Converting a D10 down to a single 10

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 29 Jan 2012 2:12 pm

I am considering converting my MSA Classic D10 8 pedals and 4 levers down to a single 10 if it will make the guitar lighter to carry. I am going to need a smaller and lighter guitar to take to Cowboy Church here in Raton NM. I guess I'll have to make the change to really see if it will be lighter. The guitar weighs about 100 lbs. or feels like it to me and I can really do without the C6 neck or I would be willing to trade this heavy thing for a good single neck with 3 and 4. Here is a pic of the guitar. I'm just wondering if it would make sense to convert this guitar.

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 29 Jan 2012 2:17 pm

Why not sell it and buy an S10 ..

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 29 Jan 2012 2:46 pm

Hi Bo. I am willing to sell the MSA but I doubt if I would get much out of it since its an old guitar and probably a lot of people are like me and want somthing lighter. A good single neck with 3 and 4 will cost around $2000.00.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 29 Jan 2012 2:55 pm

Consider this John. You can get a light weight used Zum Stage One for less than $1000.00. Great sounding single neck light weight guitar.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 29 Jan 2012 3:11 pm

That's probably your best bet, because the cabinet is a lot of the weight. Because of their weight and their quantity, they're worth 12-1500 despite being a great guitar (I love mine)
Make an SD 10 out of it and you'll only lose 5-6 pounds, going from ca. 73 to 66.

If the weight bugs you and money won't let you spend 2500, a Stage One would be just the ticket

Bob Vantine · Post by **Bob Vantine** » 29 Jan 2012 3:49 pm

Still should be able to get a NEW StageOne for around $1000.00 .
$:\$ Have not been on Dougs site recently to see any major price increases . $:\$

I've had mine for 1-1/2yrs now

.....

LOVE IT !

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 29 Jan 2012 3:50 pm

Exactly the point. Molest the MSA and it be worth less then the 1500-1800 its worth now. You will save negligible weight. Sell it and get a Stage One or similar s10

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 29 Jan 2012 6:17 pm

I'm sure someone here has done it. Maybe they will reply with an estimate of the savings in weight.
People are replacing speakers to save 5 or 6 # in an amp, so why not on a guitar?

I don't know how much weight you'd save, but I can promise you it would be more than 5 or 6# if you remove 5 crossrods with all the hardware and 5 pedals from the pedal bar, the rear neck, changer and pickup. You can save all the parts and it can be restored to original configuration when and if desired.

Those guitars were heavy and it'll still be heavy if converted, but a heck of a lot lighter.

Value wise, I'd be surprised to see one of these old Classics go for anywhere near $1800.

But it's your guitar, if you're particularly fond of it and would remain so less some parts, handy with a few basic hand tools then go for it if you like.

You might not like another guitar as well or you might like it better. The fact is that is an unknown.

I wouldn't rest my satisfaction on someone else' statement that you will like another guitar unless they're willing to compensate me if I find otherwise.

I'm a big proponent that you should make the guitar, any guitar suit your needs. What's the point of keeping it stock for the next guy?

If economics for future disposition are an issue, you can always put it back like it was.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 29 Jan 2012 6:54 pm

Realistically, your guitar is the most common Classic, and I think you'd be doing well to get $1200-$1400 selling it as-is. (It has little collector value, since there are so many out there.)

By converting it, my guess is you'd be losing at least 10 lbs., and then andding back another 1-2 lbs. for a pad, so you'd still be shedding 8 lbs., which I'd call a noticeable amount.

Parts eliminated:

5 cross rods
5 pedal rods
5 pedals
5 bellcranks
10-12 pullers
10-12 pull rods
1 keyhead w/tuners
1 nut w/rollers
1 pickup w/switch
1 changer w/blocks
1 neck w/fretboard

And...even more weight could be removed by lightening your legs, or getting a new set of aluminum legs. You could sell the parts, buy new legs, and still have money left over. The resulting guitar would be far lighter, it would be a known quantity, your investment would be nothing but time, and you could likely pocket a couple hundred dollars for the parts.

Sounds like a no-brainer to me!

And by the way, I have a guitar identical to yours...which I played for about 29 years.

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 30 Jan 2012 6:49 am

I certainly do thank everyone for your info on this topic, I will keep everything in mind. I'm just in a situation where a light guitar would be better to carry back and forth, I'm sure it would be easier to purchase a single neck than to sell mine these days. Sometimes I hate being an old man

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 30 Jan 2012 8:19 am

Keep your eye on the guitars for sale here on the forum, there are always great deals on fine instruments from folks you can trust.

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 30 Jan 2012 11:32 am

There are several very nice new light weight single-neck steels out there that are reasonably priced. The time and effort may net you a loss in weight, which is your goal, but there are new steels that are very lightweight and high quality. Stage One is about 22lbs. and $949.00. There are pros who play it, but it's not considered a pro steel. The ETS is very light and it's a pro steel for about 2K. Warning: Whatever you choose to do isn't going to help much because the music is never going to sound good while you're wearing that horribly ugly Green
Bay Packer shirt. They sell Chicago Bears shirts in your town!

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 30 Jan 2012 11:40 am

Lane Gray wrote:That's probably your best bet, because the cabinet is a lot of the weight. Because of their weight and their quantity, they're worth 12-1500 despite being a great guitar (I love mine)
Make an SD 10 out of it and you'll only lose 5-6 pounds, going from ca. 73 to 66.

If the weight bugs you and money won't let you spend 2500, a Stage One would be just the ticket

+1

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 30 Jan 2012 11:45 am

Thanks a lot Fred, I'm gonna be a New England fan this week.

Rick Kreuziger · Post by **Rick Kreuziger** » 30 Jan 2012 2:06 pm

Another option would be to buy a split case...
if in-the-case weight is your concern.

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 30 Jan 2012 4:00 pm

I picked up a nice single Carter 3X5 some years back for the open mic/quick jams. Works out well, easy in & out. I don't think you'll gain what you're really looking for by losing the back neck on a mica guitar, not to mention any potential devaluation of the guitar.

As Donny mentioned , while these were big sellers in the 70's 80's and plentiful, they still bring some fair prices on the market in original condition.

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 30 Jan 2012 4:14 pm

Thanks everyone for your help. I think I'll leave the guitar as it is for now and later on try to find a good used single neck.

Dave Magram · Post by **Dave Magram** » 1 Feb 2012 12:42 am

John,

Here's another option for you.

Based on a suggestion on the SGF, I purchased a padded, ballistic nylon "assault rifle case" for about $25 to carry my pedal-bar, rods, and legs. That reduced the weight of the guitar case (now holding just the cabinet) by about 21 lbs (from 72 lbs with everything in the guitar case).

The original suggestion was for a shotgun case; I chose the "assault rifle case" because it is a rectangular shape, somewhat like a keyboard case. I didn't want any passing police officers thinking I was taking a shotgun out of my car, stopping to investigate, and noticing my banjo...and you know the rest.

- Dave

JR Ross · Post by **JR Ross** » 1 Feb 2012 11:21 am

Go for the Padded assault rifle case.. I would never devalue the the guitar by gutting it down to a single neck.. Its too much work and you can save more weight by using the xtra case for the pedal rack and rods

Todd Brown · Post by **Todd Brown** » 2 Feb 2012 2:14 am

You certainly can't devalue that guitar by taking the back neck off. As long as you don't butcher it! You could possibly get $400-500 off the parts. Lose a little weight on the guitar. And it will still hold a fair value around $1200.

Take it as a learning experience. You could then sell it and get something else. Doing that, you would really squeeze that MSA for every dollar it's worth! You never know, you might bond with that MSA after taking her apart and putting her back together piece by piece. Just an idea. That's what I would do.

Jos Roderkerken · Post by **Jos Roderkerken** » 3 Feb 2012 10:32 am

wanna trade it for a stage one?

JR Ross · Post by **JR Ross** » 3 Feb 2012 10:38 am

Seriously $500 for a bunch a old MSA msa classic hardware?