Curly Chalker's Sho~Bud

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Anyone know it's whereabouts? The guitar I have in mind is the one pictured on the LP Big Hits on Big Steel.It's also pictured at Tommy Whites website.Ps I know Curly used a Fender on Big Hits.Thanks in advance. ....bb

Tommy White · From: Nashville

Bobby,
The steel Curly was playing in the photo on my website is a Sho-Bud crossover, rosewood front and necks, natural top. The guitar on the cover of Curly's Big Hits LP was an earlier model, fingertip square front Sho-Bud of the same color scheme with eleven floor pedals.
By the way, our website is now at www.tommywhite.net and has been freshly updated with a new look and new products.
My best,
Tommy White

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Gosh, that fingertip 'Bud was for sale back in 1992 for $1000 at Steel City Music in Dallas. Had the "Custom Made for Curly Chalker" plaque on the front, everything. It had been converted back to a (as I recall) 9&4 guitar. It was on the floor at the 1992 TSGA Jamboree and I thought hard about it but didn't buy it. Morrell told me it would be a pain in the ass to play, I didn't have a spare grand laying around, and I passed on it. So did everyone else at the show, since it didn't sell. I don't know what happened to it, but I heard somewheres that Morrell wound up with it!

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Tommy White · From: Nashville

Bobby,
What I failed to mention in my earlier reply was, it would be quite easy to mistake one guitar for the other, given the wood and scheme of both. By the way, Curly once mentioned to me, that particular Sho-Bud crossover on my website was his favorite guitar and I actually got to play it once when it was his main axe.I won't bore everyone with details, but what a flood of memories your post brought back.
Thanks, TW

[This message was edited by Tommy White on 22 August 2002 at 12:24 PM.]

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Aw Tommy, go ahead and bore us!

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

Man, I'd have hocked my new Jeep in '92 to buy that steel for $1000 if I'd known about it!

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Thanks Tommy and Herb.The color scheme is what threw me.I think the cross-over Buds came with 6 pedals standard?? Tommy, do you remember how many Curly's had?And feel free to share any Curly stories you have.Thanks-bb

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

I owned a Sho~Bud Pro III that had been converted to a S10 with pad, that I bought from Bobbe Seymour around the mid 80's that he told me had belonged to Curly. It was signed by "Harold Chalker" on the underside.

That's been a long time ago, and I don't have it anymore. I always thought it odd that a guitar of Curly's would be E9th only, given that Curly was such a Monster C6th player. However, it may have had the back neck removed after Curly had it. Obviously this is not the guitar in question, but I just thought I'd throw this in, free of charge anyway.

Lem

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Very interesting Lem.

Anyone know the whereabouts of the cross-over.Tommy, Johnny Cox? Anyone?

Tommy White · From: Nashville

O.k., you talked me into it.
Curly's rosewood and natural Sho-Bud crossover had 7 floor pedals and 7 knees. The crossover came standard with 6 floors and 1 knee. However, all crossover undercarriage frames were cast to accommodate 7 floor pedals.
In or around 1970 at a jam session during a DJ convention,I asked Curly if I may play his guitar, both brave and stupid of me. Curly was very nice and replied, sure kid, but don't use the crossover lever while pressing a pedal or you will have a lap full of parts! I was 10 yrs.old at the time, so you can imagine my fear and excitement of getting to play Curly's guitar.
Lem,
I could be mistaken but, to the best of my knowledge Curly never had a Pro-111.
Bobby,
I have no idea where any of Curly's guitars are. Johnny Cox could probably enlighten us though, as he and Curly were very close pals.
By the way, thanks to Jerry Overstreet in Louisville, KY, I again have my first steel that was purchased new around 1969. It is a Sho-Bud crossover with 6 flr. and 1 knee.
My best,
T.W.

[This message was edited by Tommy White on 22 August 2002 at 07:58 PM.]

Kenny Davis · From: Great State of Oklahoma

He used a Fender "what" on Big Hits?

Bob Tuttle · From: Republic, MO 65738

A Fender 1000

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Thanks Tommy.Nice story.Didn't Curly use a Fender D-10 on Big Hits??What did they call them?Fender 2000??------bb

[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 22 August 2002 at 09:58 PM.]

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

I was just thinking.Tommy said the Sho~Bud cross-over had 7 and 7.It must have weighed almost 100 lbs.You guys remember the old days when you had to be a real man to carry a pedal steel?I carried a finger-tip Sho~Bud D-10 9&2 when I was 13.However 80 lbs is a lot heavier now than it was 25 years ago.

Maybe weight was calibrated differently 25 years ago?

Gary Walker · From: Morro Bay, CA

In April of '73 I was at the Sho-Bud store on Broadway visiting Jack Boles and when I went upstairs there was Curly's Crossover with a lot of damage to the front. Curly had just changed over to MSA and turned in the Bud. I recognized it from seeing in Dallas in '69 as the only one with extra pedal and strange up-lever setup he used. I wish I had tried to buy it then. It had a great sound heard on so many recordings of the late 60s and early 70s.

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

Hey Tommy,
Thanks for the info. Interesting stuff. As far as you remembering correctly or not... I'll trust your memory anytime on anything steel guitar related!!!

Thanks again,
Lem

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Tommy is correct, Curly used a Fender 1000, double 8 with 8 pedals (no knee levers)on the "Big Hits" album, all except for one song. Mr. Chalker never used a Fender 2000.
But he could have , had he wanted to!

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Thanks Bobbe.Any idea what year Big Hits was recorded? Anyone?? All that great playing from only 8 strings.Even more amazing.BTW was his other neck tuned to E9 or did he have another verison of C6th or a 13th or whatever? I'm talking about the Fender 1000. Thanks-------bb

[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 24 August 2002 at 09:45 AM.]

Russ Wever · From: Kansas City

Bobbe, which tune do you suppose wasn't played on the Fender?
Why wasn't it wasn't played on the Fender?
Wasn't 'Big Hits on Big Steel' done all in one setting (two sessions?) in one evening?
Or did Curly redo one steel track after the session on another guitar?
I suppose the 'one song' might have been on the Sho~Bud Fingertip, huh?
Your revelation surprises me, for after enjoying this album for thirty years, I've never noticed any songs' steel track sounding noticeably different than the others.
~Russ

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

Bobby: Speaking of heavy, I grabbed at my MSA D-12 one night, in a hurry, and took the handle right off the case. It never left the floor. I patched it with a coat hanger and if'n you don't believe me, ask Bobbe. He may still have it with that handle mod still on it !

Regards, Paul

bob grossman · From: Visalia CA USA

Bobbe...

I saw Curly play at the Lariat Club in LV aound 1965 or so. He was playing mainly trumpet and singing, but he had a Fender 2000 set up which he played for me. Bob Hines (sp?)was his steel player (guts, huh?) and he also had a Fender 2000.

At the time, Curly also had a ZB, and there was a photo of him there sitting at it. He considered it the best of the custom made axes at that time.

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Ah Ha. So Big Hit's may have been cut on a Fender 2000?

Thanks Bob.

Gary Walker · From: Morro Bay, CA

Now guys, I don't mean to dispute any expert on this subject, but I read an interview several years ago and Curly said that the Sho-Bud was on the cover of "Big Hits" but it was actually cut on a Fender 2000. I also have a live recording of Curly done in '64 and he was playing a 10 string back then. He had switched to a 10 string sometime in the '63-64 range. If you listen to "Big Hits" which was released in '66 and hear the low notes on some of the songs, they cannot be gotten on an eight string. On the 1000, his low string was F and not able to reach very low. The 2000 also had a better tone over the 1000 that he used on the Travis, Thompson, Husky, Charlie Louvin and Wanda Jackson sides he cut with in the early '60s.
I listen to "Big Hits" on a regular basis as it is on my car stereo and consider it his greatest along with the Counterpoint project.

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Thanks Bob Grossman and Gary Walker.This makes more sense now.Not to start a flame.But I liked his tone better on the Bigs Hit's record than the later More Ways to Play LP.As a matter of fact I thought he played better on Big Hits.Only my opinion of course. ---bb

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

"Big Hits " was cut on a 1000 , eight pedal.
Except for one song that was cut on the Sho-Bud fingertip.(which he didn't like either). If Curly had a "2000" it must have only been for less than a few moments. He and I have had many hours upon hours discusing steel guitars and has never said anything about the "2000" Fender except that he wouldn't lift one for it. As for him not being able to get that much music out of a eight string neck, he got more music out of a non-pedal Fender Custom triple neck than you would ever believe, (while working with Hank Thompson). Ever hear the cut, "Cryin' in the Deep Blue Sea"?
Bobbe

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