Show Us Your Bethel Steel Guitar

Don Mogle · Post by **Don Mogle** » 14 Oct 2023 7:24 pm

I would like to see pictures of some of the Bethel pedal steel guitars out there. This could be one you currently or previously owned. I would also like to see some close-ups of the undercarriage.

This might be a real short thread, but would still appreciate your cooperation if you own one.

I just watched a YouTube video of Mickey Gilley doing a show in Branson several years ago. The steel player played a Bethel and it sounded great.

https://youtu.be/cglJ4nhgS9k?si=RW35T4VqPdO-q_Vx

Thanks,

Don

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 14 Oct 2023 7:58 pm

From one of my old SG Forums posts. Bethel had guitars on display at the ISG Convention one year when I was there.

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!

From this thread:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... 5a734b8692

I believe Richard Nelson is playing a Bethel steel here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xCd7OOq8LY

and here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD1fQ_CAfLQ

Don Mogle · Post by **Don Mogle** » 15 Oct 2023 11:20 am

Thanks for posting Greg…

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 15 Oct 2023 4:39 pm

There's an episode of the Opry back in 2002 where the show was a tribute to Waylon Jennings, and Travis Tritt was one of the artists there, and his steel player at the time, Steve Sturm was playing a white Bethel D-10 with a blue apron. I think Steve told me it was one that Dick Miller had worked on. There were four steels onstage that night-Tommy White's blue Derby D-10, Fred Newell's GFI, Mike Daly's Sho-Bud, and Steve Sturm's Bethel D-10. The Bethel sounded awesome onstage with Travis's Country Club Band. Porter Wagoner hosted the show, and Steve's Bethel was heard a lot while Travis sang two songs recorded by Waylon, "Where Corn Don't Grow" and "I've Always Been Crazy". The Bethel got a few closeups on the show too!

Don Mogle · Post by **Don Mogle** » 16 Oct 2023 5:49 pm

Hey Brett,

Can you post the link here. I couldn’t find it.

Thanks,

Don

Dave Stagner · Post by **Dave Stagner** » 18 Oct 2023 6:45 pm

There’s an hour-long concert on YouTube with Big Jim Murphy playing a Bethel through a Randall amp, along with Redd Volkaert and a killer rhythm section. I think it’s my favorite pedal steel tone I’ve ever heard, even though it’s far afield from my own sound.

I don’t know how much is the Bethel, how much is the Randall amp, and how much is the genius at the wheel. Probably mostly that last part.

Don Mogle · Post by **Don Mogle** » 26 Oct 2023 12:59 pm

Big Jim Murphy playing his Bethel...

https://youtu.be/JMbvshsd29U?si=aurego1ProDeC9db

Don Mogle · Post by **Don Mogle** » 26 Oct 2023 1:08 pm

Big Jim Murphy playing his Bethel...

https://youtu.be/JMbvshsd29U?si=aurego1ProDeC9db

https://youtu.be/d7n6jcSP06w?si=_bNOZNbunjllFwV4

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 28 Oct 2023 6:12 pm

Don Mogle wrote:Hey Brett,

Can you post the link here. I couldn’t find it.

Thanks,

Don

Here's Steve Sturm's Bethel on "I've Always Been Crazy-he appears towards the end of the song;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xklhiBsRO58

and here's "Where Corn Don't Grow"-the steel plays the guitar solo heard on the version you hear on the radio:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9MI-G6RI9U