sho bud Pro III

[Bart]

Hi all,

Can anybody clarify the differences between a sho bud pro III and a Sho Bud Pro III "Custom"?

I have a pro III (no custom) probably from 1994 and would like to know its value (compared to a "custom") and the actual differences (in quality, etc if any) with a "custom"...

Thanks in advance!

Bart

[Ken Byng]

Hello Bart
As no-one has responded to your question, I'll try to shed some light. Your Pro 111 won't be from 1994, but probably around 1974. If it is a round front guitar, it will be one of the very early Pro 111 guitars, and Sho~Bud used the Pro 11 round front bodies at first. They then manufactured the Pro 111 Custom in a square body format, and the key metal parts at one point were stamped zinc. This includes the changer fingers and lever brackets. I have a Pro 111 Custom which was pre pot-metal parts, and I've owned it since 1976. So your Pro 111 would have been one from a very limited interim period. Value-wise you are looking at £1,500 to £2,000 depending on condition.

This is my Pro 111 Custom.

[Nick Bidmade]

Ken - Is that the one you left overnight on the drive?
Happy to come and pick it up next time - just let me know when.
Best wishes to you

Nick

[Ken Byng]

Yes - that's the one Nick.

It was pre Bob Adams' refurb. Just shows how honest the people in my village are.

[Bart]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for your reply. I recently discovered, actually I was told by Jim Pritchard to whom I gave the serial number of the Bud III (18677) - that the guitar was made in June 1997. I has the pot metal knee levers, I know it for sure cause I already broke one
Anyway, really appreciate your answer!

All the best,

Bart

[Bart]

Oh by the way Ken, any idea what the value would be of my Bud, now we know it's from 1997?

thank you!

B

[Ken Byng]

Hi Bart
If you go back to my response above you will see a best guestimate of your guitar's current value. I did write a fairly lengthy (typical for me) history of the Sho~Bud story but lost it unfortunately. Suffice to say that the Pro 111 Custom range ceased being officially produced by Sho~Bud in the very early 80's. However, a tiny number of Sho~Buds were assembled from new old stock in the late 90's by people like Rayline and Bobbe Seymour, who procured the old stock from David Jackson.

You may be interested to see a video of my 1976 Pro 111 Custom and its refurbishment journey by Bob Adams from Scotland.

[hickenjr]

Hi Bart
If you go back to my response above you will see a best guestimate of your guitar's current value. I did write a fairly lengthy (typical for me) history of the Sho~Bud story but lost it unfortunately. Suffice to say that the Pro 111 Custom range ceased being officially produced by Sho~Bud in the very early 80's. However, a tiny number of Sho~Buds were assembled from new old stock in the late 90's by people like Rayline and Bobbe Seymour, who procured the old stock from David Jackson.

You may be interested to see a video of my 1976 Pro 111 Custom and its refurbishment journey by Bob Adams from Scotland.

Sounds ace Ken! I'm a big Sho-Bud fan, growing up round them doesn't help my bias.