Sho-Bud 8 String Lap from Bobbe Seymour

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 24 Mar 2000 11:10 pm

Well, I just got the sharpest looking/sounding lap I've seen/heard. I'm going to attempt to download some pictures. The sustain on this beats anything I've got (Supro, Magnatone, Meaney's Aloha, Roy Smeck Harmony, although, to be honest, besides ending a song for recording, I've never needed more than four or five seconds of sustain while playing, which any lap can do, so sustain is a little overrated IMHO -- but, for those who care, it's HERE). The length from bridge to nut is a lengthy 24", the head and tail obviously add to the sustain/tone with their weight, and the wood, which I assume is maple, is gorgeous. The George L's pickup is the same as in my GFI pedal steel (10-string), so it's more than ample for 8 strings. The string spacing at the picking end is just as wide as my Magnatone, which is quite spacey. What I like most about it, is that it has no tone or volume controls -- like a lot of pedal steels. Every lap I've got, the knobs get in the way, even the tiniest bit, with my picking hand. Now I can actually get some use out of my Goodrich Supersustain, which, of course, clips on the leg just fine. My guitar comes with three legs. Just plain perfection. It's a mixture of old/old-new stock. I don't know if Bobbe can conjure up any more, but if he can...Sierra what?

Bobbe, thanks for taking care of me.

Allen

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<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Al Terhune on 24 March 2000 at 11:20 PM.]</p></FONT>

Tele · Post by **Tele** » 25 Mar 2000 10:30 am

Hey

what a cool looking guitar..it got a little of the Bigsby vibe!
You sure got a great guitar. Congratulations

Andy

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Fender Dual Professional
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 25 Mar 2000 11:57 am

Thanks, Andy. And, oh, boy, I sure don't mean anything bad about Sierra. My wife just looked at what I wrote and said "hope nobody from Sierra is on here." I sure don't mean it like that. I know Sierra's lap is a wonderful guitar. They've been getting all the limelight lately, though, and I was just attempting to divert it towards my new baby. A selfish move -- sorry, Sierra.

Al

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 25 Mar 2000 12:44 pm

Man! that's a fine lookin' ax..
If you'll notice,Bobbe used a VERY rare 9-string Sho-Bud head stock but drilled it out for only 8 strings.That's right-at some point in the 60s,Sho-Bud made a few 9-stringers and Bobbe has the left overs.Chas Smith claims to have seen a triple-9 Sho-Bud on 4 legs.Bobbe sold me one of those head stock castings when Chas and I were contemplating building what turned out to be Joaquin's last guitar-a 9 string pedal guitar.Chas decided to make the whole guitar from scratch,so I ended up with the Sho-Bud head stock-it's sittin' out in my shop as we speak.Now that I've seen yours,I can see that I'm gonna have to build a guitar around it-only I'm gonna put all nine strings on mine(and 3 legs,probably) -MJ-

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 25 Mar 2000 10:38 pm

Michael,

Thanks -- this is getting BETTER all the time!

My beaming is turning into what my Dad used to refer to as the "chicken strut."

Al

Rich Young · Post by **Rich Young** » 25 Mar 2000 10:50 pm

I was in the store and saw it when it was still in pieces. Looks great! Seeing made me think of having them do something like that for me. I'll definatly go see them again when I'm in town.

Chris DeBarge · Post by **Chris DeBarge** » 26 Mar 2000 7:01 am

That's outstanding! Good score Al.

Did Bobbe say anything about the D10 he was threatening to build a while back? I think he was trying to give it a vintage vibe.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » 26 Mar 2000 12:08 pm

That's real nice.Please post a gig schedule if you plan to play that beauty anywhere in the Seattle area.

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 27 Mar 2000 5:39 am

Chris -- Bobbe didn't mention making the double, but I'm sure if there was a request, it'd be done.

Adam -- You know, I got to debut it last night at the Renton Eagles Club at a cancer benefit. A friend of mine and I did a few tunes as a duo -- her on acoustic. We got the fiddle player from the house band to sit in on a couple of songs, and it was just beautiful. I'm in a Hawaiian trio now -- with two guys actually from Hawaii, and that is the best. I'll let you know when we play next. Al

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 27 Mar 2000 9:08 pm

That's a beaut, for sure... but Sho-Bud never made any lap steels...?

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Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 27 Mar 2000 10:24 pm

Sure they did! They didn't look quite that cool tho. Emmons did also,BTW. -MJ-

Mark Davis · Post by **Mark Davis** » 29 Mar 2000 2:30 pm

WOW hope you live close to a fire station incase that flamey wood catches on fire all by itself.

What a beautiful piece of lumber!!! I love the flame maple.

How much did this little beauty cost??