ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!

Paul Frank Bloomfield · Post by **Paul Frank Bloomfield** » 11 Jan 2008 5:16 am

Hallo Duncan
Many thanks for your kind comments,these are just the ZB's I've had, not to mention the other makes,
my first steel,a Denley S-8,4 pedal,
a Fuzzy D-10,8+2, a Fender D-10 in a blue sunburst(I
can't remember much about this guitar except it had two cases),a fender S-10,5+2,a Fuzzy S-10,3+1,a Sho-
Bud LDG SD-10,a Sho-Bud Super Pro 111,8+5 and last
but not least,a 14 string Sierra Universal ( which I
loved but my wife hated !!)8+7. You may wonder why
so many,well,I suppose I was looking for the Holy
Grail in Guitars but alas,they did'nt make me play
any better.
All the best
Frank. Corfu

Sean Doherty · Post by **Sean Doherty** » 13 Jan 2008 3:53 am

That ZB on e-bay looks a bit sad and is in need of a loving home and some TLC
It seems quite an early one

Bob Hamilton · Post by **Bob Hamilton** » 13 Jan 2008 7:48 pm

Hi ZBers, Duncan asked me to post some photos of my ZBs a couple of weeks ago, and I'm finally caught up enough to get outside for some pix. Almost looks like an old ZB company flyer......Guitars from the front are;

1) #0008 D-11/10 8&4
2) #0084 D-10 8&4
3) #0108 D-10 9&5
4) #0131 D-10 8&3

Enjoy.. BH

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 14 Jan 2008 10:23 am

Recent (last coupla years?) refin on #0131 (blue turned brown when it was bedeviling me)?

Bob Hamilton · Post by **Bob Hamilton** » 14 Jan 2008 10:35 am

Yeah Ben, three of these guitars were purchased thru the Forum. How was 0131 bedeviling you? Bob

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 14 Jan 2008 3:00 pm

I think like many ZBs here ... Ben owned it.

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 14 Jan 2008 7:24 pm

Long story oft-recounted in the latter thousand of these 1681 posts, but suffice it to say I sold a perfectly wonderful S-10 to get 0131 that was..well, a typical old ZB. One turnbuckle came loose while I was trying to tune the E9th neck, then trying to fix that rod, two more broke and more and more and more--a cascade of failure. I had it set up professionally but the tech didn't have 2" rod extenders I need. Somehow, after own my lift kit installation, things were still glitchy...or glitchy in yet another way. (Whatever delicate balance 0131 had was soon lost and pedal height, feel and travel distance were all out of whack and beyond my pathetically artistic aptitudes to correct. Extenders didn't seem to want to screw on all the way. I couldn't ever get precise pedal height, as rudimentary as that sounds. This happens on virtually steel I try to raise. I'm suspicious of the extenders themselves. Or would the problem be with most of my rods on most of the guitars I've owned? I have a friend who could make long rods and I may put him to work on sets for everything.)

In short, 0131 was not an instrument for a perpetual beginner. I now have a pristine D-10 (0078) that's almost showroom new, shiny, original blue color intact and has the magic born of having traveled with Tammy Wynette and Sonny Curtis.

And IT needs a lot of adjustment.

Bob Hamilton · Post by **Bob Hamilton** » 14 Jan 2008 8:38 pm

Wow Ben, that's a great story. Sorry to hear ol 131 treated you so badly. After Dave Zirbel had it refinished, I wound up with it in trade for some work on his other steels. It was a real basket case, and I still haven't finished a couple of the pulls, because I stole parts to finish Dave's guitars, but it plays great now. I had to modify the roller nut, as I have on all of the ZBs above, to make the returns more precise, and I tweaked the pedal pull ratios to soften the required pedal effort a little bit, but it's the nut modification that really helps the most. It's ready to roll now. Once these ZBs are straightened out, they really are solid guitars. Next time you're heading up Highway 101, bring 0078 along and we'll get that guitar tuned up. You can pick her up on the way back to LA. Thanks for the response, BH

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 15 Jan 2008 7:25 pm

Hey Bob, absolutely amazing collection of fantastically beautiful ZB's. I see that #0008 is one number away from the ZB of HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED. I used to think that I had "more ZBs than any rational man should claim", or something like that. What folly!. I now see clearly who is the real ZB enthusiast. I stand in awe of you and your ZB Harem and shout out a hearty I AM NOT WORTHY in you general direction while cowtowing until my forehead bleeds and my heart begins to feel like an alligator.
In all seriousness, though, please wrap up the third ZB (#108) and send it to DeLand, FL. Just send it to the DeLand Police. For some reason they always know where I am. I think that #108 with nine pedals would be just the right solution to this bad craziness that has been affecting us all, causing a horrible case of terminal bloodlust and jangled nerves during this interminable and seemingly endless campaign. Is the election really 11 months away. It's going to take a lot of alcohol, mood altering substances and ZBs to fortify us during the dark and menacing times ahead until we yet again sell out the coutry for a few empty promises and the lie that anyone even nominally interested in attaining public office has any interest in CHANGE. The liars, thieves and other cheap crooks need to be brought to a swift and final judgement. "The horror, the horror, exterminate the brutes"
By the way, Bob, I really like your ZB's. They are really impressive and you should feel good about them. Thanks for sharing their digitally displayed images.
Duncan

Carl Heatley · Post by **Carl Heatley** » 17 Jan 2008 5:46 pm

Bill Hatcher wrote:Here is one that just came up on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/pedal-steel-guitar_ ... dZViewItem

And the lucky winner is ....ME
Got it for $580.00 ink shipping.
Does anyone know the date of this guitar #0011
Any info will be much appreciated.
Thanks Carl.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 17 Jan 2008 6:36 pm

Sounds like a 1969 guitar. Thats a good buy. New fret boards, a decal, and a tuneup, and your ready to go. Worth putting some money into at that price.

Carl Heatley · Post by **Carl Heatley** » 17 Jan 2008 7:06 pm

I havent recived the guitar yet,but it comes with
the original fretboards and most of the parts for the C6 neck.
I'm looking forward to this project....never had a ZB
before.

Carl Heatley · Post by **Carl Heatley** » 21 Jan 2008 9:32 am

B. Greg Jones wrote:Bill, Zane built 170 guitars from Dec. 1964 to Dec. 1968. Tom Brumley took over and moved it to Bakersfield in 1969. You have a Zane built, Scranton guitar for sure. Ser # 1169 was invoiced on Dec. 27th, 1968 to Dearborn music. There are only 2 more guitars that Zane built after that before the company was sold and moved to Bakersfield.

I have the decals you need too.

Greg

So my ZB with a serial # 0011 would have been built around 1965/1966 ?????
Carl.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 21 Jan 2008 11:20 am

No. The serial numbers of the Zane guitar started with the numeral 1. Such as 1001, 1002, etc. When the company changed hands in 69 they started with 0001, 0002, etc. You have an early 69. Still using Zane parts. Greg help me out here.

Paul Frank Bloomfield · Post by **Paul Frank Bloomfield** » 21 Jan 2008 12:25 pm

Would'nt it be nice,not to say extremely useful,
for Kevin Hatton,Greg Jones and Larry Chung to
put their heads together and
produce a wonderfully illustrated ZB manual to
sell to us proud owners to help us out the s--t
when we most need it. A technical book of this
magnitude would, I'm sure, be most welcome so how
about guys ??
Frank. Corfu

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 21 Jan 2008 2:15 pm

Put me on the list for that manual.

Carl Heatley · Post by **Carl Heatley** » 21 Jan 2008 2:35 pm

Hey Kev,Thanks for the info.
Carl.

Sean Doherty · Post by **Sean Doherty** » 21 Jan 2008 3:45 pm

Yes I would like a copy of that manual too

Sean

Steve Hamill · Post by **Steve Hamill** » 21 Jan 2008 8:49 pm

heres my sweet 12

Andrew Buhler · Post by **Andrew Buhler** » 22 Jan 2008 12:50 pm

Steve--I remember that 12 stringer as that guitar was sold out of Atomic Music here in Maryland. Some of the prettiest flame I've ever seen on a guitar. Any shots of the underbelly?

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 22 Jan 2008 2:53 pm

Now that's what I'm talking about Steve. What a beauty. I've sort of been folowing the saga of that beautiful ZB you have ever since Chuck bought it from Atomic Music, back in...I believe...2004. From what I hear, rerodding that U-ZB was the ZB mechanic's equivalent of giving birth (Great job Greg) You know Steve, your 12 string ZB would be a great playmate for my Fulawka 12 string in case you were ever...you know, getting tired of it.
Hey Andrew! How are things around the beltway?
Duncan

tom anderson · Post by **tom anderson** » 23 Jan 2008 12:32 pm

I tried to buy that u-12 a couple of times from Chuck, but it never worked out. Glad someone is playing it. But!! the black SD-11 I got in December may be the-no-is the best steel I have ever owned. I am hooked & don't miss what I never had. (But if you ever want to sell it....

)

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 25 Jan 2008 11:39 am

In the early 70's I had a single 12 with 6 pedals and two knee levers. Great mechanism but the way the pedals actuated it was somewhat angular !!
Baz

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 25 Jan 2008 11:41 am

Don't tell anybody, I'm supposed to be an "Emmons" man !
(Where oh where have I heard similar to that remark)

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 25 Jan 2008 11:42 am

It was when I played with Pats Powell at the Weaver's Arms in Coventry 1973 ish.
I wonder just where that guitar is now. I'd love to find it ..

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