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Author
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Topic: Shot Jackson FRY Pans
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Ray Montee
Member From: Portland, OR, USA
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posted 19 July 2002 04:17 PM
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When Shot Jackson teamed with Jerry Byrd on the re-issue of the Fry Pan in a limited addition format..........how many were originally made? Any ideas? What years did this occur? Anyone recall?How many more do you know that Shot mfr'd. AFTER the Jerry Byrd deal terminated? Some have Jerry's name on the fretboard while others are known to have Shot Jackson listed thereon. Just curious. Seems I lost some time during that era and can't seem to pick up the lost pieces. Thanks for any help.......... |
Gerald Ross
Member From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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posted 20 July 2002 06:08 AM
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There was a Shot Jackson/Jerry Byrd frypan w/case is excellent->mint condition for sale last week at the Aloha International Steel Guitar convention in Winchester, IN. It had a $600 price tag on it. This model had JB's name and initials on the fretboard.The guitar sat on the table for a day before it sold. I would imagine the buyer got it for a bit less than $600. ------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 20 July 2002 at 06:11 AM.] |
Jeff Strouse
Member From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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posted 20 July 2002 07:44 AM
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Aloha Ray...I would contact Bobbe Seymour...he would probably know. If he doesn't, I know he could direct you to someone who can...he is a wealth of steel guitar knowledge! I saw one of the Byrd model Sho-Bud frypans in his store a few years back when I was passing through Nashville. There was a picture on the wall of Kayton Roberts holding it... |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 20 July 2002 10:38 AM
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I have one of the original Shot Jackson/Jerry Byrd frypans. I don't know how many were made but I have a certificate of authenticity signed by both Shot Jackson and Jerry Byrd that came with it. I really should take a look at it again as maybe it says how many were going to be made.
Erv |
George Keoki Lake
Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
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posted 20 July 2002 11:33 AM
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FYI: I bought #A032, had it personally engraved with Jerry's signature, by Jerry, (who incidently, has remarkably beautiful handwriting). At the time of my purchase, I was informed Shot had agreed to produce a limited number of 300 JB frypans in total. 150 model "A" (short neck); 150 model "B" (long neck). I asked Jerry about his preferance. He replied he preferred the short neck "A" series which is what I purchased through him. They were produced in 1978/79. The deal was, after Shot completed those 300 guitars, he would then destroy the castings making them "history". All done...finished. The 300 guitars would then become "collector's items". However, that never occurred as Shot, for whatever reason, probably decided 'here was a good thing' and went on to produce almost identical guitars using the Sho-Bud name on headpiece with hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades as fret position markers. I have one of those also...it's a custom 10 string model made from the identical casting as was the JB Frypan. IMHO it is somewhat superior to the JB models in a number of ways. It has a better p/u, and much superior tuning gears than is found on the JB models. The problem with those 10 string models, Shot put 10 strings on a body designed and intended for only 8 strings. The strings are very close together. The JB model horseshoe "magnet" pickup has been discussed on the Forum previously. Suffice to say, the "horseshoe" is purely decorative and in no way enhances the quality or tone of the p/u since the "magnet" is not a magnet at all. I've seen a few models where the owners have actually removed the "horseshoe" as it was deemed to be in the way. (Shot discarded the "horseshoe" on his frypan production.) I was initially disappointed at the time of purchase when I realized the "horseshoe" was only a decorative ornament of no inherent value to the guitar's performance. I am of the impression Jerry was not overly thrilled upon learning Shot had not destroyed the original castings and was producing his own frypans from them. (Jerry could elaborate on that, I'm sure). In later years, the JB was manufactured in Japan. These models are an improvement over the Shot models in appearance and tone. I still think the original Shot models have a great sound and will hold their value over the years...and indeed, will become a "collectors item" down the road, if not already.[This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 20 July 2002 at 11:35 AM.] |
Ray Montee
Member From: Portland, OR, USA
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posted 20 July 2002 12:22 PM
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Thanks very much to each of you for your great responses. I surely appreciate this information. It is now filed in my official Rickenbacher FACT BOOK. Again, thanx! |
Zayit
Member From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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posted 21 July 2002 08:15 AM
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Thanks Keoki, for filling us in on some pretty confusing history of this instrument.I have model# A-084 (short neck) bought on e-bay a while ago. It came with a certificate of ownership signed by both Shot & Jerry in blue ball point pen plus an offer by Jerry to engrave his signature on the back cover (if you sent it to him). The original owner drilled abut four extra holes in mine in order to move the tone & volume controls away from the fibreglass pickguard he installed (this is no collector piece by any means). He also discarded the faux horseshoe p\u in favour of an after-market George L humbucker. I left the pickguard, but moved the control knobs back to existing holes on the treble side. I wasnt crazy about the tone either, so I replaced the humbucker with a 1.25" blade-type horsehoe from Scotty. I then upgraded the magnet to an 1.5" I got off of a metal body Rick e-bay special some nut had ground the fret markers off, painted fire engine red & stepped on a coupla times. (I redid the fret markers on the model 59 using a wooden Rick as a template, re-fin'd it metalic chrome & slapped that 1.25" horse on it- good enough for the blues). I'll get pix up one of these days. The reconstituted fry pan has now become my guitar of choice for everything except raucus blues (I play my 37' Epi horse for that). The tone is different from my other guitars- no moan, but sustain forever. Justa really pretty sound.  |
George Keoki Lake
Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
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posted 21 July 2002 10:13 PM
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As a footnote to my above thread...many years ago I had the privilage of meeting and jamming with (the late) Sonny Nicholas in Mau'i. He was playing steel with Ed Sailer, (bass), and Don Paishon, (r/guitar), at a spot near Lahaina. Sonny was one of the featured artists on the old "Hawai'i Calls" radio show for many years, but not on steel. (He played r/guitar and sang on the show). His steel playing was somewhat wild as he seldom looked at his left hand, preferring instead to look at the pretty gals in the audience. (ha!) However, he did play a very jazzy style albeit sometimes slightly out of tune from not watching where he placed his bar. What has all this to do with the JB Frypan ? The guitar he was playing was a prototype JB Frypan, (without the "magnet" horseshoe) which Jerry apparently had tested, and had passed along to Sonny to keep. (This is what Sonny conveyed to me.) |
Ray Montee
Member From: Portland, OR, USA
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posted 23 July 2002 02:21 PM
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Actually, should I live long enough, I could likely figure this out for myself, but then on the other hand, I'm more into instant, self gratification than patience so I've decided to enlist the aid of you far more talented and knowledgeable experts to assist me in my quest for knowledge.A recent guitar purchase found that the former owner had emblazened the neck of this fine little guitar with letters from the alphabet as follows: 2nd fret A
4th fret B
5th fret C
7th fret D
9th fret E
10th fret F
12th fret G MY QUESTIONS: What tuning would these positions most likely pertain to? It is a six string electric steel guitar....not a Dobro style rig. Your comments and ideas will be appreciated. THANK YOU in advance for an abundance of helpful clues and factual information. |
Jim Smith
Member From: Plano, TX, USA
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posted 23 July 2002 02:30 PM
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Since the 12th fret is G, the tuning must be G!  |
George Keoki Lake
Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
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posted 23 July 2002 09:14 PM
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Jim is correct Skip...It's a G tuning alright. Gads, why do people have to mark up the frets like that ? Really stupid IMHO. |
Ray Montee
Member From: Portland, OR, USA
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posted 28 July 2002 12:50 PM
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Another "OLD" FryPan on eBay |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 29 July 2002 06:24 PM
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Ray or anybody, have you ever seen or heard of a National Fry Pan? |
Brad Bechtel
Moderator From: San Francisco, CA
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posted 29 July 2002 09:23 PM
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National's first electric Hawaiian guitar (made between 1935-19370 was vaguely frying pan shaped. I owned one for about two years, and while it had a nice sound, it was in poor condition and was highly susceptible to temperature changes.
It didn't have that "moan" that people speak of when they speak of Rickenbacker frying pans, but it was a very good sound nevertheless.
I sold it for more than I paid for it, which is always a good thing.------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 30 July 2002 02:48 AM
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You guys are just too easy... |
Paul Graupp
Member From: Macon Ga USA
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posted 30 July 2002 09:51 AM
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A steel player on the GOO had a better idea for marking his frets. He used a piece of masking tape with the keys written on that instead. The old story was that someone ( supposedly Shot....); lifted the tape and moved it a fret away. You can guess the rest of the story !!Regards, Paul  |
Stephen Gambrell
Member From: Ware Shoals, South Carolina, USA
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posted 30 July 2002 10:27 AM
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Hey Howard, is that a tri-cone National? |
CrowBear Schmitt
Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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posted 30 July 2002 12:21 PM
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Now that"s a Rare Beauty !!!  |
herb
unregistered
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posted 31 July 2002 10:02 AM
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Stephen,
That's called a Fry-olian!
H |
Ric Nelson
Member From: Silver Spring, Maryland
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posted 07 August 2002 07:49 PM
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Shot's widow, Donna, still has a few, new in the box. Let me know if you want one and I can get the information to her.I have B-119, a 24 1/2 scale. Can't remember how many they made. |
Dave Mayes
Member From: Piedmont, Ca.
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posted 08 August 2002 07:05 PM
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Be very careful here....
I purchased A118 (I think ) from Donna and whoever put this steel together did not place the bridge properly. I did manage to correct the situation... but heck...
I'm not saying Donna isn't a wonderful person or any of that stuff...I'm just saying ( based on my experience )that you might want to see the guitar before you buy it ! |
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