Please help identify this instrument played by Sonny Curtis

Mark Thompson · Post by **Mark Thompson** » 20 Oct 2021 3:14 pm

I'm helping with musical instruments for a George Jones/Tammy Wynette film being made.

Can someone identify the pedal steel guitar in the photo of Sonny Curtis?

Mark Thompson
Backline Nashville

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 20 Oct 2021 3:22 pm

A ZB Custom I believe.

Mark Thompson · Post by **Mark Thompson** » 20 Oct 2021 4:28 pm

I figured with the knowledge on this forum I'd get the answer, that was fast.

Thank you.

I'll try to track one down for sale with that old logo, not holding my breath though.

Mark

Bob Guichard · Post by **Bob Guichard** » 20 Oct 2021 7:25 pm

Clark Custom

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 20 Oct 2021 7:41 pm

I have a guitar that looks exactly like that, same logo and color. PM sent.

That is a early ZB.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 20 Oct 2021 7:53 pm

That's a ZB, Sonny played Clark Custom guitars later.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 20 Oct 2021 8:23 pm

ZB guitars do turn up for sale here on the forum every now and then, though most seem to have the later logo

in addition to other brands in the 70s and beyond, Sonny also played one of the first Emmons guitars in the mid-60s as seen here: https://youtu.be/SWJka6CZVno

here's a somewhat better look at the original ZB logo, as played by Jerry Garcia:

you can also see Tom Brumley playing one on the old Buck Owens Ranch shows:
https://youtu.be/CRgxvJI3Vug

I know the forum's own Joel Martin in CA owns and plays an older ZB, and there must be at least a couple in the Nashville area. you might just consider having a decal made with the classic logo and slapping it on another steel guitar but it sounds like Bob Muller may have exactly what you're looking for.

good luck Mark... I'm definitely looking forward to the George/Tammy film, especially knowing there will such attention to detail!

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 21 Oct 2021 9:11 am

Jim Clark from Owasso, (Tulsa) made Clark Custom Steel Guitar's which Sonny Curtis endorsed and played for years. They are somewhat a clone to the ZB but a different sound. I have seen Sonny and Jim both in concert an they sounded great. J.R. Rose

John Borchard · Post by **John Borchard** » 21 Oct 2021 9:44 am

I bought that ZB from Sonny in ‘72 and still own it. By the time I got it, Sonny had replaced the logo decal with the newer rectangular version. If you look close, you’ll notice there’s no C pedal. His copedent was idiosyncratic, in that the guitar was tuned to A. The B’s and G#’s we’re tuned to C# and A, respectively. The A and B pedals lowered the C#’s to B and the A’s to G#. He accomplished the C pedal change with the RKR raising the high E to F#, a change I find quite useful. Some time after this picture was taken, Sonny and his business partner, Del Robinson, installed a spring loaded hi-z mic connector in the socket for the right front leg that connected to a cable that passed through the leg and exited next to the volume pedal. Genius!

I think this photo is the one accompanying an article about him in the December’71 issue of Guitar Player Magazine.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 21 Oct 2021 10:46 am

That earlier ZB logo is very distinctive.

My first steels were ZBs and I well remember the brochures that the UK dealer (Eric Snowball) would hand out to us enthusiastic beginners. When I saw the name 'Sonny Curtis' I immediately thought of The Crickets' guitarist and songwriter but, of course, there were two of them.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 21 Oct 2021 12:39 pm

Here are some photos of my guitar, I think it's a very close match.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 22 Oct 2021 6:40 am

Bob, that is one pretty guitar!

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Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 22 Oct 2021 1:38 pm

Pete Grant in Northern California owns Jerry's ZB.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 22 Oct 2021 11:40 pm

From:
Middleport, Ohio USA
Post Posted 21 Nov 2002 2:29 pm Reply with quote
John, I will add this. Your guitar ser# is 1034, my D-10 is #1037. It is idential to yours except for the white fretbaords and pick ups. Mine are black. Now Tom Brumley's famous D-11 ZB the black one, is Ser # 1039. He got it in January 1966.

Does anyone have any idea who this one was built for?

Kimberly Robinson-Hughes · Post by **Kimberly Robinson-Hughes** » 26 Oct 2021 4:02 pm

My dad is Delbert Robinson. Sadly he passed away 2 months ago today. I have heard many stories about him, Sonny, George and Tammy. I have his steel guitar and the foot pedal my dad created. It was a Delson Custom.

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 1 Dec 2021 7:53 pm

Sonny Curtis played Custom ZB Steels made by Zane Beck and then later he played Clark Steel Guitars that were custom made for him. Jim Clark was out of Owaso, Oklahoma near Tulsa, OK.

I knew Jim Clark and Zane Beck both great Guys and Great Builders of Steel Guitars.

I didn't really know Sonny Curtis but wanted to book him as a Special Guest on my Annual Terry Wood Steel Guitar Show. One year it almost happened but his wife became sick and passed on. Sonny died just a few years ago. He was a Nice Guy and really Great Steel Guitarist.

Pictured with a Young Sonny Curtis is a Zane Beck Custom ZB Steel Guitar.

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 1 Dec 2021 9:26 pm

I got a Delson pedal from Sonny in 1972 used it for years.