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Author
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Topic: D11 ZB Custom For Sale
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Bill C. Buntin
Member From: back at home in Cleburne, TX
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posted 04 April 2002 05:16 PM
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   Here it is folks!! 70's D11 ZB Custom. Two toned birdseye maple. This is one unbelievable sounding guitar.
Original Pickups. Emmons Setup. 8 pedals 5 knees.(5th lever is a inside LKL not a LKV) Includes a heavy duty anvil type case made by castle cases. (White in color) The case is being re-upholstered with new velvet lining. Also most of the parts for a 6th knee lever. AND a new guitar cover and rod/leg pouch included. All for $1500. This guitar is heavy, so I'll work with you on the shipping. It weighs near 95 lb. in the case. [This message was edited by Bill C. Buntin on 04 April 2002 at 05:25 PM.] [This message was edited by Bill C. Buntin on 04 April 2002 at 05:35 PM.] |
ebb
Member From: nj
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posted 04 April 2002 05:49 PM
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slurp pant pant |
Larry Chung
Member From: San Francisco, CA, USA
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posted 04 April 2002 06:46 PM
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mmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . ZB Goodness.Someone better buy this before I start selling my limbs . . . Beautiful steel. ------------------
Larry Chung
MSA D-10 8+4
ZB Custom S-11 4+4
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Dale Dorsey
Member From: Granger, Indiana, USA
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posted 04 April 2002 07:10 PM
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I just bought a Mullen 3 days ago........Cry me a River! Somebody needs to buy this steel fast so my heart heals. |
steve takacs
Member From: beijing, china
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posted 04 April 2002 08:24 PM
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Bill, I just sent you and email confirming I will buy the steel. Assuming it it has not been spoken for already, I will buy your ZB to be sent to North Dakota and not China (thank goodness given the weight)Steve |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 04 April 2002 11:55 PM
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Congratulations steve, I would have bought that guitar. |
Michael Johnstone
Member From: Sylmar,Ca. USA
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posted 05 April 2002 02:20 AM
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What happened to the devil horn motif on the tail block? And it looks like they're missing from the headstock as well.Did they do away with them on later models or was that a mod?
Pretty guitar though. -MJ- |
Bill C. Buntin
Member From: back at home in Cleburne, TX
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posted 05 April 2002 02:52 AM
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I don't think this guitar ever had the devil horns. I talked with another guy about that. But the wood showed no signs of where they would have been. And I don't think they would have fit on this paricular body. Believe it or not, it is only 32" in length and about 10 3/4" in width.The guitar has sold. Lori, please close.
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steve takacs
Member From: beijing, china
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posted 05 April 2002 03:42 AM
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I appreciate the congratulations, Chas; I'm just sorry there weren't two of them to go around so one could go your way. Bill has been very helpful explaining the idiosyncracies of this guitar, which is a good start for me since I know very little about ZBs. I will have to go back through The Forum and dig up some of that valuable collective memory that's been archived here. If anyone else has anything to add ZBwise, please chime in. Thanks again, Bill[This message was edited by steve takacs on 05 April 2002 at 03:43 AM.] |
Bob Mainwaring
Member From: Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island B.C. Canada
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posted 05 April 2002 07:51 AM
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Steeve------- just keep it forever!!!!!Bob.  ------------------
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Herb Steiner
Member From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX
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posted 05 April 2002 07:57 AM
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One of the prettiest Zeeb's I've ever seen... I'm wondering if this is a guitar that was built by Basil (?), the fella that bought the ZB Company stuff when Tom sold out and the company moved from TX to the midwest. Or are my "facts" totally off-base?------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association |
Michael Johnstone
Member From: Sylmar,Ca. USA
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posted 05 April 2002 10:34 AM
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I've never seen one without the devil horns although I've seen one w/the back horn on the tailblock milled off - you know,the one that digs into your forarm.....And I don't know if that was a factory job or a user mod.I recently saw an S-11 that seemed to have the tips of the keyhead horns milled down to a nub - presumably to keep them from extending past the end of the guitar body. Also on this one,the swiveling plates seem to have been replaced w/more contemporary cross shafts.Back in the late 70s-early 80s,Al Perkins used to tell me about what he called a new "quick change" ZB design.Perhaps this is the model era he was referring to. -MJ- |
Darvin Willhoite
Member From: Leander, Tx. USA
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posted 05 April 2002 11:19 AM
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Whats the matter Herb, old timers disease setting in? Basil Smith was his name. He was killed in a car accident not long after he bought the company.------------------
Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording
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Herb Steiner
Member From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX
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posted 05 April 2002 12:13 PM
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Excuse me, Darvin, but have we met? I don't seem to recall the event if we did...  ------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association |
John Borchard
Member From: Athens, OH 45701
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posted 05 April 2002 01:17 PM
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This looks like one that was built in the early to mid eighties when Tom Brumley moved the factory into Austin from out towards Marble Falls. I forget the guy's name that was building them, but a couple of design changes were instituted then: shorter overall length, no "devil horns" on either end, elimination of cross "straps". Also, the equalizers were eliminated. This is an apparatus ZB used where one pedal pulls two strings. It is similar in principle to the way two horses are connected to one wagon, allowing them to pull at the same time. If you want more info, contact forumite Greg Jones. When he snores it doesn't go ZZZZZZ, it goes ZBZBZBZB  .JB |
steve takacs
Member From: beijing, china
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posted 05 April 2002 03:25 PM
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Thanks and keep that input coming guys...I'd like to know as much about this ZB as possible. Steve |
Herb Steiner
Member From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX
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posted 05 April 2002 03:38 PM
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John B. ...
Chris Goewey is the fella you're thinking of.My mind is returning... hey Darvin, how ya doin' ol' buddy?! ------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association |
Walter Jones
Member From: Athens, Ohio USA
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posted 05 April 2002 04:19 PM
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Bill, what a beautiful guitar and Steve that is like Christmas in April.I was talking to Greg this afternoon on the phone about this guitar. Bill, you can answer this. Is the 11th tuning key in the middle of the two rails? In the picture it looks like just 5 keys on each side, if so then it probably is the last generation of 11 string ZB's and was probably built by Basil Smith. Basil put a single tuning key between the two rails and still used the 5 key rails on the guitar but that allowed for the 11th string. It was something like that he did, I can't remember exactly how her did it. I will let Greg check in maybe later tonight and clear up what I tried to say. Renfro Valley kicked off the full schedule last night so he is very busy playing 2 or 3 shows a night and 1 one Sunday morning. Whoever built it it surely has some beautiful wood in it. The weight is right on, after we rebuilt an anvil raod case for his 11 & 10 it too tipped the scales at 95lbs. Have you ever noticed how the older ZB players can scratch their kneecap without bending over |
Bill C. Buntin
Member From: back at home in Cleburne, TX
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posted 07 April 2002 02:46 PM
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Yes this D11 has the single tuner in the middle of the keyhead. Greg originally thought this guitar was Indiana built by Basil. He later told me he thinks it was one of the later guitars built when Tom still owned ZB. The fact that it is all cross shafts makes one think that it has been modified, but when I had it completely disassembled, it showed no signs of anything modified. I thought surely someone might recognize this guitar. I was hoping to find out eventually who may have owned it. It was in a terrible way when my wife found it. I don't think it had ever had a bath. I found 30 broken string ends under E pickup and changer mount. It was incredible. I've got the entire project photographed. Amazing what a little spit and polish will do for one huh? Thanks guys. Steve- I''m glad you got it Pal. Best Regards to all. |
B. Greg Jones
Member From: London, KY USA
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posted 07 April 2002 04:39 PM
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Ah Yes!!! This is the 1st pics I have seen of the guitar assembled. Bill and I have stayed in touch through out the rebuild process. Bill did send me pics of the guitar torn down and I didn't catch the "11th" tuner and the undercarraige assembled. I thought at first this may be a conversion, but looking at it now, it was built in Indiana by Basil Smith. Tom had told me that he had never used anything but the flat cross straps for the pedals. Take a look at the guitar, the pedal rods are spaced evenly between pedals 3 & 4. The older ZB's had a bigger space between rods 3 & 4. ( E9th & C6th) Of course that would change if you had 4 pedals on the front neck. Basil shortened the guitars even more than Brumley did. I visited Basil in 1990 and saw the operation. He passed away in Dec. of 1991 of a massive heart attack. Bill, you did a fantastic job on that guitar!! It is absolutely stunning!! Steve, congrats!! You got a great guitar!! Greg |
Rex Blevins
Member From: Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
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posted 08 April 2002 05:23 AM
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Herb, you are right, I would bet Chris Goewey built the body and the head stock, tail piece, etc. I know Chris's work quite well and that is NOT his undercarriage. Chris was quite an innovator, but his straps,etc were not like those in the picture. Whoever bought the guitar has one beautiful ZB... By the way Herb, has anyone heard from CHris inj awhile ?? |
Bill C. Buntin
Member From: back at home in Cleburne, TX
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posted 09 April 2002 08:16 PM
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Greg, I knew you would know as soon as you saw it together. It did turn out nice I think. Steve you owe a little kudos to Greg, for if it weren't for his coaching and tips, I wouldn't have done as well. Others too gave plenty good advice, They are Steve Lamb, Tommy Cass and Jim Smith. |
Mike Castleberry
Member From: Albuquerque, NM,87106,USA
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posted 11 April 2002 03:05 PM
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I special ordered this ZB guitar and built the case. You can e-mail me for more info. I have pics of the guitar when it was new.
mcastleberry@salud.unm.edu |
Mike Castleberry
Member From: Albuquerque, NM,87106,USA
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posted 12 April 2002 07:19 AM
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Walter Jones ask me to post this on the Forum, so here's the scoop. The guitar was ordered in 1979 from a dealer in ALbuquerque, New Mexico. Tom Brumley did own ZB Guitars then and lived somewhere around Austin, Texas. I don't know who built this ZB guitar, but he had excellent taste for quilted maple. I played the guitar until 1984 and sold it to a guy in Midland, Texas for $600.00. I payed #750.00 for it new. The guitar was kind of a prototype and I'm not sure you would see another like it, I haven't. I took the original case and modified it into a flight case. The ZB was a great looking, sounding and playing guitar for me. If you're a ZB Guitar lover, here's your chance to own a great instrument. |
Kim West
Member From: Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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posted 12 April 2002 07:23 AM
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you guys are amazing sleuths! i wish i'd had investigators like you when i was a public defender! question: is someone going to buy this hot zb? |
Jim Smith
Member From: Plano, TX, USA
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posted 12 April 2002 07:34 AM
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Look at this thread back on April 4, Steve Takacs bought it. |
Bill C. Buntin
Member From: back at home in Cleburne, TX
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posted 12 April 2002 08:18 AM
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Mike, Thanks so very much for the info. I was hoping someone would recognize the guitar. I thought prototype too when I first started working on the guitar. It was in an unbelievable sorry state when I found it. But it cleaned up nicely and is a very fine instrument. I'm sure Steve will be very proud to own and play it.Your Castle Case that you built for it was coming apart on the inside. I'm having an upholstery shop to re-do the inside of it. It is a very good quality case. Steve, looks like you are getting a "one of a kind" guitar. |
Darvin Willhoite
Member From: Leander, Tx. USA
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posted 12 April 2002 08:51 AM
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Jerry Fessenden worked for ZB somewhere around this time, could he have built it?------------------
Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording
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steve takacs
Member From: beijing, china
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posted 12 April 2002 05:27 PM
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Thanks so much to Bill Buntin for the painstaking redo it took to turn this steel into a Cinderella story and for selling it to me. Thanks also to Rex, Greg, Walter, John, Michael J, Herb, and Mike Castleberry for providing many of the pieces to the puzzle; I will to write Tom Brumley and Jerry Fessenden to see if they'd add a few more. I can't omit my wife, Rosalyn, who bent the "one guitar in--one guitar out" rule to give me this for an upcoming birthday. Finally, thanks to b0b for providing the means by which this club can share information. It reminds me of younger days of "secret decoder" rings and other shared eeccenticities. For me, knowing this steel's history makes it extra special. Man, this is starting to sound like the Academy Awards...I'm outta here. steve
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B. Greg Jones
Member From: London, KY USA
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posted 12 April 2002 09:34 PM
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WOW!!! When yer wrong yer wrong!!! And I guess I was wrong!!! This guitar sure looked like Basil's work to me. I guess I know now where he got some of his ideas. I had thought the idea of the 11th tuner between the rails was his. This is a fantastic guitar, a real piece of history. Thank you Mike for giving us the "skinny" on this guitar. Steve, you are a lucky man!! Greg |
Bud Hall
Member From: Evansville IN USA
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posted 15 April 2002 01:01 PM
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Hi guys, this has been very interesting to me for I had been involed with ZB while Bill Sims owned the company. I know I have met some of you at the shows. Some things said here are right on and some are not, I will just touch on a couble things you might find interesting. Basil never used the key in the middle, but it was used on several guitars. Yes, someone stated that he did die of a heart attack, then crashed his vehicle. Basil did not buy the ZB company from Tom, there was another owner in the S Indiana area around Louisville Ky, don't want to get into names for privacy reasons. That pulling mechanism was used a few times, but was discouraged by some of us, we preferred the cross strap set-up. I have one of those in my shop now, with the key in the middle and that pulling mechanism. By chance, Tom and I was talking about that mechanism the other day on the phone. By the way the one I have for sale does not have the horns on either end also, like the one shown here. The ZB company is still owned by Basil's wife here in Evansville. I still have my S-11 that I used 4 to 6 nights a week for 18 yrs., still sweet sounding with all that maple it has too. I have owned other guitars since, but this Ole guitar is FAMILY!! Don't talk much on here, sorry to ramble! |
John Borchard
Member From: Athens, OH 45701
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posted 15 April 2002 02:39 PM
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Man, what an interesting thread for us ZB maniacs. Steve, you're a lucky guy.Herb, thanks for refreshing my rapidly dwindling memory. I could see Chris's face but couldn't pull his name up to save my life. John |
steve takacs
Member From: beijing, china
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posted 15 April 2002 04:26 PM
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Jerry Fessenden was kind enough to write and added this info: "I would say that either before I worked there , Alan Douglass may have built that one, or after ,,,, Chris ????? from Austin ... Don't think that it was one of mine... JF". Bud, could you explain why you and some of the other guys preferred the cross straps to the pulling mechanism that is on this particular guitar? Do you know how Tom Brumley feels about these two different systems? Seems to me the one with cross straps would be much harder to work on if you wanted to change the copedant. John, I do indeed feel lucky to own this particular guitar. Thanks,Steve |
b0b
Sysop From: Cloverdale, California, USA
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posted 15 April 2002 08:50 PM
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This topic is just too good to close. I'm moving it to "Pedal Steel" since the guitar is no longer for sale. |
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