The Steel Guitar Forum

At the Dallas Show last year, I approached Mark Giles to see if he would make me a replacement body for my D10 mica covered guitar. The mica was coming away and was warped in a few places. Mark very kindly agreed to make me a lacquer body, and we agreed that I would pick it up at this year's show. Well, I collected it from Mark over the weekend and I was stunned when I took it out of its packaging. It is simply sensational.

I have tried to take photos of it with my phone but it doesn't do justice to to his craftsmanship. However, Bruce Zumsteg wanted to take a look at it, and I know that he has a lurk on here from time to time, so here are a couple of shots of the cabinet on the bonnet (hood?) of my hire care outside my hotel today. Those are my original endplates that I brought to Dallas last year, and they are covered with masking tape to protect them.

The cabinet is in flamed maple with mother of pearl inlay.

I have to repackage the cabinet to the same standard that he did it before I opened it up. All I can say to Mark is - thanks my friend, you have exceeded my expectations that's for sure. The wait was well worth it.

Wowie Zowzie that's pretty.

Another picture - it shows off the MOP inlay better.

WOAH!!

Dang!! Great shade of blue. Congrats!
If those are your end plates, does that mean the zum is currently disassembled?

I had to give the end plates to Mark to make sure that they fit the body snuggly. I had to take some pull rods out to get at the end plate screws, but most of the undercarriage on the old body is still in place.

A real beauty!

Beautiful deep blue.

Mark is the best.
Do you have pics of the underside?

That blue is a stunning color.

Ken, did Mark say what the name of that color is? Superb work. Play that Zum with enjoyment and pride. stevet

It's beautiful, Ken!

But are you going to reassemble it? Definitely a task that would defeat me!

Thanks for the very kind comments guys. My photos have captured about 10% of its beauty.

Dag
The cabinet is a replacement for a faux woodgrain mica cabinet that still has the original mechanism, necks and headstocks on it. They need to be swapped out into the new lacquer body. I am putting Telonics pickups in the new guitar.

Hi Roger
My good friend Dave Wheelhouse, who makes the splendid Sheffield pedal steel in the UK is going to give me a hand with the re-assembly. I am going to take my time with that I can tell you.

Only challenge I can see will be to get the holes drilled in the right place. I think most steel builders use a template to guide the holes. If you not get the holes in the right place things might get jammed.


It looks fantastic😃

Another good thing is that Mark Giles has built #1000 Zumsteel I belive.

Beautiful Ken! Can you post some pictures of the finished product once you get it back together? Thanks.

Don

Mark's working on his third re-finish for me, and I have a couple of MSA's he built the cabinets for. He does superb work. "You're not in a hurry are you?"

Dag, I believe Ken told me that Mark used a Zum template,so holes should be there,but perhaps Ken can confirm.He will be recovering from his overnight flight right now but will perhaps see this later.

Mark built the cabinet for this Rains Spirit model steel. I bought it from a Canadian steeler.

Here is my MSA with "body by Mark".
JE:-)>

Malcolm,
The template should do the trick 😃

Beautiful cabinets! 😎

The rear apron is pre drilled to take the cross rod bushings. The rest of the guitar will be done with patience and extreme care.

Another one that Mark did.

Ken,that cabinet is gorgeous. If I ever buy another steel, it's going to have a Msrk Giles Blue Darlin' cabinet just like that.

Thanks Mike. I thought that my aging Zum would have new life breathed into it with a new cabinet. Now that Bruce is no longer making these legendary guitars, I want to keep mine in tip top condition. They should hold their value well.

Ken Byng wrote:My good friend Dave Wheelhouse, who makes the splendid Sheffield pedal steel in the UK is going to give me a hand with the re-assembly.

I would be overwhelmed, faced with this kind of reassembly project, but it looks like you'll be in very capable company. Your new Zum is gonna be awesome, congratulations.

I can't help but think a Wheelhoused Zum would feel like a brand new guitar.