Why did Shobud close?

Farris Currie · Post by **Farris Currie** » 7 Mar 2005 7:28 am

Bobbe you are the man!my Friend,SHO-BUD was as honest as any ive ever delt with.If they told you something it was as good as gold.I started paying on,and ordered in 1984 a universal 12,i had paid 1600 dollars a little at a time.well,they closed,Harry told me he went to work at a auto plant,and that they would not be able to build it for me,and mrs.Jackson sent me my money back.we also discussed new types of guitars and i bought a zum from Bruce.Those people were honest and didn't try to beat anyone. and if they were to open today,i would order in a heartbeat from them again. farris

Savell · Post by **Savell** » 7 Mar 2005 8:24 am

.[This message was edited by Savell on 29 May 2005 at 06:57 PM.]

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 7 Mar 2005 10:46 am

ummmm....Sho-Buds are still being made...without the name. How can I say this ? The folks who worked at Sho-Bud are still building guitars in that same style....with modern upgrades.
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Edit to add :
I was talking with a local Fender dealer who told me almost the same thing Jody Carver has said. Don't be suprised if Fender ends up licensing the Sho-Bud name. Also he heard a rumor that Fender was looking to buy a steel guitar manufacturer.
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D.S. Rigsby
Wilcox SD10 3&5 http://www.touchinglittlelives.org

[This message was edited by Dustin Rigsby on 07 March 2005 at 10:50 AM.]

Farris Currie · Post by **Farris Currie** » 7 Mar 2005 11:38 am

What can i say,mabe i just cancelled my order,sho-bud would not be sho-bud without the origional people,all that personal service ect.i like to call the factory and just yack,and i don't think fender would do that.don't like those stamped key pans ect. the origional or nothing. farris

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 7 Mar 2005 12:56 pm

I was just informed by email that the Sho-Bud company is not out of business, but the word used to describe the company is the word, "Dormant".

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 7 Mar 2005 1:03 pm

HMMMMMMMMM

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 7 Mar 2005 4:18 pm

Is it possible to get a brand new Sho Bud right now?

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 7 Mar 2005 6:50 pm

"Also he heard a rumor that Fender was looking to buy a steel guitar manufacturer."

I can't see Fender doing this.

Building a pedal steel guitar is so labor-intensive that you'd have to charge $5-7k for a pro-line guitar in order to make the kind of margins that Fender is accustomed to making... that wouldn't even include all the "custom" features we steel players demand on our instruments.

There's a long list of PSG builders who are now out of business, and most went out because they couldn't make a profit. Fender is very profit-driven, and I just don't see them getting back into the PSG market.

In my opinion, there's only one motivator for building steel guitars, and that's because you love them.

I'll eat my words if I'm wrong.

So, Bobbe, who sent the mysterious email?

Lonnie Portwood · Post by **Lonnie Portwood** » 7 Mar 2005 8:22 pm

Someone said "Shot made money". He probably did at times, and probably spent most of it on family members, AND helping some starving musician. I know for a fact that Shot gave more than a few steels away to help some down-and-outpicker! I was @ the Broadway store in 82, He had one of his guys work on an amp for me, I picked out some strings, etc. and Shot would'nt let me pay for it!. Jack Mccormack told me that Shot had him go with him one Sat. A.M. He bought several bags of groceries, and drove out to the countryside to little shack, took the food inside to an out of work muscian. Jack said the musician was Willie Nelson! No, there will never be another Shot Jackson, or another Real Sho-bud!! My 2 cents LLP.

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 9 Mar 2005 2:25 pm

Lonnie,

Thatb is a very touching story. Thank you for sharing it!

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 9 Mar 2005 3:26 pm

I found this statement in the Rayline website. This would support Bobbe'e contention that Sho bud is currently dormant.

Feb 26, 2001 According to a call we received today from Sho-Bud, orders for new steels have been temporarily halted due to a back log that Gretsch has in their drum and guitar lines. According to Ernie Gadzos, Fred Gretsch advised that while new orders for Sho-Bud guitars are being suspended, we are to inform those interested in new Sho-Bud's to be patience as orders will be accepted again in the near future. We were also informed that new parts orders will be filled within 90 days, however we currently have most parts in our own inventory. This is similar to the situation we ran into last year, when we took delivery of 4 new Sho-Buds. We are in actively involved in the increased production of Sho-Buds and as soon as we know anything further we will post the information on this site. Thank You For Your Interest in Sho-Bud and RayLine Steel Guitars.

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 14 Mar 2005 4:40 pm

Bobbe,

Sho bud is dormant! When will they become active??

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 18 Mar 2005 8:11 pm

Shot & Harry Were Good Friends Of Mine For years Always Done What They Said.I Though The World of Bouth Of Them. Harry Always Called Me Vern.Short For My friest Name. SONNY.

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db · Post by db » 18 Mar 2005 8:31 pm

The bottom line is that Fred just looks the the short term $ return !
With Fender now in command . . .
There might be a different focus here . . .
I hope!
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Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E,A & G3
[This message was edited by db on 18 March 2005 at 08:35 PM.]

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 19 Mar 2005 10:23 am

OK, so ShoBud didn't sell out... I can buy that.
Gretch bought ShoBud from whom ever, as a profitable business for a sum of money large enough to allow Shot's boy tu buy a couple of coaches (in other words, not pocket change)... That's cool too.
And then they close it (or put it asleep), because they can make more money building drums. Let me refrase this: They stop a profitable production they bought for a good chunk of money because another one makes more money. Ahem, uh smart move... IF both are, while maybe not equaly, profitable, why not exploit both markets??
Well OK, maybe they found out making steels, even though profitable, sucks so they cut the loss and left that awfull business... But then, why buy EMCI and do about the same?
So, what's the issue with Fred Gretsch and steel guitars? Does he have a business collecting disorder or does he just hate steel guitar so bad he feels compelled to buy up all the profitable and good ones just so he can shut them down or put them asleep and rid the world of this sliding pest? Well sure, he can afford it, after all he has that super profitable drum business to finance this crusade, now doesn't it?
Or did I get that all backwards again?

... J-D.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 19 Mar 2005 11:56 am

J.D., Great questions, I have the correct answers on the EMCI purchase also, I was dead center in the middle of this deal and was the reason for it even happening. I'm sorry to say.
It was John Birkhead that called Fred to try to buy Sho-Bud, because I told John that I thought it would be a good investment for him.
John B. did call Fred and the deal turned into a heated discussion that involved egos, in my opinion. Any way, John said, "If you think your stupid Sho-Bud company is worth so much, why don't you just buy my company for 10% of that amount"? Four weeks later, Fred had six 18 wheelers in front of the EMCI company and a cashiers check for the amount agreed upon in his hand. John immediately ran to the phone and called me with the news. He seemed happy about it, but Fred soon tired of the Steel business, the rest is history.
Yes, it was and argumentive, ego driven sale. All us steel players lost on the deal. In my opinion. [This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 19 March 2005 at 11:57 AM.]

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 19 Mar 2005 12:19 pm

Fender does not have Sho-Bud, so I have learned, and the reason you aren't hearing from anyone at Grestch is because no one but Fred and the principles involved have the knowledge and are qualified to speak. See Joe? Sometimes you can see more of the trees if you aren't standing in the middle of the forrest.

I promised to buy several guitars a month of the Sho-Bud brand AND the EMCI brand if either of these guys would just get them built, so orders weren't a problem at either company. I'd still take them today. As a matter of fact, I still have orders pending for both brands. ButI don't ever expect to see the delivery of either.
Someone, somewhere needs to build a big company that can deliver good sounding guitars at a fair price. Set up a great dealer network with qualified service and parts departments. The industry is now large enought to support this market in a traditional mannor. As of right now, the steel world is just a little cottage industry that can't keep up with the business at hand.
I had over 128 steels in stock in 1986, now I have trouble getting 30 in stock. Non-pedal guitars? Gone, no longer available on a prouduction basis. A shame, we need a great little double-8 string to fill the old Fender/Rickenbacher/Gibson market. Quanity and quality is the answer here.
This is not an opinion, I need guitars, and a endless supply would be nice!

Bobbe Seymour

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 19 Mar 2005 2:03 pm

What about the "SEYMOUR"? Im' pretty sure you could sell all you could make !

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Sho-Bud ProII, Pro III custom,
Fender Steelking,Hilton pedal,Tut Taylor "Virginian"

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 19 Mar 2005 8:41 pm

This idea is brewing now. Looks like I may have to, seriously.

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 20 Mar 2005 3:44 am

Like Ive' said before, "This Seymour fella
just might have a future in this business!"
....and if you need someone to help those purtty gals model them steels, I wouldnt' mind helping

after all, we are great friends

...

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Sho-Bud ProII, Pro III custom,
Fender Steelking,Hilton pedal,Tut Taylor "Virginian"

db · Post by db » 20 Mar 2005 12:27 pm

Fred should have just sent Shobud manufacturing to Korea, like he did everything else.

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Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E,A & G3

Ernest Cawby · Post by **Ernest Cawby** » 20 Mar 2005 6:34 pm

YES YOU CAN BUY A SHOBUD TODAY.

I went to Bill Rays house the other day and played a new ShoBud single neck guitar made by Bill Ray, and He is now building me a new one. D10 coffie brown like my Professional.
I have never set down to another guitar I could play after playing my D10 for 30 years, until then.
This guitar played just like mine and felt the same, only difference was the seperation, the Bud front neck is higher.
If you want a new Sho bud order a RayLine guitar, but he will soon quit making them.
He offered to teach me how and continue making them in his shop, I am to old to learn what it would take to do it, and Bill
is a bout to quit.

ernie

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 20 Mar 2005 8:40 pm

db, you really hit the nail on the head with your post, as a matter of fact this very thing came very close to happening! You are either a very smart man or a great guesser.
Fred Gretsch is a fanatical importer and farms out almost every part on the drums to foreign manufacture. Sho-Bud almost made this very trip it's self.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 21 Mar 2005 2:36 am

Didn't ODE banjos die(or went dormant) in the same way, with a Baldwin/Gretsch "buy out-kill off"?

Farris Currie · Post by **Farris Currie** » 21 Mar 2005 3:14 am

YEA,and several got mad at me awhile back,when i said about steels,from other countries,not gonna cost us no jobs ect.mabe not but it has cost us a great steel guitar!!!! SHO-BUD