The Pro-II's before potmetal parts were pretty good mechanically.

At the moment my likely choice would be a The Profesional, but with a Duane Marrs rebuild underneith.
You get that great sound, and new mechanics.

Ricky Davis will no doubt log on with some more precice info on the middle years.

Tone and sustain-wise, this guitar is really good, but I don't know how much of it is the changer/mechanical stuff, or if this is just a really good LDG. I DO know it's much better than a Pro I that I had with the double raise/single lower changer and nylon tuners.

Tuning wise it can be tempermental, but I wouldn't think of changing anything at this point, I'd be afraid it would change the way the guitar sounds. I expect Ricky will jump in here, but we've talked a bit about the sound of that particular era ShoBud guitar, and I think we both agree they are some of the best...I've also played a really good Pro II with this mechanism that was owned by a buddy in San Antonio, same thing, great tone and sustain.

IF you're willing to deal with a little of a tuning stability challenge from time to time, I think the guitars with these old changers are great. I should add that when I say tuning issues, I'm comparing this guitar to a '67 P/P that is probably the most stable tuning guitar I've ever owned. The LDG is very giggable. Some nights I don't touch the changer at all, other times I seem to chase tuning a good bit. YMMV...

I see Mr. Donald has weighed in with a vote for the rack or bellcrank and barrel guitars as well while I was typing.... That's two votes.

[This message was edited by Bill Terry on 27 June 2004 at 12:07 PM.]

I've had mine since 78 and have done closer to three thousand than two thousand gigs with it by my reckoning. The nylon tuner nuts need to be replaced after a few hundred thousand pulls, and with the advent of blue loctite, can be rejuvenated. Also the set screws on the fingers need to be retightened periodically, as they tend to work loose.

The pickups never lasted more than a few years, with the tops being pulled up and/or liquid invading them seemed to be the biggest problem. I got the originals rewound by J Wallace, and I wouldn't go any other way.

The changers have never failed, and I've taken it apart to clean stuff, string ends, motel keys, bullets, mice etc out from above the spring sets WDed and lubed everything.

I too have a "The Professional" into Mr Marrs for a refinish and a change from an 8 and 1 to an 8x6 with two verts.

In my studies, I didn't like the Shorty Superpros, nor the narrow pedals or the keyless, but I only tried one prototype in 79.

People swear by the rack and barrel birdcages, and Gary Morse for one plays a '69 on his road gigs. Great axe.

One thing you can't seem to get away from is an inherent weakness caused by the full length line of screws that weaken the grain of the wood on the front. Marrs has come up with a system replacing it with a solid plate, which is about the best feature I think he's put on the ones I've seem. Mine hasn't cracked on the front, but I've seen a couple for sale that were.

For tone, class, and overall instrument, I haven't seen an axe yet that has anything on a good solid old Sho~Bud.

One lately I've seen unless there's something wrong with it that is not being mentioned,, ( I doubt it), is a Marrs rebuild of an Old Profess like mine for 2500. I paid 400$ for my "hull" in 83, and I'll probably sink 2 grand into it before it's done.

If it works out the way I plan, wouldn't trade it for 2 $6000 guitars. I don't care what they were made out of...

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Sho-Bud ProII,Nash 400,
TC Electronics M300.
"Kindly keep it Country"

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/