Sho~Bud Pro III Question **Photos added**

Kenny Brown · Post by **Kenny Brown** » 17 Apr 2014 4:47 pm

I was doing some studio time last weekend and a friend of the owner leaves his Pro~III there basically for a roof over it's head and I have a question about what I saw.

This guitar has what appeared to be a mother of pearl snowflake inlay on the front of the guitar and on the fretboard. Was this common on this guitar or perhaps someone's personal touch/sig and not common to the Pro~III?

Dave O'Brien · Post by **Dave O'Brien** » 17 Apr 2014 5:06 pm

I sold and played new Pro III's the ones they sent me were all black and had the typical marquetry. What you describe soumds like aftermarket custom work to me.

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 17 Apr 2014 5:13 pm

My pro iii is black with a dust-catcher fretboard

Kenny Brown · Post by **Kenny Brown** » 17 Apr 2014 5:54 pm

hmmm, this guitar is a blonde.

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 17 Apr 2014 6:19 pm

Sure like to see a picture....

Kenny Brown · Post by **Kenny Brown** » 17 Apr 2014 6:24 pm

shoulda took a pic Ken. very bush league of me. I was in an amazing studio playground and caught up in all the other cool instruments too. I'll shoot a message up to the owner and see what we can come up with.

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 17 Apr 2014 7:36 pm

My 1976 Pro III faded from teal to LDG green.....

Kenny Brown · Post by **Kenny Brown** » 17 Apr 2014 8:06 pm

Ah, additionally I noticed this guitar had once been a D-10 but it's C6 undercarriage was stripped out and a pad was built in over the back neck. I don't know a lot about the Sho~Buds other than I had a Pro-I for 2 years that I played out. Other than that my knowledge is very limited. Just curious about the guitar and sent a message to the studio for some pics to help ID the guitar better.

Jeff Heard · Post by **Jeff Heard** » 18 Apr 2014 12:15 pm

The Pro III that I owned was red laquer with the diamond pattern wood inlay common to Sho-Buds of the mid-70's era, and plastic dustcatcher fretboards.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 18 Apr 2014 12:55 pm

Kenny, I would say that guitar is definitely not a Pro III, more likely a late-model permanent, or possibly fingertip, need to see photos of the undercarriage and changer end of the guitar to be sure.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 18 Apr 2014 1:55 pm

Round head neck mounting screws? Maybe this was a Pro III and someone changed the neck to wood?

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 18 Apr 2014 2:19 pm

Chris, look at the changer end, not like any Pro III that I have seen. would be nice to see the rest of the guitar, the changer looks like a pull release style from what I can see in the photo.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 18 Apr 2014 2:30 pm

I am just trying to account for the decal and the non-Factory neck mounting screws. But if it was a Pro III with a replaced neck, the pickup/changer surround would be changed as well because it is part of the Pro III neck casting.
But you are right, the changer itself is not 70s, it actually looks ..... no use without photos.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 18 Apr 2014 2:42 pm

Chris, from the appearance of that changer, and yes we cannot be sure from that photo, but that would not connect up well with a Pro III style undercarriage I wouldn't think.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 19 Apr 2014 7:22 am

Bob
I have replaced permanent underside mechanics with pro II parts before. It works fine.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 19 Apr 2014 6:40 pm

I just looked at the photo again, clearly that is a Pro III "decal" on that guitar, not sure how I missed that!!

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 19 Apr 2014 7:14 pm

Were there single neck Pro III's?

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 19 Apr 2014 8:27 pm

Dust catcher w/metal necks...when I bought it new I think bought it over the Pro 11 because of the metal necks...I thought all Pro lll's had metal necks

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 19 Apr 2014 10:35 pm

I guess this has to be a very special Pro III model that has wood necks, a pull release style changer, and a super Pro style fret board. I wonder what the undercarriage could look like?? The changer mounting plate is also a pull release style, but there's no denying the Pro III decal. And let's not forget the Pro III is an all pull guitar. What was the original question, oh yes the snowflake I'm sure that would be original on this guitar.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 20 Apr 2014 7:50 am

c'mon....it's an older bud (?) with pro-lll decal.

pro-lll's were doubleneck, metal neck, more substantial.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 20 Apr 2014 8:38 am

Are we sure it is really a Sho~Bud?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 20 Apr 2014 9:27 am

do we care?

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 20 Apr 2014 10:12 am

As to the changer, compare this. Photo, said to be of a late 50's Sho-Bud, from this thread:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 71&start=0

Jody Nelson · Post by **Jody Nelson** » 22 Jan 2019 9:53 am

Crazy finding this thread. It's my Sho-Bud here. I bought it in Auburn, Ala., twenty-something years ago. Traded my Maverick for it. I'm a guitar-player, but I've used this instrument on a handful of recordings (given enough takes.) I wish I knew more about it, especially the snowflake details. When I bought it, I was told the original owner was very old. I'll take a bunch of photos and post here soon as I can. Thanks!

-- Jody

Jody Nelson · Post by **Jody Nelson** » 23 Jan 2019 7:40 am

The serial number on the guitar is 9388 388, best I can tell. Or, at least, that's the serial number stamped on the black underside and the adjacent metal end-piece. It's mostly in the same condition it was in the day I got it. I'm pretty sure now that I paid way too much for it, even 20 years ago.
When I was playing it a lot, I had all the moving parts a little prettier-looking.
Hurt my back moving it yesterday. The weight of the case is inordinate to the guitar.
Closer inspection, I think it's worth its weight, at least, in old Grover Futura tuners. Anyone know anything about it? It sounds great, and feels a lot like driving my old Volvo.

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Sho~Bud Pro III Question Photos added

Sho~Bud Pro III Question Photos added

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