Jerry Rivers Yank Rachell
Sho-Bud
The photos above were published on Facebook within three days of each other in 2021, and appear to show two different musicians playing the same mandolin about 25 years apart. On the left, Jerry Rivers performs with the Homesteaders in 1966 on a Sho-Bud mandolin with a tremolo bar and distinctive headstock with all 8 tuners on a single side. Photo scanned and published by Deke Dickerson. On the right, Yank Rachell performs in the late '80s or early '90s on the same model, which—considering the general rarity of Sho-Buds—might well be the selfsame mandolin! Photo published by Rene Castro.
     Reportedly, country singer Ira Louvin built at least one electric mandolin for Sho-Bud when he worked there in the 1960s. It's possible, then, that this instrument is Ira's creation.
This 5-string was built in 1982 by Shot Jackson, renowned Dobro/pedal steel player and founder of Sho-Bud, which manufactured mostly pedal steels and lap steels. Shortly after building this instrument, Shot retired and had a stroke, so this may well be his last electric mandolin.
     It might have been his first, too. The two mandolins pictured here are the only Sho-Buds I have seen.