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Author
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Topic: First year LDG>Rare find
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Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Spring, Texas USA
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posted 29 April 2004 10:59 PM
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Well here's a real treasure that I just cleaned up and tweeked out for my friend Bill Terry; who just acquired it.
It is a round front Sho~bud LDG Model with the single raise/single lower fingers with barrel tuners behind two hole pullers.
Although this particular one has seen too much sunlight in its day; as it has faded somewhat from the original Green food coloring that Shobud used; but still looks cool.
Many folks have asked me if the very first LDG's were double raise/single lower nylon tuning system; as that's what they've normally seen? But I knew of the very first ones were Barrel tuners single/single...but had a hard time proving it till now...>so here ya go guys; check out under the hood...>First year LDG> BAM!!!!
And as you can see; that Shobud actually mixed a little of the green food coloring in with the white spray texture that is normal for the under body of this era...>cool eh??
Ricky |
Duane Marrs
Member From: Madison, Tennessee, USA
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posted 30 April 2004 05:44 AM
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The first LDG #1 was delivered to Lloyd in May of 1973, by Duane Marrs and David Jackson. This is a 24 1/2" scale guitar, which is very rare, since most are 24" on Sho-Bud guitars. Lloyd's guitar didn't have barrel tuners. They used collars with set screws and nylon tuners. The 4 and 5 string raise units have double holes. This is done often by drilling off the single raise and rivoting on a new double raise bar. A couple of modifications were made later on this guitar, like the old type large brass nut rollers at the keyhead and Mr.Franklin experimented with two freestanding brass rollers on pillars under the keyhead for strings 4 and 8. This was thought to help the string to return to pitch properly. When I replaced the tuning keys, Lloyd and I took them off, but, he has reinstalled as of late and believes they really may help. The first LDG is certainly a testimony of a real work horse. The guitar is still in near mint condition and being used exclusively by Lloyd today on many sessions, not to mention the countless classics and hundreds of hit records it was used on.
Beautiful guitar Ricky!!!
Jeff |
Jim Smith
Member From: Plano, TX, USA
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posted 30 April 2004 06:15 AM
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quote:
Mr.Franklin experimented with two freestanding brass rollers on pillars under the keyhead for strings 4 and 8. This was thought to help the string to return to pitch properly.
Duane, just curious, since Lloyd doesn't lower his 4th string, why would it need any help returning to pitch?  |
Duane Marrs
Member From: Madison, Tennessee, USA
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posted 30 April 2004 07:41 AM
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Jim, I just spoke with Lloyd and got got a little more information. I hope that it will clear a few things up. Also, these are things I find interesting and think formites enjoy,too. Lloyd is a historian and believes in things being factual.
The pillars came about from Lloyd himself, when he was having tuning issues. He expressed this problem to David and felt that the keyhead area may be the place to correct the problem. Mr.Franklin was then called upon to make the pillar/roller device. Although, the 4th string doesn't lower, tuning is centered around it, and he does raise it. Lloyd did lower the 4th string for about two years until 1966. He said it is all over the place on the "Green Strings" album. The pillar/roller units are on the guitar and seem to work perfectly, as long as the wind on the string to key are lined up properly.
Thank you for your question. And, thank you Lloyd for the the information. Sincerely, Jeff Surratt |
Joey Ace
Sysop From: Southern Ontario, Canada
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posted 30 April 2004 08:29 AM
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Thanks for the pix Ricky.
And thanks to all names listed above for the great info.Great piece of history! |
Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Spring, Texas USA
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posted 30 April 2004 08:49 AM
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Yes thanks Jeff for the History and Lloyd's LDG is certainly "One of a Kind" and was made with his ideas in mind. Although after Lloyd's was made...>Sho~Bud started producing the LDG....and started with this mechanism above as that was the mechanism of the very first Pro II's that were out at the time> then very quickly the welding of an extra raise hole on strings 4 and 5 and the fixed rod on the roller with nylon tuner.....then the double raise/single lower fingers came around.
First time I sat down to Lloyd's LDG; I noticed something and looked up at him and said: "Lloyd this is a longer scale Shobud ain't it"?? he of course said yep and then went into pretty much the same explanation that You Jeff just explained about the longer scale and the headstock/tuning keys...Just Toooo cooool for school man.
Ricky |
Bill Terry
Member From: Bastrop, TX, USA
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posted 30 April 2004 11:34 AM
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I might add that Ricky went way above and beyond what we originally talked about doing on this guitar...it's perfect. Thanks RD. |
Jim Smith
Member From: Plano, TX, USA
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posted 30 April 2004 03:23 PM
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quote:
Lloyd did lower the 4th string for about two years until 1966. He said it is all over the place on the "Green Strings" album.
Thanks for the history lesson Duane!  |
Joe A. Camacho
Member From: San Diego, CA
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posted 30 April 2004 07:21 PM
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So does that mean that my LDG is a first year model as well?
http://www.jomofo.com/LDG4.jpg
http://www.jomofo.com/LDG5.jpg
http://www.jomofo.com/LDG2.jpg |
Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Spring, Texas USA
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posted 30 April 2004 10:28 PM
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Yes Joe that IS Correct...I forgot about yours...You have so many steels now...I keep forgetting you have a barrel tuning LDG....way cool...
Ricky |
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