Help with MSA identification (and hello!)
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
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- Location: Texas, USA
Help with MSA identification (and hello!)
Hi all, new to the forum (and pedal steel playing). Just today I picked up my first pedal steel, an older MSA with ten strings, three pedals and four levers (although only three seem to be functioning). Could anyone help me identify the model and when it might have been made? The serial number is 1015. I know MSA is based in Dallas (where I live), so it looks like it never traveled too far from home. I searched online but couldn’t find any with this older type of logo. Thanks in advance if you can help, and thanks for a great, helpful forum full of amazing and helpful info!
Scott in Arlington
Scott in Arlington
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I think that's a later version of the "Mini-Pro" model, a starter guitar that came out about 1970. It was precursor to, and probably a little better than their Sidekick and Red Baron models, which didn't have full endplates and the better legs. As a pull-release design that came stock with 3+1, and a fairly rare model, what with the mod paint job...designed to be "in" and appeal to younger players at the time. The 3+4 makes it pretty cool for a basic model.
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- Bill Cunningham
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Cool looking guitar. I have never seen one with that finish.
Call or go by MSA. They are on the east side of Dallas just off I-30. Coincidentally, I was in Dallas last week for business and had a few minutes so I went by. Kyle has several old ledgers full of serial numbers. My second steel was an MSA and 40+ years later, for some weird reason, I have never forgotten that the serial number was 2C897. (And I am terrible at committing numbers to memory). We looked it up and it shipped out August 1973 to their Chicago distributor.
Call or go by MSA. They are on the east side of Dallas just off I-30. Coincidentally, I was in Dallas last week for business and had a few minutes so I went by. Kyle has several old ledgers full of serial numbers. My second steel was an MSA and 40+ years later, for some weird reason, I have never forgotten that the serial number was 2C897. (And I am terrible at committing numbers to memory). We looked it up and it shipped out August 1973 to their Chicago distributor.
Bill Cunningham
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta, GA
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Hey Bill, great info, thanks! The serial on mine is 1015! I emailed MSA but haven’t heard back from them yet. Might stop by if I get over to that side of town in the next couple of weeks. I’m enjoying it so far. A local tech on my side of town said it was the oldest MSA he’d ever seen! I also really like the finish. I’m looking forward to learning on it!
- David Wright
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If I remember right these guitars were built in house by Al Collins.. student modal..1971, on Tylor street in Oak Cliff...not a lot of them built..it was before MSA\Micro was formed ....Kyle will not have any info on this guitar...hope this helps..)))).. Just found this.....
MSA only has build info on guitars that were MSA\Micro built..
MSA only has build info on guitars that were MSA\Micro built..
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- David Wright
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