The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a 74 MSA 12 Classic that I have made into an extended E9. It was way too tall for me so I removed the 2" lift kit.

The front legs were fixed with a hole drilled through and a screw/nut in it. Since I need to be able to level the guitar with those legs, is there a way to refurbish the clutch on the legs?

Right now if I press on the guitar too hard the legs collapse an inch or so making it too short to play and use the VP too. I am open to suggestions, since drilling leaves no room for adjustment.

Kenn

Kenn, I have the same problem with the same guitar.
I used a jubilee clip to stop it, a bit crude but until I have fixed it will do.
http://www.jubileeclips.co.uk/products- ... ndard.aspx

Most legs are essentially mic stands. Clutch parts should interchange fine. There are a few different styles of clutches, so you should be able to match up your particular type at a music store or whoever might have mic stand parts.

I'd probably unscrew the clutch nut first and inspect the threads on the tube. Sometimes the threads get gunked up and fail to thread all the way up. Inspect the collapsible collar while you're there and insure that the parts are assembled correctly.

If the threads have been damaged or shortened, you may be out of luck.

Saw off a piece of dowel rod and drop it down inside the tube

What Stan said, thats what most of the "factory built" ones do

Atlas sells replacement clutch kits for about $30. Chances are your legs are Atlas mic stands. Google Atlas clutch kits mic stand.

I play a MSA S10 had the same problem. Took clutches apart cleaned and checked ok. The plastic split sleeve may change with time and heat and not hold. I haul my steel assembled with a cover on body. Legs kept collapsing. My solution. Adjust legs to length you want. remove pedal bar and rubber feet. Take a dowel rod, slide in each front leg clear to thread assembly where it screws into body. Cut the dowel to length of leg. match a drill to pedal bar hole size. drill through leg and dowel rod on both front legs holes. Replace the pedal bar and snug nuts on bolts, replace rubber feet. Haven't had any trouble since this was done. I even put them in the back legs also. You can still extend a rear leg to take wobble out on uneven floor. Good Luck and Happy Steelin

How about a collar like a grinder shaft takes with a set screw in it stick it around the leg tighten allen screw done deal no extra weight like dowel rods and easily adjustable another way would be drill some small holes and put a roll pin in it.
PVC pipe could also be used little lighter than dowels put a cap on it .....no movie..

Bill Howard wrote:How about a collar like a grinder shaft takes with a set screw in it stick it around the leg tighten allen screw done deal no extra weight like dowel rods and easily adjustable another way would be drill some small holes and put a roll pin in it.
PVC pipe could also be used little lighter than dowels put a cap on it .....no movie..

Metal collar rings weigh as much as or more than wood dowels. At any rate, we are only adding a couple of ounces anyways. Also the collar's set screw chews into the leg, besides not looking very professional.

Wood dowels are the way to go at least for me. Makes sure the dowel is larger diameter than the part of the leg it supports, so the dowel does not push though the plastic cap inside. A penny resting on the dowel will protect the plastic cap, too, if you already have thin dowels. It will never collapse on you again.

I had the same problem while I was waiting for a 1'' lift kit for a guitar. The jubilee clips work pretty well, but I ended up using a stack of lock washers, because they felt a lot more solid. The lock washers look really crude, but I only used it for a few weeks so it wasn't too bad.

Set collars and there are some that squeeze, instead of jamming a screw into the leg.

I just use cvc pipe cut to disired length and slide over the leg above the pedal rack if needed and a piece cut the length of whatever the length of the leg below the pedal rack.

I am using a quick fix for now, and ordering new clutch pieces for a permanent solution.

Thanks to all of you for your comments, ALL were appreciated.

Today I am officially middle aged, it is my 55th birthday. I keep saying that I am going to live forever, and so far, so good!

Kenn