posted 01 December 2001 11:49 AM         

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D 10 Thomas with 8&6
Nashville 400 and Profex II
Asleep at the Steel

[This message was edited by b0b on 01 December 2001 at 09:15 PM.]

posted 03 December 2001 05:31 PM         

I had taken it for granted that most MSA's probably used one piece maple, until I recently saw one a few years newer than mine, that I think had a 3-layer plywood front panel. Whether this was the "finnish plywood" that I have heard about, I don't know.

Does anybody know roughly when MSA used plywood as opposed to one-piece maple? I'm wondering if those that use one-piece maple are kind of rare.

[This message was edited by Jeff A. Smith on 03 December 2001 at 05:35 PM.]

posted 04 December 2001 02:00 AM         

quote:

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Does anybody know roughly when MSA used plywood as opposed to one-piece maple?

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posted 04 December 2001 02:30 PM         

However, we did not go to the laquer finish because it was less expensive. On the contrary, the lacquer finish of the cabinet made it more expensive to build.

Also as opposed to formica cabinets, there were some that were accidentally scratched during assembly and had to be redone which incurred additional manufacturing cost.

To make true weight comparisons between guitars, I believe one should always consider the weight of the guitar inself, not the "in the case" weight. If this is done when comparing an MSA lacquer finish with most other brands (especially when comparing the MSA ss models)you will find the weight to be little, if any, more than most guitars manufactured today.

Heres why many MSA guitars were heavy in the case:

After an extensive survey I conducted in which I asked if one would rather have a lighter case which would not provide as much protection of the guitar, or a heavier one which would, the response was very conclusive. A vast majority of those surveyed said they wanted a heavier case so as to best protect the guitar. The survey was conclusive, which is why we ultimately decided to include a heavy case.

We at MSA also believed it to be absolutely essential to include a metal frame around the bigger guitars to insure stability. Our later SS models did not have the frame because we determined it to be unnecessary when considering the much smaller cabinet. That decision has proven itself to have been correct.

We also believed the aluminum frame around the underside of all larger MSA guitars would contribute greatly toward dependability, stability and longevity of MSA guitars.

I believe these two reasons explain how the weight issue came into prominence as well as why so many MSA's are still working today the way they were designed to function.

posted 04 December 2001 04:33 PM         

Bobbe, please allow me to put on my piano technician's hat and respectfully differ with one statement in your above post. I'm not an expert on piano manufacturing, but the following represents what I believe to be the common consensus:

Although many piano soundboards are in fact laminated, only recently has technology been able to make a laminate that could even come close to the tone of solid quarter-sawn spruce, which has long been the standard for quality pianos. A person can often see soundboards that have a "lifetime guarantee," all of which are laminated, since the solid spruce will usually develop at least minor cracking eventually. Most musicians and high-grade manufacturers will still take the solid quarter-sawn spruce, just for tone. The standard thickness is 3/8".

But, I guess tone is just subjective, isn't it?

[This message was edited by Jeff A. Smith on 04 December 2001 at 04:42 PM.]

posted 04 December 2001 10:55 PM         

Prof.Iagonna Kissimov III (retired)

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 07 December 2001 at 09:54 PM.]

posted 05 December 2001 05:45 PM         

Sorry, Bobbe - I couldn't resist.

posted 06 December 2001 08:34 AM         

IF memory serves correct, the words "Pacca wood" was a brand name attached to the specific product, which might have simply implied "packed wood".

[This message was edited by Reece Anderson on 06 December 2001 at 08:38 AM.]

posted 06 December 2001 09:45 AM         

I am unaware of any plywood manufacturer using this process. Even dieboard, used by some steel guitar manufacturers today, does not have the resin impregnated into the fibers of the wood as Pakkawood does.

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Jim Smith jimsmith94@home.com
-=Dekley D-12 10&12=-
-=Fessenden Ext. E9/U-13 8&8=-

posted 06 December 2001 04:23 PM         

quote:

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Most all MSA guitars with a formica finish had cabinets made of "Finnish birch plywood" made in Finland

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That's why I was kind of intrigued with the D-10 I saw awhile back, that looked like it had a two or three (the owner said three)ply front panel. I figured a lot of the formica MSA's were plywood, but this one had a nice reddish or maroon lacquer finish. It had the "Supersustain II" pickups, but other than that had most of the features of my 1976.

quote:

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Tone is subjective

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Of course, the big question then is, how can someone justify that as being more than a subjective opinion?

[This message was edited by Jeff A. Smith on 06 December 2001 at 04:25 PM.]

posted 08 December 2001 02:48 AM         

quote:

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b0bbe(the second letter is a
zero).

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posted 08 December 2001 02:52 AM         

But I did go back and try to clean up my mess. SURPRISE,SURPRISE,SURPRISE, it did
work. Now I have learned how to quote b0bbe!

[This message was edited by Bill Hamner on 08 December 2001 at 03:05 AM.]

posted 10 December 2001 06:06 PM         

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T. Sage Harmos
www.harmosmusic.com

posted 11 December 2001 08:14 AM         

I appreciate your comment "MSA works". I consider that a testament as to the design, materials and workmanship put into each MSA guitar.

posted 16 December 2001 08:25 AM         

Your guitar serial number 2C-5940 was originally made for Charlie Barnett. It left the factory as a single 12 on a double neck body, burgandy color with 8 pedals and 5 knee levers. The specific date of production was not entered, however the position of entry in production records indicates July of 1978.

posted 03 January 2002 08:07 AM         

About how many Msa's did you build?

posted 03 January 2002 03:38 PM         

MSA's maximum production output per year, was two thousand six hundred and twenty six pedal steel guitars. We maintained that level for quite a few years. Divide that number by 238 working days in a year, and you will find MSA produced 11 guitars every working day.

It is my belief MSA's production output for pedal steel guitars over a period of a year, has never been equalled. It is also my belief the total number of pedal steel guitars produced by any other steel guitar manufacturer, has never surpassed the total of MSA's produced.