ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!

Duane Keiper · Post by **Duane Keiper** » 25 Apr 2013 7:04 am

I just purchased this beautiful ZB D-11 #0667 from Gary Hood. Gary has had this guitar for over 35yrs. Gary loves this guitar and it shows in the care that he has given this guitar. This guitar was custom made for Gary by Tom Bromley in Phoenix. It's made just the way Gary wanted it.Gary had this guitar put together a little different from most. The C6 neck is in the front and the E9 neck is in the rear. The pedals are reversed. C pedal is to the far right and the volume pedal to the far left. It is a right hand pedal steel with a twist. I thought this would be great for the problem I've had with alot of A&B pedals being to far away for my short legs. Now the A&B pedals are right in front of me.
This is my first 11 string guitar. I have no idea how to use the hex keys to adjust the knees and pedals. I've only used the nylon tuners in the past. Not sure of the order of the E9 strings, which string is the 11th string. I think all the strings are in the same standard E9 order except with the extra string being the last high string but I could be wrong. I wont be using the C6 neck. I love the looks of this guitar and I want to learn to play it just the way it is, I like it being different. I set the tone on the strings the way I thought they should be and then tried to play it and Holy Cow I was lost. I have my work cut out for me but I am going to give my best shot. Any help on string order or tuning the pedals and knees would be appreciated. Thanks,Duane

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 25 Apr 2013 8:01 am

Duane, that's a beautiful ZB.
I have an E9 11 string ZB also (#0241), and the extra string is a big fat low E. All the other strings are the same as usual E9.
Tuning the hex tuners is the opposite of using nylon tuners. When you turn them clockwise (tightening) you are shortening the distance that the changer moves. So for instance, to tune sharper on a raise, you loosen the upper tuner. I hope that helps.
I find ZB's fascinating - and this thread is an amazing resource.
Enjoy

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 25 Apr 2013 8:11 am

That is an unusual ZB. Don't see why it wouldn't work that way. It basically tunes just like a modern all pull guitar with nylon tuners except you use a hex head allen wrench. ZB's are very fasinating, they look like they were built with a hand saw, file and chisel but sound like a million bucks. Check out mine one page back. Did away with all the cross bar stuff. I still have it and play it a lot.

Duane Keiper · Post by **Duane Keiper** » 29 Apr 2013 4:34 am

Thanks Eric and Henry, you men are a lot of help. I'm catching on but it's going to take time. Boy this thread moves really fast. Already at the bottom of the page. Thanks, Duane

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 9 Jun 2013 1:27 pm

ZB #0953 S10 3 x 2 just surfaced here in my county, belonging to Gary Potterton, tele slinger for the California Cowboys. He is a first rate musician and a real gentleman, done 100's of gigs with Bobby Black on steel. His first gig when he moved to the north bay from Modesto CA was a steel session with Kate Wolf. Here's a picture. Looks like it was green, possibly blue but fading. The pulls were out of adjustment so I'm helping him with balancing and dialing it in. Nice guitar!

Henry Nagle · Post by **Henry Nagle** » 9 Jun 2013 11:38 pm

Sweet!

Chuck McGill · Post by **Chuck McGill** » 10 Jun 2013 2:54 pm

Dave I have a s11 almost the same color. It was blue but faded to a natural

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 10 Jun 2013 8:03 pm

Did Zane and Tom ever make green ZBs?

Chuck McGill · Post by **Chuck McGill** » 10 Jun 2013 9:00 pm

The scranton D 11 I had was originally green that kept coming back to the surface.
I wanted it teal but no way.

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 23 Jun 2013 11:56 pm

I have a few left over bits here but it needs a body and some legs,end plates and a pedal board.... apart from that, its a great guitar

B. Greg Jones · Post by **B. Greg Jones** » 24 Jun 2013 12:07 am

John, shoot me an email. I would be interested!!!

Greg

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 24 Jun 2013 9:59 am

What's everyone play their ZBs through? I've been using a '70 Twin with a JBL K130, a ShoBud Christmas Tree and a '68 Deluxe Reverb when I can get away with it.

Jim Hollingsworth · Post by **Jim Hollingsworth** » 24 Jun 2013 7:36 pm

Hi Joe,
I have a Sho Bud vs. ZB question. Please drop me aline when you have time.

Thanks!
Jim

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 27 Jun 2013 7:33 am

ZB parts now sold>>>>>>

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 1 Aug 2013 2:11 pm

I need to replace one tuner of the plain strings of my C6 neck, how do I remove the keyhead of my '69, I only see the one screw.

thanks,
Joe

B. Greg Jones · Post by **B. Greg Jones** » 1 Aug 2013 8:42 pm

Joe, you need to remove the strings and then the nut roller. The 2nd screw is underneath that.

Greg

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 1 Aug 2013 8:46 pm

Thanks Greg.

Matt Sutton · Post by **Matt Sutton** » 18 Aug 2013 1:44 pm

Hi all,

Picked this up about a month ago, purchased from forum member John Knickerbocker. He'd done some sleuthing on its origins, which he kindly passed on to me: originally sold to Gene Crossland in the mid-sixties, it seems to be the last one built before Tom Brumley's #1009. It's definitely seen some hard times in the intervening years, but playing it I was immediately sold. Its my first D10, and I'm nuts for the C6 neck.

I'll be combing this thread for tips on its care and feeding. I'm not too concerned with cosmetics, mostly I'll concentrate on understanding the design intent of the undercarriage so I can do the necessary work to get it up to speed. First projects will be switching from Day to Emmons set up, and adding/replacing pull rods that seem to be missing from the C6 side.

Josh Rossow · Post by **Josh Rossow** » 19 Aug 2013 6:28 pm

Hey Matt, nice one you got there. To me these old ZB's are like the 59' Les Paul of the steel guitar world, at least in my head

Keep us posted on how you do with the project.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 20 Aug 2013 3:32 pm

Very nice Matt!

Get the underside set up like Greg Jones did on my 69 ZB ... smooth!

Topside's not bad either. Just cleaned and polished by Greg so I assume it had not been played much.

John Sassano · Post by **John Sassano** » 20 Aug 2013 4:57 pm

I am the new owner of member Todd Brown's d10
#1056 awaiting delivery from Greg Jones who spruced up the c6 into
Playing condition and added LKV B to Bb for me. I'm excited to join the ZB crew!
John

Chuck McGill · Post by **Chuck McGill** » 21 Aug 2013 6:36 am

Russ this guitar is getting prettier. John welcome.

Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 21 Aug 2013 7:12 am

Hey Duane..................just "FANTASTICO" it'll be around a long time.......I can tell.......soooo

All Z.B.est.

Bob Mainwaring.
Vancouver Island.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 21 Aug 2013 8:22 am

So true Chuck ... and it sounds pretty darn good too. :

Check out this video from 1969 of POCO live. Looks like Rusty Young is playing old #1056.

http://youtu.be/LqmJESFg7tA

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 21 Aug 2013 2:25 pm

Big red in the sun today.

In the shade a bit mellower.

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ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!

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