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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 15 Mar 2021 6:35 am    
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I've never seen one of the ZB student model guitars. They had 11 strings. What was the copedent on them? They seem to be pretty rare. How many were made?


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Eric Dahlhoff


From:
Point Arena, California
Post  Posted 15 Mar 2021 8:10 am    
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I've seen more than a few for sale, but they have all been 10 strings. I never looked close enough at that album cover to see that it's 11 strings Whoa!

My guess is that it was made special for Mr. Beck by Mr. Brumley.
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 15 Mar 2021 9:38 am    
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In the 70's, when I upgraded from a ZB S10 to a ZB D10, my friend and I used his electronic/tv/stereo store to become a dealer for ZB, mostly so I could get my D10 for dealer cost (almost half off). We sold 2 guitars (by word of mouth only - no advertising), a D10 and a 10 string student model. I think Zane built the one in the pic as an 11 string because that is what he played. It's basically a ZB pro model under the hood, in an economy body. Best student model I ever saw.
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Marco Schouten


From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Post  Posted 15 Mar 2021 10:02 am    
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I have that album. It sounds fantastic. Probably has something to do with the player as well.
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 15 Mar 2021 10:11 am    
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He was an amazing player, for sure. Very Happy
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Johnie King


From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 15 Mar 2021 3:11 pm    
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I would like too have that album it is Zane playing Beautiful country tunes.
Most of Zane's album cuts were jazz with a few country tunes.
Yes Bob Zane Beck was top notch steel man an person.
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Gene Tani


From:
Pac NW
Post  Posted 15 Mar 2021 9:56 pm    
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I think this was the last one sold. Ironically, i saw one in local Craigslist at same time

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=2964453&highlight=#2964453
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 16 Mar 2021 3:42 am    
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My first steel was a red 10-string ZB Student.

Although it was meaningless to me at the time, I recall the dealer (Eric Snowball of ESE Music in Maidstone, Kent) 'explaining' to me that the ZB 'student' model was superior to the Emmons Guitar Co's equivalent (was that a Lil Buddy? I've forgotten now) because the ZB employed a 'pro changer' and was mechanically identical to the glitzy-looking pro models with their lacquer finishes.

I'm sure it was fundamentally true. The same sales-pitch worked on me many years later when I chose a Zum Encore for a 'fly-guitar'. The Encore was superior mechanically to Zum's Stage One in respect of its changer.

If I remember correctly, the ZB Students came in red, blue and black - just the molded tops were coloured, all of them had the brushed-aluminium cabinets.
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 16 Mar 2021 4:00 am    
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I thought the Lil Buddy was NOT an Emmons product. Wasn't their student model the GS1, or something like that?
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 16 Mar 2021 4:03 am    
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I did say that I couldn't remember.
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Brendan Mitchell


From:
Melbourne Australia
Post  Posted 16 Mar 2021 4:06 am    
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Roger Rettig wrote:
My first steel was a red 10-string ZB Student.

Although it was meaningless to me at the time, I recall the dealer (Eric Snowball of ESE Music in Maidstone, Kent) 'explaining' to me that the ZB 'student' model was superior to the Emmons Guitar Co's equivalent (was that a Lil Buddy? I've forgotten now) because the ZB employed a 'pro changer' and was mechanically identical to the glitzy-looking pro models with their lacquer finishes.

I'm sure it was fundamentally true. The same sales-pitch worked on me many years later when I chose a Zum Encore for a 'fly-guitar'. The Encore was superior mechanically to Zum's Stage One in respect of its changer.

If I remember correctly, the ZB Students came in red, blue and black - just the molded tops were coloured, all of them had the brushed-aluminium cabinets.

Roger I believe the Little Buddy had nothing to do with Emmons . I also believe that the Emmons student model was itself a steel with a “pro” changer and cheaper cabinet . Nothing against ZB , I love mine , and I’ve never played a ZB student .
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Jeff Mead


From:
London, England
Post  Posted 16 Mar 2021 2:43 pm    
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I had a ZB student model. Very similar to the one in the picture but in black and with 10 strings.

It only had one knee lever though.
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Patrick Huey


From:
Nacogdoches, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 17 Mar 2021 9:38 am    
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Roger Rettig wrote:
My first steel was a red 10-string ZB Student.

Although it was meaningless to me at the time, I recall the dealer (Eric Snowball of ESE Music in Maidstone, Kent) 'explaining' to me that the ZB 'student' model was superior to the Emmons Guitar Co's equivalent (was that a Lil Buddy? I've forgotten now) because the ZB employed a 'pro changer' and was mechanically identical to the glitzy-looking pro models with their lacquer finishes.

I'm sure it was fundamentally true. The same sales-pitch worked on me many years later when I chose a Zum Encore for a 'fly-guitar'. The Encore was superior mechanically to Zum's Stage One in respect of its changer.

If I remember correctly, the ZB Students came in red, blue and black - just the molded tops were coloured, all of them had the brushed-aluminium cabinets.

The Encore had split tuning whereas the Stage One does not
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David Rattray

 

From:
Ontario, Canada
Post  Posted 17 Mar 2021 10:23 am     Zb
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My first Steel was an 11 string student model in black bought it through Garney Scheels in Stittsville Ontario in 1973 a 3 and 4...standard E Ninth with a low..?...cannot remember although it did sound like a ZB...Tom Brumley was is and will always be my Steel guitar hero...David..
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J R Rose

 

From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2021 5:36 pm    
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I got my LP direct from Zane at his shop in Scranton, Ark. I wanted one of his beginner guitars so bad but just could not afford. Wife and two new babies so had to get my act together. If I have my memory correct tonight the eleven string on the LP cover he made for himself and the others were ten strings. The color on the guitar is a plastics like material sprayed on or poured on or however but was nice. Was a metal frame and changer was a pro changer and under carriage was the usual flat bar ZB system. Worked as good as any ZB guitar. As far as I was concerned it was a Pro Guitar.
J.R. Rose
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Mike DiAlesandro


From:
Kent, Ohio
Post  Posted 17 Sep 2022 4:22 pm    
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Nice guitars, this one just showed up at my door today...




And one from a few years ago...


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J R Rose

 

From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2022 4:19 pm    
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Mike, those are very nice little beginner steels. The changer is just like the pro models. Flat ZB pull bars. I never have had one but it looks like the neck is made of wood and then the Epoxy finish poured over it all. A great inexpensive guitar.
J.R.
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Byron Towle

 

From:
Sandwich, Illinois, USA
Post  Posted 25 Sep 2022 5:38 am     ZB Student Model
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Here's my 10 string universal
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Mike DiAlesandro


From:
Kent, Ohio
Post  Posted 25 Sep 2022 6:49 am    
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Byron -
Did Tom use the original changer? Some photos of the changer would be nice. That's an amazing job he did, thanks for posting.
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Byron Towle

 

From:
Sandwich, Illinois, USA
Post  Posted 25 Sep 2022 8:45 am    
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Hi Mike,
Yes, he kept the original changer and pickup. I have another double neck ZB and this student model sounds better and is easier to play. Maybe the aluminum cast body contributes to the livelier sound!
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Ron Pruter

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 25 Sep 2022 12:37 pm    
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Byron, what cool little, hidden locking lever in the middle of that guitar. RP
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Byron Towle

 

From:
Sandwich, Illinois, USA
Post  Posted 25 Sep 2022 1:38 pm    
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Ron, that’s a sacred steel lever to lower my F# to E. Gives me big fat chords when I double the E’s.
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