got the the 1st single neck Sho-Bud" Buddy Emmons the 2nd, & I got the 3rd, May God Bless Shot Jackson! Al Udeen[This message was edited by Al Udeen on 18 November 2005 at 03:11 PM.][This message was edited by Al Udeen on 18 November 2005 at 03:18 PM.]

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 18 Nov 2005 3:58 pm

I also got my first Sho-Bud at the beginning of the Co, (!957) At the time Shot told me also that Buddy Emmons got #1 and I think Pete Drake #2 and that mine was #3! However; I'll admit that I am not aware of the true facts about any of the early Sho-Buds. Jimmy Day told me his was #3 and Buddy says Jimmy's could have been #6. In the beginning Buddy built the bodies and Shot installed the pedals, so; who knows! I just know mine was very early on and I had it converted to a D-9 in 1960, with the high G#. My original was D-8 w/5 and in ’60 it became D-9 w/6. I never looked and never really cared what number it was!

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“Big John” Bechtel
Soon to be: New Burgundy D–10 Derby (w/6 &

’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence
web site

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 18 Nov 2005 4:47 pm

I honestly believe that the first Sho-Bud that Pete Drake got, a few years later, was Buddy Emmons #2 that had Buddys name Engraved on the front & Pete put a metal plate over it with his name on it, Shot wanted me to sign my name when I got mine, so he or Buddy could engrave my name on the guitar & fill in the routing in black putty, as Jimmys & Buddys had, Didnt Pete come on the scene a few years later? au

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 18 Nov 2005 9:13 pm

Yes and here are pictures of that Sweet Ride now>

Way Cool Al...and also want to thank Al Udeen for many history lessons he has given me....
Ricky[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 18 November 2005 at 09:14 PM.]

Tele · Post by **Tele** » 22 Nov 2005 2:59 pm

Wow, thats a beauty ! I had one very similar to this, looked even a bit older/earlier. Now I don't care if it was #2 or 4 or 6..
wish I'd kept it, it sounded awesome

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 23 Nov 2005 12:18 am

And this is the one Andy ( Tele ) is talking about, originally built for Ben Keith and always referred by BE as the first doubleneck:
http://www.bigsandy.net/promo_pics.html

Tommy White · Post by **Tommy White** » 23 Nov 2005 6:47 am

Al,
Man, what a beautiful Bud!
Saw Chad at the Opry a few weeks ago. He's a good kid and plays his fanny off.
Happy Holidays!
TW

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 23 Nov 2005 9:14 am

Tommy! Thank You for being so kind, Wishing You & Yours a Happy Thanksgiving! au

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 23 Nov 2005 11:04 am

Now that is cooooooool!!!!! On another note, Al, I have that Green Fessenden now that you traded to Paul Vendemmia. It was fun to see your son at a show we opened up for Andy Griggs and tell him "I have your old guitar and I've gigged on that one you have now!!."

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 23 Nov 2005 2:28 pm

One thing I should have mentioned regarding The #3 Sho-Bud, when I recieved the guitar in 1957, it did not have the inlay or the green necks & pickups, those were added in 59 when Shot converted the guitar to a D-9 also the Hearts & Diamond cluster decal was added in the early 60s, these early Sho-Buds were natural finish & rather plain looking compared to most of todays models! au

Jerry Knapper · Post by **Jerry Knapper** » 3 Dec 2005 10:04 pm

Hi Al:
Glad to hear your story on the sho-bud. Hope you are doing fine.
Been a long time since Montevidio, MN.

Jerry Knapper
Oklahoma

Gary Spaeth · Post by **Gary Spaeth** » 4 Dec 2005 7:30 am

does anyone have a picture of the undercarriage? i'm wondering how the legs attach.

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 4 Dec 2005 9:05 am

Jerry! Great to hear from you! Yes those were the glory days! seems like light years ago, Gary! I sent some pics, I hope they show the underside of #3 Al Udeen

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 Dec 2005 10:37 am

Hmm...I was always under the impression that the very first Sho~Bud was a single-neck, stand-up, one-pedal guitar made for Don Warden, who was Porter Wagonner's long-term steel player?

I think we need Bobbe!

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 14 Dec 2005 11:12 am

Sorry about the pics being gone....I'm over quota on the bandwidth of imagecave...ha.
Ricky

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 14 Dec 2005 11:48 am

Al most likely knows his facts. He used to work for SHO-BUD.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 Dec 2005 12:56 pm

From an article by Buddy Emmons...

"We sold our first Sho-Bud, an eight string single neck, to Don Warden, steel guitarist for Porter Waggoner."

Read the whole article here...

http://www.planet.eon.net/~gsimmons/shobud/buddy.html

Fred Jack · Post by **Fred Jack** » 14 Dec 2005 1:04 pm

Donny, I think the key here is in the first line of AU post,"to order the 3rd double neck Sho Bud." [This message was edited by Fred Jack on 14 December 2005 at 01:05 PM.]

David Wren · Post by **David Wren** » 14 Dec 2005 3:37 pm

Don't know what the serial number was, but when I saw that "Big Sandy" picture of the D8 built for Ben Keith, I would have sworn it was my Mother's first pedal steel. I was only 9 or 10 then, so this would have been sometime probably in 1960. My folks were friends with Pete and Jack Drake, and Jack Linneman (for those of you in the Nashville area around then) and they all helped Mom get this steel. Only specfic detail I know about it was Ray Pennington helped out in building it (which seems stange to me now). Anyway I learned my first licks on this guitar years later, and boy do I wish I had it now. I do remember the pedal rods were enormus diameter, and there were lots of holes in the wrong spot underneath.

.

BTW, if any of you Nashville folks know Billy Linneman (Jack's son), please tell him hello for me. Over the years I've lost all the contact info.

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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Session500; Hilton Pedal
www.ameechapman.com

David Wren · Post by **David Wren** » 15 Dec 2005 9:55 am

I spoke to my sister in Utah last night, and she is going to look through my folk's gig pictures for a picture of this very old Sho-Bud... If I can get one I'll post it to share.

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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Session500; Hilton Pedal www.ameechapman.com

[This message was edited by David Wren on 15 December 2005 at 10:27 AM.]

Bob Simmons · Post by **Bob Simmons** » 21 Dec 2005 4:26 pm

Hey, buddy, your giving up your age now.... love ya, Merry Christmas, your bud, Bob

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 28 Jan 2006 6:23 am

In late 57 I purchased a single 8 w/4 pedals and had a C6 tuning. E C A G E C A F. I was into pop standards almost exclusvly. It was BEmaple with rope binding and the desk of cards on the front. Fine little guitar. Also had a tone switch from real high to bluesy base.No endplates. CC

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 30 Jan 2006 12:25 am

This is just to show that there really was a very early Sho Bud in my earlier years! Unfortunately, at the age of 20 or even 24; I wasn't thinking about S/N's!

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
’05 D–10 Derby
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment

Gary Spaeth · Post by **Gary Spaeth** » 30 Jan 2006 6:17 am

john. do you remember how the leggs attatched? still wondering.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 30 Jan 2006 6:26 am

I once checked the guitar Jimmy Roy has, and if I remember correct, there were metal sockets in the corners inside the cabinet.