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Post new topic ZB Custom SD 10
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Author Topic:  ZB Custom SD 10
Randy Hunt

 

From:
Kentucky, USA
Post  Posted 21 Nov 2009 3:21 pm    
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3 Floors - 4 Knees - Day Set Up. $2200 OBO plus shipping or possible trade. Don't know a lot about ZB guitars so feel free to give me a call for questions or more pictures. 270-839-9707





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Dwight Lewis


From:
Huntsville, Alabama
Post  Posted 21 Nov 2009 8:04 pm     Zb Sd-10
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Randy,PM sent
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 22 Nov 2009 8:09 am    
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I never saw a ZB with a casting like that around the changer. Is it a later model?

A very pretty guitar, though!
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Mike Castleberry

 

From:
El Paso, Texas USA
Post  Posted 22 Nov 2009 10:02 am    
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Here's a 1979 ZB Custom, built by The late great Tom Brumley, that has a similar changer casting.

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Tony Glassman


From:
The Great Northwest
Post  Posted 22 Nov 2009 10:25 am    
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Looks like it has an aluminum neck..never seen that on a ZB before.

Also the undercarriage looks like no ZB I've ever seen (square x-shafts, aluminum rails, etc).

All that aside, it's beautiful and modified or not, it looks well done.
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Larry Chung


From:
San Francisco, CA, USA
Post  Posted 22 Nov 2009 12:12 pm    
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...what Tony said. Well done and very interesting, regardless.

In the many years I've spent playing, documenting and admiring these guitars, I've never seen one with an aluminum neck. Or most of the undercarriage including the solid back edge. This is definitely a later (late 70s? or even later) guitar, based on the keyhead and changer mounting, no horns, but I've never seen the square cross shafts on a ZB before, either.

Lovely figured maple on the front apron; I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more figured piece, and a cooler color than blue!

Whoever buys this guitar or is just looking for an original ZB triple coil pickup can contact me, too! I have a spare around here somewhere, which would be a nice match for this guitar, fwiw. I'm sure the George-L sounds great, too.

ZBest,
LC
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Bobby Burns

 

From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 22 Nov 2009 12:21 pm    
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I have a Brumley built d-11 that has a lot of the same features, like the casting around the changer, the solid aluminum back apron, and similar knee levers. But the tuner head is different, and mine also has regular ZB style flat cross straps. I feel as if there is a pretty good story here. Either a really clean late model with unique features, or a really good conversion job. Randy,(or anyone else) tell us what you know.
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Dave Simonis


From:
Stevens Point, WI USA
Post  Posted 22 Nov 2009 8:46 pm     zb
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I believe this is a modern build by these guys probably:

http://retrosteelguitar.com/Photos.html
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Dave Simonis

Fiddle: Zeta, Arthur Conner, many others.../Steel: GFI SD-10 Ultra.../Mandolin: Breedlove.../Guitar: Gibson, Fender, Taylor.../Amps: Peavey NV112, Evans FET 500.../Others: Hilton, Goodrich, Stereo Steel, Pendulum Pre-amp...
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steve takacs


From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2009 1:01 am    
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Yeah, I think Dave's got it, this could be one of Kevin Hatton' s ZB retros. The bell cranks appear to be different though on this one for sale compared to the one shown on Kevin's site which Dave gives. Those on the site appear to be the all pull bell cranks found on modern guitars. Maybe Kevin could weigh in. Great looking ZB; just wish it were a D-10 stevet
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Bobby Burns

 

From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2009 5:04 am    
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This is a totally different style ZB than the one that Kevin takes his inspiration from, and the pulling system is also different.
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steve takacs


From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2009 6:28 am     Calling Kevin
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Still would like to hear what Kevin Hatton knows about this one. steve t
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Dave Simonis


From:
Stevens Point, WI USA
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2009 7:05 am     zb
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Randy, nice looking guitar. Is that a blemish/cig burn to the upper right of the logo on the front or just something in the photo (looks like a little round sort of brown ring)?
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Dave Simonis

Fiddle: Zeta, Arthur Conner, many others.../Steel: GFI SD-10 Ultra.../Mandolin: Breedlove.../Guitar: Gibson, Fender, Taylor.../Amps: Peavey NV112, Evans FET 500.../Others: Hilton, Goodrich, Stereo Steel, Pendulum Pre-amp...
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John Borchard

 

From:
Athens, OH 45701
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2009 12:13 pm     ZB steel
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I believe this looks like one of the '80s-era steels that Tom Brumley and Chris (can't remember his last name) were building in Austin while I was living there in the mid-'70s to late-'80s. They did, indeed, build some aluminum neck guitars.

John Borchard
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Kevin Hatton

 

From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2009 5:07 pm    
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That is not one of my guitars. It appears to be a Basil Smith ZB. The last of the ZB iterations. Late 80's. Its typical for that period.
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Randy Hunt

 

From:
Kentucky, USA
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2009 6:18 pm     Randy Hunts ZB
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guys, i bought the zb,nashville ltd, and a goodrich pedal. the man i bought it from said he got it years back and realized it was more to playing it than he thought. said he put it in the closet. i took it to my friend Gene Turner, he said it was a fine guitar. said it could be a Basel Smith prototype but he was not sure. said Basel passed away and didnt think he built but maybe 2 guitars but not sure. the serial # on it is BWS 974 with an 8 stamped sideways and an upside down B. i have been playing 3 years so i am not much help on the history of this guitar. thanks to all of you for your comments.
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Duncan Hodge


From:
DeLand, FL USA
Post  Posted 24 Nov 2009 2:08 pm    
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Anyway, Randy...it is a "different" ZB, but it is certainly a beautiful one, one of the prettiest I have seen. Part of the fun of playing a ZB is knowing that you are playing a really great looking steel. Most ZBs are a PITA to work on and a newer one would probably be an easier beast to manage. Personally, and I do believe I may be in the minority here, I love the tone of the post-Scranton ZBs.
In any event, if you want to have the ZB sound ya gotta have a ZB. If you want to have a different steel that sounds like a ZB, then you will just have to have to settle for a different sound than a ZB.
Best of luck on the sale.
Duncan
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 24 Nov 2009 2:15 pm    
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This guitar is very pretty - but I don't think I ever saw a ZB that I didn't like!

Back in Britain in the early '70s a great guy named Eric Snowball started to import ZBs concurrently with the country-rock boom. Along with a number of other UK musicians, I was drawn into the fold and bought three in a row. So - ZBs were all I knew.

When I eventually saw the 'other' steels (Emmons, MSAs) I was a little taken aback at how utilitarian they looked when compared with what I knew.

I'd like another one someday, but, to satisfy my nostalgia, mine will have to have the fishtail casting around the changer, as well as that distinctive ZB headstock. (I hope it'll be mechanically better, mind - which is why I expect I'll contact Kevin in the fullness of time...)
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Walter Bowden


From:
Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 24 Nov 2009 5:02 pm    
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I think Randy might have nailed it. Looking at the serial # it starts with BWS. Does anyone know what Basel Smith's middle name was? But I agree that it looks to be a very good guitar needing a good home.
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Walter Bowden


From:
Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 24 Nov 2009 5:04 pm    
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Sorry y'all, I meant Kevin! Time to lock up the liquor cabinet.
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Rex Blevins

 

From:
Jenks, Oklahoma USA
Post  Posted 27 Nov 2009 3:55 am     Zb Guitar
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John; I am looking at the post you made regarding the ZB and the ones that Tom made.This guitar is not one of Tom's in that era. There are several different designs, but the tip off for one of Tom's later guitars is the cut out to get to the ball end of the string.This was done by the person whose name you could not remember, Chris Goewey. Chris was pretty innovative and each guitar was a little different. I know, one of the last guitars that Chris built was the black s-11 that Tom played and still had. That was a Chris guitar. I own a S-11 that has an even more innovative under-carriage that Chris designed and works quite well. I will try and post some pictures later on for you ZB fanatics to see.
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