Shobud lap steel

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 19 Feb 2005 5:08 am

The "Sacred Steeler" Aubrey Ghent has a beautiful Sho-bud lap steel which I saw him play. Sounded great. I seem to recall that it
was made custom for him, can't recall if it was 8 or 10str

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 21 Feb 2005 7:56 pm

I built this guitar for Aubrey from 100% Sho-Bud parts that I got from David Jackson in 1985. Where is the problem understanding this?
I have many, many of these original parts left and standing orders to assemble more if I can ever find time to get back to doing this type of thing.
Running my steel store, doing service work, sessions, live shows, over seas tours and trying to find time for a life keeps me from doing much on this lap steel project. But, if someone wants one badly enough, 8 string and 10 string models can be built from the original parts, Every single part on these guitars is Sho-Bud,(including the "Restored By Sho-Bud" decals)..
I'm just the assembler, so are they Sho-Buds? Well, all the parts came from the second ave. and 427 Broadway Sho-Bud locations and were all built by Shot Jackson or his sons, so I think there is no doubt about the authenticity of the parts.
A hot-rod lap steel made from all Sho-Bud parts? Call it what you want, they are incredible guitars. Now you all have "the rest of the story",
Want to know more? My phone number is 615 822 5555, 10am to 3:00 PM.

Bobbe Seymour,
Steel Guitar Nashville
123 Midtown Ct.
Hendersonville TN. 37075

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 21 Feb 2005 8:29 pm

If you don't mind running down through my Website to near the end of Page-2, you will see a (one-owner) Double-Neck Sho-Bud Non-Pedal, Built by Shot and the gang. It was originally a D–8, but; my friend prefers only 7-strings and a wider spacing. So, he revised it into a D–7, w/Geo. L. P/U's. Everything else about the guitar is Original, from the Sho-Bud Factory in Nashville. click here
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“Big John” Bechtel
’49-’50 Fender T–8 Custom
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence
[This message was edited by John Bechtel on 21 February 2005 at 08:33 PM.]

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 21 Feb 2005 8:51 pm

John, I remember your guitars from the '60's, I know Shot built you several nice but different "non-pedalers". I'm getting ready to do a short write up on you in my on line news letters. (sign up from my web-site).You have a colorful past that should be noted.
I think you came into the store several times when I was assembling some of the Sho-Bud non-pedal guitars. But then knowing you, you may not have paid much attention to what I was doing! Ha!
I remember a lot of your old guitars, wish I had a couple of them today.
I play a double eight string Sho-Bud on my non-pedal teaching videos. I've had this original Sho-Bud for many years, got it from Paul sombody in Illinois. It was originally a D-8 pedal guitar though. I love it and do all my non-ped recording with it, "No Pedalers Allowed", "Legends of the Lap Steel" etc..

DeWitt Scott · Post by **DeWitt Scott** » 21 Feb 2005 10:54 pm

Jack Byrd is correct. When I was returning from the trip to Japan I stopped off in Honolulu and had many visits with Jerry. Harry's Music boxed up the double neck Sho Bud for shipping to St. Louis. Jerry was going to autograph the under side of the guitar but it was already packed in the carton. The outside neck is the 7 string diatonic tuning and the inside neck is the 8 string C6 tuning. The pick ups are different and John Betchel knows more about them than I do. George Lewis made the pickups and it has some thing to do with different wiring, etc. John, if you are ready this could you explain it please?.... I do know that the Horse Shoe pickups were not the same as the original Rickenbacker. Shot was genius at making pickups and he found a way of winding them where the sound was acceptable to Jerry’ ears. My son Michael has just taken a various photos of the steel and it will be included here so you all can see it. The plate on the front panel of the body was made by a friend of Jerry's, Iso Wada, in Japan. Jerry also gave me the original Sho Bud plate that came on the guitar. It is gold plated and the wording is "Custom Built For Jerry Byrd". The guitar has a picture of a dove inlayed in Mother Of Pearl on the front panel. The name "Sho Bud" is not anywhere on the guitar. I know of two people that have this type of Sho Bud. Lorene Ruymar in Canada and David Young in Florien, LA. I think both are double necks but not sure if they have the same 7 string & 8 string combination or both are double 8 strings. Shot made many single neck versions of this guitar.

The deal with Jerry and Shot was to build 150 of the A model short scale Frypans and 150 of the B model long scale Frypans and then destroy the mold. I don't think that were able to build that many. Maybe that is why Bobbe Seymour was able to buy so many spare parts and body's for those guitars. Jerry got the first one, Shot took the second one and I got the third one. I choose the B model and my serial number was B003. The Frypans came with a Certificate Of Limited Edition. It read like this:
Certificate Of Limited Edition
Serial No. Date
The
Jerry Byrd Fry-Pan
Issued to
The Sho-Bud Co. and Jerry Byrd certify that this is a hand-crafted reproduction of the original "Fry-Pan" steel guitars. Know for its unique beauty of tone and great sustaining quality and developed after several years of careful research, it is being offered in a limited edition of only 300.

Sho Bud Guitar Company, Inc. Nashville, Tennessee. with Shot Jackson and Jerry Byrd signatures on it.

I have one at my store for sale. The serial number is B006 and was purchased for $500.00 on July 30, 1979. It was originally purchased by John DeBoe in Port Richie, FL. He must have sold it at one time or another as the guitar did not come to me by him. The pickup isn’t working and I will have Lindy Fralin rewind the pickup for me.

To view the photos click here.
http://www.scottysmusic.com/images/byrdguitar.htm

Scotty

DeWitt Scott · Post by **DeWitt Scott** » 21 Feb 2005 10:57 pm

Jerry Byrd correction. The bird on the panel of Jerry's Sho Bud looks more like a Pheasant than a dove. Sorry. Scotty

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 21 Feb 2005 11:11 pm

Bobbe- definately Sho~Bud
Scotty- indeed a pheasant

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 22 Feb 2005 3:28 am

I built this guitar for Aubrey from 100% Sho-Bud parts that I got from David Jackson in 1985. Where is the problem understanding this?

Bobbe,

I can't find anyone having a "problem" understanding your posting that pretty much provided the answer I think most folks were hoping someone could provide. Quite a bit of nice history I suppose folks are enjoying as much as I am; THANKS. Not to mention knowing that there are parts available to build more.

And wouldn't you know it; After wishing for some time I could build one from original parts ....I discover you got'em at a time I got myself painted into a corner, and of course Murphy stalking at such times, and can't even find time to wash the car ! (SGF a bit more important than washing the car!). But you got my brain and G.A.S. grinding!

Question though: Ed mentioned that he'd never seen a Sho-Bud made from flamed maple. But a the pics of Aubrey's and the pic Ricky had posted, looked like some quite noticeable flaming across the grain ...although I've also seen planer chatter create marks that turn out like "flames" when a nice finish is put on and leveled. So what is the wood on those pics? ....Just curious (my curse!).

Aloha,
Denny T~

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 22 Feb 2005 7:21 am

The wood is a highly flamed maple that I got from Sho-Bud in '85. It was in barrels and none of it quite long enough to build pedal steel from. This wood is now very old, hard, and beautiful.
Ed knew where the wood came from and he and I together were about to spring this info on the world. His comment on the wood was a lead in to these facts that I have stated. Thank you for asking.
Anyone wanting more information? Just ask here.
Thank you guys,
bobbe

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 22 Feb 2005 8:44 am

It's killing me, but I'm gonna bite my tongue on this one!

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 22 Feb 2005 9:29 am

Howard, is it the "old , hard, and beautiful" part that is making you bite your toungue? Or possibly "the wood isn't long enough"? Or does it have something to do with checks again?
Nothing wrong with biting your own toungue I 'spose. [This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 22 February 2005 at 09:32 AM.]

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 22 Feb 2005 1:46 pm

Bobbe,

If one were to order one of these what would the price range be to have one built?

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 22 Feb 2005 6:01 pm

How much money,If I can make time?????Depends on how exotic you want it, but from $800.00 up is a fair guess. . Full aluminum neck like Aubrey Gent's, is slightly less money than wood necks. The aluminum sounds great also. Mostly a matter of looks though.
Talk about tone? Honestly, it's wonderful, well balanced from top to bottom and rich and full without losing the clarity anywhere.

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 28 Feb 2005 12:57 pm

If one assemblies a lap steel from all sho bud parts is there a problem putting a sho bud decal on it?

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 28 Feb 2005 3:18 pm

Not since I bought the authentic parts from Shot and David. These two kept the rights to build the nonpedal steels. David negotiated the deal so Shot would be able to continue to build the Sho-Bro, lap (nonpedal) steels, Flat tops, and anything that didn't have to do with the "Music City Manufacturing" production line that David was in charge of. Remember, Sho-Bud was divided into two companies long before one of them was sold to Baldwin or Fred Grestch. David Jackson's operation was totally different that Shot's. Even a different location in Nashville. David's biz was on second Ave., and Shot's at 416 Broadway.
Put the Sho-Bud name on the assembled parts? You bet, as long as the parts are authentic, after all, that's what they are: Sho-Bud. What else would you call them? Emmons? Naw.

bobbe

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 2 Mar 2005 2:27 pm

Bobbe,

I agree with you. If the all the hardware is Sho bud, and the maple is the type used by Sho bud, it would seem that the most natural thing to do would be to call it a Sho~bud, and put a shobud label on it!!!

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 2 Mar 2005 4:15 pm

ShoBob?

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www.tyack.com

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 2 Mar 2005 8:03 pm

I posted on this forum a number of pictures of the 8-string Sho Bud lap Bobbe built me about five-six years ago. Beautiful, flamed maple. Mine is dated (stenciled into the wood) on the bottom: 11/22/61, and is numbered 08. Its obvious use, well, to me, by Shot was as a lap steel.

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 3 Apr 2006 11:06 pm

How do Sho Bud table steels compare in timbre to a Sho Bud Professional?

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"Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 6 Apr 2006 8:49 am

Darryl, every bit as good sounding, possibly better since there is no mechanical "dampining" from mechanics under the guitar.

As a matter of fact I just moved thousands of Sho-Bud parts into a newly rented building with the possible intention of assembaling a few more Sho-Bud lap steels. All with 100% original Sho-Bud parts.

Bobbe

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 6 Apr 2006 9:00 pm

John,

Could you give this newbie a few basics about your quad 10? Do you have to be Arnold Schwarzenegger to lift it? Or Wilt Chaimberlain to play the outside neck?

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"Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 7 Apr 2006 9:41 am

Bobbe,

Maybe a Sho-Bud table steel would sound too much like my Professional. I do prefer the Sho Bud sound, because that's what reminds me of my favorite style: the 50's and 60's crew of Emmons, Mooney, Day, Green, Drake, etc.

Lately, though, I've thought about also getting a table steel for the 40s sound I heard as a kid: Vance Terry (on the radio every day) Speedy West, Joaquin Murphey, Noel Boggs, Leon McAuliffe, Herb Remington, Don Helms. But I suppose a stringmaster would get closer to that sound than a Sho Bud table, right?

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 11 Apr 2006 9:10 pm

Bobbe.
Regarding those old Sho Bud components you have, are all of the bodies maple?

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 11 Apr 2006 9:23 pm

Bodys are all maple that I have for the original Sho-Buds.

As to steel guitars of the forties and fifties, there was no particular tone or sound that covered it all. All brands sounded different. Bigsby was very different, and great. Rickenbacher was great, but different, National, Supro, Gibson, Fender and all guitars were all different from each other Darryl. ACTUALLY, MUCH MORE DIFFERENCES THAN THE STEEL GUITARS OF TODAY ARE. (didn't mean to yell, Ha! Ha!)
The Fender line had a lot of tone variation even within the same brand models. Stringmasters, and the different models of Stringmasters, Triple Customs, Duel Professionals etc. The 26' stringmasters sounded much different than the shorter ones. I like them.
Bobbe

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 11 Apr 2006 9:26 pm

Darryl, "Table steel?" I like it! Mine is a "chair steel".
Is a pedal steel a "Table steel"?