1000 ZumSteel Guitars - A Good Start !

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 13 Feb 2018 3:07 pm

Today I finished my orders list from when I quit accepting orders last year.

It also turned out to be the 1000th guitar that I have built on my own here in Branson, along with several hundred volume pedals.

It has been quite an interesting and mostly rewarding journey to this point. I have corresponded with people literally all over the world and made several good new friends from all walks of life.

I would like to publicly thank the people who have helped me around the workshop over the years. In order of appearance, they are Tyler Hall, Russ Wever, Eddie Lane, Boo Miller, Jeff Burkhart, Zach Landry, Chuck Landry (RIP dear friend), Regina Landry, Jimmy Jones, Dean Holman, Mark Abbott, Kayla Cox, Johnny Cox and my cousin-in-law Jamie whose last name I can not spell. My dear wife Cheri has even been known to step down to the shop and give a hand cutting full sheets of laminate into manageable sizes.

Eddie Lane deserves extra special thanks and honorable mention as I never would have been able to get to this point without his great help and friendship. If I had another helper like Eddie I could be rich!

Bruce Zumsteg has provided continual support in the form of his fine product designs, the occasional use of his workshop, sourcing, moral support and just being a good example in general. I hope I have made him proud.

Thank you to each and every customer I have had, some of whom are quite well known. I will thank Mike Doucette for his early support of the Stage One model, the great sound clips he recorded for the website and for his support during the time of my dear mothers' illness and passing.

A good number of people have taken delivery of guitars here at the shop. I always enjoy meeting people and helping them to get started playing one of these silly things. I don't know much and don't play very well but it does make me feel good to share a bit of what knowledge I do have.

So what's next???? First thing is a bit of time off......I just had a vacation ten years ago but I'm ready for another one. Maybe a whole week. Next is a darn good cleaning and reorganizing of the workshop. I do have a few more guitars to get out to be completely caught up. After that it's time to try to get some guitars built ahead and rebuild my crude little website that has served so well. I hope to be able to catch a big fat trout in the midst of this process!!

With any luck I'll start taking orders again in just a few weeks, it will be on the website so stay tuned. Bruce Z and I will be at the Dallas show, please stop by and say hello. There might even be some guitars and volume pedals for sale.

Best wishes,
Doug

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 13 Feb 2018 3:14 pm

Congrats Doug, thatâ€™s one heckuva milestone!

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 13 Feb 2018 3:15 pm

Well done Doug, enjoy your break :-} and I look forward to meeting you in Dallas

Jeff Triplett · Post by **Jeff Triplett** » 13 Feb 2018 3:23 pm

Congratulations Doug, quite an accomplishment and you definitely deserve some time off. Thanks for building such a fine instrument.

Danny Letz · Post by **Danny Letz** » 13 Feb 2018 4:04 pm

Congrats Doug. You and your guitars have an excellent reputation. One of these days I'm gonna sell one of my four Bruce Zumsteels and I may have to have an Encore. Had a Stage One, trying to get my Grandkids interested, none of them caught the bug and the knees were backward for me or I would have kept it.

Baron Collins-Hill · Post by **Baron Collins-Hill** » 13 Feb 2018 5:38 pm

Congratulations! I'm looking forward (and hoping) to be near the top of the list when things finally open back up, but take your time, you deserve a good break!

Thanks,
Baron

Ken Boi · Post by **Ken Boi** » 13 Feb 2018 6:42 pm

As an owner of one of those 1000, I must say â€˜Well done, Doug!â€. Take that well deserved break and relax. Congrats.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 13 Feb 2018 7:12 pm

That's a great accomplishment! I can only think of 9 or 10 pedal steel companies that have surpassed building 1,000 units.

Ben Waligoske · Post by **Ben Waligoske** » 13 Feb 2018 7:25 pm

Cheers to you Doug. It's a pleasure owning an Encore and you're a heck of a human and businessman. Keep fighting the good fight, and catch a trout (or several) while you're at it!

Dan Robinson · Post by **Dan Robinson** » 13 Feb 2018 8:01 pm

Doug, that is outstanding!

Greg Thompson · Post by **Greg Thompson** » 13 Feb 2018 8:10 pm

Who said they don't make Zum's anymore???
Take care and catch a 'big' one'

Jim Fogarty · Post by **Jim Fogarty** » 13 Feb 2018 8:19 pm

Congrats, Doug. I still love and cherish my Stage One. Even though I bought it second-hand, you've treated me like a valued customer, and that makes me a fan for life.

PS.....if you ever decide to build a "Stage TWO" D-10, I'll put down my deposit immediately!

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 14 Feb 2018 1:45 am

Congratulations!

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 14 Feb 2018 2:32 am

Huge accomplishment, congratulations !

Fred Justice · Post by **Fred Justice** » 14 Feb 2018 3:40 am

Congratulations Doug, I love a good success story.

Douglas Schuch · Post by **Douglas Schuch** » 14 Feb 2018 5:30 am

Congratulations, Doug! Great instruments! I am constantly telling beginners looking to buy their first instrument to try to find one of yours used if they can't wait until you are taking orders again. Glad to hear I can now tell them to just order a new one!

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 14 Feb 2018 5:34 am

Congratulations Doug. To those who may not have dealt with Doug yet, plan to do so in the future! The steel guitar community has a great many good guys to buy from and I would place Doug among the best! Take a break my friend, you deserve it.

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 14 Feb 2018 5:53 am

I got mine 6 years ago last week, and the "new" still has not worn off. A good product made by a good craftsman and a good person. Congrats on the milestone Doug! Enjoy your week off, then go build another 1,000!

Ross Shafer · Post by **Ross Shafer** » 14 Feb 2018 6:15 am

Congrats Doug! Enjoy that vacation!

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 14 Feb 2018 7:35 am

Well done, and thank you for producing a fine affordable instrument. Also, nice to see a successful business person acknowledge their hired help!

Tucker Jackson · Post by **Tucker Jackson** » 14 Feb 2018 10:18 am

Doug, you are a treasure to the steel guitar community. I've sat behind several guitars you've built, all excellent. You are seriously fulfilling a need -- quality instruments, but at a price that won't scare off a newbie or someone wanting a lightweight S-10 guitar that won't break their back.

They can do the job of guitars costing nearly twice as much. Tone and action are pro all the way.

James Skellie · Post by **James Skellie** » 14 Feb 2018 4:32 pm

Congratulations Doug,
I still remember checking my email everyday and hoping there would be one that said your's is ready to ship.
I can't thank you enough for all the time and work you take to make these for the community!

Pete Bailey · Post by **Pete Bailey** » 15 Feb 2018 12:33 pm

Cheers on 1000 happy customers Doug!

I haven't heard of a single person who was not well pleased with their purchase of your instrument. That's something to be proud of.

I've logged well over 1000 hours on my Stage One just in the last year alone, and I'm looking forward to placing an order with you for a new Encore - but go & catch them fishies first!

Bruce Bjork · Post by **Bruce Bjork** » 15 Feb 2018 12:53 pm

Congratulations Doug, I'm not a ZumSteel owner but you Stage One volume pedal rules. Good luck catching that trout.
Bruce

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 16 Feb 2018 2:43 am

Congratulations Doug! My Encore has become my main gigging pedal steel in the last year. It sounds and plays great! Keep up the good work, you are doing an excellent job. I hope you catch a big ol' Brown or Cutthroat Trout during your time off.