MSA pickups

Bobby Burns · From: Tennessee, USA

Why do the â€˜70s MSA single coils not have the same full, bright sound as other single coils? Iâ€™ve been told that itâ€™s not because the guitar is plywood, but the pickup is the reason I donâ€™t like the sound. Is it because of how many turns of wire? The strength/type of magnets?

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

MSA single coils were awful.. had several and they just sounded bad to my ears.. Their SS humbuckers were powerful and sustained better, but were too dark and thick.. That and those plywood /mica bodies on the first Classics made for less than optimum tone.
When they went to maple/lacquer later on, the guitars sounded better and sustained better, but still had those dark SS humbuckers.. The MSA lacquer guitars really woke up when the SS humbucker was replaced by a single coil, or brighter humbucker..
In my opinion, the MSA Classic guitars despite how many they sold, which was a LOT, just were never that sweet sounding as other brands, especially the mica bodies..This is coming from an MSA lover.. I played them because they were bulletproof, and always in tune, just NEVER wore anything out or broke any parts... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......

Bobby Burns · From: Tennessee, USA

Has anyone had good luck rewinding an MSA single coil? Is there some reason that with the right wire and number of turns it couldnâ€™t be made to sound as good as any other similar sized single coil?

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Never tried that, but let me put it this way,, It could only get better.
. What I DID do, many ,many years ago when the mica MSA guitars were still new, was had a very good luthier hand rewind the MSA SS Humbucker.All he reused from the MSA pickup was the plastic case. He made it into a coil isolating/ select deal.. Either front or back coil alone, or both coils full humbucker. 3 distinct and very usable sounds. it transformed that mica . At that time, back in the 70's I think I had the only one on the block in that configuration, unless the GeorgeL 10-5 was around at that time, not sure... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......

Bobby Burns · From: Tennessee, USA

So Bob, your rewind didnâ€™t use the original magnets?

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

I liked the old MSA single coils much better than the later Supersustain pickups. Here's my old '75 Classic with single coils.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW7o6GHl9ps&ab_channel=DOUBLE10
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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.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Somewhere back in the '60s or '70s, someone made the decision to put more wire on pickups. Maybe this was to get more output or a fatter sound. Or maybe it was to lessen the affect of pot pedals. In reality, it hurt more than it helped.

Michael Brebes · From: Northridge CA

I had an S10 with the single coil and didn't like it. After routing out the body, I installed an L710 which gave me the tone but it didn't help the lack of sustain from the plywood body. I later got an MSA D10 formica with a solid maple body and Super Sustain pickups, which were very muddy, but it did have sustain because of the solid maple body. Installed L710's in it and have good tone and sustain.
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Michael Brebes
Instrument/amp/ pickup repair
MSA D10 Classic/Rickenbacher B6/
Dickerson MOTS/Dobro D32 Hawaiian/
Goldtone Paul Beard Reso

Mesa Boogie Studio Pre/Hafler 3000
RP1/MPX100

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

I replaced the pickup on the green guitar shown in my avatar with a George L 5-1. I had my former white mica guitar retrofitted with the Sierra modular system. I had a George L single coils which positively SANG, but also produced that 50 cycle hum. I also had some sort of humbucker, which was quiet but sounded dull and lifeless.
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Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Bobby Burns · From: Tennessee, USA

I have thought about having the original pickup rewound, but don’t want to bother if the magnets or something else could be a problem.

Mike Holder · Posted 26 Jul 2021 7:01 am **MSA pickups**

Darvin ; sounds great! You even have the original MSA knee lever placement on that beast! I had a73 D-10 classic I loved, played it for 8 years then swapped the pups to BL-705’s and played it for another 8…Bobby there’s a guy in Nashville playing one through a twin with JBL’s and he put in an Emmons pickup and sounds excellent! Might be worth considering!
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I thought Nashville was the roughest, but I know I’ve said the same about them all.
I received my education, drivin through the Nation listenin to Paul!.. ( Franklin that is! )

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

Mike Holder, I don't know about the original kneel lever placement, I have 8 KLs on this one. Down through the years I added KL changes wherever I had the room to do it, I had no idea what other players were doing. I lower the E's on my RKR and raise them with the LKR, the rest of the levers have changes I thought I needed. Smile

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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.

Mike Holder · Posted 26 Jul 2021 7:14 am **Msa**

You fooled me by the RKR.. when they came with 8&4 the RKR lowered the E’s, RKL raised them, LKR lowered 2&9 & KKL raised 1&7
_________________
I thought Nashville was the roughest, but I know I’ve said the same about them all.
I received my education, drivin through the Nation listenin to Paul!.. ( Franklin that is! )

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Darvin, good sounds from that old MSA. Makes me want to try improving ny 74 Classic D10 8x2.

Paul Wade · From: mundelein,ill

Mike Holder · Posted 27 Jul 2021 1:20 am

Paul; it was over a year ago I saw him play and never knew his name but I did compliment him on his playing and tone and he mentioned swapping out the pickups,
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I thought Nashville was the roughest, but I know I’ve said the same about them all.
I received my education, drivin through the Nation listenin to Paul!.. ( Franklin that is! )

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

I always felt that Curly Chalker got great tone from whatever MSA guitar that he played. He was loaned a number of MSA guitars (mainly mica bodies) before the company went bust and asked him to return his loan guitar.
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Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E,

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