ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!

Patrick Timmins · Post by **Patrick Timmins** » 23 Jan 2021 5:27 pm

Wow! You have some pretty cool rigs Abe.

Are the center row pole pieces in the pickup magnets as well, or just un-adjustable pole pieces?

The finger caps look like they are aluminum as opposed to stainless. are they one piece, or are they removable caps?

Every knee lever looks cast except the LKL. They all look like different castings as well. It's like everyone was just melting down their beer cans and casting pedal steel parts in their back yards then. (Yes, we still had steel cans in most markets then).

The left knees seem really far to the right. Maybe to make room for the artwork?

Does the end plate have 2, 3 or 4 rows of holes for tuning?

Very cool piece you have there Abe. Would love to hear what it sounds like!

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 16 Feb 2021 1:26 pm

Abe, Any chance for a sound sample of your new ZB? Looks great!

Abe Levy · Post by **Abe Levy** » 17 Feb 2021 12:02 pm

The pole pieces are not moveable. Iâ€™m not sure about the finger caps. Yes the knees are a little awkwardly placed but playable. Iâ€™m not sure how to post a sound sample...?

Abe Levy · Post by **Abe Levy** » 17 Feb 2021 12:03 pm

Mike DiAlesandro · Post by **Mike DiAlesandro** » 19 Feb 2021 1:01 pm

Here is a single 10 I first purchased in 2003, and added 2 knee levers courtesy of Billy Knowles. Serial 1072. Zane got it right when he built this guitar!

This is now the 3rd time I have purchased this fine ZB , thanks to Ben Elder for shipping her from California to me. Hopefully this time she is here to stay.

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 19 Feb 2021 6:04 pm

Mike that's a beauty!
I love that color combo.
Keep it this time

Here's it's cousin #1060

Mike DiAlesandro · Post by **Mike DiAlesandro** » 20 Feb 2021 4:42 am

Eric Dahlhoff wrote:Mike that's a beauty!
I love that color combo.
Keep it this time

Here's it's cousin #1060

Thanks Eric - The other day when I was cleaning and changing strings, I pulled the keyhead, and discovered the black lacquer underneath. I was surprised, but figured that the black had lost some of it's pigment, and turned the rust color.

I guess that is what happened, thanks for the photo!

Mike D

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 20 Feb 2021 7:32 am

Here's it's cousin #1060

I think I had that one for a short while...

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 20 Feb 2021 8:17 am

Yes indeed!

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 20 Feb 2021 8:40 am

Eric, did you sell the D-10 yet?

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 20 Feb 2021 1:27 pm

Dave,
Yep the D-11/10 is traveling to Florida. I miss it already

but it was just getting heavier & heavier...

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 6 Mar 2021 5:31 pm

Just wondering about roughly how many D-11 ZBs were built...anyone know? Thanks

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 7 Mar 2021 6:24 am

ZBs weren't built roughly.
They were built quite nicely.

Erv

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 7 Mar 2021 6:50 am

ZBs weren't built roughly.
They were built quite nicely. Very Happy
Erv

Hahaha...I fixed my post....
Dz

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 7 Mar 2021 7:12 am

Dave,
I was just funnin' you.

Erv

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 7 Mar 2021 7:29 am

Dave,
I was just funnin' you. Very Happy

I figured that! All good!

I’m terrible at typing and even worse on the iPhone...

Edward Dixon · Post by **Edward Dixon** » 19 Apr 2021 10:34 am

Eric Dahlhoff wrote:Dave,
Yep the D-11/10 is traveling to Florida. I miss it already but it was just getting heavier & heavier...

I promise I'll take good care of her. I love this guitar.

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 19 Apr 2021 8:32 pm

Well that makes me happy

Enjoy!!!

Edward Dixon · Post by **Edward Dixon** » 3 May 2021 6:00 am

This is 1 of 3 PSGs I inherited 20 years ago. Back then I didn't know what to do with them so I sold 2, this guitar and a Sho-Bud D10. I was sorting photos on my computer and found these pictures. I'm wondering if anybody here owns this guitar?

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 5 Aug 2021 8:34 pm

Looking for rod size and thread size for a ZB pedal rod ?

Patrick Timmins · Post by **Patrick Timmins** » 8 Aug 2021 8:28 am

Rod is 3/16" (~ .475 mm).
Thread is ANSI 10-32.
ANSI thread chart here: https://www.engineersedge.com/screw_threads_chart.htm

If you are super desperate, M5 may be used buy will strip threads and likely gall. last resort and not recommended.

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 8 Aug 2021 9:32 pm

Thanks Patrick , that’s what I thought but I bought a 10/32 die nut and it doesn’t want to screw onto the thread I have . Also the 3/16 unc tap I have won’t screw into the female thread on the connector . You are correct with the rod diameter being just over 4.7 mm by my calipers .

Patrick Timmins · Post by **Patrick Timmins** » 9 Aug 2021 2:00 pm

Hmmm...
Maybe the ZB has been down under long enough to have been converted to 5mm? Or the threads may have been messed up by someone using a 5mm nut. They are very close to one another. Image below.

Once you are under 1/4" in the U.S., we go by numbers. 10 would be equivalent to 3/16" and a 12 would equivalent to 7/32".

With the UNC tap you bought, the "C" stands for coarse threads. that would likely be the same as a 10-24 and will not work in a 10-32 thread. The second number is the pitch of the threads (threads per inch). A 3/16 UNF ("F" for fine) should be the same as a 10-32. Definitely need fine threads.

I double checked mine when I replied with a 69 ZB. SN 0027.

From top down: 5mm, 10-32, ZB pedal rod threads.

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 11 Aug 2021 4:50 pm

Thanks Patrick I will check it out when I get home
Ok , I have learnt a bit about UNC/F threads . You can see the tap I have is actually a 10/24 UNC , so no good for this . The die nut I have is the correct size 10-32 UNF . So I tried again to thread it onto the pedal rod and …..success ! I must have had it on not straight or was not trying hard enough .
So thanks to Patrick I am now sorted to shorten my pedal rods .

Patrick Timmins · Post by **Patrick Timmins** » 13 Aug 2021 7:47 pm

Happy to assist.
Just leave the die on the pedal rod threads and then make the cut. Removing the die will clean up the threads at the cut.

I have the opposite problem. My ZB has 2" extensions on the pedal rods.

The Steel Guitar Forum

ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!

Serial 1072

Sweet ZB

Re: Sweet ZB

ZB D11/10 Serial number 0090