The Steel Guitar Forum

I seem to remember that there was a feature on one of Buddy Emmons` Zumsteels where he could engade or disengage a pull on the fly.
I think it was the low B to C# on the A pedal. He had the option of pushing pedal A and raising only the 5th string.
How is that achieved?

Great question, I would like to know also

http://www.buddyemmons.com/zumsteel.htm

Half turn of a knob at the changer end.
Does anyone know who has this black Zum that Buddy traded away for a hybrid?
The current owner could enlighten us. Or Bruce.
John

Yes, I think there needs to be some sort of a preset to make it a quick change.
How is that achieved, mechanically?

I see an opportunity for double duty knee levers, for instance...

Now THAT's what I want! It would act as the 'Isaacs' change - he could get a '4' chord on 6,5,4,3 but have a 5th as a bass-note.

That's an interesting E9 set-up - did Buddy stay with that on his later Zum Hybrid?

I'd love to see a sketch of the engineering of this.

Jon, that is what I`m after, too....
The way Buddy used it is just one application.

I think Hook Moore owns Buddy's Zum Hybrid - perhaps the change was on that guitar too .... I remember seeing a pic of it - there was a hex nut mounted flush with the top deck, just behind the C6th Keyhead .... but no pics of the mechanics underneath that accomplished the change.

I asked Bruce once how that was achieved, but didn't fully understand his explanation at the time. I do remember he seemed to believe you'd need space on the low end under the hood to accommodate the hardware, so the change was more feasible on string 10 on Buddy's D10. He did say it was simple. One of you technical geniuses should call Bruce and ask him, then explain it to all of us rookies!

I just discovered you CAN get that voicing this way:

B+C pedals, lever raising string 2 a half, strings 10, 6, 5, 2. You guys using 3 picks can get that spread out grip going, for most of us it'll be a 2-stroke voicing. But there's the notes for an A over B/IV over V, zero fret. Nice chord!

I might add the Isaacs pedal on my Rittenberry's ext E9, got a spare spot for it with 8 pedals.

I think that, as I'm about to have a 'lower' on my RKR dropping my 10th to an A. I may ask if it can be set up so that, when I engage my A pedal, my 10th could be accurately lowered to a B note by engaging RKR. Or, in other words, my RKR would cancel out the 10th string raise on the A pedal.

Is that feasible on my Emmons LeGrande?

I do that on my Emmons LeGrande, Roger. I have it on the lever that raises 1, 2 and 7.

Thanks, Dan - that might be better than overloading my RKR which, after all, is also raising two strings on C6th. I have the 1,2,7 raising on my LKL2.

The change is actually engaged or disengaged at the changer end by turning a nylon tuner. It is achieved by using 2 rods , one from the changer but not connected to the cross shaft bellcrank of pedal A and one originating at the pedal A bellcrank but not connected at the changer. The two rods basically free float when the simple latch system is not engaged so that applying the A pedal pulls a free floating unattached rod without effecting the changer but with a turn of a nylon tuner the two rods are connected and the 10th string pull functions as normal. This replaces the normal one rod from changer to bellcrank that is always connected. Its very simple but a little hard to explain.

I haven't had the time yet to study this but there's lots to study.
Thanks a bunch, Hook.

Welcome Jon..

Thanks a lot, Hook

I'm printing out your wonderful photos/diagrams to study further, thanks a million Hook. I assume those shots are from Buddy's Zum?

You guys are welcome. Yes John, these pictures are from the Zum hybrid Buddy allowed me walk out of his house with. 😀

Did Buddy use that string 10 raise defeat just on certain songs and dial it out before the downbeat, or ever do that in the middle of a song preceding a section where he needed that whole tone raise gone? How did he like the guitar, and was adapting to dual staggered levers on the left a challenge? (Hard to imagine anything being a challenge for the Big E!)

Buddy said the guitar was a keeper. He told me the sparkle in the tone and sustain were very much spot on. I never asked if The staggered levers were a challenge but I certainly never saw anything to make me believe they were. Now for me and my short legs it is much more of a challenge. Especially the LLR and LRR.
The only recorded evidence I’m aware of where Buddy used the 10th string delete was the very last chord in Shenandoah. Knowing how he loved experimenting, I have no doubt he was working it in for future use.
Btw, the guitar also has a the 10th string b-c# raise on a lever so you never had to be without that change.

Hook, do you own his Zum Hybrid? Or know where it is? Just curious!

Yes, I do own the Zum.

It looks like you could also utilize this system to assign two different functions to a knee lever.

I think b0b was asking about this in an older thread.

Two different latch blocks spaced some distance apart and rotated 90 degrees apart.