Got the Old Girl Home Again

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 16 Feb 2016 5:42 am

The old girl is finally back home. New lever setup and action, and a complete under carriage rework, a set of new live steel strings remounted pickup and a general reconditioning by the great player and engineer Charlie McVay Jr and she is playing and sounding great Special thanks to Charlie for that new lick too. Lol. Be taking her on the road this week.

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 16 Feb 2016 3:53 pm

Oooh Nice, I have had a couple of those great rock solid and killer guitars....I always put George l's in mine, that guitar can honk!!!

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 16 Feb 2016 4:16 pm

My 12 came alive with a Tonealigner. I'm sold on Bob's pickups.

Tommy Auldridge · Post by **Tommy Auldridge** » 16 Feb 2016 4:31 pm

Greg: That really looks nice. I used to have one like that, except it was wood grain mica instead of black. It was a great steel, and I'm sorry I sold it 20 some years ago. I particularly liked the mechanics of the way everything worked. Tommy......

Allan Jirik · Post by **Allan Jirik** » 16 Feb 2016 5:47 pm

By "under carriage rework" do you mean an upgrade to modern mechanics? I'm thinking of having my '74 MSA gutted and re-fitted. Don't know who to approach about such a project. Thanks

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 16 Feb 2016 6:05 pm

I don't think it would need a lot of stuff replaced. Just clean everything, replace the nylon bushings.

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 16 Feb 2016 6:13 pm

Hey Tommy good to hear from you.

Allen, no it was not a complete rebuild. Just added 2 levers and cleaned and replaced some worn out parts. It still plays a little stiff compared to the newer guitars but oh so sweet.

Larry, I put a E-66 in mine and it came alive.

Lane you are correct sir.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 16 Feb 2016 9:26 pm

Allan Jirik wrote:By "under carriage rework" do you mean an upgrade to modern mechanics? I'm thinking of having my '74 MSA gutted and re-fitted.

i don't think i'd do that.....a major project!

Deane Cahoon · Post by **Deane Cahoon** » 17 Feb 2016 4:44 am

Do the upgraded pickups you all mention fit in the stock cavity of the original single coil? I have my D12 stripped down, buffed and puffed and almost ready to reassemble; maybe I should add a new pu while I'm in there spending my $

?

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 17 Feb 2016 4:46 am

Deane the E-66 fit my easily.

Deane Cahoon · Post by **Deane Cahoon** » 17 Feb 2016 5:17 am

Greg Johnson wrote:Deane the E-66 fit my easily.

Thanks Greg. Sharp guitar, btw.
Can't wait to get mine going but I'm taking my time to do it up nice, plus all the competition from my 'honey do' list.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Feb 2016 6:29 am

Just make sure you get the wide mount. There are two mounting standards for pickups. Narrow mount have the screws on the ends (Mullen, Bud and I assume Show Pro and Jackson), while the wide mount has the screws on the sides (Zum, MSA, Fessy, Rains, Emmons and almost everyone else). Some have the mounting plate too wide for the cavity, but a file or coarse sandpaper can trim it right down.

Deane Cahoon · Post by **Deane Cahoon** » 17 Feb 2016 6:38 am

Lane Gray wrote:Just make sure you get the wide mount. There are two mounting standards for pickups. Narrow mount have the screws on the ends (Mullen, Bud and I assume Show Pro and Jackson), while the wide mount has the screws on the sides (Zum, MSA, Fessy, Rains, Emmons and almost everyone else). Some have the mounting plate too wide for the cavity, but a file or coarse sandpaper can trim it right down.

Thanks for the info, Lane.

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 17 Feb 2016 6:57 am

Yes Lane is correct.

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 17 Feb 2016 7:39 am

Mine was a 1974 that came with single coils, I had to route out the cavity with a drem to fit the E66, otherwise you are stuck with the originals...Recce Anderson explained that to me via email and said it was the most popular mod to that guitar series.

The wide mount pick-ups came in later years I believe, maybe 1976???

Deane Cahoon · Post by **Deane Cahoon** » 17 Feb 2016 9:17 am

Larry Bressington wrote:Mine was a 1974 that came with single coils, I had to route out the cavity with a drem to fit the E66, otherwise you are stuck with the originals...Recce Anderson explained that to me via email and said it was the most popular mod to that guitar series.

The wide mount pick-ups came in later years I believe, maybe 1976???

Thanks Larry. Mine is older than 74, I believe. My serial number is 2C1631. It has single coils.

Greg, sorry to have hijacked your post here...

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Feb 2016 9:52 am

I think it's easier to reduce the mounting plate than rout the guitar

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 17 Feb 2016 10:00 am

Lane...The pick-up won't fit in the slot as the now standard size narrow mount pick-up's are wider. Dremel will be required, then you can lay some black paint on the inside of the wood to colour the raw wood to match the pick up. I don't remember there being a mount plate, pick up screwed straight to the deck if i remember or at least is was abandoned to install the E66, it's been a while.

It's not hard to do, draw a nice straight line with a felt pen and go (nice and slow as Reece said).

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 17 Feb 2016 10:15 am

My E-66 had no mounting plate and it did fit the hole so I did not have to route it. However instead of drilling a new wire hole I placed a small piece of felt about 1/8th inch under the pickup and screwed it in place. No adjustment needed.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 17 Feb 2016 10:51 am

Allan Jirik wrote:By "under carriage rework" do you mean an upgrade to modern mechanics? I'm thinking of having my '74 MSA gutted and re-fitted. Don't know who to approach about such a project. Thanks

Russ Wever located in Illinois. He is probably the closest guy to you who can do it.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Got the Old Girl Home Again

Got the Old Girl Home Again

Wow. It looks brand new again.

Pickups