MSA Single 12, Curly Maple-Delete Lack of Intrest

Derek DiLaura · Post by **Derek DiLaura** » 14 May 2011 2:39 pm

This MSA was inherited from an Uncle about five years ago. It was a double neck 12 string which he had modified to a single neck 12 string. It's in great shape & I do not play the pedal steel. I believe he bought it in the early 70's.
Curley maple with inlay, a beautiful finish. Serial #2C4867, Was $1500.00 firm, lowered to $1350.00 firm. I found another instument I'd like to pick up so am ready to move on this one.

Thanks

Derek DiLaura · Post by **Derek DiLaura** » 14 May 2011 2:41 pm

I tried downloading photo's of the MSA and they must be to big for transfer, if you send an e-mail, I'll send them as an attachment on reply....

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 15 May 2011 8:11 am

You can do a search of "for sale" items and there have been a whole lot of MSA's trading hands over the years. You can even search the old forum, from 1999 (?) on back... or you could try the sensible yet challenging thing, which is to take a shot at learning how to play it, unless there's a whole pack of wolves at the door. It's a lot easier to hang on to some kinds of things than it is to get them back.

Derek DiLaura · Post by **Derek DiLaura** » 15 May 2011 8:22 am

Thanks for the input, Iv'e had this for about 5-6 years and never had the time to mess with it.
I did take to playing the banjo about the same time I came by this pedal steel. I'm not one of the gifted, had to fight for every note on the banjo and although not as good as I'd like to be am good enough to play in public and not get hard objects thrown my way.
I'm in my 60's and figure it would take a good five years to get near proficient on this steel or, I could concentrate on the banjo and just get better.
I'm going to stay with the latter......yah chicken s--t that I am.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 15 May 2011 3:18 pm

Here are Derek's pictures

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 15 May 2011 4:29 pm

Taking into account the buy/sell activity I've seen here in the last few years, my loose appraisal would be $1,200. If you want to sell it quickly, I would say a grand would move it within a day or so.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 15 May 2011 6:27 pm

I'd say it's worth more than that. I got $1,500 for both my former white mica guitar and for the the green one shown in my avatar. I sold both on E-bay after not getting any bites in either one from the forum. (For whatever it's worth, both guitars were bought by Europeans. I don't know of that means anything.)

I think the low prices these old MSA are fetching is either a shame or the best deal you can possibly get, depending on whether you're buying or selling. Certainly, there's nothing in the same price range except maybe Dekley that can even begin to compare with their quality.

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 15 May 2011 6:32 pm

What Mike said ref. MSA and Dekley. Jody.

Post by **Joey Ace** » 16 May 2011 4:19 am

I agree with both Mike and Chris.

eBay tends to get higher prices, but there are advantages to selling on the Forum.

Ryan Barwin · Post by **Ryan Barwin** » 16 May 2011 4:57 am

I agree with Mike. The S-12 MSA Classics that have been selling for $1000-$1200 are generally either mica, or dinged up lacquer, or single-width bodies. Yours is a double-width body with a pad, and it's lacquer (not mica) and the finish looks to be in great shape (not too faded, and not too dinged up.)

So assuming everything is functioning smoothly, I think this is probably worth about $1500. I can't tell from the photos if it's got the 5th (vertical) knee lever, but if it does then it's worth a bit more. Though it may take a while to move it for that.

Do you still have the parts from the back neck? If so, I may be interested in them for a project.

Elton Smith · Post by **Elton Smith** » 16 May 2011 6:17 pm

If that has the super sustain pick up,thats a very good guitar.Can't tell from the pics.It would be well worth 1500 if you could get it.If you Ebay figure out your bottom price and start from there.Remeber you can all ways go down on it but you can't go up.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 16 May 2011 8:13 pm

I agree that Ebay might get you more money than the forum.

Either way, it's worth posting for $1,500 (if that's what the general worth has been deemed here) and seeing what happens. Usually if someone wants a certain guitar, a feeler thread like this alone should generate a sale. I've seen a few Sho~Buds go that way here before they even hit the want ads.

Derek DiLaura · Post by **Derek DiLaura** » 19 May 2011 5:35 am

Yes, it has the original MSA SuperSustain pick up & 5th knee lever. I do not have any spare parts as the second neck was removed before I got it.
I don't know who did the conversion but they did an excellent job. I'll give it a while on the forum before trying e-bay.
Thanks for all of the comments......

Jim Cooley · Post by **Jim Cooley** » 19 May 2011 6:26 am

Derek,

I recently sold a nice, but not perfect 1975 MSA Classic S10 on the forum for $1200. It was in great mechanical condition, but had several bar dings. My guitar had a lacquered wood body, 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. I felt it was worth more, and several forum members told me the same, but $1200 was pretty much the going price for that guitar at the time, so I'm not complaining. Besides, it went to a good guy who is putting it to good use.

Yours is a 12 string with 5 knee levers, and appears to be in really good condition. I think $1500 is a fair asking price. It's probably more than fair, but for some reason older MSAa have not had the resale value of some other brands, although they are built better than most. I still prefer their bell crank design over most others, and parts are available.

Good luck with the sale.

-Jim-

Derek DiLaura · Post by **Derek DiLaura** » 19 May 2011 6:42 am

Thanks Jim, it is a nice one & I hope it goes to someone who will treat it well...
If it doesn't sell here, it will go on e-bay.

Derek DiLaura · Post by **Derek DiLaura** » 20 May 2011 8:50 am

I have probably answered 20 messages regarding the sale of my MSA, sent out a lot of pictures, and gotten many compliments.
Most can't afford the $1,500.00 or want to buy it for re-sale and don't figure the asking price leaves enough profit margin.
Fortunately, this isn't a "must sell" situation and I will keep it if the price can't be met, put it back in the case, and wait a year or so for a re-try. I do appreciate all of the comments left so far, thanks to you all.....

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 20 May 2011 9:18 am

Derek, I posted 2 different MSAs like yours for sale here on the forum and neither one sold, then I posted them on E-bay, and (and here it gets weird,) I didn't get any bids on either one, but after the auctions closed, I was contacted by a people in Europe who had seen them on E-bay, and did not bid, but bought them later.

This happened twice, with 2 different steels. I have no idea what, if anything, this means. But you might want to put the guitar up on E-bay and see what happens.

Derek DiLaura · Post by **Derek DiLaura** » 20 May 2011 9:31 am

Thanks for the advice Mike, I'll probably end up doing that if not sold on the forum in the next week or so.
If anyone has a desire to speak with me on this pedal steel, cell 269-655-6823.

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