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Topic: MSA Classic D10: pros and cons? |
Alex Cattaneo
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 12 Oct 2016 8:00 pm |
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| Thinking of making the leap to a D10 guitar and this is one of my options. Anything I should know about that specific brand and model? Thanks! |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 12 Oct 2016 8:55 pm
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| Built like a tank. Durable, but exceptionally heavy. |
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Paul Wade
From:
mundelein,ill
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 4:24 am msa d-10
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| Ken Pippus wrote: |
| Built like a tank. Durable, but exceptionally heavy. |
like ken said. i have been playing msa for 20 years. some good some not so good. the best two i had where msa classic xl d-10 with
super sustain 11 pickups. there easy to work on and built like a tank. i am also looking for a msa classic
xl d-10.
p.w |
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Alex Cattaneo
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 6:36 am
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| The one I have seen is not an XL though, just a classic. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 6:46 am
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It sort of depends on which model and era. The older mica covered guitars with the white trim were pretty heavy, but some people say they sound very good. Don't know, never owned one.
There is also the lacquered wood models, and the latest Classic SS [Super Small like the one currently on reverb.com], which is a smaller and lighter more recent model and most desirable IMO. One of these would be a good find. |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 6:56 am
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| Jerry Overstreet wrote: |
It sort of depends on which model and era. The older mica covered guitars with the white trim were pretty heavy, but some people say they sound very good. Don't know, never owned one.
There is also the lacquered wood models, and the latest Classic SS [Super Small like the one currently on reverb.com], which is a smaller and lighter more recent model and most desirable IMO. One of these would be a good find. |
I've owned both models and yes, the big guitars with white trim sound really great and they are heavy and ugly also to me. The shorter Classic SS's are also great sounding guitars and are lighter. I've owned 3 of them and they all sounded good.
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Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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Jon Schimek
From:
Lyons, Co - USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 9:00 am MSA thoughts
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I've had a few of these guitars, so I'll comment. I'm going to concur with other opinions here:
Pros:
-There are lots of them out there and parts aren't too tricky to come by.
-They stay in tune pretty well. I have an SS that had it's guts replaced by Stainless and that thing really really stays in tune but it's heavier
-The Mica Classics can be had on the cheap very often on Craigslist. I got D-10 for under a grand and I think they consistently sell for ~$1250-$1600.
Cons:
-Besides the SS and the modern MSAs it may be hard to sell if you are in a bind or want a change
-Heavy
-Cases can be bulky if it's the plastic kind.
My opinion-If you can get a lacquer one from the late 70s/80s I think you'll be happier.
-Jon
_________________
MSA Vintage-XL, Pre-RP Mullen
Nashville 400 w/blackbox, Space Echo. |
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Ryan Zimmerman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 9:42 am
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I've got an MSA Classic S10, white trim. Heavy, yes; but bulletproof. Stays in tune better than any other instrument.
Disclaimer: I've never had any other steels, so I could be biased.  |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 9:56 am
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| And I have to agree, the old mica ones with the exposed metal at the back are pretty nasty looking, for what that's worth. |
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Rex Thomas
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 1:14 pm I owned both the Classic D-10 mica & lacquer
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Both guitars had MSA Super Sustain p'ups. That said, what they had in common were:
Heavy as a tank as already stated.
Mechanically flawless, stayed in tune, very easy to play, yes, bullet proof in the sense that they rarely broke strings, (the lacquer never broke a string thru college tours, 6 nights a week, etc.). LOW to almost no maintenance.
Differences:
IMO both guitars were dark in tone. With that said, the mica was a little brighter & recorded a little better. The lacquer's tone is why I jumped to Emmons. And before all the PP guys come forth, yes, there's the TONE, but the low maintenance went away. And for the record, I kept the Emmons 20 yrs. after I sold the MSA's before I sold that PP. But it was more fussy than the MSA's. And keep in mind that all the cool replacement p'ups we have now weren't available back then.
I VERY MUCH liked the tone/vol controls on the mica, & on top of that, the lacquer had a built in fuzz with easy access controls for boss tone work. Very handy.
Nutshell: Heavy with a dark tone. Playability was second to none. YMMV. |
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Wayne Ledbetter
From:
Arkansas, USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 3:02 pm Ms a with white
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Gentlemen when you say MSA with white is that like the one Damir has listed?
_________________
Sho Bud Super Pro, Fender Twin Reissue, Martin HD-28, Gibson J-45, Gibson RB-250,Stelling Bellflower,Regal Dobro, Takamine and Alvarez Classical, Fender Telecaster, Peavey Studio Pro 112. Mainly played Gospel and some bluegrass. |
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Rex Thomas
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 4:45 pm
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I'd say yes, Wayne. My mica Classic looked almost like that except for the tuners & the p'ups. And that MSA Damir has might sound pretty sweet with those single coils, remembering the tone of mine.
I remember those mica Classics to come in the wood mica with white trim, white mica with black trim, & black mica with white trim like Curly Chalker's MSA.
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 4:49 pm
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I remember some time ago, here on the forum was a little trivia going on, someone recorded an instrumental, and changed 3-4 different guitars throughout the song, asking which one of the guitar people thought sounded the best, guitars played were old MSA Classic, '66 Emmons push pull, and couple others, part that sounded the best, and big majority thought it was played by '66 Emmons (me included) was in reality old MSA Classic, with ugly white mica... ever since I changed my attitude toward MSA's ... it seems like guitar will sound as good as you can make it sound... either MSA or '66 Emmons
_________________
www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 6:43 pm
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Here I am playing that old "ugly" Classic that I played in the trivia game a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW7o6GHl9ps
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 6:47 pm
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| I did not mean for my comments to be negative about the older Classic MSA's. My comments were just personal observations. There's a lot of them still going strong out there. That they're still in major use around the world speaks for the quality and sound of them. People wouldn't be playing them 40+yrs. since otherwise. |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 6:58 pm
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I referred to mine as "ugly" in jest, it was ugly in comparison to my newer style MSA's. I'm not bothered in the least. 
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 7:00 pm
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lol... "ugly" was me being sarcastic , people judge guitars by the looks and brand, but the looks or brand don't necessarily mean bad tone... if you would post that song you did back then it would be great, I would like to hear it again, and some guys may not know what I'm talking about...
_________________
www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 7:56 pm
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| Damir Besic wrote: |
| I remember some time ago, here on the forum was a little trivia going on, someone recorded an instrumental, and changed 3-4 different guitars throughout the song, asking which one of the guitar people thought sounded the best, guitars played were old MSA Classic, '66 Emmons push pull, and couple others, part that sounded the best, and big majority thought it was played by '66 Emmons (me included) was in reality old MSA Classic, with ugly white mica... ever since I changed my attitude toward MSA's ... it seems like guitar will sound as good as you can make it sound... either MSA or '66 Emmons |
I did that Damir about 8 years ago. I used a Rains, 66 Emmons I had, an MCI D-10 and an old ShoBud 6149 that wasn't even all put together.. Most people thought the MCI or the ShoBud was the 66 Emmons, thought the Emmons was the Rains, lol. Fred Justice finally hit it on the head. I played Once A Day with no knees, just A and B pedals because that's all that was working on the ShowBud
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Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 8:21 pm
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| A lot of what we "hear" comes from what we see and what we've been told. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 13 Oct 2016 8:26 pm
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| Ken Pippus wrote: |
| A lot of what we "hear" comes from what we see and what we've been told. |
yes Sir
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www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 14 Oct 2016 1:59 am
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What everyone said is spot on.
If I were to get one for regular gigging, I'd [strike]want[/strike] need split cases, but I dig their playability and tone.
One mechanical drawback: occasionally you'll get one that won't lower a string all the way because the return spring is too stout¹. Fortunately, Michael Yahl sells an adjustable return spring conversion kit for those guitars that need it. If your guitar lowers fine (most do), leave it alone.
¹under normal operation with a return spring in balance, the return spring comes along with the pullrod (playing no role in the leverage other than a counterforce, the pivot rivet is the fulcrum, and the finger is the load. When the spring is too strong, it lowers a little bit, and then the attachment point of the return spring becomes the fulcrum, and the pivot rivet stops being the fulcrum and is a second load, so you're simultaneously raising and lowering.
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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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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 14 Oct 2016 3:44 am
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While I am in agreement with what is mostly said above, I have owned maybe 3 MSA's I liked them but good god heavy. They set up well and play well.
Somewhere above someone says they stay in tune better than any other Instrument.
Uhmmm, No they don't. They may very well stay in tune but by no means better than any other Instrument.
sorry to bust the bubble !
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2016 3:53 am
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I wasn't aware that Henry had also done a tone comparison trivia. Here is a link to the one I did. The Emmons I used was a '75.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=163772&highlight=
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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