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Topic: Pictures of my new Hybrid ZumSteel |
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 10:00 am |
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Here are some pictures of my new hybrid ZumSteel:
PS: Let me know if you see anything different about this guitar.  |
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Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 10:04 am
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| Other than the Fessy fretboards? |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 10:06 am
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| That's the most obvious thing but if you look at the underbelly, there are separate right knee levers for the two necks. |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 10:50 am
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Xcellent Erv !
do i see 10 knee levers ?
where's the kitty & you ? |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 11:03 am
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Brother CrowBear,
Yes, you are correct!
Give that man a cigar. 
I just gave the kitty some sardines so that's why he's not in the picture.
I'll lube up the Zum with the oil when the cat's through with the sardines. 
Here's a picture from a few years ago. I'm playing an Emmons Legrande II but at least it's BLACK.
You can tell from all the flowers that I'm playing for my funeral!
Last edited by Erv Niehaus on 30 Jan 2008 11:09 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 11:08 am
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Very nice Erv!
I wonder why the choice was made to use 2 knee levers instead of the switchover button used on the Fulawka.
Bent |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 11:11 am
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Bent,
I'll agree that Eddie Fulawka has the best setup but he's the only one using it. I have a similiar setup with the split knee levers on a Rains and a Williams. |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 11:23 am
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Erv,
The two with similar setup..is it a lot like Ed's?
Frankly I wonder why every manufacturer hasn't adopted this idea. It makes the most sense does it not? |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 11:38 am
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No, the other guitars I cited have the separate right knee levers.
Ed is the only builder using the "crossover" knobs.
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 12:05 pm
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| So, Erv, is this a guitar with a hybrid-changer, or are you saying it's a hybrid because it includes parts from another brand, like the Fessy fretboard? Either way, why did you put that fretboard on? I can't imagine Bruce would put it on for you...? |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 12:06 pm
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Smart little innovation by ole Ed..  |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 12:11 pm
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Jim,
Its a "hybrid" beause that is one of the models that Bruce Zumsteg is building. The changer is sort of a combination of a push/pull and an all pull---a hybrid.
I put that fretboard on it because I LIKE IT!!!
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 12:48 pm
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So Erv ...with the twin Right knees...do you fold up the other 2 when your playing a particular neck -- ??
I presume you have the extra knees so as to keep the number of changes per knee down ?? Or does your knee sit back far enough when your playing C6th to miss the other 2 ???
Great looking guitar by the way ! |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 1:01 pm
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Paddy,
You need to pull down the appropriate knee levers for the neck you are playing. I learned this little trick by watching Herby Wallace play.
I talked to Bruce about it and he agreed that with the number of pulls I have for each neck, it would be a good idea to put them on separate levers. They push a lot easier that way.
I never switch necks on one song, anyway. |
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Carl Williams
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 1:30 pm
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Erv,
That's a very fine looking steel and I'll bet you're having a ball breaking it in! How does that new hybrid changer sound? Carl |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 1:35 pm
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Carl,
It is a fine guitar! The hybrid changer sounds great.
I'm having a ball.
I played it at a nursing home last Friday and first part of Feb. I am playing at a birthday celebration for a 90 year old gal who was a close friend of my mom.
BTW: I am using one of your tuning wrenches on it! |
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JERRY THURMOND
From:
sullivan mo u.s.a.
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 1:56 pm
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Very nice guitar Erv, Bruce really knows how to please his customers. He is one of the good guys.
Jerry |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 2:05 pm
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Jerry,
What I also like about Bruce is that you can call him and he answers the phone right away and stays on the horn until you have all your questions answered. |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 2:09 pm
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Erv, give us a little input on exactly how you tune the hybrid. Since I noticed you said you used one of Carl's tuning wrenches.
Nice looking steel, nice looking layout on the undercarriage as well..
PS: If ya get tired of it, send it this way. It might get me out of retirement..
Congratulations,
Don |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 2:15 pm
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The lowers are tuned just like an all pull with the nylon tuners on the end.
On the strings with raises, you engage the pedal or lever with the highest raise and tune that with the tuner key at the head stock. Then you release the pedal and tune the open position with an allen screw located near the top of the changer end plate.
There are some brass "nuts" on the changer end also but they are tuned at the factory and if you mess with those Bruce will send out a hit man to make sure you don't that again! |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 2:32 pm
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Thanks Erv, that sure is a real nice looking setup.
As you've probably noticed, I'm not too much on complimenting. But when I see something that I feel looks good (to me) and, "I'm hard to satisfy." Simply because I look first and foremost for QUALITY and at times, it's hard to come by. The reason I've stuck with my steel for all these years. It simply had the quality that was missing in all of the many others I looked over.
Any problems with it staying in tune? That's the one thing that I've never had to deal with. Tuning was always rock solid stable, and actually still is. But that one really has my interest stirred up..
Thanks Erv. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 2:40 pm
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Don,
The tuning is very SOLID.
It stays in tune great. |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Archie Nicol R.I.P.
From:
Ayrshire, Scotland
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 2:54 pm
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And the total number of steels you now own, Erv, is?
Arch.
_________________
I'm well behaved, so there! |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2008 3:00 pm
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| Who's counting! |
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