My review of the Zumsteels Stage One 3 & 4

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 30 Sep 2015 4:35 am

If someone would have told me I could buy a stage-worthy pedal steel brand new for $1000 I would have snickered under my breath, but friends, that's exactly what I've done.

I wanted a 2nd guitar to leave at my rehearsal space so I wouldn't be dragging my Emmons LG III around constantly, so I bought a Stage One 3 & 4 by Zum for that purpose.
I figured it would be good enough to rehearse on, lightweight and simple, but it is that and so much more.

I've set it up, read the booklet on how to tune the pull-release, threw it on my Strobe rack tuner and got it ready and then started to play.
Seriously, I nearly got the big "E" without taking the little blue pills.

This little guitar is outstanding in both sound and playability and I'm not kidding. It's holding tune perfectly, achieving every raise and lower with strobe perfection,
and whatever that pickup is that's on it is very crisp, clean and clear. Heck, I might throw one of those pickups on my Emmons I'm so impressed !

You new guys that don't want to over-invest on your first steel guitar, or you experienced players that want something lightweight that REALLY works should definitely get you one of these guitars.
It weighed 46 lbs in the case (which is about half the size of a usual PSG case), setup easily and again, plays beautifully.

OK, I just wanted to express my pleasure with the Stage One guitar. Maybe it'll help a newbie or and experienced player that needs an inexpensive but highly functional PSG.

JB in Ohio

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 1 Oct 2015 8:48 am

Yes they are very nice. I have one just like yours and I also have the Zum Encore. One at home and one for the band.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 2 Oct 2015 4:56 am

Its a very nice axe, I owned one for a short while, used it on a few shows,. I totally agree with the positive review but I found that it was just a tad too lite weight for me as it traveled left / right when engaging knee levers.

Well worth the money , perhaps the best NEW Steel in this price range.

Daniel Policarpo · Post by **Daniel Policarpo** » 2 Oct 2015 10:27 am

JB, tuning stability and the sound through that humbucker were things that surprised me, as well. It's my first steel guitar and I thought it sounded really good off the bat, but figured I was just excited to finally have a steel guitar at my fingertips. Now, after 3 years, it sounds awesome. The only thing I've had to do maintenance wise is change strings a few times and spray a little Teflon here and there.

It's easy for me to love this steel, but it's great to hear a seasoned player ring the bell for what Doug and Bruce are doing with these new models.

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 2 Oct 2015 8:50 pm

John Booth, your post is eerily similar to one I posted back in 2007 when I got my StageOne

They are fantastic, and I still gig mine regularly, and have done several recording dates with it over the years.
My original assessment
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... t=stageone

and after it's "trial by fire"
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... t=stageone

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 3 Oct 2015 4:04 am

Dave,
I hear ya Brother. I'm playing a small show tonight with very limited space
and I've decided to take the Stage One instead of my Emmons. I've been picking
this thing all week and it has played and sounded great and kept it's tuning
extremely well. I haven't had a wrench on the nylon tuners since day one when I received it.
Certainly the best value out there for a starter pedal steel, puts the others
in its class to shame.
JB

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 3 Oct 2015 5:02 am

Extremely good guitar.sounds and stays in tune better than anything I ever owned and I have had a lot of the top make of steels out there, very rearly have to tune it..

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 3 Oct 2015 7:45 am

JB, I think the stability of the tuning is very common for a pull/release system, once it's been set up properly?
I don't own a Stage One, but have experienced similar with my Marlen.
Doug is a great guy producing a fantastic product/service.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 3 Oct 2015 8:18 am

I was on the point of getting one when Doug told me that the Stage One works better for the Emmons set-up than my preference ('Day').

But he told me of the new Encore that was at that time in the works and about to become available. I took him at his word and my Encore is #008 - black with 3+5.

On my Summer gig (at Medora, ND) I really need three steels. My #1 guitar (my black LG111) is set up permanently for the Medora Musical and doesn't move for the entire 16 week run. My other D-10 (Tommy White's old Carter) is permanently set up at the Pitchfork Fondue where I'd do a 40-minute set six nights out of seven.

On top of that we'd do several sets downtown but doing these entailed setting up and tearing down after each gig so that's where I'd use the Encore - it lived in the trunk of my car and, along with one of my Roland 80XLs, was ready for action at a moment's notice. Always in tune, always a great tone and really, really lightweight. In fact I relished playing the Zum more than I did the Carter.

Fabulous professional-grade steels! Not a Stage One, I know, but still a testament to Doug Earnest's excellent work.

Steven Albrecht · Post by **Steven Albrecht** » 3 Oct 2015 10:55 am

is there a long waiting period for the new stage ones? could sell my u12 msa but don't want to be without a guitar to learn on

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 3 Oct 2015 12:30 pm

there was just one for sale in the buy n sell for $950.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 4 Oct 2015 12:43 pm

OK, just played the Stage One out at a gig last night. As expected it did a stellar job. Required no tuning or adjustments.
JB

Ben Waligoske · Post by **Ben Waligoske** » 5 Oct 2015 9:27 pm

Had to chime in - I've been playing my Stage One almost daily for the last 2 years - gigs, rehearsals, practice, been stacked in a trailer/van and in the hot and cold on various types of stages. Couldn't be happier with it, and Doug is an absolute class act and has been extremely helpful with me over these years via email communication to boot.

Thanks Doug!

Daniel Policarpo · Post by **Daniel Policarpo** » 6 Oct 2015 6:26 am

Whatever is in that pickup is pretty sweet. I am, or was, a dedicated single coil guy. But that little humbucker pulls a great vintage/classic sound, eating a healthy bit of gain.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 6 Oct 2015 8:41 am

Daniel Policarpo wrote:Whatever is in that pickup is pretty sweet. I am, or was, a dedicated single coil guy. But that little humbucker pulls a great vintage/classic sound, eating a healthy bit of gain.

I agree, I have no idea what it is but man, it sounds crisp and clean

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 6 Oct 2015 9:01 am

Seriously, I nearly got the big "E" without taking the little blue pills.

I'm still trying to figure out what the "Big E" (Buddy Emmons) has to do with little blue pills.

Sorry... Had to take advantage of the set up for a punchline.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 6 Oct 2015 12:10 pm

Richard Sinkler wrote:
Seriously, I nearly got the big "E" without taking the little blue pills.
I'm still trying to figure out what the "Big E" (Buddy Emmons) has to do with little blue pills.

Sorry... Had to take advantage of the set up for a punchline.

Took ya long enuf Sinkler

Steven Albrecht · Post by **Steven Albrecht** » 6 Oct 2015 12:23 pm

will be seriously looking at this, not the little pill

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 6 Oct 2015 2:29 pm

Nah, none of US (admit) needing the little blue pill.
We're STEEL men !

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 6 Oct 2015 2:37 pm

John Booth wrote:
Richard Sinkler wrote:
Seriously, I nearly got the big "E" without taking the little blue pills.
I'm still trying to figure out what the "Big E" (Buddy Emmons) has to do with little blue pills.

Sorry... Had to take advantage of the set up for a punchline.
Took ya long enuf Sinkler

Yeah. I'm a little off my game today.

Steven Albrecht · Post by **Steven Albrecht** » 6 Oct 2015 5:15 pm

however it would help with that 5th raise lever

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 7 Oct 2015 3:38 am

Steven Albrecht wrote:however it would help with that 5th raise lever

I agree fully