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Author
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Topic: Sho-Bud Christmastree Amp
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Glenn Portwood
Member From: Centerville, Georgia U.S.A. 30128,
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posted 15 February 2001 07:27 PM
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what makes this amp a christmastree? lights or shape? how many years and last year made whats a nice one worth?
Thanks
gsp
Macon, Ga. |
Keith Hilton
Member From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721
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posted 16 February 2001 05:35 PM
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I think it was the colored lights in the front. Although some of these amps did have somewhat of a Christmas tree slope to the enclosure. Shot Jackson sold me one that had a 12inch and 15inch JBL speakers. Shot told me there were only two of those made. I sold mine to a horn blower on the Osmond Show here in Branson. I heard the horn blower wound up selling it to Tom Brumley. It had a good sound, but not much power. As I remember it was only 30 to 35 watts.[This message was edited by Keith Hilton on 16 February 2001 at 05:36 PM.] |
Sleepy John
unregistered
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posted 17 February 2001 03:27 AM
Keith
You are right about the colored lights.Thats why it came by that name.
I worked at Music City Mfg. In 1974 on 2 nd avenue building ShoBud amps. At the time we were only building the Single Channel amps with 1 Jbl D-130f. The Christmas Tree amp was Electronicically Identical to the Single Channel except it had a second vibrato Channel. The Company claimed that these were 100 watt amps, but with a 2 power transistor push pull design, I suspect that 60 watts may have been about all they produced.
I just found my stash of schematics and have copies of both models and a marked up copy of the Single Channel model converting that design to a ShoBass amp with an enclosed Cabinet and JBL D-140F Speaker.If I ever find time, I will Draw these out in Visio and post them here on the forum for reference. The Power amp design of this amp was very unstable and was known to nuke itself when driven too hard, this usually resulted in a burned voice coil in the JBL. Great Sounding amps, but unstable. I remember Jay Dee Maness sitting in one night on Larry Sasser's rig and Jay Dee was accustomed to using a fender twin. He Cranked down on the Volume Pedal on one of his usual spectacular Turn arrounds and promptly blew up Wimp's Christmas Tree amp. Next day I had it in the shop fixin it along with a monster hangover. This was the Steel Guitar Amp to have in the 60's and early 70's. The Evans Came along about this time too and later on the Peavey Session 400's. The Evans had 4 output transistors and was unstable, but not as bad as the ShoBud. John Hughey was one of the Evans users Early on and Sure did sound good playing thru that Old Evans Amp. The Evans Folks used slightly oversized Screws to mount the output transistors to the Sockets and with a little bump out on the road, A T03 Transistor case could be shorted to the chassis and cause it to nuke. I fixed John Hughey's one time with this problem by changing the Sockets, putting in some insulating sleeves on the mounting screws and it never came back into the shop as long as I worked there. I had forgotten about this Evans problem until a couple of years ago and had to mod one for Kenny Dail with the Same Identical problem and Fix.
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Sj
[This message was edited by Sleepy John on 17 February 2001 at 03:49 AM.]
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John Lacey
Member From: Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada
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posted 17 February 2001 07:58 AM
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John, Al Brisco brought a few Evans amps into Canada in the early 70's and boy, did they sound good. They were the tube/transistor type and sounded so warm. I subsequently heard all of the steelers playing other amps over the years but those amps hold a special place in my heart. I guess they were a little tempermental. |
Earnest Bovine
Member From: Los Angeles CA USA
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posted 17 February 2001 09:56 AM
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quote:
ShoBud amps. ... the Company claimed that these were 100 watt amps, but with a 2 power transistor push pull design, I suspect that 60 watts may have been about all they produced.
Are you saying that there was creative marketing going on at Sho-Bud? |
Keith Hilton
Member From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721
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posted 17 February 2001 09:57 AM
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There is a big difference in on stage sound a amp puts out, and sound 50 to 75 feet beyond the stage. Some amps can sound wonderful on stage, but not so good out front. Other amps can sound terrible on stage and the sound out front is wonderful.
No brand names mentioned, but I owned a new amp that would self distruct the speaker with a big dose of DC current. It was a mystery where the DC surge was coming from. The volume was low, about "one" ever time the speaker went. The builder guaranteed the first JBL. I had two more speakers re-coned at $70.00 each. I finally had the next blown speaker re-coned as a bass JBL. Shortly after that I sold the amp to a guitar player, who sold it again shortly after he bought it.[This message was edited by Keith Hilton on 17 February 2001 at 09:58 AM.] |
Duane Dunard
Member From: Troy, MO. U.S.A.
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posted 17 February 2001 11:06 AM
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The lights behind the knobs on the duel channel Sho-Buds were the true Christmas tree amps,,, to my understanding. I bought a single channel in 1973/74, that served me until 1985, when I retired it to my back room. Almost sold it here on this Forum last year, until you guys talked me out of it. Boy, I sure am glad I kept it! I've rediscovered how really great it sounds. Now, I won't part with it, and wouldn't mind buying another one for parts. Those single channel models are absolutely great amps! |
Sleepy John
unregistered
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posted 17 February 2001 11:28 AM
Earnest
I think they may have chosen a method of measuring the output power that provided them with the figure they desired.  Not an uncomon thing back in the 60's and 70's------------------
Sj |
Ron Whitworth
Member From: Yuma,Ariz. USA
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posted 17 February 2001 12:21 PM
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Another Sho-Bud amp question..Which model has the slider controls on it & also has a needle type meter on it?? Also; how many watts is it?? Was it made after the Christmas Tree modles were?? Thanks Ron[This message was edited by Ron Whitworth on 17 February 2001 at 12:22 PM.] |
Jack Stoner
Sysop From: Inverness, Florida
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posted 17 February 2001 02:56 PM
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While we're on Sho-Bud amps, I post this question a while back and except for Keith never got an answer."I saw a Sho-Bud amp last night, it was a "My Little something maybe Pal" amp. It was solid state and only had one input jack on the #2 input. The #1 input had a silk screen mark where it would be but the front panel was never punched out for the jack.
I've seen several Sho-Bud amps, but not this one"
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J D Sauser
Member From: Traveling, currently in Switzerland, soon to be either back in the States or on the Eastern part of Hispaniola Island
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posted 17 February 2001 04:57 PM
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Here's a X-mas-tree for ya:  BTW, this one is sold. ... J-D. |
Al Udeen
Member From: maple grove mn usa
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posted 18 February 2001 08:30 PM
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HEY! Thats my Baby & It sounds fantastic! Thanks Again, J-D > Al Udeen |
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