Zum Steel Guitars

Sam White R.I.P. · From: Coventry, RI 02816

Why does it take almost a year and a half to build a Zum Steel guitar??Maybe they need someone like me to build them.I should be able to build one a day as long as they have the parts for me.I was told a guy has been waiting almost a year and a half for a Zum steel to be built. I wish they would hurry a little I'm waiting for my New Emmons that that guy is using while he is waiting for his new ZUM
Sam White

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

I agree with you Sam. It is ridiculous.

Carter can deliver in 30 to 60 days tops.

MSA Millenium can deliver in 60 days about.

So what is this with Zum , Emmons and Mullen? Six month to a year or so.? Is it because they are so busy and selling more guitars than Carter Guitars.? It's hard to believe that.....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 13 October 2004 at 03:48 PM.]

Mike Weirauch · From: Harrisburg, Illinois**The Hub of the Universe

Bruce builds his guitars one at a time with care and precision. He has more orders facing him at any given time (well over 100) than any other builder in the business yet he chooses to build them one at a time HIMSELF! Bruce is a perfectionist and will not let one leave his shop until it meets his standards of excellence. How do I know this? He built me 1 and 1 is all I will ever need! Mine was sent to me in 2002 and the wait then was 9 months but business has increased since then so sit back and find something or someone else to complain about Sam and leave Bruce to building his guitars ONE AT A TIME WITH CARE AND PRECISION!

Sam White R.I.P. · From: Coventry, RI 02816

Hey Mike it is all in the know how.I built two in about three weeks only because I had to waite for some parts to be shipped.They turned out to be good steels and i sold both of them.
Sam White

Dan Hatfield · From: Columbia, Mo USA

Hey Sam and Al, with all due respect, you guys should do a little research before you spout off about something of which you know nothing!!!! Do you guys have any idea how many of the top players (e.g. Hal, John, Doug, Randy, and the list goes on and on) swear by Zum guitars?????????

Sorry about being so blunt, but I can't let comments like that go unanswered.
Dan

Tiny Olson · From: Mohawk River Valley, Upstate NY

I have to side with Mike... and Bruce Z.

I have had a 23 yr. friendship and professional relationship with Bruce Zumsteg and he is without question, a man of his word and a perfectionist in his work. The guitars he builds are the most desired pedal steels going these days and he builds each one himself. He is constantly researching, experimenting and incorporating new ideas into his products in order to stay on the cutting edge. By doing so he continues to move ahead and make the ZumSteel even better (if that's possible.?.?)

He doesn't give false account of the ammount of time a guitar will take in being built and delivered to his customers either. He lets them know right up front with a very accurate estimation of the projected delivery date.

Bruce is one super guy and I had to say this on his behalf. He's always done right by me.

Chris "Tiny" Olson

Jack Dougherty · From: Spring Hill, Florida, USA

I've had mine for over 20 years.......It worked then and still does.....Bruce stands alone behind every guitar......Anybody who has one and who ever hopes to have one should know this.....It's not a matter of parts....It's a matter of personal pride. BZ don't build no junk!!! But if it's a matter of waiting for one....remember ...the second coming of Christ will be a bit longer...

JD

PS: HELLO TINY!!!!

Gary Sill · From: Mt. Zion, IL, USA

I would suggest that Sam and Al both take a trip to see Bruce in Missouri visit with him and then come back and report on why it takes one man so long to produce the level of product he does. At least when I ordered my Zum all along Bruce said he would refund the $200 if I decided I did not want it at any time during the first months of waiting. Sometimes gestation needs its time. Patience wins in the end. Visit with Bruce and you'll be all right in the end.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

It doesn't take a year & a half to build a guitar. It just takes around 14 months to get to start on that guitar.

That's the way it is. You accept it, or you don't. If Mr. Zumsteg tells you that it's an 18 month delivery, it's your decision. If he delivers in 18 months or less, he's a man of his word. So far I've heard nothing to the contrary.

You can't tell him how to operate his business. Not when he makes one of the finest steels that there is.

KENNY KRUPNICK · From: Columbus, Ohio

What Mike,and Tiny said!

Bruce builds one of the finest steels available today,and he puts his heart into each one.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I've been keeping an eye on Bruce's steels for years now. The amazing thing is they keep getting better and better. The guitars I checked out in St Louis this year, both the standard changer and the hybrid, were a couple of the best steels I have ever played.

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Bob
intonation help

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

It's really very basic and simple...it is the heavy demand by so many players for his quality steels that have backlogged the delivery dates. The actual 'assembling time' is not the problem...it is when Bruce can actually begin building the steels.

My buddy and I both ordered the new Zum 'Hybrid' model yesterday and we may not see them until 14-18 months from now because of the strong demand. As far I understand, it is only Bruce building them. He does not want to produce an assembly line instrument or hire other people to build the Zum other than himself.

For me, it is well worth the wait. If waiting was a problem, there are other good builders that could get me their steel sooner. In the meantime, I will suffer playing my super sounding '79 Zum birdseye maple! HA HA

[This message was edited by Bill Simmons on 14 October 2004 at 12:13 AM.]

[This message was edited by Bill Simmons on 14 October 2004 at 09:04 AM.]

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Sam,Al,
Would y'all like a little hot sauce with that "crow" yer gonna hafta eat? Bigsbys were somewhere in the 2 yr. waiting period.

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  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


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CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i was very lucky to get a Zum off ebay
it was previously owned by Mike Smith and was about 20 years old (Blue D10 9/ Cool

it is a wonderful instrument
if i had the $$$, i'd order a new one from Bruce and wait for however long it would be to make it
it's well worth the wait
same goes for JCH, Fulawka, Anapeg and other marvelous craftsmen

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 14 October 2004 at 01:04 AM.]

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

I have heard that to buy a Sheerhorn guitar you will wait about 3 years and will cost $4000. They are worth it.

Larry Behm

Leland Ogle · From: Baxter Springs, Kansas, USA

I own three Zumsteels, one that I bought used from Bruce, and two that I ordered. Bruce's delivery time for both guitars was exactly what he said it would be and was well worth the wait. When I thought about selling my 93 D-10 I quickly found out that I could sell it for almost exactly what I paid for it in 1993. I just couldn't bring myself to part with it because it sounds and plays so good. On top of this, Bruce is a truly class act. He says what he will do and then does exactly what he said he would do.
I've known him since 1981 and look forward to many more years of freindship.
Lee

Mike Headrick · From: South Pittsburg, TN, USA

I was on the waiting list for about a year. I think Bruce did me a favor and pushed mine along a bit so that I could use it on my last CD. As a "thank you" I made sure it was pictured on the cover.

In the process of building it (which only seemed to take about two weeks after he got started) we talked many times. Sometimes he would call me with questions and other times I would call him with extra things I wanted. When I sat down behind that Zum for the first time I couldn't believe what a precision instrument Bruce had built. I ordered it loaded and it had to be a work of genius to get all that stuff under the guitar and make it play as well as it does. I don't think Superman could have built the guitar I got in less time.

You couldn't possibly work with a nicer guy than Bruce. He's absolutely fair in every case, and he has his clients' best interest in mind.

[This message was edited by Mike Headrick on 14 October 2004 at 06:19 AM.]

Del Mullen · From: Flagler Co. USA

I am not sure how Zum operates, but I can tell you this, Bruce builds a fine guitar, and quality takes time. With there being well over 250 different parts in a steel guitar, it does take time to make sure these parts are in stock.
To clarify about the Mullen, We build every single part here, and also build one of the finest steel guitars on the market. We now have our delivery time down to 3-6 weeks. The only guitars that take longer are the extreme custom stuff. For example the complaints of our delivery time have been on custom orders such as left handed models, HWP models, and custom wood models. These types of guitars also consumes a lot of time of ours. We can assemble a guitar in 4 hours, however if you do not have all the parts then it doesn't matter how fast you can build one. Also our obligations are not limited to one guitar, we have several on order which we have to prep for. Every part on our guitar is precision machined in our factory, and with the CNC machines costing over $100,000 each, it is not possible to fill the shop with them, so we only have one, therefore it takes time and a good schedule to keep parts in stock. Our whole objective is to build the best quality guitar we can, not the quickest, but now we have managed to do both. 3-6 weeks on a new guitar should be nothing to complain about.
I would also like to add one more point about the steel guitar. It is not an industry where you can set up a production line and manufacture guitars left and right, rarely do we manufacture two guitars alike. The setup, colors, options, and models all vary from order to order. Therefore we cannot mass produce any specific guitar, because of this it takes time.
Sincerely,
Mike Mantey
Sales and Production Manager
Mullen Guitar Co., Inc.

[This message was edited by Del Mullen on 14 October 2004 at 08:45 AM.]

David Doggett · Posted 14 Oct 2004 8:02 am

This is all a big misunderstanding. If it takes a year to get a Zum, and Bruce has 100 orders, then he is making about two a week. Which is much less time than Sam claims it took himself. The problem is that, as been mentioned, Bruce does all the work himself, and when you call him, he will pick up the phone himself and interupt his work with a long friendly detailed discussion of your problem.

It is his superior design that makes his guitars so great. And it seems like he could teach one or two other guys how to assemble new guitars. Also, it would be really nice if he had an extra guy to work on repairs and reconditioning. There probably aren't that many repairs, but, for example, I would like to send my '90s Zum to him to add a pedal and replace the old bellcrank/pull rod assemblies with the new kind, that are easier to make setup changes with. But Bruce apparently feels he can't trust anyone else with the work, or that it would cost too much. So he keeps his operation a one-man thing. The other big name manufacturers have more employees. Even Bobbe Seymour and Scotty have extra employees handling repairs and reconditioning. Ya just gotta take Bruce Zumsteg in his own way, and be thankful we have him.

Ivan Posa · From: Hamilton, New Zealand

I have been waiting nearly 4 years for my Anapeg. Mine is in the current production run of 4 instruments. I tell Noel that I will be too old to play it by the time he is finished. If you wish to see perfection, you need to eyeball one of Noel's masterpieces. Unbelievable workmanship. The wait will be worth it aswould the wait for a new Zum. Be patient....IP

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Larry R · From: Navasota, Tx.

Mike Mantey of (Mullen Guitar Co) is right about all that is involved in the process. Mike didn't mention that personell have to be trained to work the machinery unless the person has worked with it beforehand.
I waited 9-10 months back in 1996 for my first Lacquer SD10 from Del. A few months ago I ordered a new D10 and got it in 5 weeks. They have really improved their processes in the last 8 yrs.

john buffington · From: Owasso OK - USA

My heartwood guitar took a few extra months to build and was well worth the wait. (You can see it on their website.) Would I do it again - in a heartbeat. Lacquer body guitars require more time and this makes the sixth Mullen guitar I have owned.
John Buffington
Mullen Guitars Webb Amps

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I waited exactly 9 months for my new Zum. And, that's exactly what Bruce quoted, right on the money. I've had this steel for a year now, and still can't get over how easily it plays and sounds. It took me 27 yrs. to buy a new steel and I don't think I could have made a better choice. Bruce is truly a great craftsman who stands behind his product.And, that's a fact.

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Hey Smiley-I was just makeing a comment on Sam"s post.

Sam brought it up and I also wondered why some builders took a lot longer than others.

We all got some pretty good answers on this post. Thanks...Isn't this forum great?....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 14 October 2004 at 05:14 PM.]

Sam White R.I.P. · From: Coventry, RI 02816

I did not know this would stir up a bunch of guys getting up set. The part about me building one a day was a joke and anyone could see that.I did not know it took that long for some guys to build a Steel Guitar.At that rate they can't be making a lot of money. I would never throw a Steel Guitar builder down I know the work that goes in them.I do not know Bruce but i bet he is a great Guy. He has to be because he builds Steel Guitars.
End of Story Sam White

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