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 Richard Nelson’s Bethel Steel (Page 1)
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| Author | Topic: Richard Nelson’s Bethel Steel |
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Jeppe Grangaard Member From: Denmark |
posted 01 April 2005 03:55 PM
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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 [This message was edited by Jeppe Grangaard on 01 April 2005 at 11:33 PM.] |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 01 April 2005 10:18 PM
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Great pictures, and it was a thrill for me to see a Bethel guitar on the forum, Terry Bethel |
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Jeppe Grangaard Member From: Denmark |
posted 02 April 2005 12:10 AM
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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.. |
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Howard Tate Member From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA |
posted 02 April 2005 06:22 AM
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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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Klaus Caprani Member From: Copenhagen, Denmark |
posted 02 April 2005 06:51 AM
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I'll second that. Great pictures, and surely a great looking guitar  ------------------ MCI RangeXpander S-10 3x4 |
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John Daugherty Member From: Rolla, Missouri, USA |
posted 02 April 2005 10:04 AM
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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. |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 02 April 2005 10:45 PM
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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 |
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John McGann Member From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
posted 03 April 2005 08:10 AM
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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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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 03 April 2005 06:19 PM
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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# The C6th D Terry Bethel [This message was edited by Terry Bethel on 03 April 2005 at 06:20 PM.] [This message was edited by Terry Bethel on 03 April 2005 at 06:22 PM.] |
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Howard Tate Member From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA |
posted 04 April 2005 03:25 AM
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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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John McGann Member From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
posted 04 April 2005 05:49 AM
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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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Drew Howard Member From: Mason, MI, U.S.A. |
posted 04 April 2005 07:58 AM
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Terry Bethel's copedent in monospace font
------------------ [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 04 April 2005 at 07:59 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 04 April 2005 at 08:00 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 05 April 2005 at 05:28 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 10 April 2005 at 09:25 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 10 April 2005 at 09:25 AM.] |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 04 April 2005 09:15 PM
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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 |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 04 April 2005 09:17 PM
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Howard Tate, No you are not getting dense, just me. Terry Bethel |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 04 April 2005 09:19 PM
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Richard has some interesting changes on his guitar, maybe he will post them, Terry |
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Howard Tate Member From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA |
posted 05 April 2005 05:24 AM
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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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Chris Lucker Member From: Los Angeles, California USA |
posted 05 April 2005 09:08 AM
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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. |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 05 April 2005 10:41 AM
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Chris, Let me know how it works, as I am always looking for new sounds, Terry |
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Rick Schmidt Member From: Carlsbad, CA. USA |
posted 05 April 2005 12:09 PM
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Nice steel buildin' and set-up Terry! As a big jazz fan, I wonder if Richard would post his set-up too? |
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Jeppe Grangaard Member From: Denmark |
posted 05 April 2005 01:51 PM
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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 |
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Roy Ayres Member From: Starke, Florida, USA |
posted 05 April 2005 02:41 PM
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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. ------------------ Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 05 April 2005 03:05 PM
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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 |
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Larry Hamilton Member From: Amarillo, Texas, USA |
posted 05 April 2005 03:27 PM
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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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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 05 April 2005 10:23 PM
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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 |
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Larry Hamilton Member From: Amarillo, Texas, USA |
posted 06 April 2005 01:23 PM
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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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Richard Nelson Member From: Drogheda, Louth, Ireland |
posted 08 April 2005 03:49 AM
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I suppose I had better say something. I dont know how to write the co -pedant out in diagram form so here is the other way.Maybe Drew Howard cuold fix that? E9 is standard tuning LKLlowers the E's LKR raises them ,LKV lowers 5+10 the B's to A, RKR lowers 2nd string 1/2 then 1 tone and lowers 9 to C+, RKL outer raises 1st string F+ to G+ and lowers 6 G+to F+, RKL inner Raises 2 to E and raises 7 F+ to G . The pedals on E9 are standard Day Way. I'll post C6th later as I've got some things to do. |
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Ron Sodos Member From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA |
posted 08 April 2005 03:32 PM
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Hi guys, I was a standard tuning guy for 25+ years. I changed the 2nd string to D and now I can't imagine ever going back. Thanx again Terry. By the way I am going to record some of the things i have learned from you and send it. That way you can hear how I am progressing. ..... [This message was edited by Ron Sodos on 08 April 2005 at 03:32 PM.] |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 08 April 2005 09:03 PM
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Ron, I will be looking forward to hearing how you have progressed, Terry |
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Richard Nelson Member From: Drogheda, Louth, Ireland |
posted 09 April 2005 08:31 PM
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Ok here is C6th. It's standard tuning with D on top Pedal 4 lowers 9 F-Eb 8,7,6 up 1/2 tone each.Pedals 5,6,7,8 are stock . LKL ( middle cluster) Raise 6 E-F , and raise 10 C-D. .... LV lowers 6 E-D and lowers 2 E-Eb .....LKR lowers 4+8 A's to Ab...... RKR lowers 3 C-B RKL( outer) raises 4 A- Bb ....RKL(inner ) raises 3 C-Db. Boring isn't it . |
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Drew Howard Member From: Mason, MI, U.S.A. |
posted 09 April 2005 08:56 PM
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Far from it, Richard!
Is this correct? cheers, ------------------ |
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Richard Nelson Member From: Drogheda, Louth, Ireland |
posted 09 April 2005 08:59 PM
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Also by the way Terry I cant believe that you have devoted a knee lever to change C-C. That's a good one . Talk about the Irish !!!!! All joking aside Terry's cluster on C6th Left knee is very economical. He showed me that about 6 yrs ago and I did'nt understand . Now I do . Did you get it from Speedy West Terry?I think you told me that. If any of you cats out are reading this listen..... Terry Bethel is the man !!!! underrated it has been said ; often misunderstood ; difficult to appreciate ?What musical genius ahead of his time wasn"t......Take the time to listen to him he has feeling in his playing, he is technically blilliant. An innovater . Hey it's late I am going to bed. Goodnight or morning it is .... yes 5 am |
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Richard Nelson Member From: Drogheda, Louth, Ireland |
posted 09 April 2005 09:06 PM
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Thanks Drew spot on . I'll stick that on my website if you don't mind . I'll give you a credit , and the cheque is in the post. |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 09 April 2005 09:19 PM
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Richard, Thanks for reveling that I messed up yet another pedal on the chart. It was also very late here when I put the co-pedents on this post. It is C to B on that knee, check when you have time and see what else I missed. Thank you very much for all the nice compliments, it is very gratifying when someone of your caliber notices what another steel player is trying to do. Also thanks for playing a Bethel steel guitar, a lot of love went into building that one, and thanks to Dick Miller for all the ideas that went into the guitar, Terry Bethel |
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Turbo Koch Member From: Klarup, Denmark |
posted 10 April 2005 03:45 AM
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Hi Terry Great to meet you in the Catering room at The Norsk Hostfest in Minot ND 2002, when you played pedalsteel in The Mel Tillis Show. A highligt in my life to hear you playing. I was playing for a Danish singer in The Copenhagen Hall. Hope to see you again. Turbo ------------------ |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 10 April 2005 09:07 AM
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Turbo, Hey I remember that. We had a long conversation. I knew that name was familier, but I couldn't remember from where. I still have the card you gave me that day. Thanks for reminding me. If memory serves me correctly, it was very cold that day, and they had 100 accordians playing "I Can't Stop Loving You" in the auditorium before we went on. Good to hear from you, Terry |
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Drew Howard Member From: Mason, MI, U.S.A. |
posted 10 April 2005 09:24 AM
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Heh heh. Glad to do it, from one steel guitar junkie to another.
cheers, ------------------ [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 10 April 2005 at 09:26 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 10 April 2005 at 09:26 AM.] [This message was edited by Drew Howard on 10 April 2005 at 09:27 AM.] |
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Turbo Koch Member From: Klarup, Denmark |
posted 10 April 2005 10:25 AM
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Terry Yes it was cold - the first snow was falled in the night - I can't remember about those accordian players. But still have the picture with you and me in my map. Remember that your friend helping you with making your Bethel Guitars just past away. See you - thankyou for you reply Turbo ------------------ |
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Terry Bethel Member From: Hollister,Mo 65672 USA |
posted 10 April 2005 03:17 PM
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Pedal 4 is definately not a finess pedal. It works both necks, two whole tones and two half tones. however when you use pedal 4 and the LKR together, you get the Franklin change of string 5 and 6 going whole tones on E9th. The nice thing about the way I have it is, you can split the change, either string 5 or 6 by itself or both together. I have found some very nice things with the set up that way. Terry Edited for He wasn't asking about my changes. [This message was edited by Terry Bethel on 10 April 2005 at 04:49 PM.] |
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Richard Nelson Member From: Drogheda, Louth, Ireland |
posted 10 April 2005 08:22 PM
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OK this is all very heavy stuff . Now my 4th pedal , which has been the topic of many a thread before, is the Jernigan change . Now he showed me this in 2000 and I blindly had it put on by the wonderful Dick Millar. On open tuning this gives you a Eb 7 +4 with 9 on the root . If you use this on tri-tone sub changes it sounds great. It's really the same as using pedal 5 except go down 1 and play around . Use this 2 below the home key.....ie play on fret 10 before moving to 12 G7- C you get G7 altered. I notice that Terry does not raise 8 on his change , that is because he can do it on another pedal- knee.... very subtle the difference in having the 4+ higher or lower. I relly think Terry's changes are going to become standard in years to come ..... he is away ahead of us . I hope this isn't too confusing > Thank you Jeppe for the photos, and having an interest in all this, to get it going. I think Bethel guitars are great, and a real option for the pro musician looking to expand his or her horizions with great help from people that play and know ... not just selling guitars to make money. |
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John Macy Member From: Denver, CO USA |
posted 12 April 2005 08:39 PM
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Terry, I am another one that played Jimmie's guitar and went for the 2nd string to D in 1979, when I had him build a 10x10 PP for me. Still play his setup to this day, with a few small changes, and have it on all my guitars. I couldn't imagine not having the D once I got used to it, which took very little time to get used to. Love what you do with it, by the way I miss him a lot, but have fond memories of him everytime I sit at one of my guitars |
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