I "test drove" a millenium.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Last week I had the opportunity to visit David Wright and check out his millennium at length. He also has a second one there, which he was delivering that weekend to a young player, and I got to try them both,

Before I begin the review, I want to thank David for the chance to see the guitar, and also to point out my own prejudices about steel guitars.

I like MSA guitars. I think in their day they were mechanically the best thing out there. Recently I played an older Sho-Bud, and although it had a great tome, I didn't like the way the pedals felt at all.

Now I have 2 MSA guitars, one wood, and one mica, and I think the wood one sounds 100 times better. I should mention that Gerry "Stereo Steel" Walker one told me that I have one of the best sounding MSAs he's ever heard. I also use a tube amp, so between the wood body and the tube amp I get a very rich warm tone. I feel that my mica guitar sounds colder and more impersonal.

Now I did not have my amp with me when I visited David, and he uses a solid state amp, and he asked me not to touch his settings. I don't know how much difference my amp would have made.

I felt that the millennium was visually stunning, we all know that. Mechanically, if felt about as solid as anything I've every played, with the kind of precise pedal action and positive stops that made MSA so widely respected 30 years ago.

I cplugged the guitar into a tuner to determine the amount of cabinet drop. When checking the 4th string, the needle did not more at all when the A and B pedals were pressed. When I checked the 6th string with the B pedal pressed, it went flat by 2 cents when the C pedal was also activated.

In terms of the tone, It was the cleanest sounding steel guitar I've ever played. Every note was clear and distinct, almost to the point where it was disconcerting. When strumming a chord, I felt that I was hearing every individual note, more than the chord itself.

We tried 2 different pickups. One was a single coil, and the guitar delivered the bright Nashville sound that is more characteristic of so many of today's guitars, and then a different pickup that produced a deeper tone with more accent on the midrange.

However, I did not feel it had the same kind of warmth I get from my rig. Again, the difference between tube and solid state amps and the fact that I did not alter David's settings might be a factor.

Would I buy one if I could afford it? I don't know. I'd want to hear it through my amp before I made up my mind. But I'd certainly consider it.

I think it's an excellent instrument, and like it more than several other guitars I've tried, but I don't know if it's right for me. Bear in mind that I like wood guitars, and prefer them over mica, and this is a step even further removed from that. But if I was going to buy another guitar, I'd give it serious consideration. I'd have to hear it through my own amp and compare it to my present guitar before I made up my mind.

Jeff A. Smith · From: Angola,Ind. U.S.A.

Just out of curiosity Mike, is there anything specific in the sound of your wood MSA that you miss and if so, does the new MSA have that?

I remember you were thinking about changing pickups awhile back. Did you end up doing that?

Thanks for the review. Satisfied MSA users' evaluations of the current guitar offer a valuable perspective.

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Mike I am sure the amp did it a diservice relative to what you usually use. And you couldn't dial in your tone.

Which pickups did you try?

When I tried one it was in a generic PEavey amp, so I had no reference to a tube amp, but the clarity was clearly there.

I wonder if the body is so rigid that it causes less harmonic interaction between the strings vibrations in the body, than other guitars?
This might account for the string separation.

I want to hear one with a Sarnu Black Box, A TT pickup into a Hilton,
into a Nashville 1000 and and Evans, and a Fender Twin. And also dfirect into my system via tube preamp.

I will be playing David Derantany's in 2 weeks, and am looking forward to it big time.
And there will be a restored PP right next to it for a reference.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Jeff, I don't have the words to describe the tone I get from my wood guitar. By between the guitar and the tube amp, I get something that sounds warm and personal. Maybe the millenium will deliver that same sound through the same amp. I don't know. My mica guitar just doesn't have that same tone.

The wood guitar has a George L 5 position pickup. I use the first position (humbucking) 90% of the time, but occasionally switch to the out of phase position for certain effects.

The Mica guitar has been retrofitted with Sierra's interchangable pickup system. At present, I only have an E-66 pickup. I'm planning on buying more when they become available again. (I've been assured this will happen soon.)

I think that maybe it's not really fair to compare the Millenuim to the old MSAs. They are not the same any more than a Camero is the same as a Corvette. The guitar should be looked at for it's own properties and capacities.

David said he'd like to attend the next L.A. steel jam (which will be in February) and I'll get to hear his guitar through my amp at that time.

David D, I don't know which pickups I tried, but one was a single coil with a very bright Emmons like tone, and one was a humbucker, with a much darker sound. Please tell us your impression of the guitar after you try it out.

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Mike P., I want to let you know how much I appreciate your musical talent and the different direction you are taking steel guitar music. In order for steel to survive and become a "legitimate", widey accepted musical instrument, we need open minds and players like you. Thank you Mike, keep on doing what you are doing, I'm sure your fan base will grow in proportion to your talent. You deserve no less.
Your buddy,
bobbe

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 01 July 2004 at 11:10 AM.]

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