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Topic: Sho-Bro |
David LeBlanc
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 14 Apr 2021 12:01 pm |
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Anyone have info about these? The value? How they sound? Ease of play? And how to set up the spider ? From the pic I have, there doesn’t seem to have a set screw.
There’s one for sale around here ( middle of nowhere Canada) . I have an old Regal and a Epiphone hound dog . Would this be a step up ? Says it has a schecter pickup installed. Are those any good? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks, Dave. |
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Howard Parker
From:
Maryland
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Posted 14 Apr 2021 1:55 pm
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imho only, an acquired taste. The design ultimately was not as popular as the Dobro/Regal and the modern builders that followed.
h
_________________
Howard Parker
03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
Many guitars by Paul Beard
Listowner Resoguit-L |
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Duane Becker
From:
Elk,Wa 99009 USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2021 2:05 pm
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| I had access to one around 20 years or so. Friend of mine let me borrow it for about a year. It was a 7 string. Played well sound was loud and good quality. Stayed in tune well too. It was great. |
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Douglas Schuch
From:
Valencia, Philippines
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Posted 14 Apr 2021 4:22 pm
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David, you sent me a PM asking about my Sho-Bro in my Avatar. So, here's my honest opinion:
They are good, solid resos that were ahead of their time in many ways - large body, and more than 6 strings available - both ideas that are now very common. They are not solid wood - lots of owners think they are, but they are laminates. But then, so is a Mike Auldridge Signature from Beard.
But my final conclusions were reached when I received a new 6 string (my Sho-Bro is 7-string) from Tom Warner. It is a "hybrid" - maple sides and laminate front and back. And it is significantly louder with a deeper, fuller tone - IMO just a much better sound all the way around. My Sho-Bro even has a new Beard Legend cone in it - not an easy install as it is slightly larger diameter than the one that comes in the Sho-Bro, requiring routing the top to get additional room. That really helped the volume and tone - but still not equal to the Warner.
Tom Warner unfortunately died from COVID related illness a few months ago, otherwise I'd suggest buying one of his basic models. You could inquire with Tony Langley at Appalachian Guitars - Appalachian was started by Tom Warner, and a few years ago Tony bought the business from Tom and studied with him to learn his techniques. I would assume he could produce a basic dobro that sounded close to those Tom build. Or there are perhaps other builders that can provide a similar instrument at a reasonable price - I.E., in the same range of what a used Sho-Bro typically goes for.
Personally, I love the vintage Sho-Bro look, and the history of the guitar and it's ties to Sho-Bud. But any for sale are unlikely to have had a cone replacement - and cones deteriorate with age. A heavily-played reso probably needs a new cone at least every 5 years from what I have read. I've not had a chance to play many resos living here in the Philippines, so I can't compare across brands/models other than my own two, and what I hear on Youtube (Mike Witcher has some excellent sound test videos of Beard, Gold Tone, and other instruments on Youtube and on Peghead Nation - they can help you decide if you prefer a more traditional "dobro" tone, or the more modern tone the large-body resos provide. If I can only own one dobro, I prefer the more modern tone. YMMV.
Price - typically these range from (US$ for all prices) $900 to 1400. Personally, I think that is a bit high for what you get, as Tom was charging $1295 for a new birch laminate reso 9 months ago. If you prefer a traditional sound, a Beard Signature Gold Tone from Beard is in this same price range, or anyone building a large body would also likely be able to make a smaller body model for the same or less.
If I had to do it over again, I would not buy the Sho-Bro. There have been a number of 7- and 8-string McKennas on the forum for a good bit less. They lack the visual appeal of the Sho-Bro, but from everything I've read, should beat it in tone. I also thought I would prefer the 7-string since I have an 8-string lap steel, and it would be closer to a C6 tuning (different key, but similar string layout) of both the lap and my pedal steel. But in the end, I've really come to prefer the 6-string layout, and probably should have just started there.
I hope this helps.
_________________
Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental! |
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David LeBlanc
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 14 Apr 2021 5:18 pm
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| Thank-you all for the responses. I really appreciate it. I`ve only seen pictures here on the forum and wanted some perspective. It is in another province( about a 2.5 hrs drive), but with the virus we are not allowed to travel between each provinces. So no mater what I can`t travel to give it a try. I`m debating on ordering a Gold tone from my local music store. Anyway, Thanks to all. Dave |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2021 6:34 am
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Gold Tones are good bang for the buck. 
Erv |
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Danny Roy
From:
Calgary Alberta, Canada
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Posted 15 Apr 2021 9:37 am
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Hey David!
I had one in my repair shop a few years ago. It was well built, sounded good and the feel was nice. Like others mentioned above, great value if you get one for a good price. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2021 10:02 am
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Those are 25 1/2 inch scale?
That solves a mystery for me. I have had a loaf of old Sho-Bud screened on metal fretboards that I thought may have been for oddball extra long scale Permanents. But no -- they are Sho-Bro fretboards.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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David LeBlanc
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 17 Apr 2021 6:15 pm
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| Thank-you all for the responses. I really had no idea as to value and what to look for. Dave |
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Larry Allen
From:
Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
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Posted 22 Apr 2021 3:12 pm
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I bought the 1940 All Maple Dobro 1n 1967 for $1200.....the all Maple Beard Gold Tone was $1200 in 2009. 
_________________
Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side |
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David LeBlanc
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 23 Apr 2021 1:43 am
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| UPDATE - The guy sold the Sho-Bro on Reverb. So I won`t have a chance to go give it a try. Thank-you all for the information. I appreciate it. 2nd UPDATE - I located Beard R Model that an old fellow might sell not to far from me.Hope I can try that one. Fingers crossed we can make a deal. |
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David LeBlanc
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 23 Apr 2021 1:44 am
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| Nice guitars Larry. |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 23 Apr 2021 3:46 am
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| That R is a far better guitar. |
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Larry Allen
From:
Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
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Posted 25 Apr 2021 2:51 pm
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FWIW. R= Roundneck 
_________________
Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 25 Apr 2021 2:54 pm
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Larry, in general, when discussing Beard Guitars, R means Model R. They may have made a round neck but I've never seen one. Have seen several squarenecks, and they're remarkably consistent, exceptionally nice guitars.
https://www.beardguitars.com/rmodel |
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Larry Allen
From:
Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii
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Posted 25 Apr 2021 5:45 pm
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Ken that got by me.....in his catalog I had only seen all the R round necks, didn’t see the vintage R..
_________________
Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 25 Apr 2021 7:06 pm
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The Vintage R is a different guitar. Laminate. They make both the R and the Vintage R in both round and square versions, but I’ve never set eyes on either with a round neck.
https://www.beardguitars.com/vintagermodel |
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Howard Parker
From:
Maryland
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Posted 26 Apr 2021 8:42 am
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For clarification the "R" refers to a body Beard style:
R = Regal (small) body profile
E = Large body profile
A = I can only describe this a s unique to Beard Guitars (available in round neck only)
A tad confusing but the "R" and "E" are also used in several model designations:
R = (usually mahogany)
Vintage R = Finland Birch Laminate
E = Open body, top brace
E Odyssey = (top brace, baffled, no screens w/single sound hole)
In the Beard lineup there are customized variants of the above and other unique models/designs
Paul Beard has a LOT going on.
Full disclosure and fwiw..I'm a former biz guy from Beard Guitars..Happily retired!
_________________
Howard Parker
03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
Many guitars by Paul Beard
Listowner Resoguit-L |
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David LeBlanc
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 27 Apr 2021 5:27 am
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| I’m happy to say that I got the Beard . Great tone and loud . I am very happy with the way things ended up . I never heard the Sho-Bro so I’ll never know what I missed. But I’ll be keeping this Beard for sure. It is a Model R , square neck . |
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David LeBlanc
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 27 Apr 2021 5:28 am
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| It is solid Mahogany. |
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Mike Harris
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 27 Apr 2021 6:53 pm gold tone beart dobro
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| David, are you certain that it's all solid woods? I didn't know they every put the fancy inlays on the all solid wood models, FWIW. Please correct me if I'm wrong. |
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David LeBlanc
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 28 Apr 2021 5:40 pm
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| Hey Mike. No I`m not certain. I`m just going by the old man`s story. I`ll try to post picks and look at the receipt he gave me from Beards. Thanks for all the reply's. dave |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 28 Apr 2021 6:47 pm
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If it’s an R, it’s almost certainly solid mahogany. As Howard suggests above, there were a few variants.
That’s a great deal on a heckuva guitar. Enjoy it. |
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