Sho-Bud Pro II Tuning Advice

[Ryan Olson]

Hi all.

I truly feel like a newbie writing this.

Recently, I've acquired a '74 Sho-Bud Pro II. It's gorgeous, holds tune, and plays like butter. Initially, I started playing on an MSA Sidekick. The tuning was straightforward: tune open strings with the keys, tune with pedals down and keys, then adjust using Allen wrenches. I seem to be a little overwhelmed with the Sho-Bud and its tuning, and I was just wondering if anyone could walk me through the proper way to tune this guitar.

What I believe is the proper way is:
1. Tune open strings with keys
2. Tune 5/10 with A/B down with keys; Tune 3/6 with A/B down with keys
3. Tune open with Allen wrench
4. Repeat for everything.

I haven't even gotten to the C6 neck and wouldn't know where to begin there.

It would be great if anyone would be willing to provide a listed guide, advice, or confirmation that what I'm doing is correct.

Thank you in advance,
Ryan

[Paul Wade]

https://hummingbirdmusicstudio.com/peda ... tuning.php
here you go.





p.w

[Richard Sinkler]

The Sho-Bud Pro 2 should be tuned as follows. ALL open strings tuned with the tuning keys. ALL pedals and levers are tuned with the nuts in the right end plate (either nylon or metal depending on type of undercarriage). It is not tuned like the MSA you had. That was a pull release guitar based on your tuning steps description. The Pro 2 is an all pull guitar which is nothing like the pull release.

[Michael Conway]

Hi Ryan,

Ricard has given you some good advice. I’d add that If you’ve got the pro ii with brass barrels in the undercarriage, you should be engaging the pedals while you turn the Allen key on the end plate. That messes some people up. When you turn the key you are rotating the whole rod, and a little spring on the barrel has to catch underneath in order for the adjustments to be made

Good luck! Those are great sounding guitars

[John Hyland]

https://hummingbirdmusicstudio.com/peda ... tuning.php
here you go.





p.w

Hurtz a bad typo

[Ryan Olson]

The Sho-Bud Pro 2 should be tuned as follows. ALL open strings tuned with the tuning keys. ALL pedals and levers are tuned with the nuts in the right end plate (either nylon or metal depending on type of undercarriage). It is not tuned like the MSA you had. That was a pull release guitar based on your tuning steps description. The Pro 2 is an all pull guitar which is nothing like the pull release.

Thank you so much for this confirmation. I appreciate it. I wanted to double-check and make sure I wasn't causing issues for myself.

When tuning the A pedal and E lever, I wondered if I should engage the B pedal for tuning the A pedal and E lever to engage the cabinet drop. I did this when tuning the MSA Sidekick I originally owned.

Thank you!

[Ryan Olson]

Hi Ryan,

Ricard has given you some good advice. I’d add that If you’ve got the pro ii with brass barrels in the undercarriage, you should be engaging the pedals while you turn the Allen key on the end plate. That messes some people up. When you turn the key you are rotating the whole rod, and a little spring on the barrel has to catch underneath in order for the adjustments to be made

Good luck! Those are great sounding guitars

Thank you, Michael! It does have brass barrels underneath. Thank you for confirming my suspicions about the tuning on the endplate.

It is such a gorgeous-sounding guitar, and I am truly blessed to own this work of art. I just have to make sure it sounds its best.

Thanks,
Ryan

[Richard Sinkler]

Michael... Thanks for expanding on my comments. Tuning the pedals should be done while the pedal is activated.

I always tune the A and B pedals with both pushed. I also press both the B and C pedals when tuning the C pedal (the B pedal should already be in tune after tuning it along with the A pedal).

[Jon Light (deceased)]

.... you should be engaging the pedals while you turn the Allen key on the end plate. That messes some people up. When you turn the key you are rotating the whole rod, and a little spring on the barrel has to catch underneath in order for the adjustments to be made ....

I've never had a barrel-behind-the-puller Bud in my hands so this info is valuable. I know the spring-end sticking out but the technique of putting traction on it is new to me (and head-smacking "of course!")

Excellent.