How many old MSA Guitar still around?

Michael Brebes · Post by **Michael Brebes** » 23 Dec 2003 7:56 am

70's D-10 9/5 with L710s.

Robbie Daniels · Post by **Robbie Daniels** » 23 Dec 2003 9:54 am

I have a D12 MSA Classic built for me in 1974 with 9 floor pedals and 5 knee levers. I still have the original MSA volume pedal with pedal rack attachment, but it is in storage. I have switched to Goodrich volume pedals. I love the sound and the feel of my MSA and don't plan a change, unless I buy a new Mellinium. I play my MSA through two Evans Amps. 1984 Evans with 15" JBL speaker and 2000 Evans with 15" Eclipse speaker.
Love them all.

Jeff A. Smith · Post by **Jeff A. Smith** » 23 Dec 2003 8:44 pm

'76 Classic S-10, emerald green lacquer magically transformed over time to an attractive brown, with a True-Tone pickup.

Larry Henson · Post by **Larry Henson** » 23 Dec 2003 9:54 pm

'72 White Mica Classic D-10 8 & 4
'74 Rosewood Mica Classic D-10 8 & 4
'80's ?? Green Lacquer XL S-10 3 & 4
2 MSA Volume Pedals
1- MSA Bar
Various MSA strings in original wrappers

Larry[This message was edited by Larry Henson on 23 December 2003 at 09:55 PM.]

Gary Carriger · Post by **Gary Carriger** » 23 Dec 2003 10:38 pm

Still have my black mica 1973 MSA Classic D10 - and always will. Played in for 30 yrs until I purchased a Mullen this past March. But the MSA is still in my music room. Reece - those guitars were definitely made to last. Thanks!
Gary

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 26 Dec 2003 6:40 pm

I still have a battered old S10 5+4..Its been with me about 26 -27 years and I made my living with it. Its so beat up that I'm gonna retire her,just ordered a new Carter S10 5+5 to give this old girl a break. She's ugly and tired and pretty well hacked to pieces,but she stays and plays in tune which is more than I can say for the beautiful Pro III I just sold on ebay for practically nothing. MSA guitars were among the very best steels ever built mechanism wise but they were a little "sonically challanged"... A little creative pickup work took care of that. I will always have a soft spot for MSA guitars. You did well Reece.... bob

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 27 Dec 2003 9:06 am

I had so many MSA's that I can't count them all. I liked every one of them, but as I got older , I was getting concerned with the weight, but they were all heavy back in those days.
I have a Carter S12 now......happy New year...al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Daniel J. Cormier · Post by **Daniel J. Cormier** » 1 Jan 2004 4:49 pm

How many you want to buy . I Have two for sale

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Daniel J. Cormier
Mullen D-10 8/7,Carter D-108/5 , Peavey Sessions 400 Limited ,Nasville 1000,Evans FET 500 LV.
http://www.cajunsteelguitar.com

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 1 Jan 2004 5:29 pm

that's funny...me to

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 1 Jan 2004 6:15 pm

David I also have a black 73 clasic with Bill Lawrence 705s.I bought it new and it still looks and plays great. Mine seemed to get a lot heavier as it aged. One thing for sure. They don't scoot around much when you use the knee levers. They were excellent guitars mechanically especially for the times. All center pull.

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 1 Jan 2004 7:56 pm

Danny and Wayne, that almost sounds like "teamwork"

Harold Parris · Post by **Harold Parris** » 4 Jan 2004 2:25 pm

I know where two early seventies MSA Classic Excels SS are. I own one and a picking friend of mine owns the other. They are both Blue Maple and he has put many hours on his and it is still true as an arrow. I don't think a better guitar can be built to stand up to the sands of time.

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Sierra Session and MSA Classic Guitars, Nashville 400, Session 400, and Evans FET 500 HiVolt, and Gretsch Nashville Pro Steel Amps, Keith Hilton Digital Sustain pedal and Digital Sustain Box .
Harold Parris email hparris9@aol.com

Ulf Edlund · Post by **Ulf Edlund** » 4 Jan 2004 7:08 pm

I know this stinks but were the Classic Excel model by any chance made on licence by "Fuzzy" in Japan?

Uffe

Steven Black · Post by **Steven Black** » 6 Jan 2004 8:54 am

I have a single 12 universal MSA with 7+5,
a 1973 model with rosewood formica. steveb.

Tom Moorman · Post by **Tom Moorman** » 7 Jan 2004 7:03 am

I have a 1976 MSA D-12, tobacco brown lacquer 8+4. Bought it in 1978. Marvelous instrument.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 8 Jan 2004 7:08 pm

I believe I saw TWO on eBay just this week?
Am I correct?

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 9 Jan 2004 6:24 am

Old MSA guitars are a bargain too compared to old Emmons or Sho Bud guitars.. I can recall just recently where a like new s-10 Classic didn't even meet its $900 reserve... not one bid..An awful lot of guys won't play an MSA because of the "dark muddy tone",but geez, just change the pickups and you'll have a steel with one of stongest, most reliable,stable,simple and IN TUNE mechanisms ever devised.. I NEVER liked ANY MSA pickup,but put in whatever pickup brand you like and the MSA is a world class steel. among the very best IMHO..... bob

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 9 Jan 2004 9:37 am

WHAT is a "DARK MUDDY TONE"???

Is that like, NOT ear piercing, tinny, shrill, trebly, unbass-like? I have so much yet to learn.

And, what's a COVER TUNE you guys keep referring to?

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 9 Jan 2004 9:59 am

Ray... "dark muddy tone..= lifeless dead nasty crappy sound that emmons/bud/zum/fessie/ZB/Sierra/you name it/ players say MSA guitars have... I have not found this to be so and I think your answer is a bit tongue in cheek.. Also "cover tune"= is a tune so rotten and foul smelling that you have to dig a deep hole and "cover" it with dirt... at least thats what they tell me

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 7 Jul 2004 5:53 pm

I have an MSA classic s10 1974 model. I have recovered it with green drum sparkle and am getting the endplates polished by a professional.

It used to be a dark brown rosewood color - same color as my kitchen cabinets. However, I took care of that. I have taken it completely apart, cleaned it, put new felt in the bottom and painted the surrounding area flat black. I got new teflon spacers from Mcmaster Carr and have new tuning nuts on the way. I have a B lawrence 710. At this point I don't have an msa fretboard but I think that one is on the way.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 7 Jul 2004 6:00 pm

Me too, a Classic SS with 710's. No dark, muddy tone here. Smooth, positive action, beautiful finish. I have had several steels and worked on several more, and these are still the most precision of any I've had my hands on. A picture is worth a thousand words.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Mark Kelchen · Post by **Mark Kelchen** » 8 Jul 2004 3:22 am

LOTS!

John Daugherty · Post by **John Daugherty** » 8 Jul 2004 4:15 am

I was getting ready to post a serial# when I saw this post so I'll just throw it in here.
Maybe Reece will see it.
I would like to know the approximate year it was manufactured.
MSA D10 Classic,SS, ser# 2C 3435.1, final assembly by "Wally".
I might add that I think think the super sustain pickups on this MSA sound better than my other steel which has "Geo.L".
Thanks to anyone who can help. JD

Simon Flack · Post by **Simon Flack** » 8 Jul 2004 6:13 am

Here's mine. Says set-up by Jerry Cop (Cerp ?) No 1C 3071.
I'm new to pedal steel , so the guitar is getting the better of me at the moment.

But not for too much longer I hope !

Great site this.

[This message was edited by Simon Flack on 08 July 2004 at 07:14 AM.]

Steven Black · Post by **Steven Black** » 8 Jul 2004 7:52 am

I had a MSA double 10 8+4 rosewood formica
and the pickups were P+B custom II's the guitar was the polished packaged MSA with the white plastic grover keys, wish I could find the serial#, and curious as to who is playing it now. I now have a universal 12 MSA.