Shobud Permanant--have you ever seen one like this????

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 8 Jun 2013 10:16 pm

This Perm is very unique, that it has two different keyheads--the front neck is an 8 string, and the back neck is a 9 string. I see no signs of alteration, and I believe this guitar is authentic and as it was when it left the factory. We would like to hear some input about this cool guitar, maybe ideas of how old it is, etc. It has a pedal bar with 9 floor pedals, but does not seem to have knee levers. It is a customer's guitar, and he thinks he might sell it, but would love to learn a little more about it first. Here are some pics:

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 8 Jun 2013 11:03 pm

Wonderful guitar! I'm thinking about 1958. C6th was pretty much standardized by then, but E9th was still evolving. Love the Ducktails!

Jay Yuskaitis · Post by **Jay Yuskaitis** » 9 Jun 2013 7:04 am

I agree with John, '58 or '59. Nice Sho Bud. Jay Y.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 9 Jun 2013 7:57 am

Pretty cool there James.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Jun 2013 8:08 am

Never seen those pedal clips before, I don't think.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 9 Jun 2013 8:18 am

I added a pic of the pedal bar decal, which says Madison, TN.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Jun 2013 8:26 am

And the lettering is GREEN! Cool!

Daniel McKee · Post by **Daniel McKee** » 9 Jun 2013 10:19 am

That is one cool Shobud.Thanks for posting those pictures because I really love to see these old guitars.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 9 Jun 2013 10:32 am

That is certainly very nice permanent it's amazing how unique these old Sho-Buds were. I wouldn't want to guess what year it was made, but I did have one other one that had the green pedal rack decal on it. So this makes two guitars I have seen with this decal.

This guitar has 16 strings, one knee lever, and two pedals. The body was made with black ebony.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Jun 2013 10:39 am

Argggggh! Bob! You're killing me!
There's a youtube video of an interview with Shot, that has a 16 stringer sitting in front. Early guitar I would certainly think. Remember when Don Warden's guitar had two pedals? One week they were at the changer end, couple weeks later they had been moved to the keyhead end. I believe I read that he had the first Shobud. Anybody confirm that?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 9 Jun 2013 1:32 pm

Can't say that I really care for the looks of that one. But, I bet it sounds like a million bucks.

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 9 Jun 2013 1:46 pm

The way I heard it, Don Warden got #1 and Ben Keith got #2.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Jun 2013 1:51 pm

Chas,
Thanks for confirming that. It's interesting to watch Porter's reruns, just to watch Don's guitar evolve!
JB

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 9 Jun 2013 1:51 pm

that has a 16 stringer sitting in front

How about a 11-11-16 perm

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Jun 2013 1:58 pm

I CANNOT handle much more of this! Stunning Chas! Who did it belong to? History? Cuz that's one strange, beautiful guitar!
JB

Daniel McKee · Post by **Daniel McKee** » 9 Jun 2013 2:23 pm

Chas that Shobud triple neck of yours looks amazing.I bet it sounds great too.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 9 Jun 2013 2:24 pm

Chas, that is one truly unique looking guitar, are the pedals grouped together as 3 on front, 3 In the Ctr., And five for the back neck? I wonder how many guitars were made the 16 string neck? It is actually a duel eight string neck, strings are very close together.

This one has the fretboard painted on, yours seems to have a metal fretboard?

There is room for eight fingers in the changer, this one has six and each split into two.

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 9 Jun 2013 8:14 pm

Chas! Don Warden got the first Sho-Bud, Which was a single neck! Jimmy Day got the first Double neck,
Which was D-8, Buddy Emmons got the second D-8, I got the third D-8 in 1957, Ben Keith got his some time later! I think that Chris Lucker has pictures
of my #3 as I sold it to him! au

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 10 Jun 2013 4:34 am

These are such sweet guitars. I remember the single 16 from the Sho-Bud store around 69-70. Saw the triple neck at Bobbe Seymour's once and really wanted it. Don Warden still has #1.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 10 Jun 2013 5:05 am

Johnny, How are you doing on your perm project? That to, is an awesome guitar.

Alan Berdoulay · Post by **Alan Berdoulay** » 10 Jun 2013 7:25 am

Here's an old thread where BE comments on early sho bud guitars, who they went to and why.
http://steelguitarforum.com/Archives/Ar ... 03679.html

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 10 Jun 2013 1:32 pm

John, the way I heard it from Mona was, the guitar was made for Bobby Garrett. Daniel, it sounds very nice. Bob, yes, the peds are 3 front 3_E9 and 5_C6. Al, I stand corrected, cheers. ...and to be honest, I haven't figured out the 16-string neck, yet.

The perm was a beater when I got it and rebuilding it was a lot more involved than I thought it would be, but then, that's what "guitar-bonding" is all about.

....and stand back...

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 10 Jun 2013 2:01 pm

What a guitar! Chas, I notice you have the strings installed where your thumb will hit the low octave string, then (maybe) hit the high octave string. Ric used to do it that way, and they still might, but everyone I knew, me included, reversed those strings so that the high octave string was hit first. The problem was, you often couldn't hear the high string at all. Interesting!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 10 Jun 2013 4:11 pm

John Billings wrote:What a guitar! Chas, I notice you have the strings installed where your thumb will hit the low octave string, then (maybe) hit the high octave string. Ric used to do it that way, and they still might, but everyone I knew, me included, reversed those strings so that the high octave string was hit first. The problem was, you often couldn't hear the high string at all. Interesting!

I have several 12-string Acoustic guitars which I have intentionally strung that way, so that the bass strings predominate over the octave strings (the notes of which are duplicated on the higher strings.)

With double-course instruments you can eliminate the problem of only the nearer of each pair sounding by playing with the balls of your fingers rather than with finger picks.

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 10 Jun 2013 9:39 pm

James, I have'done anything other than put new strings on and clean it up a bit. It needs a total restoration. I don't have any place to do it now.

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Shobud Permanant--have you ever seen one like this????

Shobud Permanant--have you ever seen one like this????

First Sho-Buds