Gretch amp and Sho-Bud amp

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 26 Nov 2003 6:56 am

Is the Gretsch Nashville Pro amp the same amp as the Sho-Bud single channel? They seem to have the same panel layout and the schematic going around for the Gretsch says Sho-Bud on it. Anyone know for sure?

Brad Sarno

Harold Parris · Post by **Harold Parris** » 27 Nov 2003 8:42 pm

Brad, According to Woody Woodell, I think his first name was Kenneth and last was Cain, designed both amps for Gretsch. The ShoBud had a tremelo circuit and a speaker voltage meter extra from the Gretsch. They are electronically the same up to that point. Woody is a very knowledgeable person on amps and speakers and he builds custom amp of his own design. I think he is correct on this one.

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Sierra Session and MSA Classic Guitars, Nashville 400, Session 400, and Evans FET 500 HiVolt, and Gretsch Nashville Pro Steel Amps, Keith Hilton Digital Sustain pedal and Digital Sustain Box .
Harold Parris email hparris9@aol.com

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 28 Nov 2003 8:17 am

Thanks Harold. I just talked with Woody yesterday and he told me that too. He's sending me a pair of the original FET transistors to replace the ones in my Gretsch amp. We suspect they are the cause of the hiss. He thinks that will quiet it back down.

Thanks,
Brad

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 28 Nov 2003 9:16 am

Woody is Partially right.

Kenneth Cain was long Gone before Sho-Bud wound up as Fred Gretsch Property. Kenneth designed the Sho-Bud Single Channel. I don't know anything about the Gretsch, I've never seen one.

Could be that Gretsch put their name on the Single Channel after they acquired Sho-Bud, In that case, he would have designed both of them

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<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_7_3.gif' border=0></a><a target='_blank' href='http://www.mymailsignature.com'>
<img src='http://www.mymailsignature.com/fwpdata/ ... CFAsig.png' border=0></a>[This message was edited by John Floyd on 28 November 2003 at 09:20 AM.]

Woody Woodell · Post by **Woody Woodell** » 29 Nov 2003 10:21 am

Hi, Brad;
Received your letter yesterday.
To the best of my knowledge, The early Sho-Bud single channel and I KNOW the Christmas Tree had a single FET transistor in the first stage driving the tone control circuit, then going to the volume control which had a capacitor with a switch jumping over from the top of the volume to the volume center tap ala Fender. The volume, I believe, was at least 250K, as were the bass ant treb controls. The mid was about 10K and sometimes 25K. The Cain amp had the drain of the FET directly connected to the base of a bi-polar transistor which was an EMITTER FOLLOWER configuration, that is, the signal was taken from the emitter thru about a 4mfd capacitor to the volume control first (10K) and then to the tone controls. The Sho-Buds with the slide pots and output meter used the same circuits but with 100K bass and treb controls which seriously hurt the tone.
The Cain and Sho-Buds were designed by Kenneth Cain. The tone was very similar, possibly the Cain a little smoother with the higha a little tamer. Both sounded great! A good example of a Cain being put to good use was Lloyd Green playing thru one on Mel Street's recording of "Borrowed Angel".
I believe the Gretsch is the same circuit as the Cain. I'll send you a copy of both.
Woody
woody.33@netzero.com

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 29 Nov 2003 2:14 pm

Woody
I knew that would bring you out.
You Ole rascal, how are you doing?
John[This message was edited by John Floyd on 30 November 2003 at 12:03 AM.]

Woody Woodell · Post by **Woody Woodell** » 30 Nov 2003 10:05 am

Doing just great, John!
So good to hear from you!
Incidentally, the Gretsch amps were made after Baldwin purchased Sho-Bud. (Baldwin also bought out Gretsch)
I forget the name of the company that made the amps for Baldwin, they are no longer in business. I know a guy who purchased one about a year ago that was in mint condition and had never been sold before. It had an Altec Lansing speaker that was a work of art, the only one I had ever seen and I thought I had seen them all.

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 30 Nov 2003 10:30 am

Lock Up the Wimmin, Harley and I are coming to Nashburg for a visit one of these days and we both are single again. Of Course age may slow us down a little. <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_4_105.gif' border=0></a>

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<img src='http://www.mymailsignature.com/fwpdata/ ... CFAsig.png' border=0></a>[This message was edited by John Floyd on 30 November 2003 at 10:32 AM.]