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Topic: ZB Guitars Made in Kingsland, Texas |
J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 1 Sep 2016 4:44 pm |
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Where are all the ZB's that Tom built while he was in Kingsland, Tx.?? Plus how long was he their? Thanks, J.R. Rose
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NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
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Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 1 Sep 2016 11:23 pm
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I thought he was in Bakersfield when he took the company over from Zane in '69 (?). Then it went to Phoenix sometime after that.....I think.
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Dave Zirbel-
Sierra S-10 (Built by Ross Shafer),ZB, Fender 400 guitars, various tube and SS amps |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 2 Sep 2016 4:52 am
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| Tom lived in Kingsland,,,built the guitars in Austin. I think the guy that helped him, (actually built the guitars) still lives in Austin,,,I forgot his name,,,I'm sure Herbster or some of the Austin guys know. |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 2 Sep 2016 6:45 am
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I visited Tom at his Z.B.place in Austin many years ago,Tom gave me a decal for my Z.B.that Alan Hamel from the Fender Custom shop refinished...I think the other guy at the Z.B.place's name was"Gene"Tom showed me his new Z.B.It was a little shorter than the Z.B's with the fish headstock,and it played great,I think that the guitar that Demir is selling is one of those?
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 2 Sep 2016 3:07 pm
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Hey Dave, I just recently got the five Steel Guitarist Magazines that bOb has for sale. In those is No.4-January-1980. Tom is telling the story of how he and Bill Simms buys and moves the ZB company to Bakersfield from Phoenix. In 1978 Tom buys full ownership of ZB and moves it to Kingsland/Austin, Texas. I do not know how long he was their or how many steels he built. Would like to know more of this time of Tom,s life. And Stu, I have seen the steel Damir has listed but I guess I need to contact him for more info on it. Maybe he has some more info. Thanks, J.R.Rose
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NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 7:00 am
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| I doubt if that guitar came from ZB that way. The cross shafts and etc. sure aren't the way ZB's were built. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 7:24 am
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I was told guitar that I have was built after Tom sold the company to someone else, who then continued making them... new owner changed the old ZB mechanics to new , more modern ones with the regular cross shafts... guitar also has shorter key head, and no "horns" ... supposedly this is one of the last ZB's ever built, if not THE VERY LAST one...
serial number of this guitar is #9748
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www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 7:33 am
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Was ZB eventually sold to BMI?
If so, they continued to use the same system as every ZB I've seen. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 7:43 am
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I wouldn't know all the details, but I know that BMI uses completely different system then ZB...
BMI
traditional ZB
my ZB with new upgraded cross shafts, and bell cranks...
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www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 8:02 am
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ZB's are noted for their tone. I was told that the only guitar that sounded better than an Emmons p/p was a ZB and that's why I owned a couple.
A while back I rebuilt a ZB and I can understand the reason why.
The changer on a ZB has some of the same features as on a p/p changer ie: there is solid metal to metal contact when the changes are made. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 8:14 am
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Erv, changer appears to be the same ZB changer that was on older ZB's... but I'm, no ZB expert, so don't know for sure...
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www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 8:32 am
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Thank You Damir for the extra pictures and info, J.R.
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NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 8:37 am
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| J R Rose wrote: |
| Thank You Damir for the extra pictures and info, J.R. |
sure, you are very welcome my friend...
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www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 3 Sep 2016 7:01 pm
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Jerry Fessenden was one of those building ZB guitars when the company was located in Kingsland, which is 65 or so miles northwest of Austin. Later the factory was moved to Austin. This time period was the early 80s. The fellow building them at the time I recall was named "Chris." Jerry F. could tell us more.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 4 Sep 2016 5:43 am
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Thanks Herb for the info, J.R.
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NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 4 Sep 2016 6:02 am
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Damir,
I just received some information from J.R. Rose that he got from Greg Jones, a ZB guru, regarding your blue guitar. He said that the guitar was built in Evansville, Indiana by Basil Smith who bought the ZB company from Tom Brumley. Basil Smith died in 1991.
So, you have the real thing! 
Last edited by Erv Niehaus on 4 Sep 2016 6:18 am; edited 3 times in total |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 4 Sep 2016 6:14 am
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
Damir,
Thar sure looks like a ZB changer. |
thank you my friend, I know you did a wonderful job rebuilding one of this ZB's, so I'm sure you know what it is...I really don't 
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www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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