What guitar has been on the most top ten records?

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

Could it be Emmons when John Hughey was with Conway? Lloyd Green on everybodys records? I wouldn't want to limit this to which guitar in particular but what brand of guitar has been on more top tens?

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

Frank,
I'd have to say Sho-Bud for several reasons.
One, they've been around longer. Two, just about all the players from Nashville played one at one time.Three, not only does Lloyd play one but Pete Drake played Sho-Buds, Jimmy Day, Buddy Emmons, Hal Rugg, Curley Chalker, Weldon Myrick, and the list goes on of guys that played Sho-Buds at one time or another.
I would say that the Emmons comes in second in that regard.
Mike Sweeney

Red Kilby · From: Pueblo, CO, USA * R.I.P.

Hi Frank, the single most played steel guitar on records would probably be Lloyd Green's 1973 LDG, and I say this because he used this guitar on recording sessions from May 1973 to 1988., and now he is using that same guitar on recording sessions again.

The reason why I say this guitar, is because other steel players used a different guitar all the time throughout there career , but Lloyd only had 4 Sho-Buds is entire career, and this one was on between 5000 and 6000 sessions and he is still using it, making it maybe the most recorded instrument period.

I hope this helps, take care and Merry Christmas to all.
www.redkilby.com

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

Red,
I'm not looking for any one particular guitar as I stated in the above post but rather just which brand of guitar (not whose guitar) has been on the most top ten records. Lloyds guitar could be the answer to both sides of this question though. I kind of think the way Mike does but does anybody have any numbers or stats listed on this subject? If I were one of these guitar companys, I'd use that for advertising.

Patrick Ickes · From: Upper Lake, CA USA

Most likely a Franklin played by Franklin Jr..

Pat

Kenny Davis · From: Great State of Oklahoma

I guess Emmons could say that their guitar is the #2 steel guitar on top ten records.

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

Patrick,
It ain't a Franklin. When you consider that Sho-Bud came out in 1957 and Shot Jackson put one in the hands of about every player in Nashville for many, many years it stands to reason that Sho-Bud is the most recorded brand in history.
If you combine the records that Lloyd Green did and Pete Drake did for 25 years [both on Sho-Buds] even with the success of Paul Franklin , he can't touch there combined numbers.
The question is the brand of guitar on the most top ten records not who played them and even if it was I believe it would also be hard to find anyone who could top Lloyd or Pete who both played a Sho-Bud.
Mike Sweeney

Roy Ayres · From: Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Depends on how far back you want to go. If you include pre-PSG, Fender has to be in the running.

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

Roy,
Yes you could also you can include Bigsby and Richenbacher.
I still interpret the question as pedal guitar though since it's not in no peddlers. If it were I would say Dobro.
I still say Sho-Bud because of the length of time they were in buisness and the amount of players that used them. Lloyd and Pete alone would have made them the most recorded guitar in history.
When you think about it Pete Drake started his session career around 1960 and worked up till the early 80's and Lloyd Green started his session career in 1964 and retired in 1988 and he's out of retirement now you're looking at a combined time of about 50 years of recording with Sho-Bud guitars. And Lloyd is still playing the Green Monster he got in 1973.
Before Pete hit the scene Jimmy Day and Buddy Emmons were the hottest guys in the studio and they played Sho-Buds. I remember seeing Hal Rugg playing Sho-Buds on T.V. in the 60's and 70's. I also recall Curley playing a Sho-Bud on Hee Haw before his tenure with M.S.A. all of these guys played on top ten records. Hal played an Emmons too but some of the Loretta Lynn stuff as well as the Osborne Brothers stuff he played on during his Sho-Bud period.
I think all players including myself who played Sho-Bud guitars years ago owe Shot Jackson alot because of his love of the instrument and it's players.
Mike Sweeney

Reggie Duncan · From: Mississippi

Sho-Bud, because of Pete Drake and Lloyd Green.

Kenny Davis · From: Great State of Oklahoma

Sho~Bud - Probably

But - What about total sales? Count record sales of Garth Brooks and Brooks & Dunn, recorded on an Emmons. Then count Alan Jackson, George Strait, Shania, etc. on a Franklin. The one thing that will knock the total down for Emmons is the lack of steel on some of their hits.

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

Sales figures weren't even mentioned at the start of the thread.
As far as that goes you can go back to the Hank Thompson hey day and all those millions of records he sold and there were Bigsbys on most of those except the early ones that Chalker did[Wild Side Of Life and Crying In The Deep Blue Sea] where he used a Fender. And then Bobby Garrett on a Sho-Bud.
The amount of records played on is the question. Given time the Franklin guitar may someday catch up with Sho-Bud given the fact that not only is Paul Jr. playing one but Mike Johnson is too. Let's wait and see.
Sweeney

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

This is starting to look like the stats for baseball, endless. My question is as Mike has been saying, Which brand of guitar (PSG)has been on the most top ten records period? I started playing a Sho-Bud again recently and wondered if it just may be these guitars.

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · From: Branson, Missouri, USA

Probably
1. Sho-Bud
2. Emmons
3. Franklin

An interesting note is that Paul Franklin Sr. built many of those Sho-Buds while he worked for Shot. The first Franklin was designed to be a Sho-Bud.

Michael T.

------------------
UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

Patrick Ickes · From: Upper Lake, CA USA

Yep,
So...if you combine numbers 1 and 3, I win!!!!
I figured with the "hit machines" spinning out so many songs with Franklin Jr. during the 80's to present, there was no way there could have been so many top 10 songs put out since wax records were poured that would be near that number.

Pat

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

Patrick,
You're kidding yourself if you think Paul Franklin has played on as many top ten records as Pete Drake and Lloyd Green among others combined. Both Pete and Lloyd's recording career were almost 25 years a piece. And unlike today where they take several weeks sometimes months to cut an album in the '60's and '70's those guys were doing 3 or 4 sessions a day 5 to 7 days a week. It's not a meat grinder like that now.
This is not meant to downplay Paul's work for he has done a bunch but in no way has he come close to what the aformentioned players have done. He will have to work hard and steady untill about 2035 to have the time involved as far as quantity of sessions.
As far as Paul Sr. working at Sho-Bud he sure did. Starting in the early '70's. So the guitars that you here on those old '60's records he didn't have a hand in building.
Frank,
I say let's figure out how many top tens that all the Sho-Bud players played on collectively then how many Paul has done then others like John Hughey and so on then we can put this to rest.
I think we'll find that it's like I said.
Mike Sweeney

[This message was edited by Mike Sweeney on 23 December 2002 at 09:43 PM.]

[This message was edited by Mike Sweeney on 23 December 2002 at 09:44 PM.]

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · From: Branson, Missouri, USA

Another interesting point is that all of the all-pull guitars are essentially "Trickle Down" Sho-Buds, even Emmons LeGrande's.

Since push-pull guitars only includes Emmons from 1964 to around the mid 80's (say 20 years) and a few beginners models, (hardly found on a pro session), the Sho-Bud family of guitars would easily win out. There is no challenge in this respect.

Emmons vs. Everybody
(even themselves)

They all sound great, however, the Emmons Push-Pull still sounds better than all of the other steels combined, in my opinion.
So, Emmons remains the champion even though they are outnumbered.

Michael T.

------------------
UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

Michael,
I agree with the sound thing that's one of the reasons I play a push pull Emmons though not the only one. But if you think about it Fender and Bigsbys used an all pull changer on there Cable driven classics and M.S.A. used an all pull changer before Sho-Bud.
Mike

Steve Hinson · From: Hendersonville Tn USA

This could be easily settled...I think there is a book out with all the top ten country records in Billboard since the Country charts first started...it would be quite an undertaking,but it could be done...

Steve Hinson · From: Hendersonville Tn USA

...come on now...only 25,000 records to sort thru,if you start with'54(when"Slowly"came out)...

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

I don't have a book but here's a start.
Slowly. There's one for Bigsby. O.K. how about More And More, yet another for Bigsby. How about I Fall To Pieces w/ Big Ben Keith on a Sho-Bud. Faron Young's '56 cut of Sweet Dreams w/ Buddy Emmons on a Bigsby.Half A Mind w/ Buddy Emmons on a Sho-Bud. There Goes My Everything 1966 w/ Pete Drake on a Sho-Bud. Almost Persuaded Pete Drake Sho-Bud.
Tammy Wynettes Apt.#9 Pete Drake Sho-Bud. The Bridge Washed Out by Warner Mack w/ Lloyd Green on a Sho-Bud.
I've not even scratched the surface yet and I could get into my record collection and come up with alot more but I don't have the time. But I still stand with what I said. There were more records cut in the '60's and '70's than any other time and when you consider that 2 guys [Pete and Lloyd] recieved the lions share of the work that it stands to reason that Sho-Bud would be the most recorded guitar in the world.
Personally ,I don't care what they played I just know that during those years they got my moter cranked up and I'm glad I grew up listening to ALL those guys playing on those records and t.v. shows. I'm not biased toward Sho-Bud as I haven't played one in years but I know they were the king for many years.
Sweeney

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

Mike,
You might sit down to a well tuned Bud and re-experience what a great guitar they are. It was a pleasant surprise to me after 16 years. I wouldn't get rid of my p/p's but these Buds are still a guitar to be played and not put away. Tommy Hannum has an old Professional over at Duane Marrs right now for a re-fit. He said he just wanted something different.

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

Frank,
I know. I played Bryan Adams's old fingertip back in July and it made me want one again there's just one problem. I can't afford one. And I'd want nothing newer than a Profesional although the newer ones are good the older ones used stouter parts and I think they sound better.
Maybe one of these days.
Sweeney

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