ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!

Bob Hamilton · Post by **Bob Hamilton** » 1 Jan 2013 4:54 pm

Dave, did you have any trouble balancing the pulls with the Kline setup?

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 1 Jan 2013 5:06 pm

No trouble, it's a lot easier to dial in the balanced pulls but still takes a few trys to get it. You simply loosen the hex screw and adjust the rods, basically guessing/hit and miss. I found the turnbuckles near the changer really made it tricky to make adjustments. Next time I come down to the central cost to visit family I will give you a shout and bring it along (if time allows). Maybe I'll bring the Kline too so you can see.

Bob Hamilton · Post by **Bob Hamilton** » 1 Jan 2013 7:58 pm

That would be cool. I noticed Michael Yawl over at PSG parts has hex cross shafts available on his website. Have you looked at any of the stuff that is already available?

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 11 Jan 2013 2:19 pm

Here are some pics of the finished ZB conversion. I used the yolk type on E9th and the spring P/P type on the C6th. The reason I used the Kline type yolk on E9th is because how low the pulls are on changer in cabinet. I also turned the bell cranks upside down on the pedals to get a straighter pull which made the pedals feel really good. Guitar sounds awesome and plays and stays in tune really good. Tuning on C6th is a little tricky but not that hard and also was a little tricky getting E9th pulls timed but the yolks work perfect. Guitar has no cabinet drop that you can see on a tuner. I put pedal stops on C6th and plan to put them on E9th even thought the pedals feel great, I think stops would make them more positive. The guitar isn't hard to change setups and I think is a big improvment over the old ZB crossbar undercarriage.

This was a major job in that some was trial and error but think I found a working solution that will be a lot easier to do if there is a next time. I also moved the pedals over one to left as ZB pedals were sorta in center. I also replaced the aluminum bars on front and back of guitar. The cross bars are pinned in the end with a spring so easy to remove or change. Just remove piece of formica on rear apron and you have access.

Jamie Olson · Post by **Jamie Olson** » 14 Jan 2013 5:52 pm

I own a ZB D10. I'll send you the serial # ,info and pics shortly. Thanks JDS

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 15 Jan 2013 8:03 am

Played my ZB (in pics above)out Friday and Saturday night and really surprized me at how well it played and sounded. It stayed in tune all night and the tone to me is really bright compared to my P/P. I had to take some highs off amp. Tone was chrystal clear. My RNR is a little stiff so going to work on that. It does have pedal noise coming thru pickups but not noticable when playing with band.Over all played great.

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 20 Jan 2013 5:22 pm

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 63#2044363

Josh Rossow · Post by **Josh Rossow** » 27 Jan 2013 4:47 pm

Hey Guys got a question for you about the E9 neck on my ZB. When I raise my E (4th String) using either the C pedal or knee lever it returns sharp. Now if I lower the E afterwards with the other lever it returns to correct pitch. It seems like the changer or a rod is getting hung up. Any of you guys run into this?

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 27 Jan 2013 5:35 pm

This is present on a lot of the original changers. Part of the problem with the original guitar design. You can lessen it to some extent with adjusting the return spring, but on some guitars you just can't eliminate it.

Josh Rossow · Post by **Josh Rossow** » 27 Jan 2013 5:59 pm

Thanks for the info Kevin,
Josh

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 27 Jan 2013 10:07 pm

Josh,
Lift the 4th string off the roller nut at the headstock end, and check that the nut is free to turn.

Lubricate it and work it until it turns freely.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 27 Jan 2013 10:33 pm

That will help, but in most cases will not eliminate the inherent hysterisis nature of the changer design.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 28 Jan 2013 9:50 am

Since I did the conversion on my ZB, everything comes back as true as can be. My ZB undecarraige may be a little crude in a few aspects but works very well. If I had to do another, I could do it slick as a button now after doing one. As I said above, a lot of trial and error.

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 4 Feb 2013 2:05 pm

There is an interesting ZB for sale here on the forum.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 04#2051004

The changer & underside are really different. Can anyone shed some light on it's history?
Eric

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 4 Feb 2013 3:16 pm

Not original ZB changer.

B. Greg Jones · Post by **B. Greg Jones** » 4 Feb 2013 7:52 pm

That guitar was built sometime in 1965. The changer is original for that guitar, I have seen others like it including Tom Brumley's 1st ZB. Everything on the guitar appears to be original with the exception of at least one or possibly two of the knee levers. They are ZB levers but from a later era in the 60's. This is kinda a rare bird and would make a great project for somebody at that price.

Greg

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 5 Feb 2013 9:25 am

There doesn't appear to be any turnbuckles, so it looks like you would have to disconnect each rod & screw it in or out of the changer, and then re-attach it. No bike spokes needed.
It's fun to see the evolution of various designs of PSG.

Chuck McGill · Post by **Chuck McGill** » 5 Feb 2013 3:42 pm

Josh when I sent you the email I should have said to lube the changer. Very little tension on that return and the finger should move freely. It fixed my Scranton with the same issue. Like I said I lube weekly now.

Josh Rossow · Post by **Josh Rossow** » 5 Feb 2013 7:25 pm

Hey guys, I found out what was hanging up. It turned out to be the tuning nut that was getting hung up as it went through the end plate holes. The tapped hole in the tuning nut wasn't perfectly straight and the inside threads were wearing through to the outside of the nut. I ended up replacing it with a nut from the C6 neck that wasn't being used. Thanks for all the info everyone.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 6 Feb 2013 9:01 am

If those tuning nuts are in a bind and rubbing the sides of endplate, they can cause tuning issues and the answer isn't more oil. The little screw end that holds the tuning nuts can be carefully bent while in place to make tuning nuts pull straight in to eliminate the problem. Be careful, they can break.

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 19 Feb 2013 9:40 am

My 2nd string half stop is a little sharp. Where do I tune this?

thanks,
Joe

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 19 Feb 2013 2:29 pm

Do you have a half stop adjustment or just using 9th string lower as half stop? Some have half stop adjustments sorta looks like a SHo-Bud barrel. If it is 9th string then thats another can of worms.

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 19 Feb 2013 4:58 pm

I have a half stop adjustment.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 20 Feb 2013 7:25 am

I would just make sure your whole tone lower is tuned and then adjust your half stop for the half tone lower.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 20 Feb 2013 12:01 pm

Does anyone have a picture of that half stop mechanism?

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ZB Pedal Steel Guitars - Please help!

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