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Topic: BMI Serial Number question... |
Fraser Moffatt
From:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 25 Feb 2014 8:10 pm |
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Silly amateur question, but after looking in vain for a serial number on my new to me BMI, I can't find a serial number. Where might the serial number be located on a late '70s/early '80s BMI S10?
Cheers
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Rookie-ish steel player - currently tinkering around on a BMI S10 and a Guyatone S8. Bassist and vocalist for The Derringers. |
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Joey Andrews
From:
Laurel ,Mississippi, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2014 9:11 pm Bmi
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| Fraser, look on the changer end plate, right beside of the bottom springs! |
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Steve Collins
From:
Alaska, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2014 11:22 pm
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| That is where mine is, stamped on the bottom of the changer plate, closest to my seated position, SER909. I have no idea what it means as far as dating goes. Easy to remember though, the Beatles had that song... |
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Wesley Medlen
From:
LaCygne,Ks
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Posted 26 Feb 2014 4:04 am
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That's where all of mine have been. My first one an S-10 was 151 Don told me it was made around 69 or 70. Told me back then they whole sale them to dealers with 3 & 2 and case for $150. My SD10 #625 was 1986 my other SD10 was 2003. Wes
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Justice S10 Jr, Gibson Electra 6string, Boss Katana 100, Steelers Choice ,Gretsch 6 string lap, Hilton VP |
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Fraser Moffatt
From:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 6:55 pm
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Thanks for the suggestions, guys.
I still can't find hide nor hair of a serial number. I can't imagine that it might be worn off.
I was starting to think that this steel might be a <strike>forgery</strike> clone, but it would be a good one as the undercarriage is pretty much identical to the undercarriages of other BMI S10s I've seen on the net.
_________________
Rookie-ish steel player - currently tinkering around on a BMI S10 and a Guyatone S8. Bassist and vocalist for The Derringers.
Last edited by Fraser Moffatt on 2 Mar 2014 3:39 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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David Higginbotham
From:
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 10:09 pm
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Fraser,
It's possible that your steel may be an "Erickson" built by Elvin Erickson. From what I've read previously, he used BMI parts as he and Zane were said to have been close friends. I'm not sure he used serial numbers on his but you would be hard pressed to distinguish them from a BMI.
Dave |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 10:35 pm
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David you are probably correct.
I believe Elvin lived in a small town called Gonvick, in northern Minnesota.?
It's also the town which is famous for MRS. OLSON's Norwegian flat bread known as LEFSE. 
Roger |
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Fraser Moffatt
From:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 1 Mar 2014 2:30 pm
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Gents - thanks for the insight.
Now, the odd thing is that my steel does have a BMI logo/sticker that looks original. Nothing indicating that another company was involved. Just curious that it's missing the serial number!
I guess anything is possible in the wonderful and weird world of pedal steel guitar manufacturing!
Fraser
_________________
Rookie-ish steel player - currently tinkering around on a BMI S10 and a Guyatone S8. Bassist and vocalist for The Derringers. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 1 Mar 2014 4:40 pm
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| wow...$150 wholesale! that's purty cheap. |
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Dan Burnham
From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
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Posted 1 Mar 2014 6:14 pm David is probably right
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Frasier,
David is right, it is probably a Erickson. As David said Mr. Erickson bought them from Zane. At one time Zane sold them as kits. It's possible whoever had it ordered a sticker from us,
Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com |
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Fraser Moffatt
From:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 2 Mar 2014 3:35 pm
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Thanks for weighing in, Dan!
It wouldn't surprise me that this steel came from Erickson in MN. Came to me via Northern Ontario and who knows where before that. Wouldn't have had far to travel over the course of 30-40 years.
I wonder if Erickson used specific pickups or would have sourced them from Zane Beck as well? I also wonder how many kits Zane Beck may have shipped compared to those he built himself...
Any significant differences in market value between a BMI and an Erickson?
If I end up selling it on at some time, I'd rather have a good handle on the provenance and value. I think I might have gotten the short end of the deal when I traded for this and feel that it's bad karma to pass my loss along. Such is life!
Fraser
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Rookie-ish steel player - currently tinkering around on a BMI S10 and a Guyatone S8. Bassist and vocalist for The Derringers. |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 2 Mar 2014 3:42 pm
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| My 1983 BMI S-10 (bought new from Zane) had a Lawrence 705 in it. No significance to that fact. Just a bit of data. |
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Dan Burnham
From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 6:05 am
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Fraser,
I wouldn't know how to price it to be honest with you. That occurred way before I was with the company. I don't think we sold over 50 kits to him, but I'm not sure how many kits were distributed. Faye would be the one to ask and unfortunately due to her bad health, she is now in constant care and probably wouldn't even remember.
Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com |
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Fraser Moffatt
From:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 12:23 pm
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Thanks Dan...not terribly important, but just curious. Best wishes to Faye.
As it happens, someone posted an image in another thread here that showed a store price list from the late '70s or so. On that list, there was a new "Erickson (BMI) S-10 3x4 mint new" listed at what looks to be $700. This was also the price for a new MSA S-12 according to this price list.
Extrapolating from those two data points and looking at the current market value of the MSA, I don't think I made out as bad as I thought with the trade I made. Not a great trade in the history of trades, but close.
Fraser
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Rookie-ish steel player - currently tinkering around on a BMI S10 and a Guyatone S8. Bassist and vocalist for The Derringers. |
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Dan Burnham
From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 7:07 am Very Good
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Very Good,
Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com |
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