MSA 20 string single neck!
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
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MSA 20 string single neck!
Does anyone know who owns the single neck 20 string MSA built for Julian Tharpe in the late 60's. I would love to have pictures of the top and bottom for my MSA memorabilia.
- J D Sauser
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- Mike Perlowin
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I believe that guitar was on display at Jim Palenscar's shop recently.
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
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- Mike Perlowin
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My mistake. I confused it with the transparent (Plexiglass?) D-10 that was there for a while.
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
- Terry Wood
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I appreciate the posts. I received an email from the owner which included the picture J.D. posted in this thread, along with yet another picture. I did not receive a picture of the bottom side as hoped, but possibly it will be forthcoming.
I want to thank the owner for being so kind as to contact me. That guitar is truly a part of MSA history and one of a kind.
I want to thank the owner for being so kind as to contact me. That guitar is truly a part of MSA history and one of a kind.
- Rich Peterson
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20 string
I bought the guitar from you in 1968 Reece.. and played it about 7 years...
Houston, TX
Excel Superb S-12 8&5
Fender Princeton Amp.
Peavey Vegas Amp.
Casio PG-380 midi guitar
Ham Radio WA5OKT
Private Pilot SEL
Excel Superb S-12 8&5
Fender Princeton Amp.
Peavey Vegas Amp.
Casio PG-380 midi guitar
Ham Radio WA5OKT
Private Pilot SEL
- Jeff Garden
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- Larry Behm
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Dave Kellogg here in Portland had it recently but sold it. You can find his email here under a post or two maybe even the thread in the classified where it was sold. I also have his number.
Larry Behm
Larry Behm
'70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Flamma Reverb, Planet Wave cables, Quilter 202 Toneblock, Telonics 15” speaker.
Phone: 971-219-8533
Phone: 971-219-8533
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MSA Serial Number Help
Reece,
I have been trying to find out the age, and anything else I can on a MSA Pedal Steel I inherited from an uncle several years ago. Serial #2C4867.....I don't play and think I'm going to sell it once I find out what it's worth.
Thanks,
Derek
I have been trying to find out the age, and anything else I can on a MSA Pedal Steel I inherited from an uncle several years ago. Serial #2C4867.....I don't play and think I'm going to sell it once I find out what it's worth.
Thanks,
Derek
Last edited by Derek DiLaura on 15 May 2011 8:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Alan Brookes
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- Alfred Ewell
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Re: MSA 20 string single neck!
Hi Reece. I appreciate your putting me in touch with David Wright this winter for helpful ideas in restoring this wonder. The raises and lowers are all a little shy of being a half or whole step, - equally so for them all. I was trying to tune what various sources said was F6th on the far 10 strings and broke a couple keyheads. Home improvement, work and the Valentines cd on the fiddle have been impediments to getting her in shape. I'll take some underside pics when I get home, but here's a picture that won't be found anywhere else in the meantime.Reece Anderson wrote:Does anyone know who owns the single neck 20 string MSA built for Julian Tharpe in the late 60's. I would love to have pictures of the top and bottom for my MSA memorabilia.
Despite everything it sounds wonderful when I get behind there. That's what keeps me wanting to finish the restore!
These won't win any awards but here's the underside:
Here's http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=171987 the classified with pics.
- Alfred Ewell
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I've thought more than a time or two whether it's possible or desirable to turn this into a true S20, instead of two sets of 10 strings? Maybe it would go beyond the range of human hearing to get that many octaves - or else the step between each string would be too small to be useful... Currently it's F6 and E9 and it's cool to cross the two, but not that often useful enough (yet) to really harness the power of 20 strings. If U12 is universal would S20 be multi-dimensional? There wouldn't be many instances around. Anyway, I reckon the limit is how tight the treblest string can be taut.
- Rich Peterson
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Multidimensional? be careful you don't fall into the tesseract (four dimension cube) and vanish.
A bigger concern than how tight a treble string can be tuned would behow large a bass string is usable. Using gauged rollers in the nut can only take you so far.
Also, a bar capable of covering all 20 strings would be hard to handle.
One possibility that you might consider...
The first 10-12 strings tuned in descending pitches, as is conventional. But then the remaining strings in ascending pitch on a different chord/key. That avoids placing a thin string next to a very thick string, which creates a physical barrier which isolates the "necks."
Having half the strings in "reverse order" would really derail old habits.
A bigger concern than how tight a treble string can be tuned would behow large a bass string is usable. Using gauged rollers in the nut can only take you so far.
Also, a bar capable of covering all 20 strings would be hard to handle.
One possibility that you might consider...
The first 10-12 strings tuned in descending pitches, as is conventional. But then the remaining strings in ascending pitch on a different chord/key. That avoids placing a thin string next to a very thick string, which creates a physical barrier which isolates the "necks."
Having half the strings in "reverse order" would really derail old habits.
- Alan Brookes
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- Alfred Ewell
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That sounds like a good idea. Currently the chromatic string in the E9 set is next to a 0.060 - in the F6 set - and it can be quite a rift! Playing "backwards" in F6 would be a new world, but where no man has gone before is probably an overstatement. I bet someone has done that already, even if for a different reason than having 20 strings.Rich Peterson wrote: One possibility that you might consider...
The first 10-12 strings tuned in descending pitches, as is conventional. But then the remaining strings in ascending pitch on a different chord/key. That avoids placing a thin string next to a very thick string, which creates a physical barrier which isolates the "necks."
Having half the strings in "reverse order" would really derail old habits.
But after all, why go to all the trouble to make a 20 string deck instead of 2 10's (or 12's) if they can't work together? Any unreasonable suggestions are welcome, and maybe a few reasonable ones!
Thanks for all the so far!
- Alfred Ewell
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At last, found a post by Joe McHam on the copedent: "E9 on the first 8 strings and Julians 12 string E9/6 on the inside 12 strings"
on guestbook for Julian. Thanks, and I continue the restore. (emailed the quote to myself for safety )
Now if I can find E9E6 somewhere
on guestbook for Julian. Thanks, and I continue the restore. (emailed the quote to myself for safety )
Now if I can find E9E6 somewhere
Last edited by Alfred Ewell on 15 Feb 2012 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Alan Brookes
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Autoharps are tuned chromatioally, with a different string for every note. That being so, a 20-string steel would cover less than two octaves between the top and bottom strings. Also, because of the presence of every note at every bar position, you would have all sorts of dischords which you could only control by very carefully picking two or three strings at a time and damping all the others. It would be virtually unplayable.