The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey folks,

Scouting out... doing some research for a new Sho bud steel in 2018. Started on Lap, been playing pedal for 5+ years and lap for 15. Going from a Fender Artist (sho bud) s-10 3x 1. Looking at a Double 10 Sho Bud. I plan on making -whatever I get.. to be my lifetime steel. I gig pretty regularly in all sorts of genre's bands, so i mix up my playing style pretty regularly, and experiment a lot. I've only played 1 other steel and it was a sho-bud maverick 3x1.

I know this is a broad question. In terms of preference.


Any suggestions would be great.

My steel player influences are: Pete Drake, Red Rhodes, and Jeff Newman. To give you all an idea of my steel roots. Not that it is to applicable to buying a guitar.

i would go for a shobud super pro or a shobud pro 111
8+6 or 8+5 there are two super pro's on the forum right
now for sale. or if you have the$$ show pro d-10. just my 2 cents

p.w

If you want the "classic" Sho-Bud sound, I'd recommend something pro-III or earlier. The Super Pro sounds more modern to my ears.
When you say "new", I'd also think that there are two current makers that have a connection to Sho-Bud, if you actually want new. The Jackson is made by Shot's kids, and Jeff Surratt at Show Pro.

I think I'm gonna keep it sho bud, just because that's what i'm experienced with the ins and outs of it.

Dose the super pro sound more 'modern' do to its era of manufacturing? I assume due mostly to a change to the pickup.
Could you theoretically throw some old sho PUP in to it? Or is the PUP seat or PUP different in dimension.

I'd suspect the biggest sonic change happened when they changed the fingers, although there was a steady evolution.
I'd stick with anything with only one hole in the lowering scissor, or if you prefer, 3 rivets.
Others knowing more than I may hold a different opinion.

Lane,

From what I've read with other Fender Artists. Is the mechanics are that of a super pro? I guess do to the era of manufacturing? What would make the lowering scissors effect the sonic tonality? New knowledge to me.

The amount of mass in the fingers changed, as did the relationship between fingers and the body.
The Fenderbuds sounds a bit different because it didn't use an axle, but balanced on a "knife edge".
Everything matters, but some things don't matter as much.

gotcha

I would play some other steels before making a decision. Have you visited Jerry Fessenden ? He really knows about sho buds.