The Steel Guitar Forum

I`m sure I am not alone in wishing that
one of you lucky MSA Millenium owners would
post a sound sample here on the Forum.

It would be great to really hear what the
Beast sounds like...so please crank up your
recorders and let us have a listen...


Maybe the MSA people could put a sound sample on their web site. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Uwe Haegg on 09 January 2003 at 02:26 AM.]</p></FONT>

I don't think a sound sample would be to definitive. There are too many variables to consider.......al

Watch the Opry on CMT to see if Tommy's MSA is on stage, then listen to the radio portion to hear what it sounds like.

Can Uwe get the radio portion in Denmark?
I suspect the TV feed doesn't go that far either.

Oops, he probably can't get CMT either, but he can listen to WSM live and/or the Opry archives here: http://www.wsmonline.com/

<SMALL>I don't think a sound sample would be to definitive. There are too many variables to consider.</SMALL>

Actually, MSA advertises tonal consistency as one of the primary features of the carbon fiber construction. If they are correct, the main variables would be 1)outboard electronics and 2)the player. A sound sample could minimize those variables by using a typical steel amp (Session 400) and an average player (ME! )

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6), Roland Handsonic

A sound sample wouldn't even come close to defining the sound.

My unbiased thoughts:

In my nearly 30 years of playing steel, my choices for tone have been Sho~Bud, Emmons, and ZB - In that order. I haven't played or heard another guitar that sounded (to me) as good as those three. (Well, maybe a Franklin) People have had to put up with mechanical or technical issues on all 3, but did so for the tone.

I'm a die-hard Sho~Bud fan, and have no desire to own another guitar. I do have a MSA SS that I traded an amp for last year. The MSA is a very nice guitar, and in mint condition. It will never take the place of my Pro II. BUT - If for some reason I HAD to get another guitar, it would be a Millennium. I played TS McDonald's last weekend through his Stereo Steel amp, and I can't beleive how this guitar sounds. The tone & sustain above and beyond the 15th fret was amazing. TS had me do a 3-8-10 split on the 1st & 3rd frets, and I thought the walls were going to come down!

Therefor, In my own personal... and humble feelings, There is nothing on the market that I have seen or heard that can keep up with this guitar. Tone OR construction. Some complain about the price, but if you can buy one, I can't see any reason to ever own another guitar, unless you just like horse trading.

So, there you are - The "first" completely un-biased review of MSA's new guitar!

To really be useful, it would be nice to have samples of the same person playing several "standard of comparison" instruments (e.g. Emmons P/P, Sho-Bud, old MSA, whatever is available) either direct or through the same amp and effects into the same recording set-up. Even though that might not be the ideal set up for each instrument (or each set of hands or ears), it would at least afford some basis for comparison of the instruments themselves.

Kenny, I thoroughly agree with you about Sho-Bud, Emmons, and ZB. Especially the Pro-II. I just got a ZB and its has killer tone.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL> I played TS McDonald's (millenium) last weekend through his Stereo Steel amp
</SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No disrespect to the millenium intended, but you tested it through what many people think is the best amp on the market. I'm sure the millenium will perform wonderfully on any amp, but I question whether or not it sounds the same in this amp as it would on something else.

I wonder what would it sound like on a Webb or Fender twin or Peavey? <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 10 January 2003 at 12:03 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks for all the feedback.
Jim Smith,-thank you for the link to wsmonline. I didn`t even know it existed.
We had CMT Europe until a couple of years ago when somebody decided it was too
expensive and killed it.

What would you listen to a tone sample with. Your computer speakers?!

Terry

You might need to listen to them all with a variety of playback equipment, since any one set up might favor (or disfavor) the qualities of a particular steel, but even with just one set of average computer speakers you would get more useful information than is provided by the typical enthusiast's description of the "tone" of his own beloved axe. Some of us might "listen" to them with an oscilloscope.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jack Anderson on 10 January 2003 at 05:39 PM.]</p></FONT>

Mike, If I had not been pressed for time Sunday, I would have had TS drag his Sho~Bud amp from the closet. We had talked about it, but ran out of time. I did want to hear it through that amp also. I played along with some cool 'back-up' tapes so I could get some idea of how the guitar sounded.

The Stereo Steel is a great system, but it didn't give the guitar the sustain. I didn't mention it earlier, but I have also played my Pro II, and his old Zum and Classic SS through the same unit. Those guitars don't come close to the sustain and clarity. You can imagine my guitar wouldn't with the original pickups, but the other two had 710's. Mike, you should know that the amps you mentioned aren't that much different...Are you still trying to find a reason to talk yourself out of a new MSA?

Terry Edwards- Well, I would use my $$$$ expensive hifi, through which I listen to all my other music.

I`m well aware that I won`t get the n`teenth harmonic overtone from a sample on the internet (and an mp3 at that) but IMHO it should be possible to make a sample that would give us an idea about the sound characteristics of the Millenium.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Uwe Haegg on 13 January 2003 at 12:39 AM.]</p></FONT>

Mike the answer to your question,in part, is that TWhite is playing through a Webb on the Opry.......need I say more....yet, I know very little about the New MSA guitar or the MSA company...I would want to give it a "test of time".. for that kind of money, what's it gonna hurt...am I wrong here ???/tom

....So, there you are - The "first" completely un-biased review of MSA's new guitar!....

so Kenny, how do you feel about it...don't hold back! (got your reservations yet..remember last year) www.genejones.com

Mike, I'll give you my input. I have played the Millennium through several different amps and my rack. The amps are as follows in order of favorites. Best, second best and so on.
#1 Sho-Bud single channel,
#2 Peavey Nashville 1000,
#3 Peavey Session 400 (1976)
#4 Webb
#5 1970 Standel Custom solid state.
My rack is a Profects II with a ADA Micro-Cab speaker similator. The results were all the same, the guitar sounds great in every application.

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Johnny Cox
MSA Customer Service
www.msapedalsteels.com
www.thetimejumpers.com


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Johnny Cox on 19 January 2003 at 06:02 PM.]</p></FONT>

Gene Jones - Already got my reservation...If I'm lucky, they'll mess it up again and I'll get another suite!

Those of you interested in hearing a Millenium in the hands of a master, check out the 2002 page on my web site. Clip is the break Tommy White took on Connie Smiths' second song on the Opry Sat. Jan. 25/03.
Beautiful piece of playing!!

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Rebel™
ICQ 614585

http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html



<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Graham on 26 January 2003 at 05:29 PM.]</p></FONT>