I picked up a -78 mod Zum at the Dallas show in March. Serial #57.
I'm not quite sure but belive the front is laquer and not Mica.
The changer fingers has a slot for hooking up the strings just like the new Zums
I just rigged it up and did some rerodding. This old steel plays so sweet and sound so good. It has wrap around necks as well.
A couple of return compensators and it will play like a new Zum.
The old logo look cool
A few months back I finally finished reassembling a 84 Zum that was originally built for Tommy Dodd. It had been thru several owners the last of which took it apart and passed from this world before he started putting it back together. This Zum was quite a bit different from even my 89. When I would talk with Bruce he would say, oh that changer isn't as good as the new ones, or that was something I tryed that wasn't all that good. He finnally did say they sounded pretty good. Well Bruce is a perfectionist and what isn't perfect to him is still very good. This guitar came out great. It plays good, stays in tune, looks good, and sounds really really good. My friend who owns it is a very happy camper and shows it off every chance he gets.
Dag, those end plates are to die for. Would you do me a favor and measure the thickness? It should be either 3/16 or 1/4, or if you prefer mm, no prob.
The bevel on the end of the plate(front of guitar) is that a rounded one or is it straight? The pic is not making this clear.
One more thing...the cross rods are they aluminum? and what is the thickness?
Danny Letz is correct...Bruce is a perfectionist. The quality of his guitars speak volumes about that. Plus, he never stops looking for ways to make "perfect" a little better. These attributes have certainly earned Bruce a top spot among builders.
I just picked this one up used from Tommy Wallace here. I spoke with Doug Earnest, and he told me how to adjust it to get it to use my wound 6th and my whole tone raise on 1 and 7. I got it because I figured at 26 lbs. in the case, it would be perfect for any travel I might have to do. I am truly impressed with the workmanship. The stops are positive, and the tone in that little guitar is astounding. It's "just a student model," but it shows what can and should be done with student guitars. It is fully functional, and there's a lot of music in it.
Mikey D... H.S.P.
Music hath the charm to soothe a savage beast, but I'd try a 10mm first.
Danny,
Yes, Bruce is a perfectionist and his changers and modifications has made the Zum even better over the years. However, as I've said earlier, these old Zumsteels are built as good if not better than most other brands built today.
Bent,
I'm not sure of the thickness of the end plates. I know that early Emmons had thinner end plates than they have today and many of the "old" guys don't like that.
The end plates are cast on this one but the new Zum #1073 I got in St. Louis two weeks ago has milled end plates. I belive mine are the first Zum with milled end plates.
Egil has #1072 and his are cast.
Don't know the thickness of the cross shaft either. Give Bruce a call and he will tell you.
The old Zum has round cross shaft but you can see one square shaft. Counting number 6 from A pedal. It's the LKL on C6th.
Cliff,
Don't know what type of pups but they look original. The plastic are black all the way through. Not like the ones you see today with layers of black-white-black....
Here is my incredible playing and sounding '79 Zum, 8+5. My buddy, Tom McDonald, is sitting behind it and he bought the identical 'sister' Zum from Don Curtis a couple years ago.
I use an BL-710 on the E9th and the original Zum pickup (17.2 ohms) on the C6th. I believe the pickups on the Dag's old Zum are the original Zum pickups that Bruce use to wind himself.
I wish I knew where my 1976(!) birdseye maple 12 string extended E9 Bruce made me ended up! (His second year of business, I believe...) I found an old recording I made with it the other day, and was amazed at how pretty it sounded 30 years ago. Boy do I wish I had that one back!
That birdseye ZumSteel and the one Tom got from Don Curtis were definately sister guitars. The one you have was originally owned by John Hawkins and the one Don Curtis had was originally owned by Don Barr. Don Barr's guitar was ordered with 9 pedals however. I played that one a few times as Don Barr lived next door to me back in those days near Manvel, TX. It's good to see these older Zums still be played.
Bill, I love that birdseye. I'm druling so bad I nearly shorted out my keyboard. I bought my Zum 10 years ago at the Dalls show and still enjoy it very much.
Thanks guys for your comments on my '79 Zum. As I've stated many times, there are a lot of terrific steel guitar manufactures and I've owned most brands over the last decade in particuliar, but I really just love this nearly 30 year Zum. I would not want to change one thing about it! Bruce Z was right on building these 'ol steels!
Does it sound like a p/p or a Rains or a Mullen G2, etc?? No...it has it's very own special 'Zum' tone...very warm and sweet to my ear. However, to give a little more of an answer, mine sounds like a cross between a great sounding full Sho-Bud and clear sweetness of the Emmons p/p (again, only my opinion).
"Tiny"...you hit the history of Tom McDonald and my sister '79 Zums. John Hawkins always asks if I'm taking care of his old Zum! Sure am 'John-Jack' HA!
By the way Roger, you really must stop that druling before they drag you off to the home! HA HA
Here is a picture of Tom McDonald's '79 Zum (jump in here Ts for further comments])...it looks even nicer in person than the picture shows.
Those sure are some fine lookin guitars there,, I'm doing a total resto on a ''77 model as we speak,, I should be thru with it within the next few weeks, soon as i get thru I'll show some pics of it,, Mine is CHERRY RED AUTOMOTIVE POLYURETHANE WITH CLEAR COAT, plus put mother of pearl at the top and bottom so it is looking good just gotta work on it between other people's guitars, it won't be long now...
TOMMY YOUNG
MAX-TONE MODIFICATIONS
BMI dealer,Classic VIBE 100 amp... SIT strings..
I have a 1984 Zum S12U with 8x4, Red mica, single body.
It sounds and plays great.
I am trying to decide if I should send it back to Bruce for a copedant change, and add a LKV and RKL2.
I guess I just need to pack it and ship it.
(Or do I just order parts and do it myself... hmmm).
Pete, Zumsteels are great DIY guitars......I added a LKV and LKL-2 to my D-10 a couple of months ago. Zums are pretty straight forward. The back panel makes cross shaft access fairly easy.
Long T-handle ball-end hex wrenches are a big help. Also a cordless reversing screwdriver w/ a 3/16 socket makes pull-rod changes a snap.
I only had to drill 2 holes for each positive stop. To make sure I didn't drill through the body, I took a collar off an Emmons p/p pull-rod and screwed it on to the drill bit at the same depth as one of the existing screws
i had a Blue 1981 D10 9/8 Zum that was made for Mike Smith
i got it off ebay & was lucky cause it was in darn good shape & played well
having ordered a new Zum from Bruce along the same set up as Mike's, i sold it to Ferdinando Ghidelli in Italy
that Zum is still goin' strong !
it's in DVA's gallery : "am i blue ?"
It's really interesting to look at other Zums, especially the older ones. I have two D-10's that were built in 1980. I bought one near Chicago and the other near St. Louis. They're two serial numbers apart. One is rosewood mica with a rosewood lacquered front. The other is black. Both have the split changer. The bottom changer support bracket is different on both.
I noticed that both Bill and Dag's older guitars have what appear to be Schaller keys? Both of mine came with their original single-line Klusons that had pretty much outlived their useful life. I've replaced several of the keys on both of them.
I like the old logo picture on Dag's and that plastic undercoating is interesting. I definitely like the birdseye on Bill's. Those knee levers are, I think, the newer style and were perhaps a later add-on?
Bruce has been great in answering all my questions and supplying what parts I've needed. I've called him several times for advice because the black guitar needed work when I got it. Boy, I really think he remembers EVERY guitar he's ever built.
As info, a new knee lever kit has the newer style bellcrank and rod. He no longer has any older bellcranks and pinned rods. No matter, really, the new style works, too.
"Bishop", thanks for posting my "1979 Blonde Lacquer 2.10.9.7 Zumsteel", which as Tiny stated as originally belonging to my "Dear Friend Don Barr", who was like a "Second Father" to me. As Tiny would say, "We all still miss "Him" very much" since he passed away. Tiny when you see or visit with Tony Booth, Larry and Norm, please say Hi for me. Iknow that "John-Jack" in "Greater Onalaska" know that you are taking excellent care of his "1979 Blonde Lacquer 2.10.8.5 Zumsteel" also. I hope that the "Jpeg" which I am uploading will give a better and clearer view of this guitar. Tiny, wish that you would attend the "TSGA Show in March 2009", as it is our "25th Anniversary", and we would love to have you attend and play, as I am certain that I speak for "His Immenince, Mr President, Albert Talley". Stay in touch. Thanks,
"Ts"
Last edited by Ts McDonald on 20 Sep 2008 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
