New Zumsteel Changers

KENNY KRUPNICK · From: Columbus, Ohio

Anyone have any info on the newest design Zum changers?

Tony Dingus · From: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA

I hope to get a look at Randy Beavers Zum at Bristol even if I have to tie him up.
(ha ha just kiddin' Randy)

Tony

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Randy, you'd better watch out for Tony!

"Many a truth was said in jest."

I can just see the pictures on the internet. Great shots of the underside of the guitar, with Randy wrapped in duct tape in the background.

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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

Randy Beavers · From: Lebanon,TN 37090

I've put on a few pounds lately so you better bring a full roll!

Brad Sarno · From: St. Louis, MO USA

I got to hear Randy Beavers play in the Zum room on both his own guitar with the new changer design and another guitar with the even newer latest update on the changer. Both sounded great.

I think that Randy's is the one that tunes sort of like a push/pull, and the even newer changer design tunes again like a normal all-pull. But I could be wrong on that.

Randy's seemed to be a hair brighter and have a bit more bite. The very latest version had that similar sweet top end but to my ear had a fuller, thicker sound, more body. I was only there for a few minutes, but both sounded as good as I've ever heard a Zum sound.

FWIW
Brad Sarno

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

I also heard and played both styles of new Zums in the Zum room at Scotty's show. I preferred the sound of the guitar with the old style changer. In this opinion I was in the minority but not alone.

I would describe the tone difference exactly the opposite to Brad. I thought the old style was brighter, with more bite, and the new one was thicker sounding.

Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

I watched several players in the Zum room switch back and forth using the same amp and making no changes. The new changer sounds different for sure. From sitting out front, the new changer was brighter to my ear and I personally liked it best, but many favored the standard changer. Every body hears and feels different things in a guitar.

Mike Headrick · From: South Pittsburg, TN, USA

If you haven't heard John Hughey's new CD, you may consider getting it. Not only is a great CD, but it offers an opportunity to compare. New CD = new Zum with new changer. Less recent CDs by John = old Zum with old style changer.

To my ear, I hear a real difference and I like it. It has a "richness" in the low mids much like a push pull Emmons. According to reports by John and others, the new style Zums have more sustain and less cabinet drop.

Bill Simmons · From: Keller, Texas/Birmingham, AL, R.I.P.

Mike described the new Zum changer well in my opinion. I love the new Zum "Hybred" sound. I played it a lot at the show and missed buying it by a few minutes. As a p/p player for years (although I play a great '79 Zum lacquer D-10), it has the sound John Hughey described in Mike's post.

Interesting, about half of the players prefered the standard Zum changer. Needless to say, they are both winners! Getting ready to put the order in!

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

I played the black Zum with the Hybrid changer at St Louis and was MIGHTILY impressed. Roger Edgington was there with me. I even preferred it to Randy's guitar, which in itself, trust me, is a fabulous horn, but for me this black one had the "push pull mojo" big time.

I told Bruce that if he was seriously looking for the PP tone, I think he hit the mark. No foolin'.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Does anyone have any photos of the new Zum's, especially under the hood ? Anything from their booth ?

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

Herb how was the string separation? What pickups is Bruce using?

Larry Behm

KENNY KRUPNICK · From: Columbus, Ohio

I'd love to see some pictures also,if anyone has any.

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Larry
I wasn't analyzing string separation or anything, I was simply playing steel guitar and thinking, "this thing sounds like my Emmons. I'd like to own this guitar." Don't even know what kind of pickup, though I assume it's a Zum.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Wally Davis · From: Belleville, Illinois, USA

Herb.I'm almost positive that those were Wallace Truetones in both of the guitars. Bruce has made those the standard pickups in his guitars. I was there with Earnest and I think that he did sound better on the "old stlye" changer. I think a lot of the tone will have to do each persons picking attack. Larry. I found the string seperation to be exceptional on the Hybrid. They were both great sounding guitars but the new changer did many characteristics of a push-pull.

Travis Bernhardt · From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

I have extrememly limited experience with the P/P sound, but I will still say that Randy's guitar--and all the Zums, actually, a lot of people were playing them--sounded on stage very much like the one P/P I've actually heard in person. Strength, solidity and smoothness/clarity being the hallmarks of the sound, to my ears.

-Travis

Brad Sarno · From: St. Louis, MO USA

Earnest, maybe you're right. I did come up closer when he switched guitars so maybe I heard things different for that reason. I just left the room thinking Randy's was a bit brighter than the newest changer model.

Brad

Larry Hamilton · From: Amarillo,Tx

Brad, I was there nearly the whole time and saw and heard the switch of guitars. Your observations were the same as mine. the Hybrid was IMO brighter. Both guitars sounded great though. My personal pick would be the new changer and Randy's hands transplanted to mine.

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Keep pickin', Larry

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