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Topic: Question about ZB guitar |
Joe B. Long
From:
Llano Tx USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 12:58 pm |
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I have a chance to pick up an older ZB made by Tom Brumley. It's a s-11 on a double frame. The question is after noodling around on it for a little bit, I just can't seem to get use to the 11th string. Would it hurt the "playability" of the guitar to take it off and play it as a 10 string or just suck it up and get use to having the low E????
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Where do you want it?
Billy Joe Shaver |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 1:15 pm
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I think I'd rather have a low G#, raised by the B pedal and lowered by the same lever that lowers 6 to F#
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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B. Greg Jones
From:
Middleport, Ohio USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 3:42 pm
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Most every 11 string ZB that I have ever seen had the low E on the 11th string with no pull on it. If you took it off, it wont hurt a thing though. I play 11 string ZB's and an 11 string Mullen and love having that low E on there. To make it a G# and raise it to an A would require a new single/doubletree on the B pedal pull to make it work. It can be done but you don't have a lot of room to add it on the E9th neck. Its a tricky job on a ZB.
Greg |
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Joe B. Long
From:
Llano Tx USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2015 12:39 am
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Thanks for the comments, I have never owned or played a ZB until I sat behind this one. It sounds really nice and the wood is just beautiful on this guitar. I think I'm going to go ahead and pull the trigger on it and see if I can't make it work out as a spare/practice/church guitar. BTW, is it very difficult to change the copedant on them? I would like to change it around so the knees match the pulls on my other guitar.
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Where do you want it?
Billy Joe Shaver |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2015 5:12 am
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well Joe, I asked the same question about adjustability on ZB guitars as far as changing copedents around.. It seems it can be done, but is not easy, and original parts are scarce depending on what you need.. You might have an easier time in your case getting it changed because there is more room under there as opposed to a single frame ZB... Thats one of the reasons I never bought a ZB although they are my favorite steel as far as looks and sound go.
From the information I was given you are facing nine miles of bad road if you want to change copedents on a ZB...
Greg Jones or Billy Knowles can give a lot more accurate info than I can, but I do know that ZB steels can be tough to change copedents on..
I made contact with lots of good folks about this same question, and was disappointed by the answers they gave . bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Russ Tkac
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Posted 17 Feb 2015 12:50 pm
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The good news ... once you get it set the way you want it ... you never have to deal with it again. 
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Tommy White
From:
Nashville
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Posted 18 Feb 2015 11:03 pm
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Russ is right.
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Joe B. Long
From:
Llano Tx USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2015 9:57 am
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These guitars were built as a pull release right?....are there any tricks to tuning and setting them up?
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Where do you want it?
Billy Joe Shaver |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 19 Feb 2015 11:27 am
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| Joe B. Long wrote: |
| These guitars were built as a pull release right?....are there any tricks to tuning and setting them up? |
No. ZB's were all pull.
Oh, and they are not impossible to work on if you really understand the system. The turnbuckles on the rods were the most frustrating part for me.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting. |
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