8 pedals(room for more) and 5 knee levers. Original pickup SSII.I can get that growl or hit the bright switch and get the real highs.

Heavy, mechinacialy sound. Very positive action on the rod-tuning nuts.

Changing the setup is more difficult than most newer guitars, due to the way the bell cranks attach.

The handle on the case was not connected very good, a common fault.

The sound is not as bright as I like.
No bad, just different, darker.

MSA set the standard by which all of todays instrunment are judged. There are some probably builders who have surpassed what MSA did 25 years ago, but those old instruments are still totally functional and usable. One cannot say that about all vintage steels.

MSAs are heavy. They are rock solid and are built like tanks, which means they weigh a lot. But it also means thay they are very substantial, and don't wear out. They tend to sound darker and more midrangy that some other guitars, and some people don't care for that.

I think that their tone can be improved by replacing the pickups. I have George Ls in mine.

As has been mentioned, changing the copedent is much harder on an old MSA then it is on a more modern guitar. This is due to the round cross rods that have to be removed when you remove a bell crank. The square cross rods that came later were a big improvement in this regard.

But once you're tuning is in place, the guitars play extremely well. MSA was considered the Rolls Royce of steel guitars back in the 70s. I intend to keep both of mine as long as I live, regardless of whether or not I buy another steel.

[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 05 December 2002 at 11:12 PM.]

I would consider another MSA like a Classic SS D10 or S10 again . I too think these Steels may be the best used value out there.

good luck

tp

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 06 December 2002 at 07:43 AM.]

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Bill L | My steel page | Email | My music | Steeler birthdays | Over 50?

I just got it today.My two cents?There we go.

1.heavy and very stabile wich I like,I don`t like guitar that move around the stage while playing (even tho this one could be little lighter)
2.looks great as any other high dolar pro steel
3.mechanicaly is also very,very good,also as any other high dollar guitars I ever played
4.SOUND? if you ask me,as good as any high dollar steel,not muddy or mellow sound at all,at least not through my 500 Session.Of course any guitar will sound bright or mellow if you set you EQ that way,I guess.I love bright tone and this MSA is as bright as it gets.(my wife told me "this guitar sounds brighter then your other guitars")so much about all that "doesn`t sound good" typ a stories.And that is with original p/u.I will not be buying another p/u,I don`t see any need to.

And the best thing of all,price is great,one of the best deals I have ever got on the steel.1K for perfectly functional D-10 in great condition.

final toughts-very good

that was my two cents and of course there will be people who will, or will not agree with me, but that`s ok,different strokes for different folks.
Thanks to all of you guys who sent me emails and who posted reply on here,have a marry christmas and happy new year and I wish you all many,many years of picking your steels,whatever brands they may be.
Damir

[This message was edited by Damir Besic on 06 December 2002 at 06:23 PM.]

Damir, I tried to get your photos to show up, for some reason they don't want to. I agree with what you said about the MSA, the one I owned had plenty of treble, and a nice even range of tone. Since I can't get your pictures to work, here's one of the MSA I had:

[This message was edited by Bill Moore on 07 December 2002 at 05:40 AM.]

p.s.
question.
how do you get a p/u to be closer to the strings?Sho~Bud has a three screws you can adjust the hight of your p/u with,but I don`t know how to do it on MSA.They are a little to far down from the strings.Thanks.

[This message was edited by Damir Besic on 07 December 2002 at 08:29 AM.]

I have some news for those of you with mica guitars, Sierra has agreed to liscense their interchangable pickup system to other manufacturers, and also allow people who own other brands of guitars to retrofit their existing instrument with the system.

There aren't many guitars that can accept it, but the old Mica MSAs can. (The lacquer ones can't). I have the first and so far only retrofit.

The Lacquer Classic SSD10 , the Lacquer Vintage XL"s and the Lacquer "S12 Universal" models were all somewhat lighter in weight.

My green lacquer S12 "Universal" with 8 pedals, set for 9, and 5 knee levers weighs exactly 39Lbs out of the case and the case weighs 16lbs. So that's not so bad, and it is very, very stable....al

Another giveaway is the pickup well. If it is inside the aluminum piece that supports the changer, the guitar has a maple body. If the pickup well is cut from the neck of the guitar, it's a mica/dieboard instrument.

You can also tell by also looking at the underside of the front apron. It it is a laminate, you'll be able to see the various layers, not unlike a cross section of ordinary plywood (which of course it is not.)

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