The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi all, new to the forum (and pedal steel playing). Just today I picked up my first pedal steel, an older MSA with ten strings, three pedals and four levers (although only three seem to be functioning). Could anyone help me identify the model and when it might have been made? The serial number is 1015. I know MSA is based in Dallas (where I live), so it looks like it never traveled too far from home. I searched online but couldn’t find any with this older type of logo. Thanks in advance if you can help, and thanks for a great, helpful forum full of amazing and helpful info!
Scott in Arlington

Looks like a student model. I know they had two student models, the Red Baron and the Sidekick.

I think that's a later version of the "Mini-Pro" model, a starter guitar that came out about 1970. It was precursor to, and probably a little better than their Sidekick and Red Baron models, which didn't have full endplates and the better legs. As a pull-release design that came stock with 3+1, and a fairly rare model, what with the mod paint job...designed to be "in" and appeal to younger players at the time. The 3+4 makes it pretty cool for a basic model.

Thank you for all the info. I don’t have a frame of reference to compare it to other student models, but it’s built quite solidly and I got a really good deal on it. I’m looking forward to learning on it!

Cool looking guitar. I have never seen one with that finish.

Call or go by MSA. They are on the east side of Dallas just off I-30. Coincidentally, I was in Dallas last week for business and had a few minutes so I went by. Kyle has several old ledgers full of serial numbers. My second steel was an MSA and 40+ years later, for some weird reason, I have never forgotten that the serial number was 2C897. (And I am terrible at committing numbers to memory). We looked it up and it shipped out August 1973 to their Chicago distributor.

Hey Bill, great info, thanks! The serial on mine is 1015! I emailed MSA but haven’t heard back from them yet. Might stop by if I get over to that side of town in the next couple of weeks. I’m enjoying it so far. A local tech on my side of town said it was the oldest MSA he’d ever seen! I also really like the finish. I’m looking forward to learning on it!

If I remember right these guitars were built in house by Al Collins.. student modal..1971, on Tylor street in Oak Cliff...not a lot of them built..it was before MSA\Micro was formed ....Kyle will not have any info on this guitar...hope this helps..)))).. Just found this.....

MSA only has build info on guitars that were MSA\Micro built..

David, wow! Where did you find that old catalog? I've been looking everywhere for something like that! Thank you! Mine is definitely the mini-pro, although mine has four levers instead of one. I'm guessing someone ordered it that way. Thanks again!

Scott,
Your welcome, A friend of mine gave it to me, I was working there at this time period...