The Steel Guitar Forum

I was watching this Youtube video (don't know how to link) "Redd Volkaert With Mike Borgue On Steel in Richmond VA"). Mindblowing picking from both of them as usual. What's the story behind the Zum Mike's playing? Looks like a S10, 3 & 3, (he seldom uses the levers) painted or coated endplates, trim and neck, old script Zum on front apron. Never seen one like it. Pretty sure it's not a Stage one or Encore. The mix is not real good but that Zum seems to have great tone. Can't see his amp.

Was it this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xtiKV9DFzo

Yes, thank you kind sir.

Really hard to tell but it may bear some similarities to this guitar that I've done some work on. In fact it will be in my shop Monday for a pickup change.
An all-pull guitar. I know nothing of its history.

Danny, I built maybe a couple dozen of those guitars in the late 70's, offering it as an economy model. That was before I developed the 'Stage One' to fill that market niche. It had the all pull changer and at least 3 KL, so it was more than what was being offered as the
beginner models of the time. During those early years I was having a lot of trouble getting castings that didn't have pits or porosity, which didn't appear until after I started to buff them. This allowed me to use those otherwise good parts, by applying a black textured finish. They also featured black anodized aluminum legs, although that really didn't save any cost. Bottom line, it was a pro guitar that could be played in a pro situation, as Mr. Bourque certainly demonstrates.

Besides all ZUM being fine built instruments, one of the greatest features it had which I feel other builders totally overlooked are the “outboard” leg posts which deepens the leg room on single bodiesI Thats especially important to Universal players or any playing on more than 3 or 4 pedals without repositioning.

MSA had and still have 1-1/4 deep single bodies which resolve that issue about the same.


…. JD.

Thanks Bruce. I don’t know of any of your guitars that couldn’t be used in a pro setting. I still have the 1989 S 10 you built for me. I was just curious about the Borque guitar because it differs from mine. I thought in video the guitar looked wider than mine but yet it doesn’t look like a sd10.