Cabinet construction question

[Erik Sears]

I recently bought a 1971 Shobud Professional S10 4x3 E9. The PO let it get wet while it was in the case so the face of the cabinet is pretty bad. The case liner dye leached into the wood and there is some minor warping. I could dye it and clean it up and fix it, but I’ve decided to have. Friend of mine build a new cabinet. It will be dimensionally the same but with a much better quality wood and some aesthetic enhancements. He and I were talking last night about the construction and he asked. “Why is the neck only screwed on and not glued and screwed on”. I couldn’t answer. Seems like it would be stronger if that were all glued and screwed. Could anyone answer that or for you builders, do you glue and screw the neck to the top of the cabinet?

[Ian Rae]

I shall also be glad to know the answer. When I built my own PSG a few years back I only screwed it, in case I had to take it apart again. It worked fine, so I left it that way.

But I've heard it said that if everything is too rigid it can kill the sound, and that some degree of "float" is desirable.

[Bobby D. Jones]

Some of the Sho-Bud guitars, You can ruin the tone & sustain of the guitar by tightening the screws that hold the neck to the body. It is a fine line on some adjustments to keep the tone at it's best on some guitars.

[Steven Black]

Hello Erik, I have a good friend who is a Luthier here in Columbus Ohio, he has worked on Sho-Bud guitars, the old Sho-Bud body can be redone, all the parts still have to come off, not a bad thing, if the old Sho-bud body is not warped or bowing anywhere I recommend still refinishing it, don't make a new one because the wood will be different in grain structure, this can effect sound, plus you will not know where to put all the rods back on the new body, the old body has the holes already there to tell you where cross rods go, I do not reccommend gluing the necks down and using screws not because it effects sound but because makes it difficult to remove if you need to like to do an upgrade, or you got to straighten the body over time, just screw the neck back on, I am restoring a double 10 wood neck Sho-Bud as I type this, It is a round front Sho-Bud, finish is now on the guitar, it had cracks in the tail where the changer went.

[Tim Toberer]

Hello Erik, I have a good friend who is a Luthier here in Columbus Ohio, he has worked on Sho-Bud guitars, the old Sho-Bud body can be redone, all the parts still have to come off, not a bad thing, if the old Sho-bud body is not warped or bowing anywhere I recommend still refinishing it, don't make a new one because the wood will be different in grain structure, this can effect sound, plus you will not know where to put all the rods back on the new body, the old body has the holes already there to tell you where cross rods go, I do not reccommend gluing the necks down and using screws not because it effects sound but because makes it difficult to remove if you need to like to do an upgrade, or you got to straighten the body over time, just screw the neck back on, I am restoring a double 10 wood neck Sho-Bud as I type this, It is a round front Sho-Bud, finish is now on the guitar, it had cracks in the tail where the changer went.

I agree with restore rather than replace. It will no longer be a 1971 Sho Bud Professional if you replace the cabinet. Post some pictures!

[Erik Sears]

Here a few pics of why we’re replacing the cabinet. The dye in the case line bled into the wood and I’ve tried everything to get it out. Bleach, wood brighter, etc. it ain’t coming out. I’m not concerned with getting the holes drilled correctly. We’ve made a pencil tracing of the old cabinet and it should be pretty straightforward. Here’s a progress pic. It’s just mocked up. Nothing is glued together yet. The inlay is on order and should be here in a few days.

[Steven Black]

Eric, now I see, dye in the old wood, yes it won't come out.

[Erik Sears]

My cabinet is done and I’m beginning the reassembly. Ends are mounted, peg head, neck and changer are mounted. I’ll start remounting all the goodies tomorrow. Hope to have her singing again tomorrow night.