The Steel Guitar Forum

I have an old single 10 Bud that I found in a pawnshop many years ago. It's been languishing in its' case in storage. It says" Shobud" and a separate decal says "distributed by Baldwin". It's beautiful, curley maple. Blonde finish. Dual sound pickup. Sort of a half LDG body shape, a couple inch wide ledge with a switch in the middle of it, on the back side of the neck. I think it must have been a C6th guitar as it has 7 pedals in the middle of the rack, and one knee,LKL.
My question is, is it worth restoring? AND converting to standard E9th? 3 on the floor and the rest knees.
Or would the restoration/conversion costs be more than the guitar is worth? JB.

Oh, Yeah. Can anybody date it? Serial number 74**.

John, it is definitely worth restoring if its a single. Call Duanne Marrs at615-868-5344. He can put it in better than new condition including new lacquer finish by the original Sho-Bud refinisher. It costs less than you think. You won't be sorry.

I never saw a "Narrow" body Baldwin . Does it have an aluminum frame??It appears to be "Rare" in the sence of it's size. I personally would not do anything to it. Keep it like it is because changing it could hurt it's value. Ed Naylor Steel Guitar Works

Well. the cabinet ends are aluminium of course. The pedal mechanism is mounted on two separate "gumbyish" looking cast aluminium frames. The tuning machines must have been changed, cuz they're Schallers, made in w. Germany. It's a lovely old guitar that's mellowed to a wonderful darkish amber color. Thing is, I don't play C6th, mostly classic-style E9th. My mind doesn't think C6th. JB

The guitar as you describe it appears to be a Pro 1. A fellow brought one in my store a couple years ago and has identical features. He claimed it had belonged to Curly Chalker. As I recall it had 6 or 7 pedals and 1 Knee lever.I could have bought it for $600. With 20/20 hindsight I should have added it to my Sho-Bud collection.Ed Naylor Steel Guitar Works

6 pedals, not 7. I hadn't looked at it in awhile! I had a D10 Pro, and this guitar is a lot older. At least I think it is. The way the mechanicals are attached to the cabinet are much more primitive than on my old Pro. Also, the endpieces are somewhat more primitive, not as substantial. Did Baldwin distribute the early Pros? I had hoped someone here could help date it. Serial number in the mid 7,000's.
JB

I have this same guitar in my collection. It is a single neck Sho-Bud(Distributed by Baldwin). Clear natural finish, near mint. it has six floor pedals in the middle of the rack. One stock knee lever. It was originally set up for C6th but I changed over to E 9th. I really think the guitar should have stayed C6th so I may put it back that way again. It has the White Sho-Bud fret board. I paid $400 for it about 6 years ago. Very nice collection piece. These guitars were not real great mechanically. They had lots of built in "faults" and I think they are worth more as a collectors item than a working guitar. To much $$ to put it in great playing shape. Love it for what it is!
Neil..........The Sho-Bud Freak!

A little more info. The changer/bridge mechanism is not fastened to the large aluminum block at the changer end of the neck.. It's mounted from underneath. The wooden neck surrounds the changer. The pup is also not mounted in the end block. There are two screws that are in-line with the magnets to hold it in. The pedal and rod mechanisms are not mounted by the small aluminium angle brackets that were screwed into the cabinet as they were in my old Pro. All that "stuff" is attached to two cast alum. brackets. the travel adjustment set screws, all pivot points,etc., are part of the cast brackets.

Sounds to me like the 1968-69 era for that 'Bud. Baldwin was distributing in 68 for sure, since I bought a Baldwin crossover that year.

Hey, I was new to steel playing...

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Yes John you have a very rare Baldwin Single-neck ShoBud...and they were made during the ShoBud Crossover days in the 1967-68 give/or/take.
All the Baldwin distributed ShoBuds were 7000 series...that's how you can tell>.and so that is your date for your particular guitar.
They also did that wood wrap-around neck thing like this single neck sho-bud here>

The Crossovers were a double neck steel with 6 pedals and one knee lever...but there was a effort for a single-10 just like it but to be played C6th only....and that's what you have....
It is not a Pro I...as they didn't give number names to ShoBud's yet...So you have a Single-10 Shobud distributed by Baldwin.....and yes I've seen a few...and have worked on one some time ago.
I'd be glad to set this guitar up for you how you'd like it....but I don't do re-finish...but if there is any finish at all on it...I can make it look like the one above.
I have 4 ShoBuds at my house right now I'm working on...and that one above is already on it's way back to the very proud owner in Florida.
I'm a full time Musician and play everyday....so I don't do this for a living like others.
But I take pride in making Old ShoBuds look and play new...without loosing originality...and I've had many guitars here that have been re-done...but re-done WRONG.....mainly because as a player....I play the guitar and tune the guitar and make sure everything feels perfect and goes and comes back properly and don't wiggle or clank...and the strings move together and bla bla...so good luck and have fun...and yes indeed that ShoBud should be played and put back in the Mix.
Ricky