The Steel Guitar Forum

The Encore got here this past Friday...I've been working the last 5 days but off tomorrow & Thursday...I know what i'll be doin' !!!! So far,sounds & feels great ! I know one cat that's really likin' it !!!Doug has been great to work with & I am really proud of this guitar.It may be small & lightweight,but that sure doesn't apply to the tone.DEFINITELY not a lightweight in the tone department.

Congrats! Nice looking guitar.

I see your kitty is wearing a tuxedo.

Oh yeah,she always goes formal ! Doggone,she is one great kittie...she is one of the most polite cats I've ever known...& when she rescued me I had made up my mind-no more pets.She's sorta like a second,shorter,4-legged shadow.

Bob, Congrats on the new guitar. Hope you are doing better. Good looking guitar. I know you are happy as kid at Christmas. JA

Yessir,i am mighty happy...& I'm off work Wed & Thur so I know what i'll be doin" !This is the first S-10 I've played in a while.been used to SD10s...when FedEx brought it & I saw the size of the case,i thought "where's the rest of it"i didn't take long to get comfortable & now it feels pretty good.the tone is not small though.doggone it sounds good & plays really nice.pedal & knee lever action is really smooth.I'm definitely happy with my choice.Vision is much improved as is blood pressure...i was suffering bad with anxiety & that let up when the vision got fixed.Now,hopefully,i can get back to livin' life again !!! It is mighty nice to be back !!! Thanks,God bless.

Bob, Great looking guitar. I ordered one from Doug a few weeks ago and I should have it in June. I ordered a blue one so that I'll sound JUST LIKE GARY CARTER. (Remember all the black Emmons?). I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on it. I promised my wife when I receive it I'll sell my S-12 Carter. But out of respect for my late friend Bud, I'll have to keep it for sentiment. Don't tell my wife, PLEASE.

Bob,
I was aware you were anticipating getting your Encore and are extremely pleased about that. I'm even more pleased your health has taken a huge turn for the better.

If you are still missing the width of an SD-10, you can always add a detachable Don Blood pad to the Encore.

Enjoy,
Steve

Roger & Steve,thanks for getting back.Roger,i love the Encore...I'm sure you will too.Doug was sure great to work with on this.The Zum feels better every time i sit down with it.Well worth the wait.Steve,thanks...for now things seem pretty good.My blood pressure is a little bit wonky...it's been sorta low last couple of days,or just low for me,but yes,a BIG improvement over where i was a year ago.I'm trying to watch everything without getting too crazy with it,but blood pressure's good,blood sugar also good.Panic/anxiety under control...i hope things are going well with you....God bless you both & again,the Zum is great...i had one other new steel & that was in 1977 or 78.The tone is just wonderful & i found a good used Nashville 112 here on the Forum.

That's great, Bob!!
Have fun with this awesome steel.!!

I received My ZumSteel Encore, exactly 1 week ago today (Saturday).

I am VERY HAPPY with mine, as well. Doug really builds an excellent guitar, for a very reasonable price.
This guitar plays VERY smoothly, stays in tune well. The pedals & knee levers are very easy to engage....but not "too easy" - just right! Intonation is right on the money...& is refreshingly LIGHTWEIGHT @ 42 pounds in the case. But, it's nice & solid when being played...& doesn't move around, as one might expect with a light guitar.

I have 3 pedals x 5 knee levers. A Bill Lawrence XR-16 pickup was installed.

I can't say how the tone is, just yet...because I don't have an amp right now. I'm sure it will sound awesome. Gary Carter sure sounds great with his XR-16!!
I plan to be buying a used Nashville 112, & a Goodrich L-120 volume pedal, before this month is over! So, I've just been playing it without any amplification for now. I'm having a total blast...just playing it, & getting my chops back again...after a long absence of having my own steel to play......any time I feel like it, which is basically ALL OF THE TIME.

After only a week playing it, I'd say I'm 75% to where I should be/where I was before. The 1st, two days were pretty awkward. But, it's like riding a bicycle! It comes right back. I've been playing for 40 years...so that really helps!

I've had 2 Emmons, a Mullen...& now this ZumSteel Encore. I can honestly say, it plays as well...as any steel I've ever owned. I'm VERY IMPRESSED...& VERY HAPPY with my decision to buy this guitar. It's also, a VERY SWEET looking guitar!! Two-tone; Red & Black. My 1st steel...that wasn't black mica. A nice change, indeed.

Well, enough of my yakkin. I'm just very happy to be back in the saddle again!! Their is no better therapy....than music for me. Especially when I'm making the music!

Here's a few pics....

and if ANYONE needs therapy...this is a GOOD thing!
pick yourself up an old used pv bandit for a hundred bucks and you'll be back in business.

Yes sir...i paid $125 for mine.there were several around @ $100 but this one,I had already played thru a bunch....belonged to a former band member that also played steel thru it...it sounded great then & still does.i am able to run a steel & Telecaster thru it on ,surprising to me,pretty much same settings.mines an old "Blue Stripe" with a stock Scorpion speaker.Chris,hope you are doin well !