The Steel Guitar Forum

A few years back I had an MSA D10 8+4. It was the only PSG I've ever owned. It seemed pretty heavy-- I know that's a common opinion.

I'm starting to wish I hadn't sold it, and I'm toying with getting another PSG but wondering how the different designs compare weight-wise. Are most D10's with comparable numbers of pedals and knee levers around the same weight? Or are some designs much heavier / lighter.

How much weight does dropping down to an SD10 and then an S10 lighten things up?

I'm guessing someone has a chart somewhere with a bunch of weights on it, but I can't locate such a thing with any of my search attempts.

Thanks!

You can see lots of weight specs if you search on the various makers websites and on this Forum. Of the newer makers, right off the top of my head, Justice Pro Lite, GFI, Williams and Excell are some of the lightest ones.

Here is an older discussion:

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There are tremendous differences in the weights of different brands and designs of steel guitar cases. You need to consider the total weight that you'd have to transport.


My 12 string excel weighs 25.8 pounds and the case 12.1 pounds for a total of 37.9 pounds.

My 12 string Williams weighed 26.9 pounds but the case weighed 31.1 pounds for a total of 58 pounds.

So the Excel case weighed 19 pounds less than the Williams case!

Greg, don't you mean the Wiliams case is heavier? I also have an Excel and a Williams but the latter does have wheels!

I have a lacquered maple 70s MSA D10 Classic. It is possibly the heaviest guitar in history. I recently picked up a Sho-Bud S10 (Pro I) No comparison weightwise I can bicep curl the Sho-Bud in its case. I struggle to carry the MSA after closing time. Stuff gets heavier at the end of the night.

But the new D10 guitars are lighter ..... I think everything is lighter than our MSAs. But its great to play a rock solid platform, the first time I used the LKL on my Sho-Bud I moved the whole guitar to the left by about 4 inches. The MSA don't budge.

You can build a guitar as light or as heavy as you please. What I find miraculous are the modern featherweight instruments that have the same sustain and tuning stability as the old battlecruisers.

When I built my uni 12 I made sure it sounded good by making it nice and solid, but it weighs more out of the case than my Excel does in it! I don't use it any more and I'm not sure what to do with it. It's too idiosyncratic to be saleable, or even donable. I haven't the heart to destroy it after the work I put in, but a hard-nosed accountant would not allocate it any storage.

I used to carry a 1966 Emmons Bolt-on which is 64lbs. in the case.
Switched to a GFI Ultra S-10 keyless, 44lbs. in case. So that's 20lbs. lighter.
Also got a Steelaire @ 34lbs. to replace a Peavey Nashville 1000 @ 57lbs.
So that's a total of 43lbs lighter.
And to think I used to bring 2 Peaveys to the gig
Now if I can just get my pack-a-seat weight under control I could be a happy man.

My GFI S12U weighs 32 lb. Case 17 lb. In case 49 lb. It is a lot lighter than the MSA S10 I hauled around and gigged in my younger years.
To lighten my load more. I parked my Nashville 400, Bought a Eminence EPS-15C Speaker, Built a light birch cabinet with cover,= 20 lb. and with an Evans AH200 amp. =5lb. Love carrying the amp separate in a bag and hooks on my seat.
I like Garry, Now need to get my pack seat down lighter. It is very comfortable but, Heavy

To my back they're all too heavy. Unless they're in split cases. Then everything is good and it doesn't matter.

A double neck 10 string Dekley weight just shy of 1000 lbs...

I refurbed a Dekley D-10 last year as a therapy project (for me and the steel). Best sounding steel I ever had. I would have kept it if it wasn't so freaking heavy. Not that my Sho Bud Super Pro is "light," but putting it in a reasonably firm keyboard gig bag with the legs and pedal bar in a separate bag makes carrying the guitar very manageable. I'm using the Gator bag that Lee Baucum recommended here a while back. I can even get my s-10 Sho bud 6139 in there with everything and it's not too bad (loses about 20lbs without the Sho Bud case.

Obviously, this is not appropriate if your steel is going in the back of a band trailer or such, but fine if your putting it in the back seat of your car and driving to a gig.

I have a Henway, it's made out of balsa wood.
Doesn't sound so good but I can carry it under one arm.

Erv

Pro D10's I know about that have a more friendly "tote factor" are Williams and Carter. No more Carters being built, but a lot of used ones around. Williams still going strong. I suspect their keyless model is a few lbs. less still.

Both are about 55# in a hard case, with 8+5. I imagine if you replace the steel legs with the aluminum lightweight ones, you'll save at least another 10#...I'm guessing.

Ok Erv, I'll play the staightman.
Whats a Henway?

Chuck,
Usually about 2-3 pounds!

Single neck?

Single neck but three legged.

These are some of my toys (weighed in their cases)...

MSA mica, D10, 8+8 is about 85 pounds
Emmons D10 push/pull, 8+4 about 68 pounds
MSA Millennium D10 8+7 (carbon fiber) 60 pounds.
Marlen D10 8+3 about 48 pounds



The mica MSA guitars are the heaviest. The lacquer/wood guitars are lighter by 5-7 pounds. Going to an SD10 would save probably another 10-12 pounds, and going to an S10 would save a few more.

My Fender 400 S8 with 4 pedals barely weighs 50 pounds in the case, so I'll probably be playing that a little more as I get older.