The Steel Guitar Forum

Just wanted to be #100

Larry, back in the late 80s I had Zane build 2 guitars for me. Each was a single 13 string on a D10 body with 7 & 7. He used the same key head and bridge configuration as the 14 string guitars that he built for Julian. I sold both guitars to guys in the Chicago area. Al Horlacher from Barrington, IL and Brad Jackson from the Joliet area. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures or the serial numbers. They were great sounding guitars but a little physical to play because of the amount of pulls....37 total on each guitar. I am of the understanding that these may be the only 13 string that he built. Russ

Larry - congratulations! You are #100!!! I'm not sure what you win - maybe some free Rice-a-Roni (the San Francisco treat!) or something? (:

Russ - Thank you for the information about the 13-strings. I always thought Zane stopped at 11 strings... Greg, you get this?

Keep the info coming!

As an added note Larry, when Terry Wendt was on tour back then, he stopped in and sat in on the 13th string. That is the reason he went with the Fessy 13 string today. Funny how all works out. This was an extended E9 with all of the C6 changes 1/2 step below. The player had to avoid the 9th string on some voicings, but all the changes were there. But thinking back that far, this may have been a Beck brand steel guitar. Time just seems to escape one when having this much fun. Russ

Larry, those 13 stringers that Zane built were BMI guitars. Julian Tharpe had a 14 stinger built for him too. Early 80's, Zane built, would be the BMI guitar. He started BMI in 1974. I think there are some 12-string ZB's out there. I have never seen one with more than 12, but that doesn't mean anything.

I have Ser# 1098 D-10, Scranton guitar shipping to me next week. It is going to undergo a full restoration. It was built about April 1967, from what the owner has told me. It belonged to his father and he remembers him calling Zane and ordering the guitar.

Isn't this ser# pretty close to your D-10?

Greg

B.Greg Jones you are correct.....they were BMI guitars. Thanks for joggin' my memory. ha ! Sorry Larry....Russ

Hi Greg and Russ:

Thanks for the info. I figured that these would be BMIs as I've heard Greg mention about Zane selling the company back in the early 70s.

Greg, I've got #1077 - it's not leaving my living room ... unless I start working out again (:

Here's a small sample of some serial numbers I found (with alot of help from all of you!):
#1062 - S-10 4+2
#1072 - S-10 3+1
#1077 - D-10 8+3 (Mine! plus one lever)
#1086 - D-10 8+2
#1092 - S-10 3+2
#1098 - D-10 8+4

Mine's an early 1966, I think, and the rest run up through '67 and '68.

Greg, check your email, buddy (little b), it's time to UPGRADE!

Best to all
ZB!
lc

My ZB D10 (ser#1108) has a tone and vol. control mounted on the right side. Is this standard on ZB's?

Hi Earl:

Yes, definitely, the tone and volume knobs were part of the standard ZB setup. My ZBs all have them (except my student model). The pots usually burn out on them (after 30 years...) but they are a valuable part of the dating of a guitar, too, so if you replace them, keep an eye on the serial and manufacturer's codes on them. They can tell you alot about the approximate age of the guitar.

More serial number info:
#1108 - YOURS! D-10
#1133 - D-10 8+2 Just sold on Ebay
#1138 - S-10 3+1 (now a 3+5)

Yours looks to be a 1968 or so and #1138 is of the same vintage; from the info I have gathered. #1138 is the highest #1XXX number I have collected to date, which makes some sense because evidently, when Zane Beck turned the company over to Tom Brumley (68?) the numbers started from #0001. The oldest ZB I have on record is Greg Jones' #1037 and another ZB with serial #1034, both circa 1965.

Greg Jones, does this sound about right?
(:
larry

Larry, looks like you have a pretty good grip on the serial number scheme. But until some sales receipts turn up we are still flying a little bit blind. When Tom and Bill moved the company from Scranton to Bakersfield, sometime in 68' I believe, they were still using up the stock and parts that Zane had made in Scranton. The Bakersfield guitars look like the Scranton ones and they even used the old Scranton CZB decals on some of them. An example would be Chick Donner's D-11-10, ser#0013, ordered from Zane, built in Bakersfield, and with a CZB Scranton Decal!!! It now has the newer style decal on it. This one was ordered the same day as #0017, by Jim Florence. Jim ordered a D-11. Same scenario but with a ZB-Bakersfield decal.

I have also talked with some owners of the Texas built ZBs by Tom Brumley when he had sole ownership of the company. Tom used a completly different serial number scheme.

Here is another example, I have a S-11 on a double frame, that was Tom's personal guitar. It even comes with some hit records under it's belt. Serial# 3006, built around 1979, in Texas. 4 floors and 7 knees.

Let me know if you need pics of this one, don't know if I sent them to you or not.

ZB Custom, what a great thread!!!!!!

Greg

Thanks, Greg, for the vote of confidence. Definitely send the photos and - EVERYONE ELSE - please send photos of your ZBs and any info or stories you may have about Zane Beck, ZBs, BMIs.

All of this information is helpful!!!

Thanks -
Larry

zbguitarinfo@yahoo.com

I just bought one and it's being shipped as I type. I can't wait to get my greedy little fingers on it!! I'm sure I'll post a couple of questions in a couple of days. Hope you fellas can help me out.

Man, what a great thread! Thanks, Larry and Greg and all the other fellow forumites that have chimed in. Where else could you find a wealth of information like this?

Greg, feel free to send pics of my ZB to Larry. You could do a before and after series. It will be interesting to see how it runs after you drop the front end, add racing slicks, and install a spoiler . Good to see you at the gig!

John Borchard

Hi John:

Thank you for your kind words - it's my great pleasure to be keeping this thread going (with the help of so many great folks out there) dedicated to ZB guitars. Greg Jones is the 'keeper of the key', too, as his help with all the details and ZB history continues to educate me, too!

According to my history and serial numbers, your ZB may be the earliest serial number (#1034) around. Congrats! Greg, sounds like you have at least a few ZB restorations going on...

The sound I hear and the feeling I get when I sit behind any one of my ZBs is wonderful. It makes me feel so good knowing that others (young and old) all around the world can do the same.

zbguitarinfo@yahoo.com

lc

John, I will definetly get some pics!!! I want some with both of our guitars together since they are sisters. I hope you don't mind that I have already refinished it in "Hot Pink". I just sprayed it over the whole guitar, right outta the can, made the endplates look good too!!!! Heh Heh. Now if I could just get the "Jifflin Rod" to connect to the "Kanooder Valve", this guitar should turn the 1/4 mile in under 9 seconds.

John, you sounded great Friday nite. That Bassman is THE amp. That thing was really cookin'. It even looked like you knew what you were doing!!!! Ha Ha!!!

For those of you that don't know, John Borchard is not only a steel player. He is one of the tastiest guitar players I have ever heard. Always plays the "right thing", pulls killer tone, and uses good old vintage gear to do it on!!!

Later Y'all, I got some ZB's to work on!!!

Greg

DANG IT!!!!!!! IT'S SNOWING AGAIN!!! and I was hoping that my new (well, new to me) ZB would show up on the door step today. Heck, the way the weather has been around here I'll probably get it around May . Phooey!

Hey Chris:

Don't worry about it ... rest assured that when it arrives, you'll have trouble leaving the house, snow or no snow... (:

Do you know what the serial number is or the scoop on the setup, color, etc.?

Here's to clear roads!
lc

Hey Chris- what is it- a D10?...

welcome to the ZB club, man. (although Ricky D's Pro makes me want to joint the So~Bud club too.... )

I Hope you'll be very happy with it.

Yes, it's a D-10, don't know the serial # yet. That's one of the questions I was going to post as soon as I get my grubby littles hands all over it! Dave, I'm sure I'll dig it, and I'm hoping we'll get a chance to hang out again where you'll get a chance to play it. But next time you have to promise to show me at least one cool lick!!

Hey Chris:

Let us all know when you get it!

Great to see other ZB posts on the Forum, too.

ZBump.

Alas, it has to go back. Such is life.

Larry, I've got 0650 stamped on the changer end of my SD11 ZB. Is that the serial number, or the model number?

Hey Chris, too bad, hope everything's OK.

Richard - yes! thanks very much, that is the serial number if it is stamped into the underside edge of the metal endblock on the changer/pickup on the changer/pickup end of the guitar, close to the output jack.

More info! YES!

lc

I think that Larry deserves a special award, not only for his untiring effort in promoting and documenting one of the finest steels made by one of the finest persons in pedal steel history......

...but for also having the longest thread where nobody is fighting, quibbling, harrasing, name calling, mud slinging, pestering, libeling, labeling, warring, opposing, quarreling, struggling, brawling, lashing, combating, colliding, and just generally being unpleasant.

Larry, you have accomplished that which all others have failed to do.

May you be festooned with "The Pedal of Honor."

Larry, I gave you a wrong ser#. The guitar that I just got in is #1096 not #1098. This guitar is still all original, 8 floors and 2 knees. The C6 neck is on the front and the E9 on the back. It is going to be completely restored to its original color of navy blue/blonde, and adding 5 knee levers to it. Approx. April 1967, built in Scranton. There is an interesting story behind this guitar. I will share it with you all later down the road.

Later, Greg

P.S. Larry, your knee levers are done and will be shipped this week.