The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey ben The student model on the post card was a good playing steel. I know because I designed and built it. The body was hard wood (maple). They changed a lot of things on it after I moved back to Bakersfield, trying to make it less expensive to build. I have a picture of it that we took in my offi...

When I started working for Tom Brumley, I think it was 69 or 70 Tom cut a L P with Rick Nelson called Garden Party. He signed it and gave me a copy. I don't know of any others L P's, but there could be more. I don't know. John<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center&q...

Zane Beck was a very good man. I became very good friends with him while he was teaching me how to make the parts to the steel. He was a quiet easy going man. Didn't speak Ill of poeple. A very kind man, very gentle. When I moved to Phoenix from Bakersfield Zane let me buy his house he had there. To...

Hi Lyle I worked for Mosrite of California untill they went bankrupt In February of 1969. I think it was march the 1st( maybe a day or so one way or the other) that I went to work for Z.B. Guitar Co. Zane taught me himself how to build the complete guitar, we even made the cases for them. Z.B. Guita...

Hope you guys (gals) will forgive me for the spelling, I never did get good grades in english. I don't know whether or not I have the right equipment to do this, But if I can I will put the movies on the air. I talk to and see my kids on the computer, and they see me. So maybe I can put the movies I...

I haven't been on in a while, But to day I was at my daughters house, watching home movies. I had forgotten about the movies I took inside the Z.B. factory in Bakersfield. Tom Brumley was there checking ont the steels. Anyway the whole room was full of new steels. they sure did look good. anyway eve...

thinks Russ You have already posted a pitcher for me it is exactly like the middle steel in your pitcher. Same inlay and color the only differance is my steel has white pickups, but I do have a set of black ones for it, brand-new from 1969 or 70 not shure. the person that emailed me thinks but I wil...

Maybe some one can help me? I'm thinking about selling my steel do you have to go to ebay to do that or can you do it any where. My steel is identical to the one that Russ Tkac is showing earlyer, but mine has white pickups. I do have a lot of extra parts and in my extra parts are two black pickups ...

Web
Maybe the concrete blocks wasn't big enough
John

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Z B D10 1971
Chet Atkins Gretsch 1957 Modle # 6120
Ibanez Ragtime Special Modle # R 400
Mosrite Bass Amp 400 With 15 In. J B L Speakers
Fender Delux Reverb Amp
Fender ??? Early 1950's

Hi Lyle
The glue we used was Contact Cement.When useing it be sure everthing is lined up because,if it is used right, once you apply the fretboard you won't be able to move it.
John

I have a few parts, But fertboards arn't
part of them.We would take stacks of black and white plastic and then silk screen the frets on them. who ever owned the company last might have some left over???

Boy when you get old sometimes you even forget names. ben check your email sorry John.

hi Bud

sorry guys for talking on this page when it could be done on email O K Bud I'll email you shortly John.

Ben I think I might Be able to help you. The only thing is we would have to meet, And maybe go to a park and work on it, Because I have two very large guard dogs, and one of them don't like people. But I have Battery Tools so that would'n really be a problem. When we get through you will sale the s...

I guess I should explain a little bit. I worked for Mosrite Guitar Co for years. When they went bankrupt Al tom's bother who I use to work with at Mosrite found me and told me tom needed someone to build steel guitars. So I went to work for Tom.
John

Hi Mike

Tom bought ZB guitar co from Zane, And Zane agreed to come to Bakersfield and stay untill someone could Build the guitar. Tom was more of the office man, and I ran the shop. When Zane was shure I could build the guitars he went back to Ark.
John

Hi Ray I don't know wether or not I can help you, but that steel had to be put together by Zane himself befor I started working with him.He at that time was taking custom orders only. I did't mean to double click<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This mes...

Hi Ray
I don't know wether or not I can help you, but that steel had to be put together by Zane himself befor I started working with him.He at that time was taking custom orders only.

Ben
maybe in the near future we can meet and I might be able to look at your steel. larry use to do some work on them. Does he still. I haven"t seen Larry In years
John

ben
I don't work on them any more. I could probably fix it, But it has been a lot of years. John

Ben
Larry and I have known each other For years. John

Boy you Guys keep talking about steels I put togather. I hope they steal play good after all these years.
John Rutledge

WE made Reds and Browns the Reds would fade, But you could steel tell they were Red. The undercarriage was sprayed flat black. my steel is identical to the one that Russ Tkac showed. Even the inlay was the same. The only differance is my steel has white pickups.

Dear Ben Elder;
I probably put the decal on that guitar. I started working for ZB Guitar Co in march of 69. We started useing the new decals the last part of 69 or the first part of 70.

Got my computer fixed and im now back online. I'm trying to anwser all of my emails as soon as I can.