Another restoration done - The Plexi
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
- Darvin Willhoite
- Posts: 5715
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Roxton, Tx. USA
Another restoration done - The Plexi
This is probably the only plexiglass pedal steel guitar ever built. It was built by MSA in '71 or '72 for a demonstrator of how the pedal steel works. I am happy to add it to my MSA collection.
It was owned by Maurice Anderson until he passed away when it was purchased by Junior Knight. I bought it from Junior about 6 years ago but I hadn't retired yet so I didn't have time to work on it. Junior wanted it back a couple of years later so we did some swapping and he got it back. Junior decided he wanted to clear out some equipment a few months ago, so I bought it back from him.
I totally disassembled it, cleaned and polished everything, and repaired a cracked tuning key mount. The 'scissor' parts of the changers were covered with corrosion to the point that some of them would not operate, so I bead blasted all of them and loosened the rivets to make them work easily. I added 3 new knee levers to the existing 2 levers so I could get some of the more modern changes. Some of the pedal rods didn't match, so I made a new set. Some of the tuning keys also didn't match so I replaced all of them. I raised it to 27 1/2" as I have to do to all my steels, and put my "modified" Day style setup on it.
The pickups are single coils and a bit microphonic so you can hear some buzzing and clunking from the pedals being operated. The E9th pickup is wound to 14.1K ohms and the C6th is 15.7K ohms, the E9th is pretty bright but I tamed it pretty good with the amp EQ, the C6 sounds good. It is heavy, 84lbs in the original MSA plastic case, too much for and old man to lug around, but it is a collector guitar not a gigger. The guitar still sounds pretty good for being 50 years old, with a 70 year old hack player attempting to play it.
Here's a quick video I made so you can hear how it sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKEx50TcBrQ
It was owned by Maurice Anderson until he passed away when it was purchased by Junior Knight. I bought it from Junior about 6 years ago but I hadn't retired yet so I didn't have time to work on it. Junior wanted it back a couple of years later so we did some swapping and he got it back. Junior decided he wanted to clear out some equipment a few months ago, so I bought it back from him.
I totally disassembled it, cleaned and polished everything, and repaired a cracked tuning key mount. The 'scissor' parts of the changers were covered with corrosion to the point that some of them would not operate, so I bead blasted all of them and loosened the rivets to make them work easily. I added 3 new knee levers to the existing 2 levers so I could get some of the more modern changes. Some of the pedal rods didn't match, so I made a new set. Some of the tuning keys also didn't match so I replaced all of them. I raised it to 27 1/2" as I have to do to all my steels, and put my "modified" Day style setup on it.
The pickups are single coils and a bit microphonic so you can hear some buzzing and clunking from the pedals being operated. The E9th pickup is wound to 14.1K ohms and the C6th is 15.7K ohms, the E9th is pretty bright but I tamed it pretty good with the amp EQ, the C6 sounds good. It is heavy, 84lbs in the original MSA plastic case, too much for and old man to lug around, but it is a collector guitar not a gigger. The guitar still sounds pretty good for being 50 years old, with a 70 year old hack player attempting to play it.
Here's a quick video I made so you can hear how it sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKEx50TcBrQ
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, as well as some older MSAs, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Recently added a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored blue Rose, named the "Blue Bird" to the herd. Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic again that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also added a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks.
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, as well as some older MSAs, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Recently added a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored blue Rose, named the "Blue Bird" to the herd. Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic again that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also added a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks.
- Carl Williams
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- Dale Rottacker
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That is such a cool guitar ... pretty cool being able to see how everything works whilst playing it.
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com
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I would love to hear Lloyd Green's version of "I Can See Clearly Now" performed on this pedal steel. It would make a great video! In all seriousness, I really would love to see a video with close ups of the mechanisms in action while hearing the effect of the pedal or knee lever that is being used. That is a nice video that you posted and I wasn't expecting a Plexiglass pedal steel to sound as nice as this one does. You chose a beautiful song to use as a demo for this steel and your playing sounds great. Thanks for sharing this with us.
- Damir Besic
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- Sonny Jenkins
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- Darvin Willhoite
- Posts: 5715
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- Location: Roxton, Tx. USA
I’m working on that Pat, I just haven’t came up with a good place and a good way to mount them. I also need to mount a battery pack, and I don’t want to drill any holes and double sided tape can leave an ugly residue.
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, as well as some older MSAs, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Recently added a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored blue Rose, named the "Blue Bird" to the herd. Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic again that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also added a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks.
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, as well as some older MSAs, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Recently added a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored blue Rose, named the "Blue Bird" to the herd. Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic again that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also added a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks.
- Roy Carroll
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- J D Sauser
- Moderator
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Beautiful!
For once I am speechless and will keep it that short... although...
... J-D.
For once I am speechless and will keep it that short... although...
... J-D.
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A Little Mental Health Warning:
Tablature KILLS SKILLS.
The uses of Tablature is addictive and has been linked to reduced musical fertility.
Those who produce Tablature did never use it.
I say it humorously, but I mean it.
A Little Mental Health Warning:
Tablature KILLS SKILLS.
The uses of Tablature is addictive and has been linked to reduced musical fertility.
Those who produce Tablature did never use it.
I say it humorously, but I mean it.
Darvin, Just now run across this. What a beautiful restoration job and a great picking job. You just keep outdoing yourself.
Keep on keeping on. J.R. Rose
Keep on keeping on. J.R. Rose
Black Performance SD-10, 2002. Peavey LTD 400 with 15" Eminence EPS 15-C, Sho-Bud Seat, Goodrich L-120 Pedal, Sho-Bud Bar, Picks, Cords. Nothing else.
I was in the MSA factory about 1972 or 1973 and this guitar was setting on the office floor. I was totally awe struck. I think it was on Stallard Street. J.R. Rose
Black Performance SD-10, 2002. Peavey LTD 400 with 15" Eminence EPS 15-C, Sho-Bud Seat, Goodrich L-120 Pedal, Sho-Bud Bar, Picks, Cords. Nothing else.
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