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Topic: ZB on EBay--questionable? |
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 4:30 am |
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Is this the ZB equivalent of a Red Baron?
Wouldn't want to go there again. http://cgi.ebay.com/...
It's in the budget, about half the price of my late RB; the undercarriage seems about as well 'thought'-out; more aluminum on the cabinet surround, so maybe not as much cabinet drop (you measure that in Hz on the Red Baron).
Anyone familiar with it?[This message was edited by b0b on 13 July 2005 at 02:49 PM.] |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 4:54 am
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Charlie.. Unusual looking undercarriage... Looks like its all there.
A student model with adjustable legs is a rare bird.
Also, this ZB seems to be a wood body set in an external aluminum frame . I would bet cabinet drop is NOT a problem with this steel.
You don't see too many ZB student guitars. If you can buy it right, I'd go for it. I kind of like it! bob |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 5:59 am
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| I wish it weren't 'Red Baron' red. The exterior channel should help. At least it has a brand name. |
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Dave Van Allen
From:
Souderton, PA , US , Earth
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 7:39 am
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I hope Larry Chung sees this thread... he has a ZB student model and I believe he's said it to be tuning stable and sounds like a ZB should. It may be limited in the changer somehow hence the student model qualification.
IMO WAAAY better than a plastic red baron, even if the color is similar. 
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 8:57 am
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Zane Beck had an album out called "Zane Beck plays the ZB Student Model guitar" which was pretty good. If this is one of his student guitars it's a good 'un...JH in Va.
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It's all on 12, who needs 20!
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Jody Cameron
From:
Angleton, TX,, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 9:24 am
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| I have a friend who has one that is quite worn, and he still plays it all the time. I played it for a while and adjusted some things for him just for fun and it was a good little steel. He carries it in the trunk of his car fully set-up, and it's really been down the road, but it still works. |
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Brendan Mitchell
From:
Melbourne Australia
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 12:38 pm
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If I lived in the States I would snap that up.
Brendan |
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Russ Little
From:
Hosston,Louisiana, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 12:40 pm
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Charlie,
I have one Ive been playing sence thee 70s
They have a few minor problems that are easy
to fix.
Mine is stable and solid
I have the blue model . I modified
it some but nothing major.
Russ
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Zb custom s10
pedalmaster d10
Fender 2000 D10
Gibson melody maker
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Larry Chung
From:
San Francisco, CA, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 3:56 pm
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Hey Charlie (and Dave, too):
Yup, I sure did see this post on the Forum. Heck, anything with the LETTERS "Z" and "B" seem to get a rise out of me these days... (:
I used to own a student model - which now belongs to a fellow steeler in the East Bay - and I really liked it. I just saw it again as the fellow brought it in for an adjustment. 5 minutes later it was playing well again.
The outside of these guitars is a metal skirt, solid, but heavy. The bodies, I understand, were thick particle or compressed wood board, covered in a colored thick plastic coating - I've seen black, red, and blue. The best thing about mine was that is sounded pretty close to my pro-model ZBs in the middle pickup position. Please note, the student model guitars had no coil-splitting pickup, just one setting - sounded very nice, though!
The changer and hardware are all just like the pro-models, only thing is that, with 3+1, you have to either do some drilling in the metal skirt or in the body to get extra levers.
And yes, they are better than ANY of the other 3+1 student guitars that I've ever seen (MSA, ShoBud). I used mine at outdoor festivals where it was OK for the plastic to get wet or damp. No problems.
They come up for sale every so often, and the one for sale on Ebay looks like it's had the metal skirt stripped and polished - most I've seen had a darker metal color, not so shiny.
Does anyone know how many of these little gems were actually produced and when in the company's history???
All ZBest,
Larry
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Larry Chung
'67 ZB D-10 8+4 (ser. #1077)
'69 ZB S-10 3+4 (ser. #0124)
'70 ZB D-10 8+4 (ser.# 0215)
'71 ZB Custom S-11 4+4 (ser. #0252)
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 4:20 pm
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Larry:
This is off-topic, but as you're from the bay-area, I'll ask:
Does anyone know if Greg Lasser [excellent steel player and ZB guru] is still around? If so, how can I get in touch w/ him?[This message was edited by Tony Glassman on 13 July 2005 at 05:21 PM.] |
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Les Pierce
From:
Shreveport, LA
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 6:22 pm
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I bought one of these new, in about 1974. Unfortunately, mine was pile of junk. Very hard to play. The holes in the legs for the pedal board had been drilled crooked, and I think one of the welds that attatched the leg socket to the body, was cracked.
That seems to have the exception, and not the rule. I have heard them in the hands of a pro, since then, and they sound fantastic. Very nice.
Mine had a solid brushed aluminum frame, with a wooden insert comprising the body and neck. It had Kluson tuners, and the wooden part had a plastic cover, like the red one in the picture, (except it was blue). When you pulled the keys, etc, off, the plastic piece just lifted up, and could be removed. I wouldn't recommend it, though, as it looked like a plain pine board underneath.
It had 3 pedals, and one knee, (RKL?). I paid around $500 for it and the case, from Will Bledsoe, of Village Music, in Salem, OR. I still have the ZB flyer around somewhere, with the prices and descriptions available at that time.
I wonder what the final price will be?
Les
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Larry Chung
From:
San Francisco, CA, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2005 10:40 pm
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Hey Tony:
Off-topic reply - I've always wondered about Greg Lasser. Many have asked and I've only heard about him secondhand. Same stuff - great player, great ZB guru. I hear that he moved out of the Bay Area. Greg, are you out there (here)?
LC
[This message was edited by Larry Chung on 13 July 2005 at 11:41 PM.] |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 14 Jul 2005 12:27 am
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My first steel was a red one of these back in the '70s. In my opinion they're much better than any other student model (even the current ones), not least because of the weight and stability of the guitar.
As someone else has said, the changer was essentially the same as on the 'pro' models, as were the adjustable legs. My ZB Student was a great starter guitar, even though I traded up to an S10 pretty quickly as I couldn't wait to get one of those beautiful 'bird's eye' ZB cabinets!
RR |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 16 Jul 2005 12:46 pm
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The auction didn't go my way. I'll keep looking at ZB's, that for sure.
Thanks for all the assistance.
Charlie |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 16 Jul 2005 5:02 pm
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| Charlie.. better luck next time buddy!! You'll find what you want before too long... bob |
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