The Steel Guitar Forum

I have been playing my new Zum Encore 4x5 and it is similar to it's big brother Zum D10. I love the sound and the looks and I will feel comfortable taking it on my next picking job
as soon as weather lets up cancelling shows here in Central Illinois. Pictures to follow. By the way, the removable arm rest lets you feel like you are setting at a double neck guitar.

Congrats. Looking forward to the pics.

Very nice looking ax ya got there. Play it in good health. Lyle.

Looks great, Lyle.

I see you're from Decatur. I grew up in Mt. Zion. I'm sure we've played the same places, way back when...

Tell us about the 4th pedal.

Nice guitar. I love wood grain.

Lyle, It is a beauty and you will love it. JAMES TAYLOR

The fourth pedal is left of the A pedal. I call it my Franklin pedal but it only lowers strings 5 and 6 one tone.
I use it alone or with the A pedal for some interesting sounds.

Richard, who did you play with back in the day? I played with Kenny Pryor, Dallas Shaw, Roy Linder amongst others. We are talking early to mid 70's

Lyle, I knew you'd like your Encore. Congratulations!

Lyle, i wonder if you use a 6 string wound or plain.....

Is the Encore a Pull/Release as the Stage One is?

Nope. All-pull. That's why it costs more (one of the reasons, anyway).

The Stage One is a pull-release and works great for the application.

Encore is an all pull triple raise triple lower changer with three pedals and five levers standard. Split tuning on strings 5, 6, and 10 is standard if the player desires. The fourth pedal is optional at a reasonable price.

The entire cabinet is 3/4" northern hard rock maple.

Lyle Clary wrote:Richard, who did you play with back in the day? I played with Kenny Pryor, Dallas Shaw, Roy Linder amongst others. We are talking early to mid 70's

Well, I'm 43, so in the mid 70's I was just a wee ladd. lol I didn't start playing "out" until '85. FlatBranch was the only country group I played with in Decatur, during that time (also played with a rock group Off Duty). ET's, Sparetime Lanes and The Sundown and Mr. Big Stuffs (in Mt. Zion) were really the only places that would allow a 15 yr old to be in after 9pm.

I grew up with Linda Brandon's son, so I was around most of the Decatur musicians. Linda owns Linda's Music.

I'm sure my Dad (Dick Tague) would have remembered some of the name you mentioned.

Congratulations! Nice looking steel. I'm really getting attached to mine.

Thanks for all the compliments. My 6th string is plain. Richard I remember the Flat Branch Band but never heard them play. I remember hearing the Tague name but our paths never crossed to my knowledge. I quit electric music from 1976 to the late 90's. I did play a little bluegrass fiddle and mandolin during that time.

Doug Earnest wrote:Split tuning on strings 5, 6, and 10 is standard if the player desires.

Who can explain this for me? What is split tuning, and why might some players want it, and others not?

Split tuning is the ability to combine a raise and a lower and having the capacity to tune all 4 notes.
For example, many raise 6 a half and lower it a whole. If you have split tuning, you can not only tune the G# A and F#, but also the G. This only works on all-pull guitars. And the only reasons I can see for not having them is "I've never had them, so I can't see how I'd use it."

Last week I played my first gig using my new Zum Encore and the Stage One volume pedal. I got compliments on the tone and general sound of the steel. Because it has the same setup as it's big brother Zum D10 I felt comfortable playing it. I am playing it tonight and tomorrow night if this Illinois weather cooperates.