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Topic: ZB Rebuild #1055 |
Eric Dahlhoff
From:
Point Arena, California
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Posted 2 Jan 2025 8:29 am |
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I'm going to document my rehab of this poor, abused instrument. I knew it was a "project" when I bought it. I have been looking for a ZB "fixer" for a while, to use up parts that I've made and acquired while working on other ones. Turns out there were some surprises in store! 
First a pic of the front, showing what a beauty it is.
A pedal got busted in shipping. The pedal rack is amazing filthy and filled with metal filings. Also the pedal spacing is strange - some closer; some farther apart. Hmmm...
I had never seen these kind of pull rods. The spokes are soldered to the adjusters, so only the other rod can screw. I have since seen this on 2 other early ZB's.
Judging from all the extra holes, it looks like things have been moved around some.
The back rail and pedal rod linkage seemed okay, but dirty.
I'll leave it at that for now. Surprises ahead...
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"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan) |
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Eric Dahlhoff
From:
Point Arena, California
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Posted 4 Jan 2025 10:31 am Back Rail Weirdness
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Continuing between rain storms..
Slowly taking everything out and figuring out what I'm gonna need. Removed the flat bars (bell cranks) and the mounting plate was such a mess with holes that I decided I'll just replace it. Then I started removing the back rail, which holds the L-shaped pedal rod connectors. There seemed to be more screws than usual...
Lo! And behold!  Someone cut the back rail into a bunch of small pieces, and then screwed them all back in again. But why???
With all that removed, the body looks like someone used it for practice with a shotgun. 
Removed the changers (dirty as expected) and it appears that the original underside paint was red. So after I repair all the holes I think I'll make it red again. I've seen a few ZB's with matching paint color underneath.
Looks like the rain has stopped so time for some outdoor projects. 
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"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan) |
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Brian Lee
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2025 11:03 pm
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Great to see your new project underway Eric! Thanks for posting the great pics and commentary as you progress on the rebuild! I’m looking forward to learning from your efforts on this new project, as in your prior ZB rebuild and setup posts.
That’s sure a classy early ZB! Very cool!
Looks like it’s already presenting some surprises and challenges… You do beautiful work, and it will be cool to see how it all comes together! Your underside refinish direction sounds like a nice choice and should look really sharp. Replacing the Swiss cheesed metal will be a nice improvement too. Keep up the great work!
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'52 Fender Dual 8, '65 ZB Custom D10, '67 ZB Custom S12, 2022 Jackson Pro V, other guitars, amps. Harmonica player too. |
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Joe Bill Moad
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 5 Jan 2025 5:28 pm
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Eric
You are educating us non mechanics and showing parts and wood parts and things is really neat. I guess this is like restoring an old classic automobile? Show us the finished product please, when you finish.
Thanks
Joe Bill Moad
Oklahoma
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Don’t Worry About The Mule! Load The Wagon! |
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Joe Bill Moad
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 5 Jan 2025 5:29 pm
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Eric
You are educating us non mechanics and showing parts and wood parts and things is really neat. I guess this is like restoring an old classic automobile? Show us the finished product please, when you finish.
Thanks
Joe Bill Moad
Oklahoma
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Don’t Worry About The Mule! Load The Wagon! |
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Eric Dahlhoff
From:
Point Arena, California
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Posted 4 Feb 2025 11:53 am Update
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Hi guys & thanks for the encouragement.
I spent most of the last month doing outdoor projects. But did make a little progress on the ZB pedal bar. I needed to start with the pedal bar because it will determine where to mount all the guts.
Here's what it looked like when I got it...
It was a puzzle getting all the pedals properly spaced. Some had really been hacked. I used nylon spacers where needed. The pedals were originally painted black, but I think I'll leave 'em raw.
There are still a couple deep gouges in the front, but that will just prove it's age
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"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan) |
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