ZB Student Model Info

Matthew Prouty · Post by **Matthew Prouty** » 24 Feb 2009 12:09 pm

I am trying to find some info on the ZB Student models.

Are these worth the effort?

What are they worth?

m.

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 24 Feb 2009 5:46 pm

$700 + shipping (aaarrrrrgggghhhhh!) if ya want mine.

$600 if ya come get it. (Before Thurs or after 3/10)

Blue 3+1 (LKL...LKL???... lowers Es). Just back from Jim Palenscar for sane pedal connector installation. I decided it's not something I need to keep. Haven't played it yet (idiot old pedal connectors held the pedals about 6" off the ground.)

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 24 Feb 2009 6:13 pm

Matthew,

Contact Don Fritsche who now owns the BMI Steel Company in Scranton, AR. He started working with Zane Beck when he was in junior high school years ago.

He now builds the BMI steels and they have a website. Don can answer your questions about ZB too.

I knew Zane Beck and named my boy after him, but never played the ZBs. I only played the BMI steels he and Don built. A lot of greats played them and Zane cut an abum titled the New Student Model ZB Steel. It was an 11 string guitar and his tuning. I would suspect that the ZB student model was made fairly well.

ZBs are getting harder to come by and I would like one myself. I prefer a 11 or 12 stringer though.

Hope this helps!

Terry Wood

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 24 Feb 2009 10:04 pm

I can't speak for all ZB Student guitars, but the one I had suffered terribly from cabinet drop

I think part of the problem was that it had wooden keyheads, and thus the tuners were not mounted solidly enough.

Great tone though

Matthew Prouty · Post by **Matthew Prouty** » 25 Feb 2009 8:09 am

The reason I am asking is that there is a gentlemen here in town that has one and would like to sell it. I am looking for a guitar for the studio and would like a student model.

m.

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 26 Feb 2009 5:26 pm

Matthew, like I said before Zane Beck cut a whole Album on one titled Zane Beck plays the New ZB student model.

I have heard good things about ZBs and though I have never owned one, I would like to acquire one someday. Most I have located are double necks and I want a single 11 or 12.

Borrow it and try it and see if it meets your requirements for sound on recording and if you can be satified with playing it. If it sounds great on recording, I would try and go for it.

Remember Tom Brumley recorded with one of those ZBs, as did a bunch of others.

Terry

Byron Towle · Post by **Byron Towle** » 28 Feb 2009 9:44 am

I own a ZB student model and love it. It sounds great and weighs less than my others. It was originally reworked by Tom Bradshaw and I've had some additional work done by Paul Redmond. The guitar is very stable, dependable and stays in tune.

Russ Little · Post by **Russ Little** » 28 Feb 2009 5:38 pm

Mathew,
I own one i bought in the mid 70s
they are good .
they do need a few mods that are
fairly easy.
I own a bmi 3&5 and a fender 2000
love them all but probably spend
the most time on the zb.
I saw a moded one sell on ebay
several years ago for $1495 which
is way out there. I gave 350 for mine
when it was 6 months old.
let us know how you come out.
Russ

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 28 Feb 2009 8:21 pm

Hey Russ , I would love to know what sort of mods you did to your ZB ?

Russ Little · Post by **Russ Little** » 1 Mar 2009 10:56 am

Brendan,
I have done several mods to mine.
The main one was to the levers.
The were bad about the screws backing
out and falling in your lap.
I drilled them out and built some
capped brass busings for them thus
no movement on the screws.
I also built a teakwood pedal board.
replace pedals and rods with fender
ones which are stronger.
I replaced the legs with stainless
tubing. non adjustable.
I also added a right knee lever.
I know I'll get some flack about
these mod but I don't care about
the value I bought it to play.
Thanks for asking
Russ