Old Sho-Bud Catalogues

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 23 Jan 2014 7:14 pm

I thought some of you might be interested in seeing these old Sho-Bud catalogues from the 60s.

Check out those prices

I notice that they list a three-necked pedal steel in their brochure. Has anyone ever seen a Sho-Bud with three necks?

W. Van Horn · Post by **W. Van Horn** » 23 Jan 2014 9:29 pm

Thanks Alan! Very cool.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 24 Jan 2014 2:38 am

Brilliant, Alan - I love history. The knee lever was clearly still a bit of a novelty - if they could see us now!

Daniel McKee · Post by **Daniel McKee** » 24 Jan 2014 9:59 am

Thanks for posting those.I thought it was cool to see those old guitars and some of those prices from the 1960s.Very interesting stuff

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 24 Jan 2014 10:20 am

Sho-Bud with three necks:

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 24 Jan 2014 11:30 am

Very interesting Chris. There must be a story beyond this. The guitar is in the process of restoration. Where did it originate, and which pedals work on which necks?

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 24 Jan 2014 11:35 am

It was a display model in the old Sho-Bud store. Apparently at the top of the stairs. It was never a completed, working guitar. So, no pedals work anything.

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 24 Jan 2014 4:04 pm

Thanks for sharing Allen! I've never seen the catalog. Cool and educational.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 24 Jan 2014 4:11 pm

Allen, that warms a fella's heart bringing back some of those memories...Thank-you!!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 24 Jan 2014 4:35 pm

At one time, Chas Smith had a 11-11-16 that was made for Bobby Garrett. He may still have it?

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 24 Jan 2014 4:49 pm

Notice the split pickups on the top neck of that triple, an early humbucking design perhaps?

Don Griffiths · Post by **Don Griffiths** » 24 Jan 2014 5:01 pm

Really cool Alan, I've never seen a dual string single neck

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 24 Jan 2014 5:11 pm

Dave Grafe wrote:Notice the split pickups on the top neck of that triple, an early humbucking design perhaps?

Dave, I think Shot Jackson was part of the first humbucking pickups in a pedal steel guitar, but it was before the Sho-Bud Company and perhaps a decade before the brochure.

In 1954 Shot Jackson joined Don Davis and Hank Garland to make the DALAND pedal steels. They were essentially Bigsby copies to satisfy demand for a guitar like Bud Isaacs played. Don Davis told me that the pickups were made by Ray Butts -- his humbucker before the Filtertron came out.

That is what I would call an early humbucker in a pedal steel.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 24 Jan 2014 6:34 pm

Thanks very much Alan for this post. Curious about why their is no mention of Buddy Emmons (Bud) in the history and design of the guitar. Buddy was their or it would not be Sho-Bud. Thanks, J.R.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 24 Jan 2014 6:44 pm

J R Rose wrote:Thanks very much Alan for this post. Curious about why their is no mention of Buddy Emmons (Bud) in the history and design of the guitar. Buddy was their or it would not be Sho-Bud. Thanks, J.R.

These brochures are too late for there to be a reference. Here is part of an earlier Sho-Bud Brochure -- big difference.

Back when men were men and pedal steels fit into their cases strings up.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 24 Jan 2014 6:48 pm

Thanks Chris, That is good. J.R.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 25 Jan 2014 9:00 am

How many remember this little book?

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 25 Jan 2014 9:59 am

J R Rose wrote:Thanks very much Alan for this post. Curious about why their is no mention of Buddy Emmons (Bud) in the history and design of the guitar. Buddy was their or it would not be Sho-Bud. Thanks, J.R.

Those are sales brochyres from the mid 60s, Emmons had just launched his own brand "X", wonder why he's not mentioned :-P

"Back when men were men and pedal steels fit into their cases strings up."
Hahaa Chris, I love that!

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 25 Jan 2014 10:13 am

interesting heads on the triple neck. one 'gumby' and two 'droopies'.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 25 Jan 2014 10:33 am

Has anyone ever seen a working Sho-Bud Triple Neck?

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 25 Jan 2014 12:07 pm

So,,,,,,,,, old Fingertips? Strings up or down in the case?

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 25 Jan 2014 3:07 pm

If an instrument is strings-down in the case it's easier to pull out, because there are more things to get your hands around. If it's strings-up all you have to get hold of are the tuners and the strings themselves.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 25 Jan 2014 3:10 pm

I know Alan, but some have said the older guitars were cased strings up, and that's why they had handles. Seems illogical! You can't put the guitar together in the case with strings up. But then,,,, there's that pic in your catalogue, and a couple comments here. I case my Fingertips strings down, but I'm just curious,,,,,,

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 25 Jan 2014 7:32 pm

I have some of the instructions that Bigsby wrote in letters going along with new steel guitars, and he instructs the new owner to flip the guitar over . .. It really makes no sense. I still believe that the very first Emmons guitars wee meant to go into the case strings up because the inside of the case lid is padded, but the bottom is not. And, there are finger grabs cut out on the bottom of the endplates.
I have never owned a Permanent that fits in its case strings down. The first fenders fit strings up, maybe until the sort scale or at least brown case era. I agree, it makes no sense.

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 26 Jan 2014 1:34 am

Thanks for posting the old literature! The oldest Sho-Bud and Emmons catalogue I have is from the 70's and there's plenty of those around....so these are a treat.