The Steel Guitar Forum

I recently purchased a 10 string Shobud 3x4 pedal steel (see pics below) that was advertised as a "70's Custom Shobud," by a retailer that doesn't necessarily specialize in PSG's. At first glance it looks like an LDG, but if you look at where LDG is usually painted, in its place it says PJH.

Has anybody ever heard of this particular guitar, or did somebody hand paint their own initials on the guitar, etc.?

For an old guitar it seems to be in really great shape, do you think it is actually from the 70's based on the design? Any insight you may have about this guitar, good or bad would be much appreciated.

If there's any other part of the guitar you need to see let me know and I'll update the post.

Thanks,

Chad

Interesting instrument. Maybe Ricky Davis will chime in here, but it's an early 70's round-front SD-10. I'd say that is an original LDG - which began in '73 with two-hole pullers on a 1-up/1-down changer (which Ricky considers the best Sho-Buds for tone, flexibility, and play-ability). Give me a serial number and I can tell you exactly what year it was built.

I think some of those knee-levers were added - they are not the teardrop levers I would expect to see on this era guitar, but then, you just never know?

I'd guess the initials are the original owners. Are they under the lacquer, or on top?

But ultimately, I'd say that is the a great LDG to hold onto. Ricky???

I would bet it was a custom order for an LDG-style guitar but with the owner's initials instead of the standard right front decal.

Pat Heller, are you out there?

Thanks for the quick response! The initials appear to be under the lacquer, and the closest thing I can find to a serial number is 1-A-3:



Overall this sounds interesting, I'd be very grateful to hear more about the history of this instrument.

Chad

Yes like Herb and Douglas have mentioned; it was probably a custom order. As Sho~bud was certainly a custom shop and would build to order. BUT!!!ha..
This does look like the LDG time started; but right after the change to adding a raise hole on fingers 4 & 5 to set up Nylon tuning system...so certainly 1974. (like Douglas asked:"What is the serial number".
Oh back to the "BUT"..ha..... the LDG was endorsed by Lloyd Green. If it was going to be a LDG; it has to have "LDG MODEL" on the front and under lacquer and "emerald green" is the color. And I say all this as looks like no before drill holes under for other neck and a SD-10 endplate like LDG. And that plastic 3D fretboard came out 1974 and like douglas said; it has non original knee lever bars on it. Pretty cool ShoBud...round front with a original Bill Lawrence 705(very hard to find) pickup in it. I haven't a clue who P T H is; but who cares..it's yours now..ha. and it's a KEEPER!!!.
Ricky

Chad 1-A-3 is not the serial number; that is a casting stamp. The serial number will be on the other part of that endplate....at end of the last crossbar of the mechanism side... I see something kind of stamped over there; but bad shot.
Ricky

Ah - duly noted. Thanks Ricky, the serial number appears to be 4364. It's kind of hard to see on account of this particular room having very low lighting.



Chad

Wow Chad; serial #4364 was born October 1973....5 months after the birth of LDG....way cool.....OH and you see how there a kind of Green tint on that wood plaster underneath..?? They only did that where they put a little of the Emerald Green tint in the plaster they finished the LDG's with...and they only did that that first year of the LDG....so certainly now that tells me; it was certainly a Custom order for someone...well that someone is that PTH guy...ha.
Ricky

Gosh now I have to ask(and yes none of my biz..no worries); but how much did you "recently purchased" it for??
Did that guys say where he got it? from ?? can you find out and any down the line history??
Hey put original knees back on that>

http://www.psgparts.com/Lever-Knee-Tear ... -105-1.htm

Here's mine Chad. 2nd LDG made as Lloyd got his in May 1973, so mine was built then too.

PJH are my initials and I was playing SHO-BUD's back in 73---- but it wasn't my guitar. Wish it was now though, nice horn!! P H

Small point - I read the letters as PTH - the T (or J) has the same curves and features as the vertical part of the P. I'm guessing in that script a J would have a much more distinct tail on it.

I really appreciate everybody's input on this guitar, it sounds like I scored a pretty good deal considering I paid $1600. I wish I could find out the backstory from the previous seller, but I picked this up from the Walmart of Guitar stores (not sure if breach in forum etiquette to announce specific store, but I'm sure you know who I'm talking about).

I did take a risk in buying sight unseen (no pics online, just vague description), but when I opened the box I knew I had something special.

Either way I think me and this guitar could last a lifetime. I have full intentions of playing it often and making sure it stays in top shape.

Any good tech's in Atlanta ya'll know about?

Chad

Chad,
I got the production card for your Steel and the Card reads,
LDG 6150 Ser. Number 4364
Date built - 10/26/1973
Built by - C.K. (Don't know)
Checked by Yasu Kameya
Date shipped - 11/9/1973 to SHO~BUD for Jessie Pratt.
At the bottom of the card is a note (consignment - Billie 4/16/74 #1728) don't have a clue of what that means.
All I have
Gene Haugh

Chad,
Just another little bit of information, this guitar was the 32nd LDG built!
Gene

Lloyd's guitar was built 5/7/73 and one other 6150 was built in May.
1 - in June, 1 - in July, 1 - in August
19 - in September and 18 in October.
Gene

I own 4372.

I recently had my hands on the one built in July of 73. It had LDG on the Front and was red. It shipped from the factory on July 31 of that year per info I got from Gene.
It had been returned to the factory at some point and had some knee levers added along with a verticle. It also had a mod made to the changer to allow for a double raise on strings 4 & 5. It was a really nice guitar and sounds great.

Good find on that guitar in the post. A keeper for sure.

George

Chad if possible I would like to see a really good close up of the bell cranks, etc. if the 4th string is being lowered.
Also if the second string is being lower a full tone and with a half stop feel by the 9th string lower.

Just curious about it was set up.

Thanks. You could email it to me if you don't want to post it on the forum.

George

Gene Haugh wrote:Lloyd's guitar was built 5/7/73 and one other 6150 was built in May.
1 - in June, 1 - in July, 1 - in August
19 - in September and 18 in October.
Gene

So the other one must be Ricky's then.

Also wondering which knee lever is used to lower the E's.

The one I had recently had the E lower on the Left Right.

Thanks,
George

George - I'd be glad to (see below). The fourth string does appear to lower, and the 2nd string lowers a full tone. The E's are lowered by the RLK. Here's some more pics of the guts, if I missed anything let me know.

After playing this guitar for a day or so everything appears to be in good order...only thing that might need a little attention is the rollers appear to be worn in areas, but spinning them around to a different spot seems to fix some mild buzzing.

WOW!!
What a great looking guitar!

Beautiful guitar. One day I want to find one of these with these exact mechanics...looks like they're getting harder to come by.