Ed Black ZB Custom

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 19 Nov 2011 1:58 pm

I have an album by Bob Mosley (Moby Grape), and there's a song on it on which he plays. I try to upload it in the near future, since I don't know how to do it at this moment.

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 19 Nov 2011 3:51 pm

Cool..thanks for posting that, Russ.
I can't look at a blonde & blue ZB D10 without thinking of Ed.

Ken Mizell · Post by **Ken Mizell** » 19 Nov 2011 4:23 pm

Russ - Thanks for posting that story and link to the song. That lead me to the one I'm posting below. Back when Midnight Special was on TV I stayed up late one night to see Ronstadt, and I fell asleep. When I woke up, this song was about half way finished. I've been looking for it since then - Now, I'm going to listen to it about a dozen times.

Great picking by Ed on this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOnxvmwoGc

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 19 Nov 2011 5:51 pm

On Ken Mizell's link I recognize Richard Bowden on guitar, with whom I'm still in contact (he's back home in Linden TX), and I think on bass is his cousin Michael Bowden. Couldn't recognize anyone else.

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 19 Nov 2011 6:10 pm

I think that might be Mickey McGee on drums.
That's some beard on Balloon...

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 19 Nov 2011 6:11 pm

Thanks for the link Ken. What a great J.D. Souther tune. You can hear that Ed listened to Tom Brumley with Buck Owens! Super playing and tone. Linda could always gather great players to back her up

Skip, that picture of Ed looks like it is from his Eddys days!

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 19 Nov 2011 6:21 pm

Kinda does, Russ...but if I had to guess I'd say it was later, after he'd moved back to Arizona.
The Eddys - early '90's...complete with handtooled leathercraft by Ed.

L-R: Ed, Paul Marshall, Hugh Wright, Rick MacDonald

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 19 Nov 2011 6:42 pm

Skip, that is a heck of an album! I still think Ed's ZB tone was more distinctive then his later PP sound and I love those PP's.

Dang economy caught up with me and I had to let mine go...

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 19 Nov 2011 6:57 pm

Yeah, it sure is. Great picking by all involved. Somewhere in my pile of stuff I've got the EP by the original Eddys (Ed, Dick Fegy, Donald Lindley & Pat Quinn) with Saddle Up on it, and 3 other cuts.
I'll have to hunt for it...

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 19 Nov 2011 7:27 pm

Skip,

This blonde/ blue ZB just sold in Florida ... got me wondering ...

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 19 Nov 2011 9:17 pm

Ya never know...
I wonder if there are any records of serial numbers and original buyers of ZB's from back then. I would think Ed probably bought his ZB new straight from the factory.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 20 Nov 2011 10:51 am

I think Greg and Kevin have Serial numbers that Zane kept but after he sold the business to Tom, I'm not sure. Would be cool if we could get the serial number of Ed's guitar but I'm sure Ed had something to do with it's tone as well.

Russ

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 20 Nov 2011 1:12 pm

Ed Black's ZB was in a flood and after word wound up in Forumite Gary Brandin's hands. It was totally faded out color wise. It was not in good working order. Gary worked on it to get it playing again, but eventually let it go.

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 20 Nov 2011 2:54 pm

I knew that Gary had it for awhile but I'm not sure I knew about the flood.
It would be interesting to know where that gtr is now, though.
I got to play it a couple times back then...

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 20 Nov 2011 4:14 pm

Skip, If you got to play it, did the magic rub off?

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 20 Nov 2011 5:01 pm

I'm afraid not, Russ. I think Ed took it with him.
Although I'd like to think a little rubbed off every time I play the solo to The Great Pretender...

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 20 Nov 2011 5:23 pm

Ed's version of "Fast One" has so many cool licks. I would have thought my "Hero worship" would have subsided a bit now that i'm 56!

Ken Mizell · Post by **Ken Mizell** » 20 Nov 2011 6:03 pm

The playing on Fast One is amazing. The licks that start about 1:20 and are repeated a lot through the end of the song are rather tasty. Back when this was on live TV, and I fell asleep, I woke up nearing the end of the song, but that run was distinct and it stuck in my head all these years. I didn't even know the name of the song. When I found it on YouTube, BINGO! I recognized it immediately. I'm glad that someone posted that.

Yes, it's obvious that Ed was a Brumley fan, yet he wasn't a copy-cat.

I bought it off of Amazon.com last night. I'd like to get the audio only file of the live version too, since the steel is more dominant.

Ronald Ballister · Post by **Ronald Ballister** » 20 Nov 2011 6:37 pm

You can use the Firefox Youtube downloader to get the video then convert it to an audio aif in Quicktime Pro. Add it to iTunes and convert to mp3 (I'm sure there are other apps out there that would do it if you're from PC World. I'm on the Mac side of the fence.

I've been looking for some time without success for that Eddy's album. Has anyone been able to track it down on the 'net or otherwise? Sure like to hear it.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 21 Nov 2011 6:38 am

Maybe some of you don't know this record. It's by Bob Mosley and it features Ed Black on guitar (and maybe he's the only guitar player?).
On "Thanks" he played the pedal steel. You can hear it here:
http://blog.psychedelicjams.com/2011/04 ... itled.html

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 23 Mar 2018 10:37 am

I was driving around yesterday and listening to The Eddys. Time for a bump to the top for the great Ed Black ... Saddle UP!

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 23 Mar 2018 2:50 pm

Cool stuff... The Great Pretender and Yellow Rose Express still stand out to me as a prime examples of California country rock steel.
About a year or so ago I ran into Pat Quinn - original bassist for the Eddys, and she's playing again. I've got a couple gigs coming up with Paul Marshall, pictured above with the tooled Tele-bass.
And sadly, drummer Hugh Wright - pictured above - has passed on.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 23 Mar 2018 4:00 pm

Hi Skip. Good to catch up. Rick MacDonald contacted me and sent the CD of the Eddys and disappeared. He was a very good player as well!

Billy Knowles · Post by **Billy Knowles** » 25 Mar 2018 6:27 am

I still have the SD11 ZB that Tom used on the Dwight records, don't think I will ever sell it.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 25 Mar 2018 4:31 pm

Very cool Billy!

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