Strange Sho Bud Pro III

Joerg Schubert · Post by **Joerg Schubert** » 5 Apr 2005 10:44 am

Hi,
I've just bought a Sho Bud Pro III Custom, black lacquer.

This one has a wooden neck and I've thought the wooden neck only come with the Pro II. Pro III should have an metal neck!? Is that possible? The neck doesn't look as someone had changed it. It has the same cracks in the old lacquer than the case has.

The guitar has a square front and a nylon rod changer.
The guitar is model 6164, serial 9191, inspected by Pat Murphy. Later someone converted it to single neck.

Is it a bastard, build from some spare parts in somebodies garage or is possible that a Pro III came from factory with wooden necks?

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MSA D12 SuperSustainII Vintage XL, ShoBud SD10 ProIII Custom, Tube Amps
[This message was edited by Joerg Schubert on 05 April 2005 at 11:47 AM.][This message was edited by Joerg Schubert on 05 April 2005 at 11:49 AM.][This message was edited by Joerg Schubert on 05 April 2005 at 12:49 PM.]

Joerg Schubert · Post by **Joerg Schubert** » 5 Apr 2005 11:44 am

Here are some photos. Is this pickup the original one? If not what brand is it?
Thanks.

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MSA D12 SuperSustainII Vintage XL, ShoBud SD10 ProIII Custom, Tube Amps

[This message was edited by Joerg Schubert on 05 April 2005 at 12:48 PM.]

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 5 Apr 2005 11:54 am

The pu looks like a Lawrence to me... & I'd guess somebody at Sho-Bud probably put the wrong decal on...

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 5 Apr 2005 12:22 pm

I saw a black Pro III on Scotty's site a few years back that had wood necks on it. That particular guitar had the E9 on the back and C6 in the front.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 5 Apr 2005 1:06 pm

does Pro III "Custom" have anything to do w; the wooden necks ?
Ricky ?
that can't be the original PU

Clyde Lane · Post by **Clyde Lane** » 5 Apr 2005 1:20 pm

I think you could get wood or metal necks on the Pro III and it was the first BUD that came with 4 knee levers as standard.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 5 Apr 2005 1:25 pm

That's a Bill Lawrence pickup.

Johnny Harris · Post by **Johnny Harris** » 5 Apr 2005 1:39 pm

Joerg,
I am not a Sho-Bud historian, but I seem to remember that the metal or wooden necks were optional on the Pro III Custom, as well as on the Super Pro models. The pickup is definately a Bill Lawrence, most likely a 705, which is a very good pup.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 5 Apr 2005 4:20 pm

Beats the heck outta me...ha...
Crowbear that is not a original Sho-bud pickup; like the others said> it is a Bill Lawrence 705.

"Custom" means Custom. Sho-bud would pretty much do whatever the buying customer wants. Pro III's; has metal necks. Pro II's have wood necks. So that Sho-bud is a Pro II Custom; no matter what it says on the front..ha..
"Strange" is right; I would just put a piece of Tape over "The Pro-III Custom" and write "Strange" or "Bastard"; then it won't be quite as confusing.

Ricky

Leon Roberts · Post by **Leon Roberts** » 5 Apr 2005 4:27 pm

I doubt if the guitar came from the factory as shown. If you look closely, you can see the holes where the C-6th changers were mounted. You can also see the holes where the C-6th cross shafts were previously mounted. This is the results of a desire to have a SD-10. As far as the decal is concerned, it’s anybody’s guess.
Leon

Carson Leighton · Post by **Carson Leighton** » 5 Apr 2005 4:32 pm

Joerg, I'll bet that's a darn good little guitar. I wouldn't put any more tape on it though, maybe take some off.....

Carson

Joerg Schubert · Post by **Joerg Schubert** » 5 Apr 2005 9:23 pm

Gentleman, so what do we have so far:
- It's not the first Pro III with wooden necks seen in the wild. Maybe it's the same Glenn saw on Scotty's site a few years back before the C6 neck was butchered. The only thing I know is that the guy I bought it from got it 2 years ago from Wiesbaden/Germany.

- The decal should say "Pro II", but it's absolutly possible that a Pro III came from factory with wooden necks.

- The Pickup is a Bill Lawrence 705 and that's an improvement for the guitar.

- The C6 neck was butchered.

- I should get rid off the colored tape on the legs. Carson, that's our German nature, we need to sign this 9 piece puzzle in a way that an idiot can put it together

I count myself lucky that it's only tape, it could have been worse...

- From now on I'll call it the "Black Bastard".

Thanks for your help.

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MSA D12 SuperSustainII Vintage XL, ShoBud SD10 The Black Bastard, Tube Amps

Rainer Hackstaette · Post by **Rainer Hackstaette** » 6 Apr 2005 3:43 am

Joerg,

a little tender loving care could very well turn this Black Bastard into a Black Beauty. I would exchange the ugly brown arm rest for a black one (all you need is some naughahyde or black leather and a staple gun), fill the screw holes with liquid wood and repaint or re-flock the underside, polish the aluminum on a buffing wheel and do some Ricky-Davis-style magic to the cabinet.

The right endplate looks as if there is no cut-out for the C6 changer and no holes for the 3 switches (neck switch and 2 coil tap switches) that a Pro II/III would come with from the factory. If so, it is probably an LDG endplate replacement.

The pedal rods seem unevenly spaced. Do you have one rod hooked up to the wrong hole?

As far as the Lawrence PU being an improvement, that is a matter of personal choice. The original single coils don't sound too bad, either.

I see no reason why this Pro II/III conversion shouldn't sound as sweet as any LDG of similar vintage. With time, you'll love that guitar. If not - make me an offer I can't refuse.

If you need help, give me a call.

Rainer

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Remington D-10 8+7, Sierra Crown D-10 gearless 8+8, Sierra Session S-14 gearless 8+5, '77 Emmons D-10 8+4, '70 Emmons D-10 8+4, '69 Emmons S-10 6+5, Fender Artist D-10 8+4, '73 Sho~Bud LDG 3+4, Peavey Session 400 LTD, Peavey Vegas 400, Line 6 Variax 700

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 6 Apr 2005 5:56 am

I think it is a Pro III that was modified as ShoBud would do anything you wanted them to as long as you paid for it. The guitar I've always coveted was made for a Calif. picker named Ross Cohen who ordered it through Blackie Taylor. I was at Blackie's store when it arrived and was unpacked. I'd never seen another like it before or since. It was a single "12" LDG model in a natural finish. It had a metal neck and came with about 6 knee levers and 6 or 7 on the floor. The ShoBud logo was in black on the front against the beautiful natural birdseye finish. It had the LDG logo on the other side of the front apron as do all other Lloyd Green models. If anyone knows Blackie please ask him if that guitar's still around SoCal. It was the best 'bud I've ever seen and I'd give anything I have to get my hands on it....JH in Va.

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Joerg Schubert · Post by **Joerg Schubert** » 6 Apr 2005 9:04 pm

Rainer,
oh yes, the armrest, that's definitely the first thing to change. I'm not a lawyer but isn't it what they call a "deliberate insult" for the eyes? I need to find me someone who is able to do "punzieren" on the black leather. This time it has to look as sharp as a razor.
Unfortunately I only have a small buffing wheel on a Dremel, that's not applicable for bigger plane surfaces. But I know a professional who'd polished some motorcycle parts for me...
I don't know if rods are hooked up wrong, remember I'm a bloody beginner on PSGs, what I know is everything is working fine concerning setup and tuning. The only PITA is that two levers are interchanged from the setup I've on the MSA. But I just consider it as another little stone on the "rocky trail" to success on PSG.

Rainer, I started this thread because I wasn't sure if I bought a fake. It was an Ebay deal I couldn't resist. The photos looked much better then reality. Now that I've found out that it's a "strange" one but still a Sho Bud I tend to keep it and put in all the afford that's needed...

I'll call you.

Joerg

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MSA D12 SuperSustainII Vintage XL, ShoBud SD10 The Black Bastard, Tube Amps

[This message was edited by Joerg Schubert on 07 April 2005 at 12:11 AM.]

Joerg Schubert · Post by **Joerg Schubert** » 23 Apr 2005 4:36 am

Hi,
I've just finished the revision of the "Black Bastard" and I wanted to show the results to the community.

I think it was worth the effort I'd to put into the project...
[This message was edited by Joerg Schubert on 23 April 2005 at 05:37 AM.]

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 23 Apr 2005 5:03 am

Thats much better! A nice looking steel indeed! Good luck.

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

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 23 Apr 2005 6:11 am

or like Ricky suggests, add a piece of tape after the "CUSTOM" decal and write on it..

"I think"...

My former D10 PRO III Custom had Aluminum necks

heck..it still looks like a cool Steel to me..

t

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 24 Apr 2005 4:15 am

Joerg.. Very nice job!!.. She shines like a new penny... That little bit of cleaning up and the new pad really put some sparkle back in the old girl.

Like some others, I think that guitar WAS born with wood necks, probably ordered that way. In any case, she's a beauty,and I hope you will enjoy her!

By the way somewhere in Germany there is a PROIII that WAS a D10, converted to an SD 10, and then was made back to a D10 [I had saved ALL the parts...

I sold it about a year and a half ago to a man named Jurgen .. He is from a town called Hertzgen or Hertger or Herten or something like that...anyway. ENJOY that great old UNUSUAL Sho BUD... I'll bet you are the only one on your block to own one!!! all the best bob

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 24 Apr 2005 9:14 am

why Sho~Buddha is smilin'

down on you Joerg
you really done good
if it sounds as good as it looks
( and it does )
keepin' that boy off it's gonna be like no mo' possum Farris !

i'm in fer 20 that
you are the only one on your block to own one

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 24 Apr 2005 10:28 am

VERY Very nice; I love the tooled leather pad man.
Heck don't put a piece of tape or anything> Custom is truely Custom my friend; and I would be proud to own something like that.
Ricky

Joerg Schubert · Post by **Joerg Schubert** » 24 Apr 2005 12:36 pm

Thanks for all the replies. I really didn't expect such a resonance to the photos.

I've to admit, it wasn't love ar first sight, but what attracted me immediately was the sound of it with the rusty strings and all the crusted oil/grease on every tiny part of the mechanics.

While taking it completly apart, cleaning and polishing the parts it was getting more and more "my guitar". Now I don't care that there are some inconsistencies (Pro III but wooden neck). The sound that comes out is really special IMHO, it has such nice shimmery overtones and a sustain.
Have it connected directly to the desk with a little PCM70 reverb, excellent. The Lawrence 705 humbucker is such hot, it's connected to a passive Goodrich but still crunches the first tube stage of my Twin clone, I've to rework it for more headroom before I can use it.

[This message was edited by Joerg Schubert on 24 April 2005 at 01:39 PM.]

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 25 Apr 2005 8:07 am

I certainly do not want to dispute anyone, but, I worked at Sho-Bud and played them till they went out of business. The Pro III production guitar was a metal neck guitar. But, customers could and did request wood necks on them and Sho Bud was happy to do that. I had a wood neck Pro III and two wood neck Super Pros.

Johnny

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 25 Apr 2005 6:52 pm

Johnny,
That's where I'm getting lost at...if wooden necks were put on it, didn't that in fact make it, in all respects a Pro II? According to the Sho~Bud catalog, the difference between the two guitars was the necks.

I'm confused, but of course that's NOT a recent developement on my part!

Lem

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 25 Apr 2005 8:21 pm

According to the Sho~Bud catalog, the difference between the two guitars was the necks.

I was under the impression that not only was the Pro-III equipped with metal necks as standard, but also with 4 knee levers, while the Pro-II had but two knee levers.

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