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Post new topic What's the story on BMI steel guitars ?
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Author Topic:  What's the story on BMI steel guitars ?
Wade Branch


From:
Weatherford, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 16 Dec 2004 8:50 pm    
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You'll have to pardon my ignorance,but Iam new to the steel guitar world and I just bought a 1981 BMI single neck 3+3 steel guitar with a lawernce 705 pickup in it.Its really in good shape and has great tone coming thru a peavey session 500.I was really just curious about the story on BMI,do they still make steel's ? can you get part's for them ? were they liked and respected in the steel world ? stuff like that !!! I sure do like this one !!
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Joey Aguilera

 

From:
Whittier, California, USA
Post  Posted 16 Dec 2004 8:57 pm    
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Hi Wade,

You should do a search through the archives. There are a number of great posts with tons of information on BMI that I used as research before I purchased my BMI.

Joey
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Jerry Roller


From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
Post  Posted 16 Dec 2004 8:58 pm    
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I have nothing but good things to say about the BMI and the guy who developed them and the folks now building and selling them. They are still being built in Scranton, Ar and parts are readily available. Zane Beck was as fine a man as I have ever known in the music business and one of the most inovative. BMI is a fine guitar.
Jerry
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Jerry Hayes


From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
Post  Posted 17 Dec 2004 4:38 am    
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Hey Wade, I've had mine for a good while now and love it. They were built by the late Zane Beck of ZB guitar fame down in Arkansas. They're still being built by Don Fritsche and he's really good to deal with if you need any parts for them. Zane was an awesome steel guitar builder and his guitars hold up as well or better than anything on the market....JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

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Wade Branch


From:
Weatherford, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 17 Dec 2004 4:45 am    
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Does BMI have a website ? Iam assuming they are still called BMI ? I cant find anything on them !!!
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 17 Dec 2004 11:26 am    
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Zane worked at Sho~Bud early on, and then he designed and built the famous ZB steel guitars. Later, he built the BMI guitars, but they never had the cachet or popularity of the old ZB's. He passed away in '85, but last I heard, they were still being built in Scranton Arkansas (near Kibler) by Don Fritsche.

For parts, write or phone Don F. Fritsche at
BMI
Rt 1 Box 105A
Scranton, Ar 72863
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Carl Williams


From:
Oklahoma
Post  Posted 17 Dec 2004 2:27 pm    
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I couldn't agree more with Jerry on what a gentleman Mr. Zane Beck was! As a young 19 year old kid who was taken to his house by and old country fiddler, I had no idea at that time who Zane was and what he had already contributed to the pedal steel! He was very unassuming and seemed to be very humble. I still have the bar I bought from Zane almost 30 years ago at his home/shop in Scranton, Arkansas. I've never owned a ZB nor BMI, but maybe I will one day!

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Bill Yoder

 

From:
Orrville, Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 24 Dec 2004 9:14 am    
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Hi Wade,Ive been playing a BMI s10 3&3 for awhile now,and i must say,they are a very good guitar,solid,stays in tune and sounds great.Mine is serial # 411,pretty early,but still sounds and plays very well.also has rear endplate autographed by Buddy emmons and jeff newman.for parts i have,don fritsche,e-mail-fritsche@cswn.and larry pertee-e-mail,lpertee@bak.rr.com.hope this is some help.
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Joey Aguilera

 

From:
Whittier, California, USA
Post  Posted 24 Dec 2004 9:32 am    
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Hi Bill,

I was wondering what your serial number on your BMI looked like. I've been trying to figure mine out but I am not sure how to read it.



If you can't tell from the picture it reads:

SER 8 4(on its side) and I think 1 or L.

I'm not sure if that is 841 or the year 84 no. 1.

[This message was edited by Joey Aguilera on 24 December 2004 at 09:45 AM.]

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