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Buddy Emmons and Fender
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The Steel Guitar Forum
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Buddy Emmons and Fender
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Buddy Emmons and Fender |
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Mark Durante Member Posts: 255 |
posted 01 June 2001 03:56 PM
OK, I might make a fool of myself by asking this question, it isn't the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last,(and forgive me if it has already been answered a million times), Anyway Just why was Buddy playing a Fender when he and Shot had already been making Sho-Buds? |
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chas smith Member Posts: 3168 |
posted 01 June 2001 04:59 PM
The cobbler's kids go barefoot. |
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ebb Member Posts: 1045 |
posted 01 June 2001 05:38 PM
hoping for Leo~Buds? |
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Donny Hinson Member Posts: 9192 |
posted 01 June 2001 06:34 PM
You forget that, at one time, almost everybody used a Fender 1000! When it first came out, it was THE pedal steel guitar, with many advantages over anything else that was out there. My own opinion of what soon happened is as follows... Fender had a big factory, and they could build them fast! In 1958, who else could compete with a multi-million dollar outfit like them? Fender's downfall was that they gave up on innovation while the smaller "garage-shop" companies were constantly improving and altering their designs. Fender didn't take into consideration that, unlike solid-body guitars, pedal steels were a new instrument, and required constant redesign to stay competitive. The rest (and the Fender pedal steel) is history. |
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CrowBear Schmitt Member Posts: 6016 |
posted 01 June 2001 06:52 PM
in the book "Fender - the Sound heard 'round the World " see page 194 circa 59 Steelin Fenders.......  |
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Tele Member Posts: 965 |
posted 01 June 2001 11:26 PM
But that doesn't answer the question or should I read it all over again? I mean he made the cabinets by himself so he should be able to make one for his personal use. Didn't Buddy say that the sound of the 1000 was inferior to the Sho~Buds? Maybe it was an endorsement deal older than his partnership with Shot Jackson? Maybe Jody has any insights? Andy ------------------ |
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C Dixon Member Posts: 5912 |
posted 02 June 2001 07:07 AM
I do not know the answer to the question. But I will share some trivia with you. A number of years ago, I asked Buddy at the ISGC this question, "Buddy, I have heard a rumor for many years that one night when you were playing with Little Jimmy Dickens, you got so upset with your Fender 1000, you slid back put your feet on the back of the steel and kicked it right off the stage. Was that just a rumor or did you do that in fact?" Buddy looked at me with that little grin that has endeared himself to sooooooo many fans and said softly, "Well........I guess it must be true!" carl |
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Jack Stoner Sysop Posts: 8119 |
posted 02 June 2001 07:14 AM
I wouldn't read anything into Buddy playing any make steel at any point in his career or at any endorsement point. A couple years ago, at St Louis, he was endorsing Sierra's but his Sierra "was on the bus" but he had his PP Emmons that he was playing (the one with the name tag removed) |
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Paul Graupp Member Posts: 3199 |
posted 02 June 2001 07:29 AM
I once decided I would write to Fender about their non-interest in steel guitars. I chided them about their Heritage ie: The first Fender amps were made for steel guitars. When I got permission to use that quote from Aspen Pittman of Groove Tubes he told me that Fender's stand was actually good for the steel guitar world. Look at the wealth of innovation and creativity their move had on the guys who took up the challenge. Otherwise it may have been stymied in the big company posture that even overtook Fender itself. I was going to name those who did that but bOb would not like a post that LONG ! One other point I can make is that the customer to player relationship has become much more personnal. Even Peavey saw the logic of that route and has pursued it vigorously. The pedal steel guitars we play today are much more user friendly and able to satisfy almost any player's desires in tone, agility and function. And it is an expanding universe if you're following Ed Packard in this Forum. Thank all you good folks at Fender for your direction and inspiration. Regards Paul |
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chas smith Member Posts: 3168 |
posted 02 June 2001 11:26 AM
I would add that anyone fat, thin, tall, short or whatever can walk into a guitar store and pick up a tele, buy it and be happy. Getting a steel guitar is more like buying a suit, it's got to be fitted and setup for the individual preferences, not to mention how much more complicated it is to make one. It's not a corporate kind of product. |
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Sage Member Posts: 525 |
posted 02 June 2001 08:04 PM
So Paul- did Fender ever write back to you after you sent them the letter? Hey Chas- nice suit, man.  |
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Paul Graupp Member Posts: 3199 |
posted 02 June 2001 11:14 PM
Sage: No they didn't write back. I thought maybe they would print it in their Frontline Magazine but I suppose they only print things that put them in a good light. Russ Rask printed it in one of the last copies of SGWM but I give so much stuff away, I guess that's where it went. I also put a copy of a centerfold showing Dan Dugm----, (lost the spelling.) in a field of Fenders. Damm good picture too, wonder if Russ has any of those left ? I think it was Vol 7, issue no. 40 for the Open Letter to Fender Frontline. After you get used to people like those at Peavey, it's small wonder the way Fender treats us. I'm sure I'm not alone in these opinions but after writing for Fender for six or seven years you feel like you've lost something important. Actually I did. I lost my respect for them. Other posts indicate my major Fender Equipment and as I said in the Open Letter, I always consider myself a Fender Man. Just like I'm my Daddy's son. You don't forget your bringing up and that was what Fender was to me. Best Regards, Paul |
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Mark Durante Member Posts: 255 |
posted 03 June 2001 05:46 PM
I just find it curious that Buddie would endorse Fender after starting Sho-Bud. |
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Donny Hinson Member Posts: 9192 |
posted 03 June 2001 06:27 PM
I don't find it curious at all. Buddy and Shot started designing and building guitars in late '56, I believe. But by 1957, Fender had their design complete, and were in production. I imagine that Fenders were rolling off the assembly line in quantity by '57, and their guitar (with 8 pedals!) probably looked pretty good to Buddy, who had been playing a 1 or 2 pedal Bigsby in 1956. The earliest Sho-Bud probably wasn't "problem-free", and it certainly didn't have 8 pedals, either! Add this to the fact that Fender was a big name, and Sho-Bud was just starting, and it's no longer really "curious", is it? |
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Sage Member Posts: 525 |
posted 03 June 2001 06:59 PM
I had a chance to buy a REALLY early Sho-Bud many years ago and got a chance to look it over. The cabinet was nice, but the pull rods were brazed on rather crudely (changing set-ups would require a torch, I think. It was so old that the fret markers were pieces cut out of actual playing cards. The Fenders had that production quality look (even though the 400's broke strings like crazy). So I understand what you are saying, Donny. What kind of reception do you think Fender would get now if they got back into the steel guitar market?... |
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chas smith Member Posts: 3168 |
posted 03 June 2001 09:46 PM
quote: given that they are in Calif. we'd probably have our electricity turned off and our gas prices would go through the roof. |
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CrowBear Schmitt Member Posts: 6016 |
posted 04 June 2001 09:54 AM
Donny is on the right track. Fender was makin steels + Amps before Shot + Buddy made ShoBuds matter of fact All the early Steelers were goin to Leo's and contributing toward the advancement of better equipement and gettin' it ! Fender Amps and Precision Bass were the first and best around. Unfortunatly Fenders success w: PSG was thwarted by use of cables (rather than rods.) if it had'nt been for Leo and all those who shared those times, we would'nt be playin' what we've been playin for all these years. Thank God tho' for Bigsby,Jackson, Emmons, Carter, Marrs, Anderson + Franklin for bringin it up so that we don't have to play on a Fender 1000. IMHO that Fender book "the Sound heard round the World" is a must ! i also got to know who Jody Carver is ! Fender Bender ? |
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bob grossman Member Posts: 420 |
posted 04 June 2001 10:31 AM
How many of you remember that Fender did build some modern pedal guitars some years back. They had Fender tuning keys and heads, but the changers were modern and all rod operated. My understanding was that the guitars were made by Sho-Bud. I saw one at Blackie Taylors, probably in the 70's and it wasn't a bad guitar. Seems to have had the same pedals and 3-piece changer as the Sho-Bud Pros at that time. Easy action. Some of you might remember the "Chicken Pickin'" ads from Fender at that time. |
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chas smith Member Posts: 3168 |
posted 04 June 2001 10:55 AM
quote: if it hadn't been for Bigsby and Merle Travis' solid body, and Bigsby's interest in Joaquin Murphey and Speedy West, Leo and 'Doc' might have stayed with making amps and lap guitars. |
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CrowBear Schmitt Member Posts: 6016 |
posted 05 June 2001 10:30 AM
the Bigsby Travis guitbox had the Heart, Spade, Clubs, + Diamonds on the Fretboard ! |
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Donny Hinson Member Posts: 9192 |
posted 06 June 2001 08:45 AM
Sage, I think Fender would have a really tough time cracking this market. They have the facilities, but the demand isn't high enough to warrant their investment of large sums of money. The only market they would probably have a chance in is in the "starter steel" market. Even then, it would be hard for them to undercut the Carter Starter prices. They do have the advantage of cheap foreign labor, though, so they might be able to at least be competitive if they were to try. Lord knows, it's been a long time since Fender did anything really "new", outside of the new line of electro-acoustics they have out (Telacoustic and Stratacoustic). |
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Mark Durante Member Posts: 255 |
posted 07 June 2001 04:40 AM
I know that even Shot himself played Fender at first. So I am getting the picture of Fender being THE thing and Shot (with Buddie's input) making one offs for friends out of a garage type of operation. Not really a serious company at first. |
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Gene Jones Member Posts: 5796 |
posted 07 June 2001 06:37 AM
Who is this guy....and what brand is he playing? http://genejones.bizland.com/June%207,%202001.jpg My apology Buddy! www.genejones.com |
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Buddy Emmons Member Posts: 1403 |
posted 07 June 2001 07:17 AM
No apology necessary, Gene. You did well. Back then, us Yankees that were lucky enough to get to Nashville had to make a fashion statement every once in a while. I just hope Jim Cohen doesn't see it. |
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