The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi Jim,
yeah, all the time. My acoustic is generally tuned D-A-D-F#-b-e, though there are a couple tunes running C-A-C-G-b-e. Also came from a bottle-neck background- with high action there's plenty opportunity to fret behind the slide.

Matt

Been playing steel and guitar through a MusicMan 2-10 for a long time and generally love it. For recording, I will sometimes output to a 1-15 cab, closed back. Different animal, enough that it changes how I play.

Very interested in the outcome over here as well. Was eyeing a similar model for my ZB.

Matt

I haven't dealt with them yet, but researching springs for my ZB, this place seemed good:

https://www.mwcomponents.com/locations/century-spring

almost a dizzying array of options!

Hi All, I'll be playing a largely solo steel show next Monday at one of my favorite venues, being joined at the tail of the set by Karla Schickele, who I've been playing and singing with forever. I'll be followed by a solo set by Zeke Heally, who I first saw busking in the subway and who remains one...

I took a lesson from Bob Hofnar to get out of a rut, and he gave me a CD of drones- both single notes and chords. 15 years later I still use it regularly- for me its useful for both intonation training and harmonizing.

wow, thanks everybody! Paul, I'm gonna give your fix a shot in the short term.

Thanks, Donny, good to hear.

I was wondering if anyone had experience with them and their products. I've got an early Musicman Sixty-five 210 that needs a new power transformer, and they make a direct drop in replacement. Expensive, but cheaper than getting the original rebuilt (it still works, but has its own physical hum that...

(Re: ZB symbols) OMG! I knew those looked familiar from somewhere...

I've been playing a MM 210 65 for years, and I love it. It's got the phase inverter tube, and I've gotten different sounds by swapping it with others of the same type (12at7, etc). Lower gain tube in that spot can give you more headroom. Careful, though: if that tube fails it can take out the output...

Hi Bruce- I picked up the syringe at a drug store, it was one intended for oral medicine dosage for kids. And yes, flush with Napatha through any available hole in the housing. Same for repack. Super messy!

Looks like you're on the right track, rodding wise. For the tuners, I had good results soaking them in napatha overnight, and then flushing them out with a syringe. After drying, I used that same syringe to re-pack the housings with petroleum jelly. Not a 100% fix, but pretty good for 55 year old Kl...

maybe slightly off-topic, but I wanted to ask:
Does anyone have an idea what the ZB position markers mean? I've looked at all the others and largely get the logic of them, but the symbols for my ZB are mystifying. Is it a military ranking thing?

Thanks Eric- yeah that's pretty much what I ended up with too.

I'm adding a RKL to my ZB D10, and while I've got a pretty good idea about where to place it, I wanted to check if there was any common wisdom out there to consider- I'd love to not screw it up and have to re-drill. It'll probably play on both necks. Right now, my LKL lowers E's, and the RKR lowers ...

When there were gigs, I played a ZB of about the same vintage that Brumley plays in that Buck Owens clip. When gigs come back I'll play it again.
It's heavy, beat up, needs constant attention, and I love it to death.

Hi Scott- Joining the chorus here- I'd be interested in a triple tap one to go into my 70's Fender/Bud. Great instrument mechanically, but I've been spoiled by the sound and response of my ZB. Also: Going to be doing a teardown/cleaning of the C6 changer on my ZB soon. Its very early (#1008), so let...

Thanks Bobby, great tip. I'm gonna play around with some magnets to hold things in place for the process.

Thanks Eric!
I've said this before, but watching your work on ZBs has taught me a lot about how to deal with my own. I'm very grateful for all the documentation you've posted to the forum.

I've got a new knee lever on the way, and want to finally fully populate the C6 copedant, so I'm gonna need several of these. It's a very early ZB; these do what the spoke-end at the changer does on the later design. It looks like its just 1/8" rods stacked. Would I be able to braze something l...

Hi all,
Was just about to post an related question, but I think it works here: does anyone have a recommendation for serviceable pots? All the VP pots seem to be sealed pretty well, and I'd like the option of being able to spray some De-Oxit in there if I run into trouble.

Matt

Hi Duane-

I'm interested if this is still available. I'm wondering how tall it is at the pivot point. thanks,

Matt

thanks for posting this- I'm getting ready to re-rod my C6 neck and your work is inspiring. A question about those standoffs instead of turnbuckles: Did all the early builds have those? Mine is #1008 and had the standoffs when I got it. It was a mess, and I figured that someone had re-rodded it badl...

Thanks Kevin. That what I was thinking, too. Little piece of history, with a lot of music to offer. I've got a line on a local shop that should be able to fabricate some of those changer hooks ( there's a bunch of C6 pulls missing), and think I've found some hex material I can tap for turnbuckles. L...