The Steel Guitar Forum

Just curious, would there be a noticable difference in tone between a Pro II with wood necks, and a Pro II with aluminum necks? That is if both guitars had stock pickups on them, and played through the same amp, same settings. Another words, all things being equal. Reason I'm asking, I just bought a Pro II that has aluminum necks, and is shorter overall than most Pro IIs. It's 32 1/2" to be exact. I think most Pro IIs are 33 3/4" somewhere around that.
Or, would a Pro III with aluminum necks be closer to the tone of my Pro II?
Can somebody tell me the overall length of a Pro III please? Thanks

terry

Terry:
I have a Pro III Custom on my work bench and It measures 33 3/4 in. in length. Is that what you wanted to know?
Chuck Roach

Pro II's and III's came in 2 different lengths during their production runs...the older ones being a little longer. I think the guitar you bought is a one-off having the shorter ProII body with aluminum necks. Is it the one that was for sale here on the Forum recently?

As far as difference in tone, a metal necked Bud is usually a little brighter...and the prevailing opinion is that the difference between the two models is not so much due to the difference in neck material as it is due to the differences in the way the changers are mounted to the bodies.

Yea Chuck, that's what I wanted to know, the overall length of a Pro III.
Skip, yea, I bought the one that was for sale on the forum a few weeks ago. The one Henry Matthews had for sale, the Red one.
So, are you saying there could be as many short Pro IIs and Pro IIIs as longer ones? I'd love to have another Pro II with aluminum necks and 32 1/2" long just like the one I bought from Henry. This guitar has tone to de bone for sure! And the shorter guitars, just seem to fit me better. Main reason I liked the Mullen I had, it was 32". I understood somebody to say that the Short Pro IIs with aluminum necks were rare and hard to find. But, if the aluminum verses wooden necks, don't have a lot of bearin on tone, then maybe a wooden neck Pro II would sound about as good as an aluminum. Probly be a little heavier though.
Terry

Cool gtr, Terry. I was talking recently with someone who had some inside knowledge of what went on back then at Sho-Bud about that guitar, and he thinks that yours is the only one of it's kind....which is totally possible with Sho-Bud, since they were always doing custom work. Your gtr was reportedly built by Gene Haugh, near the end of the production run. Also noted is the fact that it has the SuperProII p/u's, with the logo on them.

I certainly don't have the numbers, but it's my belief that there are more ProII's & III's out there with the longer body than the shorter body. Those guitars would all have the gumby keyhead. When Sho-Bud started making shorter bodies, they stopped using the gumby keyhead. However, there are two sizes of shorter bodies. ProII's, ProI's and LDG's were one size...with the changer surround being flush with the endplate. The shorter body ProIII's still had a small bit of body between the changer surround and the endplate. I don't know the exact dimension, but I would guess no more than an inch. Your guitar is unique in that it has the shorter ProII body, but with metal necks, ending flush with the endplate.
But you already knew that....

No matter how you slice it, it's a sweet guitar.

Thanks for the info Skip. If I can find another Pro II or Pro III, the shorter version, I might just sell my Emmons Legrande II and buy it. This Bud has got my Lashley Legrand II, beat by a long way as far as tone.

terry