| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic Looking for a 14 String BMI built for Julian Tharpe
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Looking for a 14 String BMI built for Julian Tharpe
Dan Burnham


From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2010 11:15 am    
Reply with quote

Hey Guys,

In 1984 Zane Beck built Julian a Black BMI gold anodized 14 string steel. Don doesn't remember who got it but I was wondering if any of you knew?

Thanks,
Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Dan Burnham


From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2010 12:18 pm     bump
Reply with quote

bump
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2010 2:52 pm     gold BMI?
Reply with quote

dan: i beleive the black one that i owned might be the on that you are referring to, but it was not gold anodized. he had a black and gold sierra that might be the one you are talking about, but then i could be wrong...thanks jack
View user's profile Send private message
Dan Burnham


From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2010 3:41 pm     That's not the one
Reply with quote

Jack,
The year that Julian switched to Sierra in 84, Zane built Julian a black and gold BMI.

Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2010 3:43 pm     bmi
Reply with quote

sorry dan: i guess i am getting old, but i do not remember that one...thanks jack
View user's profile Send private message
Jack Harper

 

From:
Mississippi, USA
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2010 5:35 pm    
Reply with quote

was it not also keyless?

country.......
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dan Burnham


From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2010 4:52 am     Not Keyless
Reply with quote

Jack,
From what I'm told it wasn't keyless.

Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Larry Bell


From:
Englewood, Florida
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2010 5:54 am    
Reply with quote

I seem to remember a red BMI 14 string with gold plated hardware. Seems like he got the Sierra after that one. I never cared for the looks of the Sierra (TOO GOLD and clunky looking) but the BMI was a work of art.

Dan / Jack
Was that Sierra his last guitar?

Was there a red BMI?

(sorry I'm raising NEW questions and not answering old ones but I talked to Julian several times over his last 10 years on the planet about the old E9/6 and his approach and almost bought a Sierra with his tuning -- but didn't)
_________________
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2021 Rittenberry S/D-12 8x7, 1976 Emmons S/D-12 7x6, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Quilter ToneBlock 202 TT-12
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Dan Burnham


From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2010 10:39 am     Larry Your Right
Reply with quote

Larry,

You are correct. I was wrong about the color, I talked to Terry Wood and it was Red and Gold. To my knowledge the last guitar Julian had was a D10. I understand he sold the gold and black Sierra.

Jack Goodson had that one in his possesion at one time but it had been raped Mad and pedals and knees taken off of it. At the time Sierra had gone out of business and Jack couldn't get the parts he needed to restore it back so he sold it.

I'm taking a look at Julian's Tuning again myself. I played it for about 2 years. There was so much of his stuff that I like, I just can't get away from it.
In fact Don is building me a Julian model but with Birdseye Maple clear finish with a pad.

My 2 favorite players Zane Beck and Julian Tharpe. They forgot more than I'll ever learn.

Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
jay thompson

 

From:
east peoria, il USA
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2010 4:57 pm     Julian Tharpe
Reply with quote

Dan, You have a PM
Regards, Jay Thompson
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Paul Redmond

 

From:
Illinois, USA
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2010 12:37 am    
Reply with quote

Dan - I saw that very guitar in 1984 sitting on the display table. It had a natural/blond birdseye maple neck and the front decorative insert. Yes, it was gold-anodized and IMO was a picture of absolute perfection. Unknown to Zane at the time, Julian had gotten into bed with Sierra...dare I use that euphemism? When Julian came to Scotty's that year, he abandoned Zane's guitar because a deal had already been struck with Sierra. I remember Zane being very vocal about the perceived "betrayal" and I guess you couldn't blame him. That thing was a Rolls-Royce!!! A few months later, that guitar was offered for sale for $10,000.00. I have no idea, Dan, who finally wound up with that guitar. Scotty's 1984 on that table in Zane's booth was the very last I ever saw of it. I'm still drooling over that scudder!!!
PRR
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dan Burnham


From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2010 5:10 am     Thanks
Reply with quote

Paul,
Thanks for the info, I talked to a friend of Julian's that told me when asked about it after Zane's death, Julian regretted making that decision. Another close friend of Julian's said Julian told him the BMI was the best steel he ever played.

It's ashamed how Julian did Zane, from what I'm told Zane never got over that. They were very close friends.

The more I dig into Julian's past I find there were some things he did that I wouldn't have done. But, beyond that he was a "one of a kind" player with a style like no other. Regarding styles, I guess you could say the same about Zane Beck.

Thanks,
Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
CrowBear Schmitt


From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2010 8:44 am    
Reply with quote

i don't think this is the one
saved this pic a while back
had this one been built for Julian ?

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Dan Burnham


From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2010 10:54 am    
Reply with quote

CrowBear,
I can't see the picture, could you email it to me please?

dan@beckmusicalinstruments.com

Thanks,
Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Paul Redmond

 

From:
Illinois, USA
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2010 6:33 pm    
Reply with quote

Crow Bear - That's not the guitar. All the wood on the S-14 was finished natural clear birdseye maple.
Dan - Zane never did get over that incident. He mentioned it to me a couple of times. He and Julian had recorded their now-famous album together. They had been the best of friends for eons. Whenever the subject came up, Zane would just get kind of quiet and a stern look could be seen in his eyes. That was totally unlike Zane. He was always a happy-go-lucky upbeat guy. That incident really jilted him.
PRR
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dan Burnham


From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2010 4:37 am     Thanks for the Info
Reply with quote

Paul,
That seems to be the info I got. Well I'm getting close to that one. Don's building me a birdseye maple 14 keyed with a pad.

Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
John Floyd

 

From:
R.I.P.
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2010 5:50 am    
Reply with quote

Crowbear
I Think The Picture You Posted is This Guitar
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1506335&highlight=julian+tharpe#1506335

The MSA S20
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
CrowBear Schmitt


From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2010 8:55 am    
Reply with quote

Thanx John Winking
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron