The Steel Guitar Forum

Any idea on what model this is? Value? the owners says it has 3 pedals two knee,I dont see anything like that on BMI website,is this a keyless student model? Are BMI instrument easy to add on to?Thanks for any info, Sorry for the lack of pictures,the steel is out of state and I thought about trying to pick it up while on vacation next week.I am learning to play on a Sierra session 10,just have a bug to buy another

Looks like a 12 to me. No such critter as a student 12 string.
Dan Burnham is here on the forum, BMI is still around and going. I don't think adding knees is a big deal, and he has the kits.

Do you know what year it is? I have one of those from around 1985, a uni. It is a pro model, but sort of an odd one. It is very compact, you find won't many (any?) steels smaller. It's not super light, around 50# in the case, but plays nice and is very easy to transport and fit on a small stage. The string spacing is a little closer than normal on these, closer than your Sierra. Tunes with a small allen wrench, string changes are quick. On BMI's website it's the second photo on this page: http://www.beckmusicalinstruments.com/1 ... teels.html.

If it is the same as mine it actually has two changers, 4 raise and 4 lower. The raise changer is on the right, the lower is on the left attached the tuner mechanism. On mine it is a little tricky to switch copedent, raises are straight pulls and easy to change but lowers take a little more finagling as it is a "push" mechanism which requires an oddball pushrod setup at the finger. In your pictures it looks the same as mine, I believe the later versions might have scissor style fingers on the lowers so they are "all pull" but not sure.

Call Don or Dan at BMI and they will help you out, and can sell you any parts you might need. They would know about its value too. Fwiw, I paid ~$1500 for mine about a year and half ago in good shape, 1985 model with 5&5, including shipping cost.

Jake,
I would need to see if it has a changer on both ends to tell if it is a Push Pull or not. If it is not a Push Pull it would be valued around 1200.00 to 1400.00. If it is a Push Pull you are looking at around 1700.00 or more. I can't tell without looking at both ends of the guitar. If it is a Push Pull we would need to be the one to add your desired pulls to it because these models are not for the faint of heart. If it is a All Pull you could do the work yourself. See if you can get more pictures. This is not a student model, you can add floor and knees to this model.
Dan

Dan, Jake, the tuner in the first pic looks identical to mine, which is a push pull. The changer fingers project beyond the end of the aluminum head.

Are you still making these Dan?

Ian,
It is hard for me to tell from that picture. We have built keyless all pulls along with push pulls. I really need to see a picture of the keyhead end plate to be sure. On a push pull there will be a space on the end between the key head and the body because on the lower end the finger is a one piece which pushes to lower. You may be right I just can't tell from the overhead picture.

Dan

looks the same as mine, which is the push pull type:





My $0.02 Jake, I would go for this git over the modified Sho-bud, all else being equal. The bud is big and heavy and of questionable lineage (of course it may be really cheap too). I love how compact these BMI guitars are, and very solidly built, and they're still making all parts for them.

Jake,
I don't think you will go wrong with this one. Like Ian, I love my push pulls, have 2 of them and have a S10 and s14.

Ian,
send me a picture of you behind your BMI so we can add you to the BMI family picture.

Dan