Buy a MSA

Gilbert Hofer · Post by **Gilbert Hofer** » 12 Apr 2008 7:33 am

would like to know if this is to much for a steel guitar. It is a MSA vintage XL double on a lacquar body in mint shape one owner including all tools volume pedal pac a seat for 3100 dollars or 3400 dollars with a peavy 400 session amp would like to hear some comments could post a pic if that would help. by the way I am new on here

Gilbert Hofer · Post by **Gilbert Hofer** » 12 Apr 2008 7:45 am

Here is a pic of the MSA

Don Poland · Post by **Don Poland** » 12 Apr 2008 7:48 am

Gilbert, welcome to the SGF. You don't mention if the $3100 is CAD or USD. I am not sure of the exchange rate, but I am sure that makes a difference. Is the MSA in Canada or US? If in the US you will also have additional cost and time getting it to Canada. I would suggest that you check with local shops there in Canada and see what the going rate is for such a guitar. Also, maybe do a search here on the forum and see what similar guitars have gone for. That should help you make your decision.

p.s. you posted the picture while I was making my post. That is one super looking guitar. Best of luck in whatever you decide.

Gilbert Hofer · Post by **Gilbert Hofer** » 12 Apr 2008 7:56 am

It is in Canadian funds and the guitar is in Alberta Canada. I am going out that way so i would pick it up myself.If I do some searching I find that it seems high but keep in mind that it is in mint shape with one owner and all accesoires.Is the MSA know as a good guitar

Bob Bowden · Post by **Bob Bowden** » 12 Apr 2008 7:58 am

Don Poland wrote:Gilbert, welcome to the SGF. You don't mention if the $3100 is CAD or USD. I am not sure of the exchange rate, but I am sure that makes a difference. Is the MSA in Canada or US? If in the US you will also have additional cost and time getting it to Canada. I would suggest that you check with local shops there in Canada and see what the going rate is for such a guitar. Also, maybe do a search here on the forum and see what similar guitars have gone for. That should help you make your decision.

p.s. you posted the picture while I was making my post. That is one super looking guitar. Best of luck in whatever you decide.

The exchange rate is negligent these days as the Cdn dollar is moving between $.97 and $1.03. Big change from a few years ago when it was down at $.62US.

Stan Paxton · Post by **Stan Paxton** » 12 Apr 2008 8:21 am

Welcome Gilbert to the world of PSG.

That is a beauty of an instrument. MSA does have a good reputation, altho I've never owned one, all I hear is good. The price, with all the gear seems reasonable; probably not a "steal" tho'.

Michael Hardee · Post by **Michael Hardee** » 12 Apr 2008 8:27 am

A search shows that the last MSA Vintage XL sold on the Forum went for about $1975. IMHO that price is about $1000 too high. Pacaseat and VP are worth about $200. Good luck.

Gilbert Hofer · Post by **Gilbert Hofer** » 12 Apr 2008 8:46 am

Another guitar that I have in mind is this one Sho-Bud ProII D-10, 8x4, round body with barrel tuners and two hole pullers. Both the wood and metal are in great shape for its age. has had to owners $2500.00 with price being neogatiable

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 12 Apr 2008 8:55 am

Price on the ShoBud seems much more reasonable, and it'll be much easier to sell if you ever decide to do so. If you're getting to Alberta, it would be well worth your while to talk to Jeff Bradshaw in Leslieville, who is a good guy, and I suspect knows of half the guitars in Western Canada:

http://www.countrypickin.com/

Good luck.

KP

Steven Black · Post by **Steven Black** » 12 Apr 2008 10:19 am

Gilbert, if this guitar was the MSA SS with wood lacquer body then the price would be right, but it is the MSA vintage XL it probably has 2 raise 2 lower pedal changers, similar to the MSA Classic except that this one is on a lacquer body but the price of this guitar is way too high, the MSA SS usually goes for around $2,495.00 used and in somewhat good condition, but a mint conditioned MSA SS would be about $3,100, this guitar would be a good guitar if the price was lower, because the pedal changer could be updated, go for the SHO-Bud or keep looking for an MSA SS Double 10.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 12 Apr 2008 1:25 pm

Steven you are incorrect. The Vintage XL series had triple raise and lower changers.

Gilbert, I think the MSA is somewhat overpriced, but it's a better guitar. MSA has always been considered to be the Rolls Royce of steel guitars, and the Vintage XL was one of their crowning achievements.

I say try to get a better price on the MSA.

I'd like to relate an episode from my past. In 1975 I wanted to buy a tele. I bought one that was OK, but not particularly spectacular. The next day I found the single finest tele I had ever seen, (an opinion echoed by 7 or 8 people over the years) and I had to sell the one that I bought the day before at a substantial loss in order to have enough to put a down payment on this one. So while I got a spectacular guitar, I wound up paying far too much for it. Nearly twice what it was worth at the time.

But here it is 33 years later, and I've have and loved this absolutely wonderful guitar all this time. The money I lost would have been gone in a matter of weeks or months anyway.

I love this guitar. If I could only have one, this would be it. It would have been nice if I had not lost money on the deal, but I got the right guitar.

Something to think about.

Larry Robertson · Post by **Larry Robertson** » 12 Apr 2008 7:28 pm

Just for reference, I bought the same model & color MSA Vintage XL 2 years ago from Danny Cormier with an added 5th knee lever for $1750.00 US dollars, shipped. Great guitar! It looks like mine is a bit more faded than the one you are looking at. I've had no trouble with mine. It's heavy (79 lbs in the case)but I put the body in a real sturdy gig bag with extra padding & the legs & pedal bar in a gun case. Much more manageable. Good luck.

Ken Anderson · Post by **Ken Anderson** » 12 Apr 2008 7:45 pm

I sold the same guitar[different color] last year for 1400.00

It was a good playing guitar but I bought a Willy

Ken

Chuck Martin · Post by **Chuck Martin** » 13 Apr 2008 6:29 am

I just sold an MSA lacquer Classic D-10, albeit with slight damage, but otherwise in perfect playing condition for $1150. For $3,000 there are a lot of newer, and lighter, quality used instruments to choose from in that price range.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 13 Apr 2008 8:01 am

Chuck Martin wrote:I just sold an MSA lacquer Classic D-10, albeit with slight damage, but otherwise in perfect playing condition for $1150. For $3,000 there are a lot of newer, and lighter, quality used instruments to choose from in that price range.

For $3,000, yes. But I'd say that particular MSA is worth around 2 grand. If the owner will accept a more realistic price, I say go for it.

Gilbert Hofer · Post by **Gilbert Hofer** » 13 Apr 2008 8:11 am

No he seems pretty much set on this price as he already did come down some

Steven Black · Post by **Steven Black** » 13 Apr 2008 11:04 am

Mike, I apologize, I did not know that MSA vintage steel guitars had triple raise triple lowers, I never owned one before but did have a double 10 MSA Classic with formica rosewood, but it was a 2 raise 2 lower system.

Steven Black · Post by **Steven Black** » 13 Apr 2008 11:40 am

I would love to get my hands on this beauty of a guitar, how do I get in touch with the owner?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Apr 2008 11:51 am

i'd say the msa's worth 2 grand...the sho-bud, slightly less.

due to the current trend of price inflating...i'm guessing my two emmons d-10's (9+7 8+7) are worth a minimum of $3000 each...

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 13 Apr 2008 3:46 pm

Get the Sho~Bud. It will sound better and have a better re-sale value. A mint round front Pro II is worth $2,500 easily, but the guy selling the MSA has got his price inflated big time, or is so attached to the instrument that he's deluded as to its value. You can get a vintage XL any day of the week for under $2,000. Conversely, that Pro II is only going to escalate in value. It's probably the most sought after model of Sho~Bud now, besides the Super Pro II. I've done a bunch of buying and selling in recent years, and the only guitars I regret letting go are the Sho~Buds.

On another level, you can get a brand new Carter or GFI D10 for what the MSA seller is asking for a 30 year old guitar. The price makes no sense. I'd stay away. Go see Jeff Bradshaw in Alberta. He will set you up with something for sure:

http://www.countrypickin.com/

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 13 Apr 2008 3:49 pm

Gilbert Hofer wrote:Another guitar that I have in mind is this one Sho-Bud ProII D-10, 8x4, round body with barrel tuners and two hole pullers. Both the wood and metal are in great shape for its age. has had to owners $2500.00 with price being neogatiable

That's a beauty. I've seen it already on an internet ad. It's mighty tempting. If I was on your geographical location, I'd probably get it. If he's flexible, you might even get it for $2,000. To me, that would be a steal.

Gilbert Hofer · Post by **Gilbert Hofer** » 13 Apr 2008 6:41 pm

missed out on the sho-bud but the person that bought it has a Carter double for sale for $2000 Canadian it is a 2004 with a voloume pedal and pac a seat what do folks think of that here is a pic

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 13 Apr 2008 7:01 pm

Too bad you missed out on the Sho Bud. I do see that Bobbe Seymour is showing some nice-looking Sho Buds for less than $3 grand. http://www.steelguitar.net/

Since you're asking - I think the Carters I've played were very good-playing, good-sounding, and solid guitars, and that looks like a good deal if it's in real good shape and has at least 8 pedals and 5 knee levers. There are also a couple on the forum right now for somewhere in that vicinity of money, if they haven't sold yet. I have a Carter universal S-12 7+5, and it plays and sounds great. It's small and light, and I use it for travel quite a bit.

Again, since you're asking - I gotta add that I think that MSA is gorgeous, but that you can get a whole lotta, whole lotta steel guitar for $3100. I'd worry about resale value of an old MSA at that price. I happen to like wood-bodied MSAs like that, but still.

Just one more opinion.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 13 Apr 2008 8:23 pm

The issue with the MSA is the price, not the guitar. The owner is being unrealistic, and if he refused to come down a thousand bucks, unreasonable.

But the guitar itself is om all likelihood absolutely wonderful. As I said earlier, the Vintage XL was possibly the best guitar MSA ever made, during it's initial manufacturing period.

Gilbert Hofer · Post by **Gilbert Hofer** » 13 Apr 2008 9:02 pm

what was the better guitar the vintage XL,Classic SS,or the Classic as i know of all three of them in different price ranges. I have a weakness for the MSA wood bodies

The Steel Guitar Forum

Buy a MSA

Buy a MSA

Question about MSA

Buying MSA

MSA XL

Correcting my self on MSA's

MSA D10