Heard my Sho Bud today.. for the first and last time...

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Confusing header.. let me explain...

I finally got a buyer for a beautiful old Bud S10 Professional squarefront w/6 and 4.. A magnificent birdseye/flame maple guitar with coil tap pickup... Tried selling it several times with no luck.
Front apron was lacquer checked so forumites balked at buying it after seeing pics.... Anyway, a nice young man that is touring the US with a kind of "hi tech alt country"band bought it.. His name is Phil Sterk and he's a real nice fellow and a good player.. His band was in Ithaca doing a show so I picked him up,and brought him to the house to play the guitar before he bought it... He was enthralled with the guitar.. He is 6 foot 4 and the guitar was NOT set up for a guy that big, so he was a little uncomfortable with it, but the tone sold it..

Anyway. as he was playing, I realized it was the first time I had ever heard the guitar.. Sure I play it daily, but never heard someone else use a different approach than I would, and never got the chance to close my eyes and just savor the magic of that tone... all the nuance, harmonic complexity,glassy,glissy pedal steely vibe....

Honestly It was all I could do to stop myself from saying.. "Sorry Phil, I changed my mind, I can't sell".. This is Bud # 5 for me, and is most likely the last one I'll own as I find them too tempremental for my tastes, and ALWAYS have... Also, I seem to have a problem with the large curved pedals on old buds,, cool to look at, don't like the way they play..

Anyway,as I listened to that guitar with my eyes closed and was able to truly appreciate its tone, I realized WHY I have come back to old Buds time after time despite my perception of them as cranky,cantankerous old SOB's.. An old Bud is the epitome of the sweet, traditional pedal steel sound.. NO steel has ever done it better.. The tone is without peer IMHO... I played the guitar one last time before I put it in the case to give him a look at the undercarriage and pack it up,, I let Phil listen to it, watched his smile and the light in his eyes over his "new" guitar.

I thought about the drop dead gorgeous MSA Classic S10 maple/ red lacquer,mint cond guitar I am getting, my mind was racing thinking about how nice the MSA would play,tune and look, but man, I don't think ANY guitar can sound like that old Bud.. I hate to admit it, but I'll miss the hell out of that old 6139... I miss it as I write this.... but hey!!!.. wait till you guys see my MSA!!!!!.. bob

Jimmie Martin · From: Ohio, USA

i don't think there are any guitars on the market that can beat the old emmons and sho-buds. the others look prettier but the old ones can't be beat. my 2 pennys. Very Happy

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

Great post, Bob! You got me all misty. You articulated the beauty of a Sho~Bud very nicely.

Sometimes late at night, I'll plug in my Sho~Bud and just play quietly through a small amp with a ton of 'verb. As I play, I constantly marvel at the clear, sweet, haunting sound of this little Pro 1. I'm a hopeless Sho~Bud devotee for all the reasons you stated above. The real beauty, Bob, is that you can have another and it won't cost you $3,500. For under $1,500 you can always score a nice 3+3 or something. They're all sweet, but the old ones (like the Baldwin I had) are just out of this world in the tone department.

I remember seeing Bob Taillefer in St. Louis last year, lined up at a jam with several other players with newer guitars. He was playing an old Sho~Bud D-10, and when it came time for his break, my God. Sorry to say, it just buried the tone of the other guitars. I believe it was the only Sho~Bud played on stage throughout the whole event last year. That amazed me. Bob pulled his big old D-10 all the way down from Ontario - and I'm glad he did.
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Chris, there is a reason why so many ancient Buds are still played every day.. They sound like no other.. no doubt..

Maybe someday some way,a steel will be built that has the tone of a 1965 Bud and the rigid bulletproof construction of a 1975 MSA.. When they build it, I'll buy... bob

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

Bob,

I thought I'd miss my old Sho-Bud and it was a really great guitar with a unique tone. It reacted totally differently depending on how hard you picked the strings. Of course it had many drawbacks too but none that could not be overcome if you compensated for them.

My new MSA, after a few months has totally made me forget Bud. It doesn't sound the same but still has warmth and a little more presence. The light weight, compact body, tuning stability and it own brand of character and good looks holds its own with the Bud. In time I think all of the new MSA's just like the old ones, will be classics just like the older Sho-Buds have become.

The Sho-Bud did have a narrow range of frets and strings where the pocket of gold sound could be had. It could be too muddy on the low strings and too squeaky on the high ones up the neck.

The new MSA seems to have an eveness of tone from wound to unwound strings and through all 24 (27!) frets. It also has a texture and a signature sound that sounds and records well. I think any MSA, new or old is a great purchase! What guitar are you getting?

Greg

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Greg.. can't afford a new MSA..lol...If I could ,I'd be sitting on one now!!!
This will be my 5th Pro Model MSA.. It is a 70's S 10 Classic... Gorgeous red lacquer/maple body guitar... It is in basically unplayed cond, and looks/ smells/tastes like it was just built... .. It sat under a bed for 25 or so years, and Forumite Larry Jamison told me he was selling it..

I saw this steel a few years ago, Larry has it set up in his music store, but doesn't really play it, he plays a Zum or Mullen I believe.. I was shocked when I saw it.. I mean dead mint/brand new cond, if memory serves...I told him to call me first if EVER he decided to sell it..

He needed money for a new Williams,and let me know it was on the market, ,and gave me first crack at it.. The Bud had to go to pay for it, but I'll NEVER find an old MSA this clean again, so I made my choice... Just too nice to pass up, and he priced it right... bob

James Cann · From: Phoenix, AZ

Well, if you haven't nailed it, Bob, I doubt anyone will, so here it is:

My second guitar (LDG) is my last! Not for sale!

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

Just here Waylon bellerin' out "She was a good ole' girl" ....

Charlie Tryon · From: Glovertown Newfoundland, Canada

Bob I think you need to try a Jackson Guitar. I just got mine two weeks ago and it has all that you want and then some. It has the old Sho-Bud sound and it has great mechanics as well. I have played three jobs now with guitar and use only reverb on the amp and the sound is just great. IMHO.

Charlie
_________________
My NEW TUBE AMP CWT Amplifiers I build, JACKSON COMMEMORATIVE all wood 3&5, Fender Steel King Amp,Telonics pedal

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I'm confused. I thought tone was in the hands. Not.

Randy Reeves · From: LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA

Bob. nice post. you got me all misty for my ShoBud I sold a few months ago. you are so right about the tone. and more right about listening. I did hear a good player play my shoBud. and it sounded so fine. so Bob, I empathize totally.
I was not a very good PSG player because I am into my lap steels and other guitars. could not spread myself that thin I guess.so I realized it belonged in better hands. I hope the gentleman that bought it is enjoying it.
.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Kevin.. it is in the hands.. and the head ,and the heart, and the steel ,and the amp... I like the sound of Buds,ZB's Fenders etc, because the fundamentals are close to what I hear in my head..Less tweakage needed.. As I have said, most steel players that like a vintage Bud sound,will tweak whatever they are using to achieve that sound.. Most do a good job...
I don't know why you get all freaked out over this tone thing... its all good..
let it go... bob

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

bob... i think kevin was actually agreeing with you... Wink

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

maybe Dave... I construed his reply as a bit of a jab, but hell I'm a paranoid neurotic and think everyone everywhere is conspiring my demise..Meant no disrespect in any case ..Kevin is a good guy and has always been ok by me... Sorry if I seemed a bit snotty there Kevin!!! bob

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

Not to change the subject, but I keep seeing this "IMHO" on the forum.
What does it mean???

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

Andy, it means "In My Humble Opinion".
_________________
Best regards,
Mike

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I was agreeing with you Bob. I agree fully with your Sho-Bud observations.

Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

One other observation that I don't know whether you guys agree with. Bob touched on it here when he had another person play his guitar. I have noticed that I can't hear the full tonal effect of the rig when you are sitting down and playing it yourself. I have to step away from the rig some distance to fully hear what its putting out, or put the amp on the other side of the room. When you are sitting at your steel playing you can't hear the full effect of it sitting right next to it. Thats one reason I invite friends over or to sit in to play so that I can hear my own rig with my settings. I have affirmed my perfect sound for me doing this over the years. Interesting phenomena. I really haven't heard a noticeable tone difference with the same settings and different players sitting in.

Forum Index > Pedal Steel		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic