The Steel Guitar Forum

Can anyone explain the differences between the MSA Classic and Classic XL models? I'd like to know when these guitars were manufactured, type of pickups and fretboards (plastic vs silkscreened). I have an old MSA price list from 1978 which only lists the Classic SS and Vintage XL. I also have Bradshaw's PSG products catalog from 1977 and it has several pages on MSA but all are the Classic model. Reece, if you see this maybe you can shed some light on this for me.

Thanks, Chuck<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Chuck Martin on 10 March 2003 at 04:32 PM.]</p></FONT>

Chuck....MSA production records do not reflect model or design changes, nor the specific time in which they were made.

Anything I tell you concerning a time line relative to model, cosmetic or design changes made over 25 years ago, is strictly my recollection at this time.

The Clasic models were all formica body guitars. In about 1978 we went to the natural finish wood body guitars and the metal pickup pocket.

The older Classics had pickups in which the magnets could not been seen, later we started using the same pickup in which the magnets were visible.

We later went to a low impedence pickup which was actually two pickups under a single cover and wired in series.

The last pickup change we made was when we went to the all wood body guitars, and it was a single coil pickup called the Super Sustain.

When we changed over to the wood body, we started using the silk screened fretboards, although there were some wood bodies made which utilized the metal fretboards. This occurred in about 1978.

The MSA Classic SS (super small) was first intoduced in about 1978, however we continued to build the XL as well.

Please forgive my appearing to be somewhat vague, but that was a long time ago.

I appreciate all questions concerning MSA and its history.

Reece,

From reading your post it sounds like the Classic XL, all wood, natural finish guitars weren't introduced until 1978. Is that correct? Also, are there any siginificant differences between the Vintage XL and the Classic XL? Thanks for the information.

Chuck

Chuck....We introduced the natural wood finish guitars in 1978. The difference between the Classic and the XL was primarily cosmetic. Again, I have no method to verify a specific time line.

I bought a new MSA U-12 in 1976 (the year I got married). In fact, I ordered it from DeVere's Guitar store in Indianola Iowa as we were returning from our honeymoon. New wife and a new guitar It was birdseye maple body stained deep brown and clear finish. It has the metal pickup surround. It was the Super Sustain pickup which I replaced a few months later with a Super Sustain 2 pickup. No magnets showing on either pickup. I still own the guitar and it's in great shape. 1976 may have been the first year for natural wood body MSA's?
Dennis

I do know for a fact that I purchased my natural lacquer Classic from Reece & Jerry in '76. We were playing at the Registry Hotel in Dallas at the time, & I traded in my rosewood mica Classic in for it. That lacquer Classic was a honey & wish I'd never gotten rid of it.
But yeah, it was '76.

Rex and Dennis....I appreciate you two for coming to my rescue and verifying some model time lines.

Possibly we can reconstruct the entire production model sequence which thousands of past and present MSA owners may find interesting. Hopefully someone else will jump in and enlighten us further.

In 1977 I purchased a Classic D-10, wood-body, metal pickup "pocket".



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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande