PSG GIVEAWAY #3 Guitar!, First Look

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 8 Jun 2015 10:32 am

Here she is boys!.....And a grand girl she is...An MSA Vintage SS II..!!!! In GREAT SHAPE......She will be given a thorough run through, and then we are off to the web to "boil" down to 5 finalists.....PLEASE>..keep sending your candidates info!...AND if they have a FB page, please send link along with the email!.....good Luck all!!...

Ben Morine · Post by **Ben Morine** » 8 Jun 2015 4:20 pm

Wow that's a nice guitar Mickey!

Whoever receives this is one lucky person!

Such great generosity.

Steven Morris · Post by **Steven Morris** » 8 Jun 2015 5:55 pm

Very cool,super clean axe,...

Dave Meis · Post by **Dave Meis** » 8 Jun 2015 6:39 pm

Nicely done!

This is a great thing! dave

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 18 Jun 2015 5:56 am

M I C K E Y wow some deserving person will be very happy with your gift to them!ðŸ˜‚

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 15 Aug 2015 6:29 pm

I am Happy to announce that I have selected a recipient.. His name is Garrett...
He received the MSA, an overhauled Session 500, new pedal, pac a seat.... The whe
Works... Thank you all for your submissions..you guys all had a part in making this happen... I feel good!!!!!..... Let's do another!!!!!

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 15 Aug 2015 7:10 pm

Dang, Mickeyâ€¦ way to go. Thanks for helping people to get going!

Mike Lemley · Post by **Mike Lemley** » 17 Aug 2015 8:22 am

My brother John and I would like to thank Mickey for finding a good home for dads guitar. Both of us being steel players realized there's plenty of steel players out there deserving of this guitar and John thought Mickey would be the perfect person to find the right one.
We also think it is equally important for Garrett to know who has played this guitar. Jiggs Lemley, our father was considered one of the best C6th lap steel players in the country in the late 40s and through the 1950s. He later became a fine pedal steel player being inducted into the Florida Country Music Hall of Fame.
He was Hawkshaw Hawkins steel player when he played lap steel and recorded with Hawk at King records in Cincinnati. Jerry Byrd also recorded there at the same time and that's when Dad picked up the tuning. He also tuned his dobro to C6 back then when he played with Wilma Lee & Stony and Reno and Smiley. Buddy Charleton talked to Dad a few years before he passed and told him he had his father drive him to WWVA Jamboree when he was 12 years old to watch Dad play. Dad would be pleased to know his guitar is helping someone keep steel guitar alive.
Believe me I've heard magic on the C6th neck of that guitar with nothing but bar and picks and a volume pedal.
best of luck Garrett
and thank you Mickey
Mike and John Lemley

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 17 Aug 2015 8:55 am

Mike, I'm sure your father would be happy to see Garrett diligently practicing on his beautiful new MSA.... Garrett has been, a student of mine for about 6 months and was struggling with his little MSA Red Baron. I waited until I was sure he was going to stick with it before I even divulged that I HAD the guitar... During my move, Garrett came over for a last lesson, and it was then I decided to allow home to have the guitar... I did stipulate, that I prefer that he not sell the guitar at any time, but allow me to pass it on again to help some young, or old player...
I am so thankful to you for providing such a fine instrument, with such history... I'm sure Garret will chime in here soon!!

Garrett Snowden · Post by **Garrett Snowden** » 24 Aug 2015 12:16 pm

Hello Steel Guitar Forum, I am absolutely overjoyed to have the opportunity to be a part of the steel guitar family!

My journey with pedal steel guitar began a little less than a year ago, when my grandfather gave me an MSA Red Baron for Christmas. I had absolutely NO CLUE what I was getting myself into, but I did know that the sound of a pedal steel guitar was completely intoxicating and heavenly and I must learn how to make those sounds myself.

Right before I got my Red Baron, I randomly got to chatting about pedal steel with none other than my now friend, Mickey Adams in the music store I work at and he told me that he would be willing to teach me some lessons. This made me even more excited to learn this beast of an instrument, because to be honest, I didn't even know pedal steel teachers existed until I met Mickey. Needless to say, I also had no idea that I was about to start learning from the best Steel teacher out there!

So I began learning quickly, and with the fundamental approach Mickey had been giving me I quickly began to exceed the limitations of my 1975 Red Baron (that had seen everyone of the years between in full.)

As I continued to practice as hard as I could, the road blocks I was hitting on this guitar were starting to get rather discouraging and frustrating. Also, at age 25 working in music retail, and gigging on the side, the reality of putting down the staggering cost of a nice shiny Mullen was starting to seem a bit unattainable. However, I had already developed a passion and love for pedal steel, and I knew that SOMEHOW I'd one day get a REAL guitar and develop into a REAL pedal steel guitar player.

A few weeks ago, as Mickey was moving from College Station, TX where I live and grew up, he told me that he was going to give me an MSA Vintage XL D10, along with a Peavey Session 500 and an great old Edwards volume pedal. I was in true disbelief of how lucky I was, and at how kind and selfless Mickey was to be doing such an awesome thing for me! The sky is the limit now with great direction and equipment. I feel like I'm setting out on a new frontier in music.

Mickey didn't tell me who the guitar belonged to, just that it was somebody very important to steel guitar, and who'd played with just about everybody who was somebody. This made me even more proud to have this guitar, and made me even more inspired to learn it the right way, and learn it well.

Mike and John Lemley, I want to thank you for sharing your father's story with me, and for your generosity in giving this guitar to Mickey to do with it what he did. Knowing who your dad was takes my approach to playing steel guitar to a whole new level. With this very guitar I not only feel a desire to keep pedal steel alive, but to keep a legacy alive with it. I've already told countless friends of mine who my new guitar belonged to, and it is a story I will continue to share time and time again.

When Mickey let me take the guitar home, I remember him telling me that I was in the right place at the right time. Truly, I was, and feel like I still am. This quote I read from your dad that stood out to me when he said the same for himself, "I've been lucky. There's been a lot of hard work to it, too. There's a lot of work, but I've had some luck, too. Right place at the right time."

Thanks to you Mike and John, and God bless your father Jiggs.

Thank you again Mickey.

I am truly honored and I will keep this alive as long as I'm alive.

Garrett Snowden

Larry Waisner · Post by **Larry Waisner** » 24 Aug 2015 1:53 pm

Awesome Mickey!!! And congratulations Garrett!!!

Mickey when you get back to my part of the world I have a very nice SD10 to donate to you for another future PSG superstar. Give me a call and we'll get this going soon.
GOD Bless,
Larry

Chris Boyd · Post by **Chris Boyd** » 24 Aug 2015 3:29 pm

What a wonderful gift to a guy who appreciates it completely...

Jerry Hedge · Post by **Jerry Hedge** » 24 Aug 2015 6:31 pm

Mickey, you are a SAINT!!! Thanks for paying it forward.
I know the young man that got the guitar will cherish it and put it to good use!!!

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 25 Aug 2015 11:46 am

This post warms my heart...The best feeling in the world...Knowing you did the right thing..Garrett....You proved right out of the gate that you were motivated, and determined...You are making rapid progress, and have followed my instructions adamantly...I hope one day you will also pass on the knowledge you gain in your life, to many deserving people that want to carry on the legacy of the steel guitar...Ill always be here to help Garrett.....Congratulations my new friend, and thank for joining us here on the forum!!!>..
Larry!!..Thats awesome!!!....Lets do it my friend!!!!!!

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 25 Aug 2015 12:47 pm

What a wonderful story... the right guy got the guitar!!!... Way to go Mickey!!!

Mike Wilkerson · Post by **Mike Wilkerson** » 25 Aug 2015 2:31 pm

Garrett welcome to the family I am pleased to know that you have an awesome guitar that will serve you well for many years to come. Mickey as always your an awesome resource to our community see ya Saturday.Slim

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 27 Aug 2015 10:03 am

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John Wilson · Post by **John Wilson** » 27 Aug 2015 7:26 pm

I can't think of another musician anywhere out there, that is doing anything as significant as this.

You've got my HOF vote, brother. Anytime.

John

Terry Elms · Post by **Terry Elms** » 27 Aug 2015 7:51 pm

Congrats Garrett, and good on you Mickey! What comes around goes around.

Tim Henley · Post by **Tim Henley** » 28 Aug 2015 6:21 pm

Congratulations Garret!

Abe Levy · Post by **Abe Levy** » 29 Aug 2015 6:35 am

What an awesome story. Cheers to all involved!

Wayne Galtier · Post by **Wayne Galtier** » 14 May 2018 4:05 pm

Mickey,

I submit my own name because I have a 6 string 2x2 Hudson and have learned enough to be frustrated for not having 10 strings. I am 71 years old, and Air Force Vietnam veteran 1966-1970 and am determined to get good enough to play the steel. I am constantly looking for a trade deal on the forum where I could put up a lesser amount of money to get a decent 10 string single 3x4. Budget is of concern but thats what happens to us old farts!

Keep up the wonderful work on the forum and some lucky guy will get yet another MSA guitar.

Regards,

Wayne Galtier
Baton Rouge, LA

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 15 May 2018 5:18 pm

Wayne.. this thread is a few years old now.. but I have to say thank you for posting, because it brought it back to the top.. Thanks for that..

Eric Denmark · Post by **Eric Denmark** » 22 May 2018 8:05 am

That is so awesome, Mickey! That is one of the nicest things I have ever seen done for someone else. Congrats to Garrett!

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 4 Jun 2018 12:35 am

Really good of you, to do this, Mickey and to the person, if another person donated this steel for you ro put into great shape.
The Right Stuff. Stevet

The Steel Guitar Forum

PSG GIVEAWAY #3 Guitar!, First Look

PSG GIVEAWAY #3 Guitar!, First Look

The RIGHT place, at the RIGHT time.

The right place

Mickey Adams deserves Hall of Fame recognition