Tell me what you think about this Sho-Bud!

Amy Osborne · Post by **Amy Osborne** » 14 May 2010 8:12 am

Hello!

My name is Amy and my grandfather Amos Arthur was the founder of the Indy Pedal Steel Guitar Club in Indianapolis. He was also the owner of our family business Arthur's Music Store that my mother and I now own and operate. Grandpa passed in 2005 at 88 yrs.
I only wish I had paid more attention to grandpa when I was younger and he tried to teach me about the pedal steel and how to play. As a result, I know very little about the instrument that meant so much to him.
Because of his legacy in Indianapolis, today the store sees a lot of steels!
This Sho-Bud came in a few days ago as part of an estate, and I'm trying to give the family as much information as I can about it.

Here's what I know:
It is A Sho-Bud model 6164 Pro III Custom.
From Gene Haugh's amazing information I've deciphered the serial number 6431 to a production date of October 1974.
It's in Jimmy Day setup and the C6 was barely used.
The previous owner/player continually lubricated all moving parts so everything is nice and smooth.
Everything seems to function properly including the electronics.
I've noticed one plastic tuning sleeve that is missing.

That's it! That's all I know.
If anyone has opinions, sees anything in the pictures that I missed, or any comments, they will be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you!

Amy

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 14 May 2010 10:58 am

Amy, Welcome to this great forum! I have a daughter by the name of Amy. Nice ring to it

As for the Pro II, there will be others more knowledgeable than me to give you a better opinion of its value.
What I see is a lovely vintage Sho-Bud with no serious defects according to the pics. The round spot by the 2nd fret could be anything, even dirt or an oil spot. The brownish discoloring on the undercarriage parts is nothing...likely just excessive oil with maybe some nicotine? A good cleaning would be part of the easy restoration of this steel guitar.

The finish is surprisingly pristine. I am sot sure if the microscopic lines I see are actually checks and cracks, although they don't appear as such.
I saw a model identical to this one with lot worse cracks in the finish. This one has been babied I believe.

Are you going to take up steel playing now? I sure hope so. Your grandpa trying to show you some steel as a child sure rings a bell with me. I let my two granddaughters ages 5 and 3 "play" my steels as much as they want, while I say a little prayer and hope for the best...
I let them sit there and make noise because maybe a little bug will stir inside them and the end result may be one or both carrying on with this wonderful instrument!

Good luck Amy!

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 14 May 2010 11:10 am

Bent,I think the spot on the 2nd fret is one of the places where the fretboard screws on.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 14 May 2010 12:57 pm

Stu, you're right. I forgot that they used screws, not glue.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 14 May 2010 2:51 pm

This guitar is not in good condition. Possible rust. It needs a thorough cleaning and a setup. I would not buy it.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 14 May 2010 3:05 pm

Amy, is your intention to play it or dispose of it ?
(I'd like to think you're going to play it.)

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 14 May 2010 3:16 pm

Amy I don't see rust to me it looks like nicotine yellowness,Kevin probably has better eyes than me...oops I had my had over them,Seriously I helped a friend clean up a guitar like that a few years ago and it turned out great,You should probably bring it to somebody who lives close to you and have it checked out.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 14 May 2010 3:38 pm

Looks pretty good from here. The oil used was obviously heavier than could have been used, and picked up some dirt, and dust. Normal. The guitar should clean up very nice. I'm with Stu on the tar and nicotine. Naptha and then light oil will fixer up. Who do you have to assess it in person? I will likely be in indy next week, might just happen in. I've been to the store a few times...you carry blue Herco thumbpicks...and have a very nice store!!

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 14 May 2010 8:01 pm

It's a Pro III not a II as mentioned like this one....

Clean it up & play it or sell it (unless it's sentimental value is overwhelming) and let a Sho~Bud nut have a blast!!

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 14 May 2010 8:03 pm

Amy,If Rick is going to be in your neighborhood next week you should have him check it out.

Amy Osborne · Post by **Amy Osborne** » 15 May 2010 6:55 am

Thank you so much guys!

Rick, I would be very happy if you came in to look at this. I need all the help I can get!

Bent, Thank you for thinking so highly of me! Unfortunately I quickly learned that I don't have the patience to learn pedal steel. I am a guitar player and recently found Hawaiian lap steel which I love! (Close enough, right?)

The steel's body has a beautiful patina to the finish. I have seen this type of finish checking before, but it's normally on much older guitars. That makes me think that the previous owner took very good care of keeping humidity away from the metal which is good, but of course has the opposite affect on finished wood! I agree that it definitely has been babied.

I also agree that the moving parts were very heavily oiled. There is a can of Radio Shack "Tuner Cleaner for Lubricating Knobs and tuners" in the seat with no spray straw. He must have just sprayed all over the underside. Most of the brown coloration you see in the pictures wipes off with a dry paper towel. It is definitely lubrication oil and bar smoke. yuck.

Someone mentioned rust and I do see rust forming on some of the non-moving parts. To me, it just looks like surface rust that will come clean with some fine steel wool. Is there anything I can do to prevent rust from re-forming?

You all have been so helpful! Thank you!

Amy Osborne · Post by **Amy Osborne** » 15 May 2010 7:06 am

Kevin,
What a beautiful steel! I love that transparent green!!

Amy Osborne · Post by **Amy Osborne** » 15 May 2010 7:18 am

Alan,

At the moment, I am just gathering info for the family that owns the guitar. They are then going to discuss amongst themselves to decide whether they want to sell it or keep it. The son and his family are darling, and they don't really care how much it's worth. I can tell it has enormous sentimental value to the son (who is a drummer). That's the reason I'm trying extra hard to help them out.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 15 May 2010 10:42 am

Amy you will need a roll of paper towels an old toothbrush a large bottle of Ronson cigarette lighter fluid,and bunch of Q-Tips and a lot of elbow grease and then that guitar should start looking good,I would stay away from steel wool because the dust might get in the changer and really mess things up.I knew that was a Pro-III why did I not see that?

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 15 May 2010 11:45 am

This guitar could be a good guitar if it was thoroughly cleaned and setup by a good steel mechanic. I have found that generally guitars in that neglected condition have needed mechanical work also. Letting a guitar deteiorate can have a real effect on the selling value of the guitar besides its playability. I would take the guitar to someone like Billy Cooper's shop in Virginia and let him go over it. Its money well spent. It could clean up and adjust into a jewel.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 15 May 2010 4:02 pm

What Kevin said!

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 15 May 2010 5:08 pm

here we go again...it's just grungy. let the new owner dump unnecessary money into if they want. it looks good and solid. i've played steels professionally that looked way scrungier.

...$2300...nothing's going to make it worth much more than that. a good steel at a fair price.

Joseph Meditz · Post by **Joseph Meditz** » 15 May 2010 5:52 pm

FWIW I agree with Chris. This was a player's axe that is in good condition both mechanically and elecctrically in a very pretty cabinet with a very attractive aged finish.

Sooooo, I would suggest you not waste your time or money and just leave this time capsule relic in mothballs as it is. Put it in its case and don't touch it. IMHO cleaning it would make it less desireable.

Joe

Don Brown, Sr. · Post by **Don Brown, Sr.** » 15 May 2010 7:04 pm

Hi Amy,

That's NOT rust on there at all. It's simply been played in the smokey old bar rooms, my GES looked much the same.. Nicotine.. Windex is the best I found, and a whole lot of elbow grease, and she'll look like a new one. The same on the steel itself. Windex to get the nicotine off, and then a good polishing.

If you look at the end plates, you'll see around the controls, where it's still there, but has to some extent already been cleaned off of the larger spaces. The same on the end of the changer.

She simply needs a real good cleaning, and someone will most likely have a great playing pedal steel.

Don

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 15 May 2010 9:56 pm

Cleaning a steel guitar makes it less desireable? In fact a dirty steel guitar in this condition is worth FAR less than the same guitar cleaned up and adjusted. Pedal steel guitars are NOT vintage guitars. They are machines. A few hundred dollars work on this guitar by a reputable steel mechanic will easily get you a $1000.00 extra on resale. This guitar is worth no where near $2300.00 in its present condition.

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 16 May 2010 6:25 am

And DON'T use Windex on that aluminum!! Use a good metal polish like Simichrome or Mothers.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 16 May 2010 10:32 am

...$1800...?

...$1600...?

seems like everyone thinks their single 10 sho-buds are worth that...!?

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 16 May 2010 10:33 am

Amy Osborne wrote:...I can tell it has enormous sentimental value to the son...

There you go, Amy, you've answered your own question. Get him to learn how to play it and Granddad will be delighted.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 16 May 2010 11:40 am

No coil tap on the E neck?

Doug Rolfe · Post by **Doug Rolfe** » 16 May 2010 11:43 am

HI Amy:

I bought my first steel(a Dekley U12) from your grandfather and took lessons from him. There is a man that lives just north of Indy by the name of John Coop who is probably as much of an expert on Sho-Buds as anyone. I would contact him, as he will have as much info as you will need to evaluate this steel.