The Steel Guitar Forum

A few pictures from a concert in Copenhagen with Richard Nelson from Ireland, a fantastic concert backed by a trio from the Danish Radio Bigband, the kind of concert that we don’t get to Denmark so often. If you see this Richard, thank you again for a good one, yooouu, ’Round about Midnight. And what a beautiful sounding guitar, also not often seen around Copenhagen, sounding so cute, clean and cool! See shots of steel and player here, 3 pictures!
http://www.pbase.com/borissteel/image/41515501 http://www.pbase.com/borissteel/image/41514171 http://www.pbase.com/borissteel/image/41514183

Jeppe<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Jeppe Grangaard on 01 April 2005 at 11:33 PM.]</p></FONT>

Great pictures, and it was a thrill for me to see a Bethel guitar on the forum,
Terry Bethel

Terry
Forgive my ignorance, but I must have seen reference to your name somewhere, more as a player...? ..building his own guitars? ...and then pops up a guitar in Ireland? ...in jazz music? That sounds like a good story, please tell us!!

Just a rough outline of your music career etc., and what steel do you play yourself..
Jeppe

Terry Bethel is one of the top players, and builds a beautiful guitar. Maybe he will reply, if not a search will give some good info, I'm sure. Those are very good pics. Thanks for sharing.

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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com

I'll second that. Great pictures, and surely a great looking guitar

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Klaus Caprani

MCI RangeXpander S-10 3x4
www.klauscaprani.com

Jeppe, I best remember Terry for playing the Mel Tillis Show in Branson, Missouri for many years. He is also the backbone of the Ozark Steel Guitar Association.
He is an outstanding musician and has been very active in the steel guitar community.

Howard and John,
Thanks for remembering me, that is a thrill in itself. Seeing as how I have been out of the mainstream of country music for a number of years. I still play, I work in a show in Branson(Paul Harris) show. Right now we are playing 10 shows a week, summer schedule, (8 shows a week,Sundays and Mondays off), talk about a great schedule!!!!! Then in the fall we go back to 10 shows a week.
It is the best job I have ever had in my life. Best BOSS, best small band, the best of everything. Am I enjoying it? YOU BET!!!!!!!
Jeppe,
Up until 2 years ago I had worked for Mel Tillis for a total of 24 years. Loretta Lynn for 4 years and Billie Jo Spears for 4 years and Ferlin Husky for 2 years and Claude Grey for 1 year. I also had a band in Las Vegas in that time span for 2 years, now that was a fun Band. When I hired the players, I asked one question. Do you want to PLAY,and I mean PLAY? If they said yes, they were hired, and play we did. We played more good music in one set, than most bands get to play in two weeks, it was a smokin' band.
We built the guitar for Richard Nelson last year, he got it in December, we are currently working on 4 more now. Not as busy underneath as Richards, but the same quaility.
I play two different steels. One is a lacquer finish with aluminum necks, 9 x 9 with a George L on the C neck and a tonealigher on the E neck.
The other steel is a custom built 9 x 9 with a Cocoa Bola front and necks, maple top that is sunburst to match the Cocoa bola wood color. A beautiful guitar, and tone for days.
It was built by my friend Dick Miller who before he passed away was building the Bethel Steel Guitars for me.
About two years ago a friend in Branson asked me to start the company back up, and after giving him every down side I could think of, talked me into it. Richards was the first guitar built by me and my partner Jerry Pansier. Jerry is one of those guys that can solve any kind of problem, not that we had any, but is sure handy to have around.
Richard bought one of the Bethel steels about 5 or 6 years ago and wanted another one and thats how the Black Beast Of Branson(I believe that's what he calls her) wound up in Ireland. The guitar turned out so good that I wanted to keep it for my personal guitar, but alas, Richard needed it more than I did.
I also have The International Ozark Steel Guitar Association. We publish 4 newsletter a year with tab, equipment evaluations, CD reviews, stories from guest writers, and lots of little things that pretain to the Steel Guitar. If you might be interested in the OzarkSGA or some info on the New BETHEL STEELS you can reach me at;
bethelgtr@aol.com
or
OzarkSGA
P.O. Box 1108
Hollister, MO 65673
Thanks guys, hope I didn't bore you too much.
Terry Bethel
Paul Harris Show
Bethel Steel Guitars
OzarkSGA

Terry- I really enjoyed your section in the Manual of Style book. Would you mind sharing your current setup? You had lots of interesting ideas there...

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

John,
I would be happy too. The big difference is I tune my second string to "D" like my friend Jimmie Crawford did. He was the first one I ever heard do that, and after trying his guitar, I took my Sho_Bud to the factory on 2nd ave and had my guitar changed the next day and have been using it that way since.

P1 P2 P3 P4 LKL LKV LKR RKL RKR

F#
D ---------------------------C# -------D#
G#-----A
E ---------F# -----F -------------E
B---C# --- C# -A -------Bb
G# ----A --------------------F#
F#
E -----------------F -------------E
D -------------------------------------C#
B---C# -----------------Bb

The C6th
P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 CKL CKV CKV CKR RKL RNR

D
E----------F
C--------------D-----------------------C
A--------------B------Bb---B--Ab
G ------F#-------F
E-F--------Eb----------------------D-------F
C-C#-C#
A---------------------Bb---B--Ab
F-Eb-E--F#
C----A--D--------D
There you have it.
Thanks for asking, it was my pleasure to post it.

Terry Bethel
Paul Harris Show
Bethel Steel Guitars
OzarkSGA<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Terry Bethel on 03 April 2005 at 06:20 PM.]</p></FONT>
Sorry about the spacing of the pedals and the changes, couldn't get it the way I wanted.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Terry Bethel on 03 April 2005 at 06:22 PM.]</p></FONT>

I must be dense this morning, I'm trying to imagine playing e9 without lowering my e's. I don't think I could do it, or am I overlooking something? Thanks for posting it, there's some interesting things there.

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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com

Many thanks, Terry, this is very helpful to me! Could it be Eb on the E9 RKL and C# on the C6th RKL?

BTW- the old cuts on the "Pieces of Eight" album are mighty fine, and I'm looking forward to "If We Could"!

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

Terry Bethel's copedent in monospace font
<font face="monospace" size="3"><pre>
P1 P2 P3 P4 LKL LKV LKR RKL RKR
F#
D----------------------------C#---------D#
G#-----A
E ---------F#------F--------------Eb
B---C#-----C#--A--------Bb
G#-----A --------------------F#
F#
E------------------F--------------Eb
D--------------------------------------C#
B---C#------------------Bb

P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 CKL CKV CKV CKR RKL RNR
D
E----------F
C--------------D-----------------------B
A--------------B------Bb---B--Ab
G ------F#-------F
E-F--------Eb----------------------D-------F
C-C#-C#
A---------------------Bb---B--Ab
F-Eb-E--F#
C----A--D--------D
</pre></font>

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<font size=1>Drew Howard - website - Fessy D-10 8/8, Magnatone S-8, N400's, BOSS RV-3</font>

<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 04 April 2005 at 07:59 AM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 04 April 2005 at 08:00 AM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 05 April 2005 at 05:28 AM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 10 April 2005 at 09:25 AM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 10 April 2005 at 09:25 AM.]</p></FONT>

Sorry about that. I do lower the E's to Eb on the RKL.
Hey it was late and I do have CRS syndrom. My apologies and thank you Drew Howard for
spacing the changes right, now if I can just remember any other changes I might have left out,
Terry Bethel

Howard Tate,
No you are not getting dense, just me.
Terry Bethel

Richard has some interesting changes on his guitar, maybe he will post them,
Terry

Turns out I was dense, I should have realised that lowering the e's to e was a typo. I would lke to try the changes you have on the second string, I don't know if I'm capable of setting it up, so it probably won't happen.

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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com

I should have waited for the thread to play out a bit longer. I just went and added the E to E "Bethel change" on my push pull on my imaginary LK backwards lever.

Chris,
Let me know how it works, as I am always looking for new sounds,
Terry

Nice steel buildin' and set-up Terry!

As a big jazz fan, I wonder if Richard would post his set-up too?

Thanks Terry for putting me straight !
Sorry about the European ignorance, steel music and stories are hard to get over here. Sure would very much like to hear your playing, mp3 files with short and lively content would be appreciated (anyone?). Yet, even a picture of your current pedal steel would be appreciated, must say your description sounds great.

Meanwhile, here’s another angle of Rick and his Bethel. http://www.pbase.com/borissteel/image/41690507
He told be about a steel festival in Ireland in the makings right now. Hope he gets the time to post here Jeppe

Terry,

It's good to know that after Mel closed the theater you landed a job that you are happy with -- expecially right in your own back yard. Keep on pickin' man, you are an inspiration.

And BTW, I'm honored that you visitied my web site and signed my guest book.

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<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR=BLACK><P ALIGN=left>Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

Jeppe,
Thanks for posting the picture, from any angle that Bethel looks good, of course I might be a little pregudist about the guitar,
did I spell that right?
CA Lucker,
I don't know about the tension on the necks.
The guitar I am playing now has aluminum necks and they are down tight, and I don't have any trouble with the sustain.
The other guitar I have, has wood necks and I don't have any trouble with sustain on that one either, so I don't have an opinion on the tension thing at this time.
We are building a new Bethel at the present time, and when we get in on the floor I will try out the different tensions and I will report back.
Terry

Howard I was able to put Terry's 2nd string change on E9th on my guitar as I already had the parts doing something on the 2nd string, just moved them around on my LeGrande II. I really like the move and it is a keeper for me. I have to think a little more since it is new to me, but I really like it. No more feel stops that I can't feel worth a Da#$. Try it out. If you don't like it change it back. Just wish I had done it years sooner.

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Keep pickin', Larry

Larry,
Thanks for saying it was my change, but it wasn't, it was Mr. Jimmie Crawford that turned me onto the change. I thanked him many times for that, wish I could do it again. Jimmie was a master at the "D" and the splits, he showed me all the basics of the changes and I went with it from there.
I miss him,
Terry Bethel

Terry, I remember now that it was Jimmie Crawford that came up the 2nd string tuned to D. Cool deal. Not to take anything away from the great Jimmie Crawford, you turned me onto it and I have been practicng with it quite a bit for the past couple of weeks and it is a keeper. From now on I'll get my story straight and give the proper credits in the proper order. Thanks a bunch!

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Keep pickin', Larry