Ideas ZB cabinet please close

Bill C. Buntin · Post by **Bill C. Buntin** » 22 Dec 2024 12:59 pm

Anyone have any experience with taking an old guitar body, install a completely new changer, new cross shafts etc etc?

My idea is to take a ZB d10 cabinet, tuners and necks, but put in modern changers such as Legrande or something like that.

Then build the under carriage with my own parts. I have my own removable cross shafts I want to try. My own bell cranks as well.

I’m thinking ZB because the fantastic lacquer work on many of them.

Advice appreciated

Bill

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 22 Dec 2024 1:55 pm

It might be hard to fit a different changer into a ZB. But where there's a will there's a way!
You might consider keeping the ZB changer and replace all the pulling mechanics.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 23 Dec 2024 9:26 am

The changer and pickups are what gives ZBs their tone.

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 30 Dec 2024 12:18 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:The changer and pickups are what gives ZBs their tone.

I agree! The changer and it's stops on the endplate... similar to a Kline is where their sound come from. The pickup will be the lesser difference.

... J-D.

John Hyland · Post by **John Hyland** » 30 Dec 2024 1:09 pm

J D Sauser wrote:
Erv Niehaus wrote:The changer and pickups are what gives ZBs their tone.
I agree! The changer and it's stops on the endplate... similar to a Kline is where their sound come from. The pickup will be the lesser difference.

... J-D.

Hi JD
Ok I’ll bite. Can you give a bit more detail on how this changer/endplate works?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 31 Dec 2024 9:12 am

The ZB changer is quite similar to the Emmons p/p changer.
When you push a pedal or knee lever there is a solid, metal to metal stop.
That makes the difference.

Bill C. Buntin · Post by **Bill C. Buntin** » 31 Dec 2024 10:47 am

Please close

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 3 Jan 2025 4:03 pm

John Hyland wrote:
J D Sauser wrote:
Erv Niehaus wrote:The changer and pickups are what gives ZBs their tone.
I agree! The changer and it's stops on the endplate... similar to a Kline is where their sound come from. The pickup will be the lesser difference.

... J-D.
Hi JD
Ok I’ll bite. Can you give a bit more detail on how this changer/endplate works?

Unlike on most All-Pulls using nylon hex tuners at the changer end and stopping the pedal or lever travel, on ZB's and Klines metal tuning screws sticking with their socket head out of the end plate, would bottom against the end-plate once engage. That was the STOP and the travel setting. The idea was that similar to a PushPull, the sound would always be "recycled" thru the body, whether the a finger was raised, lowered or in idle.

One can upgrade to a "modern" All Pull changer with nylon hex tuners and stops at the pedal rod crank, but would basically change the way the guitar was built to sound. In other words, for better or worse, it would alter the tone character of the guitar.
Just like putting an All-Pull changer into a PushPull.

Free Country, but I suspect that the effort might not be worth the risk of having a disappointing result besides having irrevocably modified a guitar which has a history of sounding good to some. But that's just my personal opinion.

... J-D

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 3 Jan 2025 4:07 pm

Bill C. Buntin wrote:Please close

Bill, unless a thread is on the wrong forum, way off subject or has become a battlefield, I rather like to keep a thread present, since some have shared some input and yet others may have questions similar to yours about this valid subject.

I hope you understand.
You can chose to opt out of emails resulting from posts on this thread if they bother you.

Thanks!... J-D. (Moderator).