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Author
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Topic: ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!
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Jim Phelps
Member From: just out of Mexico City
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posted 03 September 2006 06:00 PM
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Does anyone here have any photos of the ZB D10 that Pete Martell used to play around the Portland area? With or without Pete, I don't care. That ZB went from Pete to my cousin, then to me. I don't have any photos of it and I'd love to have some. Sure wish I still had the guitar. It was the steel I used when I first became a full-time musician/steel player. [This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 03 September 2006 at 06:01 PM.]
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Brendan Mitchell
Member From: Melbourne Australia
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posted 05 September 2006 07:56 PM
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Who got this beauty ? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=015&item=250023956211&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1 |
Larry Chung
Member From: San Francisco, CA, USA
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posted 05 September 2006 08:14 PM
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Very cool... not too many black ones out there. I've seen only a couple. I've seen alot more "brown" ones - faded colors from whatever color (blue, green, red, brown). This one is a very interesting mix of parts, too, as it has a Phoenix sticker - old style - plus an extra row of holes on the tuner endplate - plus a serial number (#1045) that looks like a Scranton-built guitar (mid-60s). Definitely old-style diamond pedals. Notice the Zane-signed (not printed) fretboards, too. And the pedal rod ends have the old-style connectors, too. Congrats, Glenn. Just FYI - ZBs did come in a black finish option. I think I've seen Rusty Young and Tom Brumley both play black ZBs, and it's also in some of the literature from the company from years ago. Let me know if I can help along with the other ZBers here. ZBest! Any opinions? Greg? ZBest,
LC[This message was edited by Larry Chung on 05 September 2006 at 08:20 PM.] [This message was edited by Larry Chung on 06 September 2006 at 09:53 AM.] |
Glenn Austin
Member From: Montreal, Canada
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posted 06 September 2006 09:01 AM
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Brendan, That beauty will be mine when it gets here. I'm starting to know what the ZBGB's are  I'm hoping some of you guys can shed some light on this guitar. I've never seen a black ZB before. I suspect that it was painted. It has a Phoenix decal on it, but from what I can gather, it's an early model ?? Ser# 1045. I'm sure I'm going to like it regardless of the condition. I haven't had a steel since last March, when I sold my Emmons push pull.Also, talking about the Emmons. There is currently an Emmons on Ebay, the only one right now, which I am sure is a scam. The auction has the description that I wrote for my Emmons last march, minus the pics. The seller has zero feedback too. People are bidding on it. I managed to email the first bidder, but Ebay won't let me email the others, because I'm not the seller. |
Brendan Mitchell
Member From: Melbourne Australia
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posted 06 September 2006 07:56 PM
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Yes congratulations Glenn it looks fantastic . The undercarriage looks like red flocking instead of the flat black paint on most .I hope you enjoy it and I am glad someone from the forum got it. |
B. Greg Jones
Member From: London, KY USA
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posted 06 September 2006 09:25 PM
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Glenn and Larry, this has all the markings and features of the early Phoenix built guitars, right down to the orange painted belly. According to records, Ser# 1045 was invoiced on Sept. 27th, 1966 to Don Edwards. Now, according to Mrs. Beck, they moved to Scranton at the end of August,1966 and anything built after that date through Dec. 1968 was built in Scranton. Sooooo, this makes the 2nd guitar built in Scranton if you are going by invoice dates. Zane used up his Phoenix decals just as they did in Bakersfield with the Scranton decals. I am sure all the parts and possibly even the body was actually BUILT in Phoenix but chances are it was assembled in Scranton. Either way, this is a great Zane built guitar and pretty scarce too being that it is all black with NO inlays in the aprons. Phillip Morgan has Ser# 1053, also built in 1966 and invoiced to Don Edwards. It was originally all black w/no inlays too. He has since refinished it and exposed some of the prettiest curly maple I have ever seen. Its absolutely stunning. Although his guitar was built in Scranton, it had a Phoenix decal on it too. Welcome to the ZB family Glenn, you're gonna love that guitar!!!! Greg |
Glenn Austin
Member From: Montreal, Canada
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posted 07 September 2006 08:22 AM
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Thanks Larry and Greg. I'm really looking forward to this one. It's such a cool looking guitar. And one thing that I didn't realize until I read this thread is that a lot of the stuff that I like was played on a ZB. I'll post some pics when it finally shows up. |
Mike Vallandigham
Member From: Concord, CA
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posted 07 September 2006 08:31 AM
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Speaking of ZB's , here's mine, #0102, Bakersfield guitar. It's not as nice as it looks in some of those pics. It's got 7/3 and is equiped w/ ball bearing roller nuts. cool.
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Travis Kline
Member From: Maine, USA
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posted 07 September 2006 01:16 PM
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I've got #1095. It's in real good shape and it sounds great! It's Scranton built and very good looking... |
Jim Phelps
Member From: just out of Mexico City
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posted 07 September 2006 01:25 PM
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Mike, that's exactly what mine looked like! Thanks for the photos. |
Pat Kelly
Member From: Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia
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posted 07 September 2006 02:15 PM
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Just a note to Brendan Mitchell. Your e-mail address on the Forum returns a "bad address" message. Have you changed your ISP?
Pat K |
Brendan Mitchell
Member From: Melbourne Australia
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posted 07 September 2006 08:06 PM
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Sorry Pat , I just changed IP's . I will correct that now . |
Roger Hand
Member From: Maine, USA
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posted 08 September 2006 06:04 AM
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RE. ZB Ser# 1045
Just found out you were getting this guitar, glenn. thought it was all mine.
when I found that I had to send payment to
London , England . (whoops) watch these
scammers. Thanks to GARY FLETCHER for warning me. |
Mike Winter
Member From: Oregon City, Oregon, USA
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posted 08 September 2006 06:22 AM
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The black ones sound better...  ------------------
Mike
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Blue Moon Highway
(Country Music...and then some.)
www.bluemoonhighway.com ZB Custom S-10 (#0509) |
Larry Chung
Member From: San Francisco, CA, USA
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posted 27 September 2006 10:16 AM
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You said it, Mike... Hope this works - here's a clip of Buck and Don and Tom playing "Tiger by the Tail" on YouTube from 1966. Don Rich was so amazing! Very, very cool. Tom's playing the black ZB (sounds good, too):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41s7oSls0IA How'd they play with all those tassles and not have them get in the way???? (: ZBest,
LC |
Glenn Austin
Member From: Montreal, Canada
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posted 28 September 2006 10:23 AM
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Very Cool Larry, I'm still waiting for my infamous black ZB to show up. It was sent on Sept 6th so I'm hoping it arrives in one piece. |
Glenn Austin
Member From: Montreal, Canada
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posted 05 October 2006 04:12 PM
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Well, it's finally here, and I think it was worth the wait. Almost one full month in transit. After messing with it for a couple of days I can honestly say that this 1966 ZB is by far the best, sweetest sounding, guitar I have ever owned. I'm really digging the tones I can get. I'm a little perplexed by the changer however. The pedals don't appear to have much wear on them. The lacquer is a bit beat up, but all the aluminum is in great shape. I'm going to try and post a pic tonight. I was wondering what the deal is with the 3 switches for the pickups, Everything seems to be on all at the same time. |
Glenn Austin
Member From: Montreal, Canada
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posted 05 October 2006 04:35 PM
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Dang, That was easy! 
 
[This message was edited by Glenn Austin on 05 October 2006 at 04:40 PM.] [This message was edited by Glenn Austin on 05 October 2006 at 05:05 PM.] [This message was edited by Glenn Austin on 05 October 2006 at 05:07 PM.] [This message was edited by Glenn Austin on 05 October 2006 at 05:08 PM.] [This message was edited by Glenn Austin on 16 October 2006 at 05:09 PM.]
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Dave Zirbel
Member From: Sebastopol, CA USA
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posted 05 October 2006 05:56 PM
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Dave Zirbel here checking with S-10 #0495, 5 pedals and 1 knee! I'm happy! I'm looking for knee lever cross shafts, rods, and trees. I have the levers.Thanks, Dave Z |
Mike Vallandigham
Member From: Concord, CA
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posted 06 October 2006 07:49 AM
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The three way selector is a tap selection switch, it changes where the pickup wires are tapped iff the coil for different sounds.
Techy guys, please help me if I butchered that.. I put mine in the middle usually, but sonetimes in the right position.
I new I should have bid on that guitar...
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Brendan Mitchell
Member From: Melbourne Australia
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posted 06 October 2006 04:38 PM
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Well done Glenn , looks sweet .Did everyone see Archie Nicolls post over in Steel players ? A link to youtube showing Tom Brumley playing Tom Cattin on his black ZB !! |
Kevin Hatton
Member From: Amherst, N.Y.
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posted 06 October 2006 05:40 PM
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Thats not his black ZB. It was dark brown mahogony with natural tops and white fret boards. It only had two knee levers. The black was seen in later episodes and played at the Carnegie Hall show. Tom Brumley still owns that black guitar today. The one seen here is long gone. [This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 06 October 2006 at 09:45 PM.] |
Glenn Austin
Member From: Montreal, Canada
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posted 09 October 2006 12:14 PM
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Thanks Brendan, and thanks Mike. This ZB does sound Sweet, and ironically it is the least expensive, best sounding steel I have ever owned. Mechanically it doesn't have much mileage at all, probably because it requires gargantuan force to push the pedals, but I'm not too worried about figuring that out.I still have to score 2 complete knee lever assemblys, which I'm discussing with Greg Jones right now. I'm planning on doing a complete refinish on this guitar to a Fender style sunburst, ala Lloyd Green's Fingertip Sho-Bud. I'm still a little unclear about how all the switches, and the 2 pots should function. The way I see it is that both necks are always on. The two three way switches are for the coil taps. The small 2 position switch turns the tone controls on and off. One of the pots is trashed, but the other one changes the tone on both necks ??? And for the coil taps, it doesn't matter which one you use, it changes the tone on both necks too, soooo I'm back to square one. Maybe it has been messed with, I dunno, but I would think that there would be at least a neck selector switch in there somewhere. I'd appreciate any help and advice I can get.
Thanks |
Mike Vallandigham
Member From: Concord, CA
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posted 09 October 2006 01:44 PM
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I'm not where I can look at my guitar, but I believe that...
the small 2-way switch in/out for the tone control (leave it switched off)
one 3 way switch is top neck/both necks/bottom neck
the other 3-way switch is the pickup tap control for both necks.
further... one knob is volume and the other is tone... leave vol all the way on (I cant remember if the tone cut out switch disables this volume control.. never used it.[This message was edited by Mike Vallandigham on 09 October 2006 at 01:45 PM.] |
Pat Kelly
Member From: Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia
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posted 16 October 2006 02:55 AM
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just bumping up for no better reasom than like to get a response. The D-11 is going fine!
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Joe A. Camacho
Member From: San Diego, CA
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posted 16 October 2006 11:08 AM
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Is there someone out there who can rewind ZB pickups, mine are pretty microphonic, I can hear my undercariage. |
Dave Zirbel
Member From: Sebastopol, CA USA
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posted 16 October 2006 11:15 AM
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Jerry Wallace of Truetone Pickups can rewind them. He's on the forum.DZ |
Joe A. Camacho
Member From: San Diego, CA
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posted 16 October 2006 11:27 AM
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Thanks Dave, Jerry rewound one of my Sho-Bud pickups, wasn't sure if there was anything different about a ZB pickups. |
Dave Zirbel
Member From: Sebastopol, CA USA
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posted 16 October 2006 11:39 AM
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They are different than shobud and most other pickups but he is familiar with them and has rewound them for forum members with great results. I plan on sending a few ZB pickups to him soon for rewinding.DZ |
Dave Van Allen
Member From: Doylestown, PA , US , Earth
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posted 16 October 2006 11:51 AM
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quote:
it requires gargantuan force to push the pedals, but I'm not too worried about figuring that out.
It's definitely out of adjustment... mine was like that, but now plays very easily after a going over by
Greg Jones; contact him or one of the other fine ZB undercarriage guys here... I'm sure they can talk you thru the steps to lighten the pedal action, balance the pulls, etc... |
JW Day
Member From: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA
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posted 18 October 2006 08:08 AM
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In about 76 or 77 I purchased A new purple ZB D-10 with 8 & 4 or possibly 6. from Bud Hall in Evansville,In. Another gent by the name of Bunch Laser had one just like it.My question is, do any of you guys know of these guitars. I always thought it was beautiful but I sure took alot of flack over the color. I always thought that the legs made the guitar look cheap. I should have changed them and kept it. It sure haqd A good sound. J W Day |
Brendan Mitchell
Member From: Melbourne Australia
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posted 18 October 2006 01:13 PM
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It would be great if one of the ZB experts could post a few tips on balancing the pulls on these guitars . With my limited skills I have got mine playing OK but would love to be able to lighten the pedal action a bit . |
Joe A. Camacho
Member From: San Diego, CA
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posted 29 October 2006 08:50 PM
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It's offical, I've got the bug... |
Mike Winter
Member From: Oregon City, Oregon, USA
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posted 29 October 2006 11:10 PM
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Joe...from a post by Larry Behm a few years ago:"Danny [Shields] told me if you take the metal plate off of the bottom of the pickup and float the pickup on large dime size drops of silicone the sound will become cleaner and less microphonic." ------------------
Mike
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Blue Moon Highway
(Country Music...and then some.)
www.bluemoonhighway.com ZB Custom S-10 (#0509) |
Dave Zirbel
Member From: Sebastopol, CA USA
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posted 30 October 2006 08:15 AM
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I did a side by side comparison of a ZB with the silicone on the pickup and one without and there is a noticable difference. The one with did sound quite a bit cleaner. I may try it on my own guitar.DZ |
richard burton
Member From: Britain
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posted 30 October 2006 12:38 PM
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Brendan,
I added helper springs to my ZB
to get a lighter pedal and lever
action on the raises.
I hooked a thin piece of wire
to the changer finger
(see arrow on photo),
and ran the wire down the steel
until it was past all the
mechanical parts , then hooked
some springs onto this wire,
and ran the springs to
a home-made plate at the
end of the steel
(under the keyhead).
It doesn't look very elegant,
but it works
 [This message was edited by richard burton on 30 October 2006 at 12:41 PM.] |
Brendan Mitchell
Member From: Melbourne Australia
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posted 30 October 2006 03:51 PM
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Thanks Richard ,I might try that if I can't do it any other way but I've heard some of these guys talking about how they have their guitars set up to play real easy , I was hoping for some more info along theses lines . |
Duncan Hodge
Member From: DeLand, FL USA
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posted 30 October 2006 04:22 PM
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I think that Joe really does have "the bug". The ZB prophets fortell a blue baby in his future.
Duncan |
Pat Burns
Member From: Branchville, N.J. USA
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posted 31 October 2006 02:19 PM
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It's up to page 31 and I haven't yet signed on to this thread....just don't want to be left out if it gets retired into the history books. |
Joe A. Camacho
Member From: San Diego, CA
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posted 01 November 2006 10:34 AM
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I can't believe that I am going to own Duncan's guitar!
[This message was edited by Joe A. Camacho on 01 November 2006 at 10:37 AM.] |
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