For Billy and his fans. Enjoy.
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- Rated: 92 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 6:45 p.m. Baxter:
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- Rated: 48 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 8:02 p.m. BillyZoom:
We had a thread going elsewhere on this site regarding the new Gretsch Billy Zoom models. Mr. Baxter, in his infinite wisdom, has suggested that having my own section would make it easier for me to keep track of things. Please feel free to ask me anything about guitars, amps, cars, or whatever. I'm on tour, but I have my laptop, and I'll be checking in often. BTW, I'm playing the new Billy Zoom Tribute model on all of our tour dates, and it's incredible. BZ
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- Rated: 32 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 8:10 p.m. RepentOrPerish:
What an awesome treat! Cool, cool !
I DO have a question! Back in the 80's, I used to go to this record shop that had rockabilly LP's from a company called "Rollin' Rock"...I believe they had some new recordings from old rockabilly artists ...like maybe Ray Campi? I can't remember, it's been a while, but If I recall correctly, it said Billy Zoom played geeeetar on a few cuts.....It sounded like a Strat....any of this make sense????
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- Rated: 205 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 8:31 p.m. Proteus:
Hey Billy (are you Billy, Mr. Zoom, or BZ to us who don't really know you?):
I saw you at NAMM, walking about with your BZ briefcase, and wanted to say howdy, but you were busy at the TV Jones booth, and then up in Gretschland. I did get a pic of the side of your head with TV and post it in the NAMM thread here ...
I'm going to try to make your Indianapolis gig next week. Truthfully I'm new to X (I was listening to stuff you no doubt deplore during that era), but I like everything I've heard so far, so I have some catching up to do. I certainly approve of Jets with Dynasonics, and look forward to the sig model.
Congratulations on all that finally coming to pass; I know Joe C is a great fan, and excited he could help make it happen. Cool stuff.
Looking forward to your observations on amps; we appreciate expertise around here.
But - now what about cars? You do hot rods, vintage cruisers?
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- Rated: 41 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 8:48 p.m. Diggey:
AWESOME!!! Hey man, great to see you keep on rollin'. I was a big X fan and Los Angeles was a killer record and a huge part of my early young teens when I was skatin' and hatin'.
I wore out the tape I had of "the Decline of Western Civilization" watching all of the LA Scene and dreaming about being in the middle of it. (I grew up in central Pennsyl-tucky.)
Anyway, great to have a moment to tell you how much you and the early California bands had a big inpact on me. Thanks man and killer Gretsch!!!
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- Rated: 28 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 9:06 p.m. mark t:
Hi Billy....I was also introduced to X via the DECLINE tape and a couple of punk comps. Wasn't really a fan of the band (no offense intended), but I really dug your playing, and it was something to see a Gretsch in amongst all of that chaos!
I'm curious about a couple of things.....first off, you mentioned the differences in the BZ jet vs the regular reissue jet. I'm planning on picking up a silverjet, and i'd like to know what the specs on your model are before i go to far.
Secondly, will anyone in Canada be seeing you with your sig model?
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- Rated: 20 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 10:18 p.m. AJ:
Welcome Mr. Zoom. You are part of the cause of my GAS for a silver jet. I've been a big X fan since the days you were on that little indie label, Slash. I look forward to reading your posts.
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- Rated: 48 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 10:22 p.m. BillyZoom:
Yes, I was on Rollin' Rock records back in the mid-seventies. The BZ band was the house band at Rollin' Rock, and besides cutting a number of solo tracks, we also backed up most of the Rollin' Rock roster, including Ray Campi, Mac Curtis, Jack Cochran, Johnny Legend, Colin Winski, etc. The guitars I used were either my '57 6120, or my '58 Strat. The Rollin' Rock studio only had three mics, so more often than not, the guitars were recorded direct. I added a transformered direct output to my 1960 Fender Concert amp to facilitate recording there. We also didn't have any echo, so we'd stick a mic in the shower drain, and three of us would stand in the shower stall and sing backing vocals. BZ
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- Rated: 56 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 11:20 p.m. yettoblaster:
"...we'd stick a mic in the shower drain, and three of us would stand in the shower stall and sing backing vocals..."
All records should be made this way.
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- Rated: 48 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 11:20 p.m. BillyZoom:
As for the Gretsch Billy Zoom models...It's a new guitar. They aren't based on, or derived from other Gretsch Jets. We started from scratch. Don't get me wrong...I have a Cliff Gallup model Duo Jet, and a '57 Silver Jet reissue, and they're both beautiful guitars. However, they're very different from the original '50's Jets. The original Jets were HOLLOW. This concept can be confusing, since they were referred to in the catalogs as solid-bodies. That was because Gretsch was competing with Fender and Gibson, who were both promoting their new solid guitars as being the wave of the future. Trust me on this! I've owned two '55 Silver Jets, a 55' Duo Jet, a '56 Silver Jet, and a '57 6121 Chet Atkins solid body, and they're all hollow. The current Jet reissues are chambered, and they sound really nice, but different from what I'm used to. On Feb. 20th ( my birthday) 2007, I took my original SIlver Jet to the Custom shop, and we took it apart and measured everything. We then took it to a Kaiser medical center where we X-rayed it. From the X-rays, and the measurements, Steven Stern at the Custom Shop made a blueprint and a routing pattern, and started building a prototype. I rejected the first prototype, but on the second try, they nailed it. The BZ guitars are built exactly like the 50's Jets. The neck profile is a copy of my favorite Silver Jet. The pots are 1 meg, like the originals. The tone cap has been replaced with the value I use on all of my Jets. Also, my first Silver Jet came with wider binding than any other Gretsch I've ever seen. It may have been a custom order...I don't know. I've never seen two Jets that were alike anyway, but my first one was the best looking one I've ever seen, so we've made the BZ models like that one. Also, the Melita style bridges have flat screws instead of the thumb screws, so you can palm mute without any difficulty. The Bigsby is a B-12 model. I always liked the way they looked, and that roller damps the resonance of the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece, which improves the sustain. The tailpiece is also shimmed up about 3/8" to dial in the break angle of the strings over the bridge. I've been playing a BZ Tribute model for a few months now at all X shows. The Tribute model has Seymour Duncan DeArmond style pickups. I think you guys call them DynaSonics, but in my day they were just called DeArmonds. Anyway, Seymour nailed the pickups perfectly, and the BZ models don't have reverse-wound neck pickups like the other Seymours. That was another one of my nitpicks. The middle position sounds more like Cliff Gallup or Duane Eddy without the reverse winding. The hollow body makes the guitar sound much fuller in the lower mids and bass, and the sustain is much better. Any note on the guitar can be made to feed back indefinately, even at moderate volume. That was always something that only my original Jets would do. Although I've never had a problem voicing my opinions, I never really expected the Gretsch people to listen to them and do everything I asked. They did though, and I honestly think this is the best guitar made by anyone, anywhere in at least the last forty years. Try one. BZ
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- Rated: 56 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 11:24 p.m. yettoblaster:
Gretsch just keeps gettin' it better and better. They're on a roll now.
The hollower the better.
BTW, welcome and thanks for chiming in!
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- Rated: 71 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 11:25 p.m. bonedaddy:
Awesome! I love your work with X. "When Our Love Passed Out On The Couch" is Brilliant! I got turned on to X and your work on a compilation called "Slash: The Early Sessions". I believe it contained "White Girl" and "Los Angeles". Welcome aboard sir, it is indeed an honor.
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- Rated: 48 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 11:43 p.m. BillyZoom:
We're just starting a three month tour. I hope you'll all check the Billy Zoom or X websites for the tour schedule. BZ
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- Rated: 205 ↑
Mar 5, 2008 11:54 p.m. Proteus:
That's a very cool spec on the guitar, sounds ideal. Between the original design and your understanding the relationship of the features and how to tweak it, it sounds like a perfect formula.
Hollow for the full low mids and bass, 1000K pots to keep it bright and clear. The articulation of the Melita bridge balanced by the downforce of the Bigsby bar (with its height dialed in!) to damp the strings and keep the sustain...everything a balance of opposing forces.
It sounds like a completely sorted-out rod; must respond like a living thing.
Rosewood fingerboard? Standard plastic-like two-footed base under the Melita? Do you reveal the value of the tone cap?
It's great the Custom Shop went the extra mile in building this right; thank you for telling the story. I've had this hankering for a Silver Jet; if this thing sounds as good as it sounds...I'm a goner.
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- Rated: 71 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 12:00 a.m. bonedaddy:
Damn! Double Post!
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- Rated: 71 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 12:01 a.m. bonedaddy:
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- Rated: 51 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 12:05 a.m. Zuma:
"The BZ guitars are built exactly like the 50's Jets."
Does this mean they're not short 1/8" in body depth like all he others?
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- Rated: 43 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 12:48 a.m. Ric12string:
Hi Billy. Welcome to the GDP. As a "fifty-something", I wasn't really familiar with X, so I went to YouTube to check you out. I really enjoyed listening to your playing. And I was also glad to see that you play a Silver Jet. I also have one and really like it. Just had it out last night playing it.
Your description of your BZ tribute model sounded great. But, I went onto the Gretsch guitar website and didn't find anything there about your tribute model. Is this a very new model? Can you direct me to a site that contains more information about it?
Nice to have you on our board and I look forward to learning a lot more about you.
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- Rated: 48 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 1:09 a.m. BillyZoom:
Yes to both. They're not 1/8" too thin, and they're brand new and not in the stores yet. BZ
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- Rated: 2 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 3:26 a.m. jetboy:
Congratulations on your new model!
I remember seeing you on your Allstate outside the Hollywood Palladium when I was a youth.
X wasn't X without you! You rock!
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- Rated: 29 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 3:50 a.m. Danman:
Hey Billy,
Great that you are here.
I'm from Holland but I lived in New York in the early eightties. I didn't really know X then very well but a friend of mine took me to one of your gigs (I think at the ritz or dancetaria or so). It was great and after that night I always wanted a jet. It took me a while to get one, because I first got a 1964 Anni, then a 1959/60-6120. But at last several years ago I got my 1957 Jet firebird with dyna's. I know it's not silver but very cool anyway. A silver one would be next, if I find a good one. You have to look good on stage.
I am going to listen to my old Ray Campi and Mac Curtis albums again, I hadn't realized you were playing guitar on them. They are a lot of fun.
Yeah the shower, what a great place......On some home recorings of mine I put my 1959 Champ in the shower and micked it there to get that duane eddy echo. Very cool.
Do you mean you are touring with X again? Any chance of coming to Holland?
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- Rated: 45 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 4:55 a.m. Tsar Nicholas :
Hey Billy, I know pretty much nothing about X.. All I know is Matt Freeman of Rancid is a fan. I'm a generation too late.
But I think it's really great that you've come along to contribute and I'm eagerly awaiting the unveiling of your sig. model as it sounds like the business.
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- Rated: 50 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 6:08 a.m. Ratrod:
Welcome Billy Zoom.
In all honesty I don't think I've ever heard any of your music. (Don't worry, I'll check it out on youtube.)
Your signature guitar looks like something I would want.
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- Rated: 15 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 8:22 a.m. augie1:
Billy -
I'm a huge fan, going back to Los Angeles and especially the first three albums. In fact, Under the Big Black Sun is one of my favorite all-time rock records come to think of it! I'm really excited about your guitar, I was planning on getting a Jet over the next year and now you've complicated my decision considerably.
Anyway, now that you're sharing your signature guitar specs I wondered if you might be willing to share a bit about your amps with X. I'm almost positive in the early days I saw you play a Brown Concert, then eventually move over to your Zoom piggyback. As a fan and gear freak, I wondered what circuit your Zoom amp was based on - I love the controllable feedback you get with your Jet and that amp, and also the extremely smooth crunch. Your live sound on "Hungry Wolf" is an example of this, when I've seen you play it live you emulate the "Howl" by bending your Bigsby along with the feedback. Any info would be HUGELY appreciated, and welcome!
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- Rated: 24 ↑
Mar 6, 2008 10:51 a.m. stjohn:
Welcome aboard BZ, and thanks for making a signature guitar like it should be made. You could've just as easily said "build me whatever and pay me for it," but you made absolute sure they got it right before you signed off on it, from the sounds of it. Thanks for doing it up right.
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