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Topic: ZB Rebuild |
Bob Muller
From:
Oregon, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 6:34 pm |
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Looks very nice Erv.  |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2015 7:44 am
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Damir,
Sold! Where do you want it sent. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 6 Mar 2015 7:50 am
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_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
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Russ Tkac
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Posted 6 Mar 2015 9:43 am
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| Looks nice Erv. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2015 9:46 am
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| Thanks, guys! |
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Josh Rossow
From:
Mchenry, Illinois
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Posted 7 Mar 2015 8:55 pm
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| Man that looks really sharp Erv, nice and clean. Looks like a lot of time went into it. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2015 5:55 am
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Yes,
It was quite a project! |
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Tommy White
From:
Nashville
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Posted 8 Mar 2015 7:50 am
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| Beautiful work there Erv. Beautiful guitar. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2015 11:44 am
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| Thanks, Tommy. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 8 Mar 2015 11:53 am
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Wow! If I could have one that looked like that underneath I'd like another ZB! Great job!
(Erv: did the book reach you safely?)
_________________
Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2015 11:55 am
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Thanks, Roger
Yes, I got the book. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 8 Mar 2015 9:25 pm
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
Damir,
Sold! Where do you want it sent. |
lol, somehow I knew you're gonna say that, but seriously, looks awesome, if I was you I would keep and play it, and be very proud
_________________
https://steelguitarsonline.com/ |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 9 Mar 2015 6:55 am
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| I think I'll save it for my grandchildren. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 26 Apr 2017 1:13 pm
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There's been some discussion recently concerning ZB's and their undercarriage.
I just thought I'd revive this old posting and show what I did to the undercarriage on a ZB. |
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memphislim
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 27 Apr 2017 7:32 am
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
Mike,
...Also where the two sections of pull rod come together there is a turnbuckle with left and right hand thread, just like the original ZB's. |
Erv, why did you keep the turnbuckles? Seems you could have just made the pull rods longer with a bend on the end and saved the weight/complexity of the TBs. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 27 Apr 2017 7:35 am
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| They don't weigh much and I had to have some way of attaching the bicycle spokes to the changer fingers. |
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James Taylor
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 27 Apr 2017 9:40 am
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Erv, You are some block! With all the music you have transcribed for pedal steel and your knowledge on the instrument as well as this incredible work you have achieved on this ZB.
I like many would love to hear it when you get a chance. Yes you are some guy. Best wishes JAMES TAYLOR |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 27 Apr 2017 9:48 am
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Ah, gee  |
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Andy DePaule
From:
Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
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Posted 29 Apr 2017 5:30 am Really nice
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Really nice Erv,
How long did the project take you?
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 29 Apr 2017 7:44 am
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Andy,
It sure wasn't an over night project, it extended over several months. But, I didn't work at it steady.
Some of the parts I made myself and most of the others came from Wayne Link in Canada. The cross shaft arrangement is patterned after the MSA Classic pedal steel.
It also took me some time to strip and refinish the cabinet. One thing that surprised me was that the tuners on the old girl weren't available in the USA, I had to send to Germany for them.
It's been said that the tone on the ZB rests in the changer and the pickups so I kept them original.
The changer has a lot of the same characteristics as the changer on the Emmons p/p so that must help contribute to the tone. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 29 Apr 2017 10:04 am
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1970 Tommy Whites ZB I have reminds me a lot of my '65 wraparound Emmons ... very clear, and rings like a bell with plenty of overtones... beautiful ZB Erv...great job....
_________________
https://steelguitarsonline.com/ |
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Andy DePaule
From:
Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
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Posted 29 Apr 2017 8:59 pm ZB Changer?
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Many years ago, I think it was Tom Bradshaw who showed me a changer finger that I think was from a ZB if memory serves me right, and it may not at my age!
But I do remember that this finger had a very hard steel circle that fit over the top of the mechanism for the string to wrap around. That meant the strings bridge (The circle) was very hard material and not aluminum.
I think he was showing me how the all pull changer finger operated so it was very soon after I started playing in about 1977 or 78.
So Erv, does that sound to you like the fingers on that one you did?
Since that time I've done quite a fair amount of fiddling around with these instruments, but still far from being an expert.
I do love to see guys fixing up the older ones and often improving the functions.
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2017 6:09 am
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Damir, thanks!
Andy,
Yes, that's how the top of the finger is constructed, there is a hard metal cap that fits over the top of the finger for the string to rest on.
The ZB changer works a lot like the Emmons p/p, the stops are solid metal to metal just like the p/p. I'm sure that's where the great tone comes from together with the Zane Beck pickups. |
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Andy DePaule
From:
Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
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Posted 30 Apr 2017 7:02 am ZB's
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Hi Erv,
Never have had or played a ZB myself, but had a friend who had one.
It was set up Day and not Emmons so I never tried it.
I think your right about the tone and the stop being against the end plate.
I would think that hard steel bridge fitting also contributes to the tone.
Best wishes,
Andy
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project. |
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