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Topic: Bmi Psg |
Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2022 1:21 pm |
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Have tried to contact BMI for informatin on a PSG I purchsed a few months ago.
Trying to find age, S/N 1221.
Their Web Site appears to be running but for some reason typing on the site "Contact Us" doesn't seem to go thru.
Anyone have any info on contacting them? Or/and if know the approximate age based on the serial number.
Thanks in advnce,
Sam |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 12 Jan 2022 3:29 pm
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| My (economy model 3 + 2) S-10 # 1024 was invoiced Feb 1983. Not knowing annual production numbers and not knowing if all guitars were on the same # sequence or if S-10, SD-10 & D-10 had their own numbering, well, these are necessary facts in order to figure an approx. age of yours from my number. |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2022 3:51 pm
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John unfortunately all I know is it is a single 10 string so I am guesing S10.
I bought from a guy that had it in his attic just because (like a dummy)I wanted a psg.
I am not having a problem picking up the playing part as I have a lap steel I tune to a6 (8 string) and have been playing guitar for 70 years (age 83) BUT it does have a problem that I* can't seem to get on top of, even studying all the over/under tuning discussions on the forum and other sites.
Will keep on working on the problem but would like to know how old this is.....price was right ($500) so I am content to use it for a learnig curve hoping it will play better.
Thanks for your reponse. |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2022 6:31 pm
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| Sam, if you could explain the problem, someone here can probably help. |
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Joe Krumel
From:
Hermitage, Tn.
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Posted 13 Jan 2022 10:06 am Bmi
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| Sam,hope you get it resolved. FWIW,I owned a s-10 BMI in the 80's and was a great guitar.those things are solid steels. Good luck,you could re coup your $ easily if you had a change of mind. |
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Ian Worley
From:
Sacramento, CA
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Posted 13 Jan 2022 11:06 am
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I have #1200, an S12. Don Fritsche told me it was built in '85, around the time Zane Beck passed away.
_________________
All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest - Paul Simon |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2022 11:25 am Re: Bmi
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| Joe Krumel wrote: |
| Sam,hope you get it resolved. FWIW,I owned a s-10 BMI in the 80's and was a great guitar.those things are solid steels. Good luck,you could re coup your $ easily if you had a change of mind. |
Not looking to recoup my money....the frustration of reworking it is my excitement...I can play it like a c6 tuned (without pedal) untill I get it resolved. |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2022 11:27 am
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| Larry Dering wrote: |
| Sam, if you could explain the problem, someone here can probably help. |
Thanks Larry, will do after I try a few more things I know (which isn't much) |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2022 6:35 pm
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| Sam, I own 2 of these rascals and they work very well. I have one apart for a minor rebuild. It came to me with bunch of issues. Bent axle, stuck fingers, worn bushings. I have the parts and ready to assemble it. If you need pictures, let me know. |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2022 7:59 am
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| Larry Dering wrote: |
| Sam, I own 2 of these rascals and they work very well. I have one apart for a minor rebuild. It came to me with bunch of issues. Bent axle, stuck fingers, worn bushings. I have the parts and ready to assemble it. If you need pictures, let me know. |
Thanks Larry,I would appreciate any pictures. You could email them to me if you wish. |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 14 Jan 2022 8:06 am
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Samuel, what tuning are you planning on using…C6 or E9(which is A6 with A+B pedals pressed)? Also, what are your problems. BMI is a good make.
_________________
KEVIN MAUL: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Danelectro, Evans, Fender, GFI, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2022 11:32 am
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| K Maul wrote: |
| Samuel, what tuning are you planning on using…C6 or E9(which is A6 with A+B pedals pressed)? Also, what are your problems. BMI is a good make. |
If i don't get it fixed I was looking at c6 without any pedals, similar to lap steel, however I am planning on repairing it correctly.
My problem is with the third string (G# raise to A). Cannot get it to "A" without breaking string.
I have moved the levers for more travel. I hear a clunk when I push the pedal. Adjusted the pedal stop screw to reduce the pedal travel. This eliminated the clunk but when trying to adjust the pullrod tuner it will go from rising to lowering.
I suspect a possible break on the peddle bar pivot screw (where it inserts into the body frame). Will be taking a closer look there, but it looks like I have to take the side off to see and/or repair.
Everything else is tuning ok.
This is all new to me and I am having a ball learning (mechanical structure) music wise I have to learn technique. And yes I like the guitar. It is a $500 from an attic, going to be great guitar (I hope)
Thanks for your come back. |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 14 Jan 2022 2:35 pm
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You can call BMI's owner, Don Fritsche, at Logan County Bank, where he works his day job. Their website is having some issues right now.
http://www.logancountybank.net/about-us/staff/
The bank's phone number is at the upper right corner of the page.
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande
There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.
Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2022 7:01 pm
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Sam, is the finger spring letting the finger move from the stop? That what it sounds like. Swap the spring with one that don't have the problem and see if you can adjust it correctly. Let us know the results.?
As far as breaking strings, the 3rd is a common problem. Make sure the roller is free in the nut and not binding. On the tuning key you need more wraps on the 3rd, like twice as many as others. Bring it up slowly and stretch a few times before making it to pitch. Read some of the other posts on 3rd string issues. |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2022 7:49 am
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| Larry, thanks for the suggestion(s) will let you know in a day or two.....have other guitars that need strings and things that I use every weekend. |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2022 7:53 am
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| Lee, thanks for the info.....going to try Larry Derings suggestion, if not the answer I will try to contact Don. Thanks again |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 15 Jan 2022 8:19 am
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It's worth knowing, just for your overall motivation, that there is rarely a problem so deep as to be not worth fixing (or can't be fixed) on a pedal steel guitar. And once a problem is diagnosed, it is rarely something too terribly difficult to repair or adjust.
It's not impossible that something major broke. But far more often, the fix involves understanding and adjusting something that has fallen way out of spec.
Photos and videos are invaluable. Post them and lot can be discerned by experienced eyes here. (Photos can be posted directly to the forum, videos need to be uploaded to Youtube with the link posted here). |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2022 2:41 pm Bmi Psg
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ok First things first. A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL that posted comments with suggestions on my post.
Not sure which one was the most helpful BUT I'm back in the saddle and no it wasn't anything broken (except my pride).
I put everything aside to try ALL the suggestions. Poor engineering technique changing more than one thing at a time so do not know which one was the true fix. Apparently this old attic relic needed more than one adjustment BUT it is working and I'm playing.
The biggest thing I noted was rod placement when I reviewd the BMI diagram of the factory rod placement locations. The other, and I don't know why, but the third string string replacement brought it all together and tuning was a lot easier. (????) Doesn't make sense to me BUT......
Thanks again to each and everyone of you and yes BMI is a great PSG...now to learn to play like you guys |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2022 8:49 pm
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| Sam, glad you got it resolved. Good luck and happy picking. |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2022 6:29 am
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| Larry Dering wrote: |
| Sam, glad you got it resolved. Good luck and happy picking. |
Thanks Larry. I know I'm happy it is fixed. Now I can back to tunning the many other guitars Needed for Friday night jams.
I have to say my $5 member fee WAS the best investment ever, you guys on this forum are ther best
I can't thank you people enough. |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 16 Jan 2022 7:24 am
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I wrote this somewhere else and I can't remember where, now -- years ago I discovered that one quirk of the BMI design is that endplate with the holes. If your pull rods enter the changer and the endplate holes at an angle, there is the potential for friction (at the least....total interference with free travel, at worst). Since bellcrank choices can and will create rod angles, the solution is to bend the rods so that they enter the changer on as level a plane as possible. This more critically applies to the levers on the right knee. It is likely that you've already got some shaped rods on your guitar.
Also, unlike the far more common engineering on a majority of steels which allow for infinitely-variable bellcrank positioning on the cross shaft, the tapped holes on the BMI cross bars require careful selection of bellcrank position. You must be sure to limit rod-against-rod friction as much as possible. Things can get squirrely in the cluster of cranks & rods of the A-B-C pedals for strings 3-4-5-6.
I'm glad you've got it playing well. This post is just for you to file away in the event of future issues with things not returning properly. |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2022 9:58 am
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Jon, thank you for this info.
I did have to move a couple of rods because I didn't think they were straight to the changer, but didn't know it trully was for your reasons. Now you have me checking them all, some where in the near future.
I only have one right knee lever and it is on the second string. Have yet to figure what or when to use but now that I am more aware of the mechanics I might move it for the low F# string to raise it to G...I keep trying to raise that when I'm playing but nothing happens because of no lever. (See I am kinda smart LOL)
This post WILL be filed away and again thank you for ALL your help. |
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