Prototype Zum lapsteel 10 string please close

[Dennis Wireman]

Bruce made this one of a kind unique lap steel. only one made. it does have the Zum neck. key head and fret board and body, The changer has a moving levers one for all 10 strings. when you move all 10 of them it changes steel to a different setup. He got the aluminum gun case fits nicely in it,
Another fine item you all missed so I will hang on to it for now.

[Bill McCloskey]

how do the levers work?

[Dennis Wireman]

you just push them all down or pull them all up very easy to do.they move smoothly

[Bill McCloskey]

So it raises and lowers each string a tone? a half tone?

[Dennis Wireman]

a tone

[Bill McCloskey]

Are their legs?

[Dennis Wireman]

no legs it is a lap steel as posted

[David LeBlanc]

Fascinated by the levers. Can you change one lever at a time or all at once?

[Dennis Wireman]

he said all at once. Maybe
Bruce will see this on here and give us more insight about it.

[HowardR]

Interesting guitar......so the levers move all at one time?.....can any of the levers be moved separately?.....or if you engage one lever they all engage?.....

In this (your) photo it appears that the levers can be engaged separately...so I'm a little confused....can you shed some light on this?....thanks

[Dennis Wireman]

they can be moved one at a time, but Bruce stated to move all of them. I am hoping he will see this posted and shed some info on it. Very uniquec and well built by a master indeed

[Bruce Zumsteg]

Zum Lap Steel with Pitch Changer

This is a totally unique Lap Steel that I built several years ago. It has a changer mechanism that allows the pitch of each string to be changed to another note (within a limited range, of course, providing the string gage is proper for both notes). This is accomplished by merely shifting the levers up or down. Originally the guitar was tuned to an E13 with a high G# on the top, and a low E on the bottom. When all the levers are released to the ‘up’ position, the tuning goes to a C6, with a high G on the top and a low C on the bottom. It could be tuned to change from either of those tunings to an A6. Of course you could use the mechanism to merely change the given tuning within itself, such as changing a 6th note to a dominant 7th, or a sixth chord to a diminished. I’m sure there are other possibilities.

When switching the levers from one position to the other, don’t try to change them all at once, but rather one at a time. Also, when releasing the levers from the locked position , raise them up gently rather than letting the changer finger ‘snap’ down hard against the tuning screw.

With the levers locked in the 'down' position, tune the guitar with the tuning keys, to the HIGHEST note desired for that string (for example, to an E 13th tuning: G# E C# B G# E D B G# E). With the levers released to the ‘up’ position, tune the guitar with the allen screws in the end plate to the LOWEST note desired (for example, to a C6 tuning: G E C A G E C A F C).

The guitar is 10 string, 24 ¼” scale, and has a single coil pick-up. The case is all aluminum, foam lined. I bought the case used, so there are a few small scratches on it.

[Dennis Wireman]

here you go folks and thank you much Bruce for your input and advice on this clearing things up for us.

[Dennis Wireman]

nothing happening on this soon going to close and put it back on my music shelf.

[Sonny Jenkins]

Dennis,,,what would be your best price on this shipped to 76012?

Thanks my friend,,,,Sonny

[Dennis Wireman]

well last bump do not mind keeping this it is a very unique one of a kind deal.

[Josh ONeill]

New member here, , going to be looking in from afar.. this looks really intriguing ,
How much to ship over to the UK ?
I would love to hear and see it played .

[Josh ONeill]

consider me interested. what would be the cheapest and quickest service to get it over to the UK ?

[Dennis Wireman]

Close this one up going to keep it for now