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Topic: Sho Bud aluminum castings |
Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2009 2:54 pm |
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I'm restoring a Sho Bud Super Pro, and the more I sand and buff the end plates and keyheads, the more pits show up. Were all of Sho Buds castings poor quality, or were mine just from a bad run?
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2009 2:59 pm
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Most I have run into were like that. They are also very greasy. Can't get a mirror finish.
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LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 19 Oct 2009 11:20 pm
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| Yes. |
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David Dunn
From:
Hideaway , Tx USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 3:27 am Sho-Bud Castings
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Darvin,
I am having the same problem with a Pro III, end plates really suck...key heads are not quite as bad. I even talked with 2 different platers thinking of going that way, both said the castings were so porous that pits would still show up in the chrome.
I have 4 hours in these end plates at the buffing wheel and I'm still not happy !!
Dave |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 4:37 am
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Darvin,
Most of that era were low tech sand castings, not good for high quality polishing. Also a lot of castings (not just Sho-Bud)were scrap alum just thrown in a pot,melted and poured in an open sand mold.
Bill
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Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 4:59 am
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Paul Franklin Sr. told me a few years ago that, and I quote, "some of those castings you could polish down 'til they were GONE and you couldn't get a shine to 'em."
You may have one of those, Darvin 'ol boy. 
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 7:33 am
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You'll get almost as good a result by scrubbing them with a Brillo soap pad. Keep it wet.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 2:42 pm
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BWAAA! Pits? That's nothin'! Look at this rack. I think they're meteorite strikes! Embedded Kryptonite chunks! Took the teeth right off my best file! Got another from Coop. It's kinda hard to believe they let this one pass, it's so bad!
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David Mullis
From:
Rock Hill, SC
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 4:49 pm
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| I never had much luck buffing out Sho-Bud stuff. I've seen some Sho-Buds at Bobbe's that were absolutely stunning but out of the ones I owned, none of the castings were that great. The 1990 LDG I had probably had the best castings, the 1973 Pro II the worst and the 84 Super Pro was somewhere in between......... |
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Bobby Burns
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 5:00 pm
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| I may get blasted for saying this, but, I think the inconsistencies add character, and make the whole thing look more organic. Like the grain and color variation in a fine piece of wood. It doesn't look perfect, but it doesn't look like chrome plated plastic either. It's the way they are, and as long as it isn't causing a structural problem, I'd just play and not worry about how shiny they are. |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 5:46 pm
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Yep Herb, I think I have a set of those bad ones. I considered machining a new set out of solid aluminum, but for the sake of authenticity, I'll stay with the originals even though they may not look really good. This will be kind of like putting a set of $20.00 wheel covers on a brand new Mercedes though. I had Mark Giles refinish the body, and it is perfect, and beautiful.
_________________
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 6:47 pm
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Darvin
Just MHO, but with a cabinet like that, I'd have endplates machined out of billet and professionally buffed. It's not a Sho~Bud finish, anyway, so it's lost originality. Opt for quality and beauty.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 10:19 pm
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| What about a brushed finish instead? That should be easier to get nice and even, though it wouldn't hide any pits. But it would look cool with that high gloss cabinet! |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 21 Oct 2009 4:05 am
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| Per Berner wrote: |
| What about a brushed finish instead? That should be easier to get nice and even, though it wouldn't hide any pits. But it would look cool with that high gloss cabinet! |
Or maybe bead blasted,I did that on one (not Sho-Bud) that I had, looked pretty good.....Bill
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 21 Oct 2009 4:11 am
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| That's an even better idea, Bill. Bead blasted surfaces are very tactile, nice to touch. |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2009 4:27 am
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Thanks for your all your suggestions, I may try the bead blasting, who says the end plates have to be shiny. You're right Herb, it is no longer original, so it wouldn't matter anyway.
_________________
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Scott Howard
From:
Georgetown, TN, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2009 5:57 am
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With a body as nice as that I would make new ones and polish to a mirror like shine. save all the original parts and let them go with it if you ever sell it. Chances are the buyer may want them but would never change them.
To me it is sort of like putting a big block Chevy in a # matching small bock car that needs a engine. I would not hesitate to do it as I know I would enjoy it more with the big block. Chances are more people would comment on the big block and until I was ready to sell it I only have to please me.
The value ( at selling time ) is in the eye of ONLY the seller and buyer , everyone else only has a opinion. I think due to the common poor casting the only way it would help the value to reuse the original ones would be if it had not been refinished also. I also am not sure ,but refinished and with new quality parts will possibly bring more money to someone who plans on playing the guitar.
Given the condition of the beautiful body and the concern for the shine I don't think deep down you will be happy with pitted ,dull , parts. This is just my opinion and from the looks of the MSA you did (nice). I feel you do grade A work . It seems to me in the past it is always that little thing that I didn't do that always makes me unhappy with the finished project. I hope what I am trying to say come out correct. Great job so far.
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"The Oddball" A MSA Keyless with pedals to the right. |
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