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Topic: Bethel steel guitars |
Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 5 Oct 2012 2:49 pm |
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| I have just got a Bethel sd10 and its a great guitar I just dont know a lot of history about the company can someone tell me a little about it.I will try to get a picture up soon. |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 5 Oct 2012 3:02 pm
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This is my Bethel it has four floor pedals and five knee levers and it sounds great.I am not sure what brand the pickup is so any input on that would be great.
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 5 Oct 2012 5:56 pm
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Looks like a TrueTone, from Jerry Wallace.
Terry Bethel builds them when Mel Tillis doesn't need him: it keeps him off the street, and keeps him supplied in hair gel.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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B. Greg Jones
From:
Middleport, Ohio USA
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Posted 5 Oct 2012 6:10 pm
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Daniel, that is a sweetheart of a guitar!!! Nice score on that one.
Greg |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 5 Oct 2012 6:41 pm
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| I have really enjoyed it so far I just got it last night it is around eight years old but is in great condition and sounds amazing.The picture makes it look darker than what it really is. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 5 Oct 2012 7:06 pm
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They are beautiful guitars and I hear they play well, but I have never sat behind 1
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 5 Oct 2012 7:19 pm
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The first Bethel guitars were made in the mid-90s by master craftsman Dick Miller, a good friend and monster steel player that passed away too soon. Back in the early 80's Dick and Terry played twin steels together in a band at Sam's Casino in Las Vegas.
Dick built the first rosewood/maple Fessenden for me back in 1995. Soon after that he began making the Bethel. A totally awesome sounding guitar that I mistakenly sold to Wayne Franco some years back. Then Wayne, whom I thought would have better judgement than I  , sold it to someone else as well.
Don't know who's building the Bethel now but I'm sure they're great guitars.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?
Last edited by Herb Steiner on 5 Oct 2012 8:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 5 Oct 2012 7:54 pm
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| Steve Sturm(former steel player with Travis Tritt) played a Bethel on the Opry stage with Travis in 2002, at a show which was a tribute to Waylon Jennings. Steve's Bethel was white with a blue apron. And Tyler Hall plays a Bethel steel in addition to his Mullen onstage with Joe Nichols. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 6 Oct 2012 4:40 am
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| Herb Steiner wrote: |
The first Bethel guitars were made in the mid-90s by master craftsman Dick Miller, a good friend and monster steel player that passed away too soon. Back in the early 80's Dick and Terry played twin steels together in a band at Sam's Casino in Las Vegas.
Dick built the first rosewood/maple Fessenden for me back in 1995. Soon after that he began making the Bethel. A totally awesome sounding guitar that I mistakenly sold to Wayne Franco some years back. Then Wayne, whom I thought would have better judgement than I , sold it to someone else as well.
Don't know who's building the Bethel now but I'm sure they're great guitars. |
I played a Dick Miller built Bethel. It belonged to a friend named Todd Kapegian who died a few years ago.. It was the best built steel guitar I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot. Absolute perfection in workmanship. Eye popping precision.
I might be wrong, but I do believe that particular guitar found its way back to Terry. bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Jack Harper
From:
Mississippi, USA
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Posted 6 Oct 2012 4:44 am
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daniel;
bring that beauty to fulton with you!
country....... |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 6 Oct 2012 6:35 am
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| I would but I have been playing my shobud for so long now. |
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Jeff Spencer
From:
Queensland, Australia
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 7 Oct 2012 5:01 am
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I dropped in to visit Dick Miller at his machine shop a while back (I had called ahead of time). I knocked at the door and Jerry Fessenden answered! I was sure I was in the wrong place. Anyhow Dick let me play one his guitars for a few hours and showed me a few riffs. Dick, Jerry and Dick's wife were super friendly and Dick was going to build me a guitar out of some birdseye maple he had been saving for himself. Never met more accommodating people than these. I never did order a guitar from him. First Bethel I played was at St. Louis and it was great in all respects. Turns out the Bethel that I played at Dick's shop belonged to Jim Murphy and it was in to get a knee lever added. Jim called the Bethel a Sho-Bud on steroids!
Greg |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 7 Oct 2012 6:13 am
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| I have been playing my bethel and its a great guitar and has really great sound.The pickup may be a wallace pickup but the guy I got it from seemed to think it wasnt so I really dont know but it does look like a wallace pickup. |
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Frank Parish
From:
Nashville,Tn. USA
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Posted 7 Oct 2012 7:27 am
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| I seen Big Jim play that Bethel a lot of times down on Broadway and I think it had a pot leaf on the front in pearl inlay. What ever became of that guitar? I always thought that was a really fine guitar but Jim could play anything and sound great. |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 7 Oct 2012 12:43 pm
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| did bethel make their own pickups at some point.I dont really know what the pickup is on my guitar I will post better pics later. |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 7 Oct 2012 1:14 pm
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Yeah, it had a pot leaf in front. Played really smooth like a JCH or PP and had very positive stops. I wasn't smart enough to make notes about what all the knee levers did but seem to remember the top C6th string being and E, not a G or D.
Greg |
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Larry Baker
From:
Columbia, Mo. U.S.A.
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Posted 7 Oct 2012 1:18 pm
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I think that is the first SD10 Bethel I've seen. Have seen several D10's though. Larry
_________________
Mullen G2 SD10 3 & 5 The Eagle
NV112 amp===Earnie Ball V.P. |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 7 Oct 2012 1:57 pm
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| same here first sd10 Bethel I have seen I have only seen d10 Bethel guitars |
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Billy Carr
From:
Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)
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Posted 8 Oct 2012 11:39 am psg
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| Man I wish you had brought the Bethel to Fulton. Only one I've ever seen in person is the D-10, natural finish that Terry had on the coast a few years ago. Pickup may be a Truetone, Emmons or one Terry made. Fine looking guitar and with the Bethel name on the front apron, that speaks for itself. See you down the road buddy! |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 8 Oct 2012 12:23 pm
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| Its a nice one.Billy your a great player I had no idea you were that good until I heard you play but you got some great sound out of that williams saturday I hope you come back to fulton next year I really enjoyed hearing you.If I play next year I should have the Bethel with me I just got it last week and I still didnt know the setup on it that well. |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 8 Oct 2012 2:32 pm
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I remember seeing this one up for sale a while back, and was almost tempted to buy it, it looked so good 
_________________
14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases. |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 8 Oct 2012 3:15 pm
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| That is a nice one.After playing a Bethel I can say they are great guitars. |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 8 Oct 2012 3:35 pm
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