ShoBud Mavereck Setup

William Johnson · Post by **William Johnson** » 12 Jun 2005 11:53 am

First how has everyone been? great i hope. its been a few months since i have been around.

i have a friend that wanted me to setup his ShoBud Mavereck. It is totally un-setup! is there a good setup reference around on the net, etc? email me setup OK.

how ndo nyou deternmine if it is a push-pull or all pull?

also, this Mav has teh recessed tuning keys with rollers. my earlier had surface mounted tuning keys and no rollers.

thanks,
Billy

GrievousAngel

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William Johnson (Billy)
Grievous Angel Productions
Statesboro, GA. 30461 USA
www.grievousangelpro.com

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 12 Jun 2005 12:43 pm

Hi BIlly, there's no mystery to setting up the Macerick, it's all-pull and lowers are not an option unless you install custom hardware.

First tune the strings with pedals down, then tune the pedals-up notes with the set-screws at the changer.

Good luck with it -- dg

Herman Visser · Post by **Herman Visser** » 12 Jun 2005 4:43 pm

Billy just saw your address.Check your Email
If you want let me know
Thanks;Herman

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 12 Jun 2005 5:47 pm

Um, technically Mavericks are not all-pulls. An all-pull has an articulated finger such that a pull rod can either raise or lower, depending on where it pulls. All stock Mavericks have a single-piece unarticulated finger. It is a "pull-or-release changer". It was designed to either raise or lower a string, but not both on the same string. The "pull rods" were like coathanger wire.

For the raise, string tension holds the finger against the endplate hex screw stop. The pull rod pulls the finger against the body. So to tune the raise, you pull the finger against the body with the pedal or lever and tune the string at the keyhead. To tune the open string, you release the pedal or lever, letting the finger come to rest on the endplate tuner, and you tune the open string pitch there with the hex screw.

A lower works the opposite. The only stock lowers were on the 2nd and 9th strings (which had no raises). Usually the RKR was the lower lever. A lever spring and a pull rod hold the finger against the body. Pushing the lever toward the changer end acts against the spring and releases the finger to move to the endplate tuner screw by string tension. Therefore, you tune the open string at the keyhead without activating the lever, and tune the lower by activating the lever and tuning the endplate hex screw.

A typical Maverick had the standard A, B, and C pedals, and one or two levers, either the F lever, or the D lever, or both

In previous Maverick threads I learned that some people altered the stock setup to have both a raise and lower on the same string. Typically this was to have both the F lever raise and the E lower lever on strings 4 and 8. I don't know the lower mechanics, but when nothing was activated, the finger was suspended in the middle between the body and the endplate screw, apparently balanced between the string tension pulling the finger toward the endplate screw stop and the lower spring pulling toward the body or a lever stop. Presumably you tuned the open string at the key head with nothing activated, the lower at the endplate hex screw, and the raise with the pedal or lever activated.[This message was edited by David Doggett on 12 June 2005 at 06:55 PM.]

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 12 Jun 2005 6:12 pm

By the way, the Maverick you describe was the last design, with the Fender style ash-tray key head, no neck, and covered in fake walnut plastic - coyote ugly. Your earlier one with an old-style Sho-Bud key head and no rollers was the first original Maverick design. It had a wooden neck. Some of these were painted with enamel colors (maybe all of them) and had aluminum endplates. I had one of those that was powder blue. I stripped mine and gave it a natural maple lacquer finish that was pretty nice. There was a middle period design {probably the best) with a pro-type teardrop Sho-Bud keyhead with nut rollers and a wooden neck. Most of these (maybe all) were natural curly maple lacquer - very nice looking, except for the wrinkle-black endplates. I think Sho-Bud was determined that all Mavericks would be ugly enough that you would soon want something better.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 12 Jun 2005 6:19 pm

Here is a classic two-lever Maverick setup.

<pre>Maverick classic
LKL RKR
P1 P2 P3
1 F#
2 D# D
3 G# A
4 E F F#
5 B C# C#
6 G# A
7 F#
8 E F
9 D C#
10 B C#
</pre>

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 12 Jun 2005 8:41 pm

Great information, David, you learned me something new. My very first PSG was the old natural birdseye maple with no rollers and stainless end plates, really a nice looking guitar.

When I bought it brand new from Giant Music in Arllington, VA in 1973 it had no levers at all, just the three fixed pedals. Played it all over New England and Northern Virginia and eventually brought it back home to Oregon, where I finally got my hands on a pro model. Didn't have much money in those days and with a kid to feed and all making the most of the few changes available on what I had was a priority.

Playing such a limited instrument held me back in many, many ways but as I have always enjoyed exploring the old pre-pedal sounds it didn't hurt the music itself that much.[This message was edited by Dave Grafe on 12 June 2005 at 11:23 PM.]

William Johnson · Post by **William Johnson** » 13 Jun 2005 8:34 am

when was the Mavericks last made?

thanks,
Billy

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William Johnson (Billy)
Grievous Angel Productions
Statesboro, GA. 30461 USA
www.grievousangelpro.com

Joe Finley · Post by **Joe Finley** » 13 Jun 2005 6:27 pm

Billy,
In the factory I tuned the open strings with the tuners on top with the air wrench. I got them as close as possible. Then turned the cabinet over. I installed the pedals and knee lever and adjusted them as close as possible.I would look at the plastic stops on the end of the allen sets and got to where I knew the pattern. They gave me 10 minutes in the booth to adust the guitar. I would press the pedals and adust the pedals with the top tuners, then the open strings with the side allen sets.
The first time I worked for Sho Bud we had the brown covering which was in 1980 before they moved to DeQueen AR. They called me back in at the Conway plant where I had been moved over to the Baldwin piano plant to return and build a new Maverick. It was a red laq. guitar. I built the first runs by myself before they sent it back to DeQueen. They moved from DeQueen in the later 80's.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 13 Jun 2005 7:30 pm

A red lacquer model in the '80s - that I never knew. I always thought, if you're gonna make a cheap guitar, make it look cool. The brown covered ones may have been alright for wood shedding for beginners, but I feel sorry for anybody who had to take one of those dogs out of the bedroom and play it for their first steel gig.[This message was edited by David Doggett on 13 June 2005 at 08:31 PM.]

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 15 Jun 2005 9:30 pm

The first proto~type Sho-Bud Maverick here in Nashville was Painted dark, bright, blue, had just the (A)(B)(C) Pedals and belonged to Drummer-Friend, the late Don Andrews. It also had the Gumby Keyhead.

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“Big John” Bechtel
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’49-’50 Fender T–8 Custom
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Joe Finley · Post by **Joe Finley** » 21 Jun 2005 9:59 am

David, Your are right about the maverick being hard to play. I took one to a gig just to show some guys that you could play it, but of course tune all night. It is not a good guitar for a beginner. We had discussed taking the red guitar and using a more modern undercarriage. Baldwin wasnt too hip on the idea. We had also built a Pro III that had the bar down the center of the undercarriage. It reminded me of the universal model. The frame was real stable and the end plates had a neat pattern on them. The pickups were different with larger magnets. Baldwin also was not impressed. But you have to remember, the engineer at the Conway plant used to work for Schwin bikes. He could barely turn on the radio. I guess that is why they are building Gibson guitars at the Conway plant now.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 21 Jun 2005 11:26 am

So Joe, did Baldwin buy out the Sho-Bud name, or just build Mavericks, and now Gibsons? I was at Conway in the 70's, touring the piano plant. Never knew anything else went on there.
Charlie

William Johnson · Post by **William Johnson** » 21 Jun 2005 12:19 pm

I had solid red lacquered Maverick with NO rollers on the nut and only 3 floor pedals abc, no knees at about 1973 or 74.

Billy

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William Johnson (Billy)
Grievous Angel Productions
Statesboro, GA. 30461 USA
www.grievousangelpro.com

Joe Finley · Post by **Joe Finley** » 28 Jun 2005 5:43 am

Charlie, Baldwin bought shobud in the sixties. Someone here on the forum would have the date.
The plant moved from Nashville to Conway in the late 70's next door to the grand piano plant.It then moved to the old Baldwin organ plant in DeQueen. Then they moved the Maverick to Conway and was going to move the LDG back also. They moved the Maverick back to DeQueen then Fred Gretch JR bought it, which Gretch was owned by Baldwin at one time. They then moved it the the Carolinas. Gene Haugh made some in his garage in Magazine Ar also. Fred sold it and I dont know now. I have heard some folks talk at one time I believe they said in Florida. Dont quote me on that one. Gibson bought Baldwin and moved the Conway grand plant to Truman AR with the studio pianos. The Conway plant is building Gibson guitars now. The DeQueen plant was sold to Poulan where they make weed eaters and chain saws.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 28 Jun 2005 7:06 am

Hey there! Hows everyone doin' out there?
Everyone havin' a great time tonight? We're all doin' good up here, don't forget to tip the servers. lets do some Allen Jackson, he's my favorite singer, everyone out there like Allen Jackson? He's my favorite "old timer", him and Garth.
Glad to be here opening for the "Mavericks", lettum' know how you appreciatre them when they get up here,

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 28 Jun 2005 9:17 am

That's an excellent setup, Bobbe, let 'em know how it's done....