The Steel Guitar Forum

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... SA:US:1123

so i just bought the Sho Bud D12 off ebay...i believe its a fingertip...anyone able to fill me in on more of what I bought and if I bought it right? I thought it would be a good mate for my pro II.

The serial number is: Serial #9341-341

Does this help anyone in telling me when it was produced etc?

Jamie. I'm not very good with Buds. But I do know it's a fingertip. They are very heavy.And I'm thinking most were built between 65 and 67. The Crossover took it's place. But you could still order a Fingertip after the Crossover was in production. Maybe this will do till a Bud Man gets here...bb

thanks bobby....everything i read talks about how good the tone is with the fingertip...i love my pro II and wouldnt give it up for anything...but ive always had some intrigue with a D12...wish i could play the one i have but now I will have two to figure out..LOL

Jamie, the guy I work with on Tuesday and Thursday nights (Bob Radford) has one almost exactly like yours. The only difference is his has a natural front apron and only 8 floor pedals. Bob got his at an estate sale here in Virginia a couple of years ago for only $500, talk about a deal there! He doesn't play it at all and it just sets in his music room with a towel over the top of it. I've asked him to sell it to me but he says he's keeping it, oh well. I play an S-12 so I wouldn't mind having the double 12 guitar and putting a B6th on the other neck........JH in Va.

If you think the fingertip is a good mate to your Pro II, I'm afraid you're going to be in for a disappointment.
I started out on pedal steel with a fingertip model and it was a dog!
Looked nice and all that but impossible to keep in tune.
Like someone posted recently on the forum here, you have to tune it after every 3 songs. I trading it off and Al Udeen wound up with it. I talked to him later about it and he got rid of it also because of the problem with keeping it in tune.
Rots of Ruck!

I recently rebuilt a Fingertip for Greg Leisz, and in doing so renewed my appreciation for the mechanics, even though they are archaic, by today's standards. My experience was, every time I set it up, I had to check the tuning, but once it was in tune, it pretty much stayed there, keep in mind, I was still "dialing it in".

These guitars have a very specific "sound" and because of the mechanics, they also can put limits on your playing style. Whether this is good or bad depends on your expectations. Personally, I don't need, or want, a guitar that can get every chord on every fret. I think that moving the bar around is what gives the guitar it's identity. The thing about tools and instruments is, you have to learn how to work them with what they've got available. It looks like you've got a nice instrument -- cs

Jamie,

What Chas said! You've got a nice piece and I am proud for you!

Thanks for the positive encouragement guys, i was beginning to get nervous! I bought it from Dexter Smith in AL, and talked to him for a long time today and he reassured me that he has not had any problems with it and it is in very good condition! I looked at the Chalker fingertip Bobbe had last week and he told me how great of a guitar it was, but when I told him about this one he said they didnt play right from the factory and probably never would and really offered no encouragement. Other people have pmd me a different story. So now I am just excited to get it and if nothing else have a very nice looking addition to my music room (which is actually in the small chapel of my funeral home so everyone that comes in sees them). There surely cant be a lot of these out there are there?

Jamie Stoner wrote:...There surely cant be a lot of these out there are there?

No. Most Fingertips were 10-string. It's a nice looking guitar, and I'm sure it will sound great. Never having owned one, I don't know how well it will stay in tune. I have a 10-string version in pieces in my den, and someday I'll get round to putting it together.

"I looked at the Chalker fingertip Bobbe had last week and he told me how great of a guitar it was, but when I told him about this one he said they didnt play right from the factory and probably never would and really offered no encouragement."

He wants to sell the guitars he has. That's only natural. I enjoy his newsletters, but the last one was pretty just a sales pitch, imo.

Edit; email sent.

. . . fingertip Bobbe had last week and he told me how great of a guitar it was, but when I told him about this one he said they didnt play right from the factory and probably never would and really offered no encouragement.

His: $2775

Yours: Worthless

Integrity: Priceless

I think Bobbe could sell snowballs to Eskimos!

Jeff Evans wrote:

. . . fingertip Bobbe had last week and he told me how great of a guitar it was, but when I told him about this one he said they didnt play right from the factory and probably never would and really offered no encouragement.

His: $2775

Yours: Worthless

Integrity: Priceless

Jeff, That is funny and what makes it even more so, is it's true!...

Ive been comparing old posts and it looks like this could be Bill McRoberts old guitar...waiting for him to chime in. Heres the link to his:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... p&start=25

Looks like the same guitar to me. Notice that the darker grain pattern on the front apron ends in eggs ackley the same spot on both guitars. Added card suits on the newer pic.

Does anyone have any other pics of some D12 Fingertips or an estimate of how many were made?

Jamie,
Give me a call when you get it, and I will be glad to come by and help any way I can. My first pedal steel was a D-11 fingertip.

Regards,
Bob

great buy..beautiful guitar for a great price... don`t worry what some guys say about it, I had a fingertip, amazing tone, not as heavy as a push pull..you got a great instrument for a bargain price...keep it...I never had a tuning problem with my fingertip....if nothing else you can make better pictures and put it back on Ebay..it will sell for $3000 ...

Db

chas smith wrote:
These guitars have a very specific "sound" and because of the mechanics, they also can put limits on your playing style. Whether this is good or bad depends on your expectations. Personally, I don't need, or want, a guitar that can get every chord on every fret. I think that moving the bar around is what gives the guitar it's identity. The thing about tools and instruments is, you have to learn how to work them with what they've got available. It looks like you've got a nice instrument -- cs

I like this a lot. Nicely put, Chas. I had this experience with my S10 'Bud on a gig tonight.

Jamie, enjoy the incredible tone that will come from your new machine. Those guitars sound great, and once you get used to the mechanics, you'll be rockin'!

Coop....I was hoping youd chime in! I knew youd be able to throw some insight on this...I am so glad to hear some positive things about my purchase...As soon as I get it home i will post several pics!

the nice thing is you are only about 200 miles from me too coop