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Topic: 76 78 msa plywood or solid necks |
Caleb Berger
From:
Ebenezer Missouri, USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2014 12:56 pm |
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so guys got a question I saw a 1976 78 msa d10 classic
black mica and I was wandering does it have
solid necks or plywood I have got a couple different
answers so far here local.
so any help is good
if ply has any one played one and how is the sound.
here is a pic
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2014 2:48 pm
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Solid maple necks.
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 16 Feb 2014 2:48 pm
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| i think some msa's were made with some different types of woodlike substance at one time, but that doesn't necessarily mean they sound bad. that's a good looking steel. if you could play it first you'll probably like it. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2014 6:27 pm
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Several years ago, i disassembled an MSA S10 Classic.. The body was plywood, but the neck was maple.. I remember that piece of maple very well.. It was stripped bare, and was totally dry of course as the guitar had been played hard for decades.. It sounded exactly like a wet newspaper when you hit it.. The dullest, deadest piece of wood I ever saw on any musical instrument anywhere..
I really liked that MSA, but the body was dead... No sustain at all.. I had to compress the crap out of it to get any sort of sustain, even with high powered amps... However, the all maple body MSA guitars I have owned all rang beautifully.
It was probably just a dead hunk of maple used for that particular steels neck... It just sticks in my mind because of the sickening thud it made... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 16 Feb 2014 7:38 pm
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| Not that I think it makes much difference, but the few 'mica Classics I've had apart had solid wood necks. I don't think neck material means a lot, but I do think that over-tightening any neck will kill the sustain and character in a guitar. |
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Caleb Berger
From:
Ebenezer Missouri, USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2014 7:59 pm
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| what do you mean by over tighting |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 5:14 am
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The screws holding the neck to the cabinet should be snug, but not muscleman tight. Kinda like oil pan plugs. Your steel guitar won't leak if you overtighten it, but it won't sound as good.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Caleb Berger
From:
Ebenezer Missouri, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 6:14 am
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| thanks for the info,good to know. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 7:20 am
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I have a MSA with mica covered die board body, and it sounds very good. The necks are solid maple, but I don't think that adds or takes away anything, it's a non issue. My guitar has very good sustain, and I love the sound of it and love to play it! I cannot tell that my solid maple guitar sounds any better.
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Caleb Berger
From:
Ebenezer Missouri, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 7:33 am
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thanks bill what kind of ballpark price would you
say it's worth. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 8:28 am
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Probably $1100 to $1400. MSA's are good guitars, one of the toughest, most bullet proof ever built. They play good and sound good, but the resale usually is disappointing. Many people have a problem with MSA using mica covered die board for the body. I believe it works good, as it is very stable and solid. Some people don't.
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 8:43 am
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The only real knock on the value of MSA is that they made thousands of them. And they made them well. So there's lots of them. If steel guitars were cars, they're like the Crown Vic.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 9:23 am
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| Bill Duncan wrote: |
| I have a MSA with mica covered die board body, and it sounds very good. The necks are solid maple, but I don't think that adds or takes away anything, it's a non issue. My guitar has very good sustain, and I love the sound of it and love to play it! I cannot tell that my solid maple guitar sounds any better. |
I had a Mica MSA that I played for years that was also pretty resonant, so some were better than others.. The one I took apart sounded good, but had no sustain, and the body was simply dead.. Neither of them come close to the all wood body MSA guitars I have owned.. There is really no contest.. Thats why MSA stopped making mica guitars, and most of the later ones were all maple lacquer..
Also, they stopped mounting the changer in plywood when they went to wood bodies, and used an aluminum changer mount as all the other builders were doing.. It made a very big difference..
I am glad your mica MSA is equal to an all wood steel, but as for me having owned 2 mica MSA's and 5 maple MSA's, I would take a wood body MSA over a mica MSA any day... However, the WORST MSA I ever owned was one of their highest rated guitars, and was amaple body.. A Classic SS.. It played bad, had no sustain, and sounded muddy, nasally, and tragic.. Go figure. It was one of the worst steel guitars I ever had. It was dead mint when I sold it and I was happy to be rid of it. ....bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 1:59 pm
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A peek into the pickup cavity area at
the cross-section of the neck oughta
reveal whether the neck insert is ply
or not.
~
_________________
www.russface
www.russguru |
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Les Cargill
From:
Oklahoma City, Ok, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2014 3:26 pm
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I just went through the "buy my first real steel" process ( I'd been using a Carter Starter for years ) and it came down to - a Carter or MSA doubleneck ( sorry guys; that's a price thing ) or an MSA S12.
S12 won out. I'd have gone with a Carter S12 but they don't come along as often.
My impression is that MSA are like old Ford F150s of about the same vintage - tough as nails and a lot of 'em to start with. This being said, there's nothing on an MSA to actually rust long as you don't leave it in the rain  |
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Robert Brewer
From:
Nebraska, USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2014 5:07 am msa
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I have had 4 ShoBuds 5 Emmons push pulls 1 Carter 1 Mullen 1 MSA 12
I have a 71 MSA black with white trim S10 3x3 and do not think you can beat the play or sound. Love it don’t need any other.
Have a great day
Bob |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2014 5:56 am
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I have other guitars but the old MSA is still my favorite. Kind of like your favorite old recliner. It just feels/sounds good.
Like the other folks said; tough as nails! All you have to do is play them.
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2014 8:06 am
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Even some old die hard Bud and PP guys have told me that the MSA was the best built pedal steel ever made, mechanically speaking... They are ultra durable, stay in tune forever, play very well, are CHEAP on the used market, easy to find, and sound fine, unless you are a "tone snob" of some sort.. In my opinion the sustain and overall sound was improved when they did away with the plywood bodies, and went to maple/lacquer, but many MSA owners that are fine players with good ears feel otherwise. I won't argue the point..
They are just a very good quality pro level steel that can be had a lot more reasonably than most other brands.. I place old BMI and Dekley steels in the same category.. Big bang for the buck... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2014 10:59 am
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One of the best things I like about my old MSA is I can take it out ANYWHERE and not worry about it. The mica covered MSA will take a lickin' and keep on kicking. I don't know what it is about the pedal steel, but if folks are around someone will either lean, sit a drink, or out right try to sit on it. Women and kids are the worst offenders. The MSA mica will take Coke, mixed drinks, hot dogs, sticky suckers, etc., with a little Pledge, a rag, and no harm done.
Try that with a nitro lacquered, fancy figured maple steel! I won't with mine. I guess I also should mention that when I push on a knee lever or two, "Maybel" pushes back! She is rock solid.
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Caleb Berger
From:
Ebenezer Missouri, USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2014 3:02 pm
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got it, it does have solid necks
while cleaning broke wire on
e9th pickup need someone in Springfield mo or close to
that works on pickups.
will put pics on of it cleaned up
been in storage since the 90 s
thanks. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 21 Feb 2014 8:23 pm
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I think Doug Earnest is near you. He might have the time.
If all you need done is the pickup wire, any guitar store tech could do that.
There's probably a steel tech near Branson.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Dustin Rigsby
From:
Parts Unknown, Ohio
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Posted 23 Feb 2014 4:32 am
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Maybe this deserves it's own thread,but I know another guitar being made these days that also has a diebord body, and that guitar seems to have pretty good sustain and resonance....JMHO
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D.S. Rigsby |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 23 Feb 2014 6:01 am
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Dustin, did you just tell a secret?
So if that is true, and that guitar sounds and sustains good, does that mean a die board MSA could sound and sustain good as well?
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 23 Feb 2014 6:31 am
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Bill, my dieboard D-10 had great sustain, and pretty tone. It didn't sound like my Zum, it has its own tone.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Caleb Berger
From:
Ebenezer Missouri, USA
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Posted 23 Feb 2014 12:07 pm
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I bought the black msa it has sustain for
daaaaaaaays |
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