What gives the Shobud it's sound?

[Stan Paxton]

I'm late jumping in here; earlier somebody said Lloyd Green sounds the same whether playing the LDG or JCH, and to my opinion also on another couple he has had in the past. Somebody else commented on Dickey Overbys sound on the Emmons. For several years back there aways when he was on the road he played Sho-Bud, and one instance in particular was a sweet little black Bud: this is to just say this, to my ear Dickey sounded then just like he does now on the Emmons. So, it is still my honest opinion, it is the player that makes the different brands sound the way they do. I always thought Big E sounded the same no matter which brand he was playing, and he has had several. (I only speak to what I hear of the great "others", not my own abilities on different guitars)

[Mike Christensen]

Any of you folks think that if you took a couple of random sho-buds,a couple of Williams,a few other of our modern steels all with wooden necks and all with Tru-Tone PU's all wound the same,all played through the same amp set-up, without being able to see which ones were being played,would you be able to tell the Sho-Buds? Really??? Mike C.

[James Morehead]

Yeah Mike, what you describe is some basic "in common" qualities between these guitars, and a quick listen would lead one to conclude they are the same. It's the subtle differences in design and construction and material used that spell the subtle differences.

Infact I believe, two same year Professionals will sound different, for example, or two same year LDG's would sound different. Most would never hear that difference, though. But if you could take the same player, same amp, two different Professionals with the same brand new strings, in the same music room, set up side by side, it may take some time spent on these guitars, but you'd soon hear a difference, and pick the one that sounds best to you, and sell the other. At least I would. Even if these guitars are "created equal", they are NOT equal. Just take this example and substitute a Williams, for instance, and moreso you would tell a difference. Or a Zum, ect. It may not be apparent at first glance, but if given a chance to spend some time, you can tell a difference. I have the luxury of haveing a couple different buds laying around to A-B them. Of course, this is just my opinion.

[Mike Christensen]

Hi James: I guess my ear is not quite tuned to the point where I could do it. I have had 3 Buds so far and they have all had a different sound,which makes me keep wanting to test the ones who say they can to accurately describe what they might be hearing that would stand out. In my opinion it is the feeling of sitting behind a classic,beautiful,guitar that does it for me and I don"t feel I have to justify why I like my old Bud any more than that. I believe that,"that sound" can be gotten from many guitar and amp set-ups and few would tell the difference.IMHO!!! Happy Trails, Mike C

[James Morehead]

Hey Mike, great post you did. You had 3 buds and they all sounded different, is my point. So yes you DO have a good ear, IMO. And I say, to the sitting behind and feeling the guitar you like the best is where it's at. To me, "that tone" is something everyone hears for themselves. "That tone" for me may be different than "that tone" for someone else. It's what pleases YOU, the player/owner the most, and what will inspire you to stayed "hooked up" with your instrument and keep playing, and what will bring your enjoyment level up the best. So you have to try some a few guitars to find the one that has "that tone" for you. That's kinda how it works for me, anyways. "That tone" for me, I found in my Professional--ole Blondee.

[Barry Blackwood]

I think Stan has it. It's the player.

[Lem Smith]

The player can have a huge impact on the sound, no doubt. However, if you listen to Lloyd on all the Little Darlin' stuff, and then listen to him on Gene Watson's "Farewell Party", both done on a Sho~Bud, albeit different models, they sound nothing alike. Yet both have a certain something, that to me at least, says Sho~Bud when you hear it.

[Don Brown, Sr.]

Huum! Didn't I read a post here somewhere where it said, that Lloyd infact on a few of the cuts was playing an Emmons?

I think in all seriousness, we've been conditioned to hookup players, who played Sho-Bud, players who played this brand and that brand, and as such, the mind takes over from there, and says YEP! Listen to that beautiful sound coming from that such and such guitar.

I'm still one who says, to the folks who feel they can definitely tell the difference of a brand by simply hearing it. I'd say it's a good time to take up the many, many offers to do a blind test. Remarkably, nobody has ever gotten that correct.

But it's good to feel in our minds that this one sounds better than the other brand, etc, etc., and what the heck, it does sell guitars..

This gets rather funny after hearing it so much. Simply think of what it is your saying.. If that were the case, each time that Sho-Bud Gave a new steel out for their endorcement to a major player, he'd first have to sit down to 50 or so, in order to get THAT ONE that produced THAT Sho-Bud sound, beings it's been already said, that each and every one sounds a bit different from another.. Think about that one for an instant..

Maybe it will start making a little more sense, on exactly what makes the sound.. Player or the AX!!!!

I'll bet you right now, if Lloyd started playing a RAINS, and nobody announced it, and it was kept the worlds best hidden secret, and he recorded with it, everyone would be saying: Wow!!!! You can always tell Lloyd's Playing from that Sho-Bud, Emmons, or whatever the case was that they last knew he played.
Guaranteed That's what you'd hear.

You'd hear exactly what you thought you knew. Not what it actually was!

End of story

[Larry Bressington]

Huum! Didn't I read a post here somewhere where it said, that Lloyd infact on a few of the cuts was playing an Emmons?

I think in all seriousness, we've been conditioned to hookup players, who played Sho-Bud, players who played this brand and that brand, and as such, the mind takes over from there, and says YEP! Listen to that beautiful sound coming from that such and such guitar.

I'm still one who says, to the folks who feel they can definitely tell the difference of a brand by simply hearing it. I'd say it's a good time to take up the many, many offers to do a blind test. Remarkably, nobody has ever gotten that correct.

But it's good to feel in our minds that this one sounds better than the other brand, etc, etc., and what the heck, it does sell guitars..

This gets rather funny after hearing it so much. Simply think of what it is your saying.. If that were the case, each time that Sho-Bud Gave a new steel out for their endorcement to a major player, he'd first have to sit down to 50 or so, in order to get THAT ONE that produced THAT Sho-Bud sound, beings it's been already said, that each and every one sounds a bit different from another.. Think about that one for an instant..

Maybe it will start making a little more sense, on exactly what makes the sound.. Player or the AX!!!!

I'll bet you right now, if Lloyd started playing a RAINS, and nobody announced it, and it was kept the worlds best hidden secret, and he recorded with it, everyone would be saying: Wow!!!! You can always tell Lloyd's Playing from that Sho-Bud, Emmons, or whatever the case was that they last knew he played.
Guaranteed That's what you'd hear.

You'd hear exactly what you thought you knew. Not what it actually was!


End of story

[Larry Bressington]

I think we hear ' note fashion' more than tone itself!

[Mike Christensen]

Yes James,I believe I too would be real happy sitting behind your ole blondie,probably wouldn't even have to try and play it,just sit and look. I like what Don Brown said about if Lloyd played a Rains. Thats exactly what I was trying to say but I think he said it better.

[Lem Smith]

Huum! Didn't I read a post here somewhere where it said, that Lloyd infact on a few of the cuts was playing an Emmons?

I think in all seriousness, we've been conditioned to hookup players, who played Sho-Bud, players who played this brand and that brand, and as such, the mind takes over from there, and says YEP! Listen to that beautiful sound coming from that such and such guitar.

I'm still one who says, to the folks who feel they can definitely tell the difference of a brand by simply hearing it. I'd say it's a good time to take up the many, many offers to do a blind test. Remarkably, nobody has ever gotten that correct.

But it's good to feel in our minds that this one sounds better than the other brand, etc, etc., and what the heck, it does sell guitars..

This gets rather funny after hearing it so much. Simply think of what it is your saying.. If that were the case, each time that Sho-Bud Gave a new steel out for their endorcement to a major player, he'd first have to sit down to 50 or so, in order to get THAT ONE that produced THAT Sho-Bud sound, beings it's been already said, that each and every one sounds a bit different from another.. Think about that one for an instant..

Maybe it will start making a little more sense, on exactly what makes the sound.. Player or the AX!!!!

I'll bet you right now, if Lloyd started playing a RAINS, and nobody announced it, and it was kept the worlds best hidden secret, and he recorded with it, everyone would be saying: Wow!!!! You can always tell Lloyd's Playing from that Sho-Bud, Emmons, or whatever the case was that they last knew he played.
Guaranteed That's what you'd hear.

You'd hear exactly what you thought you knew. Not what it actually was!

End of story

Not saying that one sounds better than the other, only different.

Here are two videos that have Lloyd playing. One is a full instrumental of Farewell Party, and the other is the Gene Watson cut, with Lloyd on steel. One is the JCH and the other is his LDG. After listening to Lloyd play both versions, you still can't hear a difference in the sound of each guitar?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbjViunw ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IokiYblte-I

Lloyd sounds great on both versions, and both guitars sound great, but I can definitely hear a difference in the sound of the guitars.

[Barry Blackwood]

In a blindfold test, I think I could recognize differences in sound/tone between one steel and another, but I don't think I could tell you what brand any of them was ...

[Don Brown, Sr.]

Lem, but look what conditions each was played under!

Entirely too different conditions. Heck, each place a person plays, depending on many things, will change the recorded sound, or the sound in general for that matter. That's absolutely not comparing how one steel differs from another. That's how one place differs from another.

The one was a LIVE recording done at a steel show.. The other, was a professional recording done in a studio.. Much, much different scenarios, Entirely!

[Lem Smith]

Here's one that Lloyd did with Charley Pride, on the Lawrence Welk show, and not a recording studio cut. Here he is playing an earlier Sho~Bud, and he still sounds like Lloyd, but it doesn't sound like the JCH.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHErBdyR ... re=related

An Emmons doesn't sound like a Sho~Bud, which doesn't sound like an MSA, which doesn't sound like a ZB, etc... Yes, you can change pickups, amp settings, and so forth, but the inherent sound of each guitar is a bit different than the others, albeit a small amount in some cases.

Obviously some can tell a difference, and some can't. Even as distinctive as an Emmons push pull sounds, I've read where some say they can't hear the difference between a pp and an all pull guitar. Apparantly it simply varies between one individual and the next.

[Don Brown, Sr.]

Lem, if what you're saying is how you feel, you can tell the difference, then why not take up the offer from the one who has said he would have anyone do a blind test to prove they can't. Seems simple enough to me..