Ben's Refurbed Shobud Professional

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 5 Jan 2009 8:32 pm

Forumite Ben Elder gave me the opportunity to resurrect this gorgeous '69 D 10 Professional. This guitar was gone through from "original finish rejuvenation" to "complete changer cleanout". Plays like a dream, and the "locked-up" tone is now unlocked---and there is a LOAD of tone in this beauty!! A picture is worth a thousand words!! Enjoy, Ben!

Jeff Hyman · Post by **Jeff Hyman** » 5 Jan 2009 8:45 pm

Would love to see some shots of the under carriage! ... and the side view and pedal board to.

Ben... you look like you're getting ready to tear onto a rack-of-lamb after fasting for a week <g>

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 6 Jan 2009 5:09 am

What a beautiful guitar! From the pictures I saw in an earlier post, I bet the under carriage looks as nice as the top now, and the guitar plays like new. Great job, nice to keep these classics in good condition so they can be played and enjoyed.
Larry J.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 6 Jan 2009 7:00 am

Here's a couple of undercarrage pics, before and after. Enjoy.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 6 Jan 2009 7:41 am

Yes.......Mighty Fine work James(and Tree); top to bottom.
Ricky

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 6 Jan 2009 7:44 am

good job, James!

W. C. Edgar · Post by **W. C. Edgar** » 6 Jan 2009 7:54 am

Damn fine lookin guitar my friend. I think that the two-tone Sho Buds were the nicest looking guitars ever made. WC

www.wcedgar.com

Ben Rubright · Post by **Ben Rubright** » 6 Jan 2009 10:55 am

Are the undercarriage parts new or just cleaned up?

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 6 Jan 2009 10:55 am

Wow, great job James! Looks exactly like mine.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 6 Jan 2009 11:00 am

Thanx for the great comments, your all the best!!

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 6 Jan 2009 11:38 am

Very nice...
Here's to old rack & barrel Buds.

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 6 Jan 2009 1:52 pm

My two favorite colors, red and natural.Niiiiiiice.

Good job James

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 6 Jan 2009 2:49 pm

GOOD STUFF, JAMES!

Ernest Cawby · Post by **Ernest Cawby** » 7 Jan 2009 8:40 am

James those old Professionals are the classic look of steel guitars, and some of the best looking guitars made, Yours is a beauty I love to see pictures of it.
I know I loved mine for 35 years, and never had a problem with it.

ernie

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 7 Jan 2009 11:28 am

Here's another case of the unique and amazing power of the Forum. I knew there were some knowledgeable members in and around the Old Homeplace and it didn't take long to find James. Despite the outward unsullied look of this Sooner Special (apologies and respect to Florida forumites) Sho-Bud, I was suspicious of some of the rust I saw on the undercarriage. And the old adage applies, "Where there's rust, there's gunk."

Although I naively thought I'd get a quick fix (4th/5th string issues) and spend all my late-night hours of an almost 12-day stay woodshedding on E9th, James's expert analysis convinced me to let him take whatever time he needed (up until my departure) to re-do everything. (My picture at the top of the thread suggests that, separated from my beloved Bud, I spent those late hours drinking Buds, but such is not the case. My t-shirt suggests a more accurate explanation for my appearance.)

Now I need to conjure up a round-trip Grapes of Wrath wroad trip (soon!) to get this thing out here to California. I already have two amps and a guitar or two that have been irritating my mom for various numbers of years. I will not even attempt to ship the amps (one's a more or less forgettable recent Vox, but the other's a 60s tweed Gibson bass amp that I won't sacrifice to any carrier's soulless gorillas. And my apologies to all actual gorillas, all of whom would do a more conscientious job in handling packages than UPS or FedEx employees have for me in the past.) And a quarter-ton Nixon-era Sho-Bud is just beyond the pale.

Since I can't recall ever seeing a solid school-bus yellow (the Pittsburgh Paints hue I refinished my 67 Tele in 1970 was "Highway Yellow") pedal steel of any make, I may have to say this is about the purtiest one I ever did see. This coincidentally came onto my radar (OK, I admit I was doing extensive long-distance recon on craigslist) just after a similar one was listed for sale here on the Forum and bugged my eyes out more than a little bit.

As with Patricia Warnock's chart and other amazing amenities that the Forum affords, I'm going to PayPal a small token of appreciation to b0b. (And yes, James was compensated--very reasonably considering the enormity of the work--although I know the wide-eyed grin of a kid in the candy store when I see it.)

[Ben R.: those are all the original parts refurbished, other than new stainless-steel screws.]

Chuck Thompson · Post by **Chuck Thompson** » 7 Jan 2009 4:02 pm

mmm yummy!! nice job james!

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 7 Jan 2009 9:29 pm

Again, thanx for the kind words, ya'll are great!!

I got to say though, Ricky Davis is my mentor--playing the instrument as well as refurbishing shobud guitars, and encouraging me to dive in and learn about refurbing 'buds. If it were not for Ricky AND John Coop, my other refurb mentor, I be lost in a major way, so thanx you two, for I have learned so much!!

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 7 Jan 2009 10:46 pm

Original undercarriage and changer.

They sound best that way. Just my opinion of course..Nice work.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 8 Jan 2009 7:44 am

Thanks for the kind words James....it's my Pleasure.
Ricky

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 8 Jan 2009 11:17 am

Great job, James! The guitar looks fabulous now, and I bet it sounds wicked!

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 8 Jan 2009 9:01 pm

G^&#F(#^&#&!#^& Sooners!

After a half-century of die-hard loyalty (even while graduating from an in-state rival institution), I've HAD IT! And this thing's getting a purple-latex refin to spare me any future heartbreak.

(I'll be the new "BE" in pedal steel before Bob Stoops wins another game in January.)

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 9 Jan 2009 5:09 pm

Hey Ben, when you get that sweet bud home and start hearing that tone, you will slip into the shobud tone trance and soon forget about the Sooners. Keep watch your tone bar, keep watching your tone bar as it moves up and down the neck---you are getting sleepy--------------------

The Steel Guitar Forum

Ben's Refurbed Shobud Professional

Ben's Refurbed Shobud Professional

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The Prague with a long "a"

(Reference to my previous post)