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Topic: Little Buddy |
Jack Hargraves
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 6:23 pm |
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Has anybody heard of a steel guitar called a little buddy? If so, is it a peddle steel?
_________________
GFI Expo SD10, Nashville 112, Steelers choice Pak-a- seat, Carter vol. pedal, Stage one vol. pedal, Peavey Deltafex. Goodrich volume pedal. |
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Tony Dingus
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 6:34 pm
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That was my first guitar. It was ok. The Sho Bud Maverick was a better student model.
Tony |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 6:39 pm
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It's a pedal steel generally regarded as the second worst one ever inflicted on the market.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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David Rupert
From:
Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 6:45 pm Ditto, Tony....1st Pedal Steel Guitar
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| Tony Dingus wrote: |
That was my first guitar. It was ok. The Sho Bud Maverick was a better student model.
Tony |
Man, you beat me by just a minute or two. Lol.
Ditto, Tony....this was my 1st Pedal Steel Guitar, also. It was pretty low end, to say the least. But, was better than nothing! Got my 1st Emmons, SD-10...about a month or so later. My Dad rented it for me from Sam Ash Music, in L.I.
I think it had only 1 or 2 knees. 3 pedals. It had a built in volume pedal, which was just another pedal, on the pedal board...that controlled a volume pot.
I have a picture, from 1975. I'll try to post it. I'm on my iPhone now.
_________________
David "DJ" Rupert
"Music. Without it, life itself...would be impossible."
ZumSteel - Encoreâ„¢ S-10 / 3p x 5k (Two-Tone; Red & Black Top).
Rolandâ„¢ Cube 80x Amp, Hilton Volume Pedal, TC Electronicsâ„¢ Flashbackâ„¢ Delay, TC Electronicsâ„¢ MojoMojoâ„¢ Overdrive, Peterson StroboPlus HD Tuner, D2F Covers. Evans JE-300 Amp. (in the not too distant future).
Most Importantly: the musicians hands...& soul.
http://www.bandmix.com/pedal-steel-75/ |
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Tony Dingus
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 7:36 pm
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David, mine had 3 pedals and 1 knee and a built in volume pedal like you're talking about. It was better than nothing. I later traded it for a Maverick.
Tony |
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David Rupert
From:
Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 7:46 pm
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Tony,
I'll post a pic of me & the steel, later tonight. It wouldn't load it to the forum, on my iPhone 5s.
It's pretty laughable. From 1975!
_________________
David "DJ" Rupert
"Music. Without it, life itself...would be impossible."
ZumSteel - Encoreâ„¢ S-10 / 3p x 5k (Two-Tone; Red & Black Top).
Rolandâ„¢ Cube 80x Amp, Hilton Volume Pedal, TC Electronicsâ„¢ Flashbackâ„¢ Delay, TC Electronicsâ„¢ MojoMojoâ„¢ Overdrive, Peterson StroboPlus HD Tuner, D2F Covers. Evans JE-300 Amp. (in the not too distant future).
Most Importantly: the musicians hands...& soul.
http://www.bandmix.com/pedal-steel-75/ |
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David Rupert
From:
Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 2:47 am
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Here's the "Little Buddy" & me. 1975.
yikes! 
_________________
David "DJ" Rupert
"Music. Without it, life itself...would be impossible."
ZumSteel - Encoreâ„¢ S-10 / 3p x 5k (Two-Tone; Red & Black Top).
Rolandâ„¢ Cube 80x Amp, Hilton Volume Pedal, TC Electronicsâ„¢ Flashbackâ„¢ Delay, TC Electronicsâ„¢ MojoMojoâ„¢ Overdrive, Peterson StroboPlus HD Tuner, D2F Covers. Evans JE-300 Amp. (in the not too distant future).
Most Importantly: the musicians hands...& soul.
http://www.bandmix.com/pedal-steel-75/ |
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Jack Hargraves
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 5:38 am
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Thanks for all the input fellas. A friend of mine was just asking if I knew anything about them and I told him I didn't, but I knew where to look. And, as always you guys came through. Thanks.
_________________
GFI Expo SD10, Nashville 112, Steelers choice Pak-a- seat, Carter vol. pedal, Stage one vol. pedal, Peavey Deltafex. Goodrich volume pedal. |
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W. Van Horn
From:
Houston, texas
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 11:46 am
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I have sat down at one and it was the worst pedal steel I have ever played. Stay away unless it is priced at or below $100 and will be played by a rank beginner with no other option for a steel. I have unfortunately seen them sell for several hundreds dollars.  |
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David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 12:44 pm
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| Was it coincidence or a clever marketing strategy that this abomination was named the Little 'Buddy'? |
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Floyd Havner
From:
Modesto, California, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 3:21 pm
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A very good friend of mine and an accomplished steel player was passing through Modesto about 15 years ago and stopped by my house and dumped one of those "Little Buddy" steels on me and said "it's time you learned to play the steel". At the time Barry Thomas was still building steels here in Modesto so I stopped by his shop and told him about my acquisition. He looked at me and made an awful facial gesture and said, "boy you must want to learn to play really bad". I didn't know how bad it really was until a few years later I was able to acquire one of barry's steels. But if you want to learn to play really bad it will get you going.
Good Luck
_________________
2003 Carter D10, 2010 Carter D10, Digitech RP350, Nady stereo power amp, and Eminence EPS-15C speakers. |
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David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 5:38 pm
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| Anyone remember the child version, had six strings with three pedals but no changer, therefore the pedals were strictly for show. According to the ads. there were intended to teach the student foot placement. |
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Tony Dingus
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 6:51 pm
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Nice Dave. Mine was blue.
Tony |
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Terry Winter
From:
Saskatchewan, Canada
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 9:05 pm
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| The Little Buddy was my first steel and I quickly moved up and traded it for a MSA Sidekick which I found to be a lot better but still needed to move on as soon as I could afford it......never regretted trading them both! |
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Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
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Posted 23 Aug 2014 1:34 am
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| Tony Dingus wrote: |
David, mine had 3 pedals and 1 knee and a built in volume pedal like you're talking about. It was better than nothing. I later traded it for a Maverick.
Tony |
They are only marginally better than nothing!
_________________
Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E, |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 23 Aug 2014 1:39 am
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| David Nugent wrote: |
| Was it coincidence or a clever marketing strategy that this abomination was named the Little 'Buddy'? |
I always thought it was the brand of steel played by Alan Hale
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Lynn Gray
From:
Missouri by way of Virginia, a little Tennessee and with deep Texas roots, USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2014 8:12 am
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My first "steel"...$125 from a pawn shop....learned string grips and basic AB pedal and open chords/notes/sounds.....lasted about a month before I got a StageOne....sold the Buddy for $125 .....that was 14 months ago 
_________________
Zum Encore, Mullen G2, Walker StereoSteel, Peavey NV112 |
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David Rupert
From:
Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).
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Posted 25 Aug 2014 7:57 pm Little Buddy
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| Tony Dingus wrote: |
Nice Dave. Mine was blue.
Tony |
Thanks, Tony! I've never seen any others, except for 1 on eBay, last week. It was WAY overpriced!! I THINK, around $800. They've been drinkin the Kool-Aid!!
_________________
David "DJ" Rupert
"Music. Without it, life itself...would be impossible."
ZumSteel - Encoreâ„¢ S-10 / 3p x 5k (Two-Tone; Red & Black Top).
Rolandâ„¢ Cube 80x Amp, Hilton Volume Pedal, TC Electronicsâ„¢ Flashbackâ„¢ Delay, TC Electronicsâ„¢ MojoMojoâ„¢ Overdrive, Peterson StroboPlus HD Tuner, D2F Covers. Evans JE-300 Amp. (in the not too distant future).
Most Importantly: the musicians hands...& soul.
http://www.bandmix.com/pedal-steel-75/ |
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Jack Hargraves
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 26 Aug 2014 10:57 am
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I Didn't think it was a very good guitar when my friend asked me about it, that's why I wanted to check it out for him. I told him what you guys all said and he was grateful. It kept him from getting a bad deal, so thanks again fellas.
_________________
GFI Expo SD10, Nashville 112, Steelers choice Pak-a- seat, Carter vol. pedal, Stage one vol. pedal, Peavey Deltafex. Goodrich volume pedal. |
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Landon George
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 15 Mar 2024 6:25 pm
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Popping into this thread nearly 10 years later! I am that "rank beginner" and I paid $250 for my Little Buddy Jr  I guess the "Jr" suffix denotes it even more abominable 
This steel has given me a lot of headaches, but I'm grateful I came into it first, because it has been a sort of test of patience and putting my will to learn to the ultimate test. I even played two gigs with the LBJ and managed to NOT get kicked off the stage!
Doug Beaumier responded to an inquisitive post I made about this instrument and let me know that they were made by Chuck Thompson and Freeman Cowgar. Anyone know either of these fellas? I just want to thank them for getting me into the instrument- Seriously!
I'm buying a '74 Sho Bud III in about 15 days and I could't be more excited. Had it not been for the LBJ, I wouldn't know how sweet it really is...
Tks!
_________________
"Straight ahead and strive for tone" - Ira Bernstein |
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Mike McBride
From:
Indiana
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Posted 17 Mar 2024 4:14 pm
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What exactly are the problems with this guitar? Mechanical? Electrical? Intonation?
Mike |
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Tommy Mc
From:
Middlesex VT
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Posted 18 Mar 2024 5:25 am
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| Mike McBride wrote: |
What exactly are the problems with this guitar? Mechanical? Electrical? Intonation?
Mike |
I can't speak for any other than the one I owned. As I recall, the entire instrument was cheaply made. The pedals were plastic. The endplates/leg holders were made of pot metal, and were not very solid. The side-to-side wobble of mine was beyond tolerable and I had to jerry-rig leg braces to stabilize it. (Somewhere out there there's a Little Buddy with a 10" high pedal bar held on with 4 wingnuts, and that would be my handy work) I can't remember anything about the tuning stability or intonation...I was too much of a beginner to know. I do remember that when I compared it to my friend's Maverick, the Maverick was far superior in all ways.
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1980 MSA Vintage XL S-10, 1975 Session 400
1972 Dobro model 66s
Derby SD-10
Tom McDonough |
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