ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 1 Apr 2004 8:34 am

Well guys, I just sent off payment to a gentleman in Texas for an incredibly beautiful ZB Custom SD-10 4x6 that has been totally refurbished by Billy Knowles. Thanks for all your help and advice, and just putting up with me throughout this search.

Duncan

Larry Chung · Post by **Larry Chung** » 1 Apr 2004 9:41 am

Duncan:

Ya beat me to the post! Congratulations and welcome to the ZB family.

FYI - I'll be attending the San Jose steel jam and bringing my S-11 4+4. You're all welcome to have a look and try it out, too.

ZBest,
larry

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 1 Apr 2004 11:35 am

Duncan

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 1 Apr 2004 1:11 pm

Congratulations Duncan. Welcome to the club.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 1 Apr 2004 6:06 pm

Duncan part of the initiation rite is to either be publicly hazed and humiliated and have a giant Z and B tatooed on each cheek, or to post some nice pictures of your new D-10 for us to oogle. Your choice.

Brad Sarno

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 1 Apr 2004 6:22 pm

You know I enjoy this. I fellow steeler in our area came out to see me about eight months ago. He was blown away by the ZB through the Webb. When I turned the guitar over and showed him the bottom his first reaction like mine was that it was impossible that the guitar could play accurately given the Rube Goldberg looking mechanics. Well four months later I found him a ZB D-10. He just called me last night thanking me up and down for turning him on to a ZB, a guitar that up until the time he saw me playing, he had never seen or heard. Other players I know have called me and asked me "are sure you know what you're doing selling off your other guitars?". To tell you the truth I wasn't even sure, but I am now. These guitars look and sound soooo cool.
Duncan, Greg Jones and Billy Knowles are our resident ZB experts here. They are both great sources of information and are nice people. There are also others who work on them around the country. Gentlemen, start your ZB's![This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 01 April 2004 at 06:24 PM.]

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 1 Apr 2004 6:48 pm

Thanks to everyone. I'm wondering if Mark Twain was right when he said "I would not like to belong to any organization that would have me as a member", or something like that. I guess I'm about to find out.

Brad, I'm hoping to have a really great imprint on my forehead from passing out at the ZB after playing it until I drop. A least I'll have ten really cool grooves, along with a cowhide imprint pad imprint all over my face. I can't figure out how to post pictures, but I'll keep trying. I'll send you a couple Brad. I already sent some to Larry. All of this good cheer depends on the gentleman from Texas actually sending the guitar after receiving my payment.

Y'all have a great evening and I'll try and get one of me playing it on the beach.

Duncan
[This message was edited by Duncan Hodge on 01 April 2004 at 06:50 PM.]

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 1 Apr 2004 7:42 pm

"to...be publicly hazed and humiliated and have a giant Z and B tatooed on each cheek."

Happens just from trying to set up a ZB; no human intervention required. (Wish it was only the four cheeks...)

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 1 Apr 2004 8:02 pm

Well Duncan, it is about*&^*& time! Send me some pics. Remember you're not really a man until you've knocked off a couple of those spokes off the changer and put them back on, flat on your back at 2 in the morning,

and watched both those allen screws finally hit the metal at the same time!! Congratulations! Jim Peters[This message was edited by Jim Peters on 01 April 2004 at 08:03 PM.]

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 2 Apr 2004 3:55 am

Hey Jim,
I sent you some pics. It looks somewhat like your D-10. I'm also still working on making you a sample of my exquisite playing. I can safely say that my playing successfully combines all the refined technique of Jerry Garcia with the tone of the roadrunner.
Duncan

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 2 Apr 2004 5:23 am

Wow Duncan! She's a beaut! A loafer. Look at all that space underneath. I like the sunburst on the underside too. Thanks for the pics.

Brad Sarno

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 2 Apr 2004 8:04 am

Duncan- if you send me the pix I'll be glad to post 'em for you...
no April Foolin'

zbcustom73@dvanet.net

"to...be publicly hazed and humiliated and have a giant Z and B tatooed on each cheek."

but the SOUND is worth it!

a ZB tattoo, eh? Hmmm....

[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 02 April 2004 at 12:02 PM.]

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 2 Apr 2004 12:01 pm

Duncan's pending ZB:

one

two

three

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 2 Apr 2004 3:00 pm

Duncan I thought that mine was in good condition. You have a rare one here. Treasure it. They are hard to find in this condition.

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 2 Apr 2004 5:55 pm

Hey Folks,
Just heard from the owner. He says it is ready to ship just as soon as he gets the $$$. Can y'all tell that I'm excited? And Kevin, I will treasure it like you wouldn't believe.
Duncan

Thanks to David Van Allen for posting the pictures. Dave, ya done good...real good.[This message was edited by Duncan Hodge on 02 April 2004 at 08:10 PM.]

Bill Cook · Post by **Bill Cook** » 5 Apr 2004 11:43 am

Larry,
I co-own a S-11 ZB which is presently being restored by a gentleman in Mississippi. I actually own it but let my partner in on halves. It is serial # 0021. My partner did a lot of research on this guitar, and says he believes it was Johnny Paycheck's Guitar. The man I bought the guitar from is deceased so I cannot verify this information. Anyway, I know it is playable, a S-11 with Bakersfield LOGO. If you know more about # 0021 or if anyone knows more about this guitar, would appreciate the info.
Bill.

Larry Chung · Post by **Larry Chung** » 7 Apr 2004 6:44 am

Hi Bill:

Welcome to the ZB family here on the Forum. Your ZB serial #0021 is an early Bakersfield guitar (the serial numbers started at #0001 when the company moved from Scranton, AK) from 1968 or thereabouts. I, too, own an S-11 which has been set up with 4+4. They usually came 5+1. Please be sure to let us know how yours is set up, color, features, and definitely any road stories about your guitar.

And congratulations - I'm sure it sounds almost as amazing as it looks... or is that the other way around...

ZBest,
larry

Larry Chung · Post by **Larry Chung** » 7 Apr 2004 6:51 am

By the way - thanks, bOb, for allowing this thread to keep growing and flowing.

Great thread on Zane Beck in the Steel Players section (thanks to Kevin Hatton): http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/006230.html

ZBest,
lc

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 8 Apr 2004 4:05 pm

Hey Folks,
Well, the beautiful and fantastic sounding ZB arrived from Texas today. It looks incredible and sounds amazing. Larry, the serial number is 0098. It was originally a D-10. Billy Knowles totally refurbished it as an SD-10 4x6. After he was through it was sold out of Duane's Music in Missouri. A gentleman in Texas bought it in December 2002 and sold it to me. The previous owner had an email from Billy Knowles stating that he felt sure it was a Bakersfield ZB from when Tom Brumley owned the company.
I'm sending a couple of pictures to Dave Van Allen in the hopes that he can post them showing the ZB in its new home with its very happy owner. By the way Dave, it looks like I'm going to be in Doylestown for a couple of days next week. Either Mon-Tues, or Wed.

Duncan[This message was edited by Duncan Hodge on 08 April 2004 at 07:31 PM.]

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 8 Apr 2004 6:12 pm

Duncan;
congrats, Man!
She's a beauty!
We'll definitely have to get our babies together for a "play date"--check your email

I'll supply the Fender amps...

picture 1

picture 2

BTW-Nice shirt... "hey now."

[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 08 April 2004 at 07:18 PM.]

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 8 Apr 2004 9:56 pm

See my thread about Rusty Young. http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/006275.html

He talks about ZBs.

Larry - thanks for letting play your ZB at the jam. Tone to the bone!!!!
Can hardly wait to get mine.

------------------
Dave Zirbel-
Sho-Bud Super Pro, 8 x 5, ZB Custom D-10 8 x 5, Webb 6-14E, Fender Vibrasonic Custom,
The Mother Truckers

Bill Cook · Post by **Bill Cook** » 9 Apr 2004 5:28 am

Larry,
Finally got hold of my partner and this is what he has learned about #0021.The guitar was bought by Johnny Paycheck. Has Paycheck's Driver License number engraved on it. It was set up as an extended E9th with an added 6th, Universal. The 11 string is a 52 guage. It has 7 pedals and 2 knees. Supposley Paycheck played this guitar for about a year with George Jones. The guitar was stolen. I bought the guitar from a journeyman musisian who never quite made it. That was approx. 10 - 12 years ago. He had only 3 pedals hooked up and no knees. All the other pedals and the knees were in the case along with some music sets , songs/key etc. They were all George Jones songs. I played the guitar for about a month. I bought a SHO~BUD and the ZB went to the closet. About a year ago, (while cleaning out closet) I ran across the ZB. I called my Buddy, Don Lynch and gave him the guitar to fix up. Blew his mind with all the pedals and such. Guitar now is being restored in Mississippi by Fred McCullouh sp?. Thats basically what I know about the guitar at this time. Sure wish it could talk. Bet it could tell some good ones. If anyone knows any more about this guitar would love to hear it. Bill Book.

Larry Chung · Post by **Larry Chung** » 15 Apr 2004 3:56 pm

Hi Bill:

Thanks for the detailed information! I have an old S-11, too, set up with 4 pedals and 4 levers. The 11th string is a .050 guage thanks to Greg Jones advice. Standard Emmons setup, except I have a half-stop on the 2nd string and then lowers both the 2nd and 9th string a half-step after that. My 4th pedal lowers my 10th and 5th strings 1/2 step.

This is the same guitar I took down to the steel jam in San Jose a couple of weeks back. It sounded awesome!!!

Keep ZGood information coming, everybody!

All ZBest,
larry

Larry Chung · Post by **Larry Chung** » 21 Apr 2004 12:56 pm

Heading to Boston this weekend. Any ZBer's out there live around Beantown?

Keep ZInformation coming, too!

ZBest,
lc

Pat Kelly · Post by **Pat Kelly** » 27 Apr 2004 2:07 am

Hey Larry
Better get back pronto. the thread is running out of momentum. Haven't got my steel yet but picked up beautiful playing from Tom Brumley on ZB posted recently. Catch the thread when you get back.

Bump this for Larry while he's away!