~1980 MSA Classic XL

Joy Hollis · From: Houston, Texas, USA

Hi y'all,

So I'm at a point in my life that I need to sell my dad's steel guitar. He was nationally ranked at one time as in the top 20 in the US..back in the 70s and 80s. His name was Jimmy Powell. Anyway. I don't play. I'm going through a divorce and need the cash pretty badly. Please don't judge me for selling it. I've held onto it since my dad passed in 1990 due to alcoholism. He passed away with no money or property and the steel I was left with the bench. I was 15 at the time. So it's a hard thing for me to let go of but I figure dad would rather me have the money to pay bills that this cheating asshole left me with but also want the steel PLAYED. The most beautiful music has come out of it.

Anyway, it's around 1980 or so give or take a couple of years. He bought it brand new. So 10 years roughly of playing on it in both touring bands, studio sessions, and in the original cast of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas that began in Houston before there was a Broadway cast (he was in the band. Although he'd laugh and say he was one of the whores when he got asked what role he played lol). But it's an MSA Classic XL. It has 2 necks with 6 strings each I believe, 8 pedals, and the knee bars. Please forgive me if I'm using the wrong terminology. I don't speak steel guitarian.

I've looked online trying to find a price to set. I've come across 3 on one site that sold within the last year. The prices were $1795,$2100,and $3200. Do those seem in line to y'all? I found a price list from 1978 and it was almost $1800 brand new so it doesn't make alot of sense to me. I thought an antique or "vintage" would sell for more.

So I'm looking you pros to help me figure out a price. Or if you're interested, let's talk. There will be 2 conditions. 1. Shipping is additional to asking price. I have no idea how much to ship but it'll be a little bit more than I'm willing to eat right off the top. 2. It comes with the steel and original case only. I'm not selling the bench seat. I've refinished it as an ottoman actually. And any advice you can offer as far as where to list it to get the fastest response would be amazing.

I'll get over to my storage today to get some pics. But here are a couple of online images I found to give you an idea. The first one is what the model looks like. The second is what color it is. It's been stored in climate controlled storage or my house the entire time. It's in great shape.

Rex Lindsey · From: Ellisville, MS USA

I do not know what the world VINTAGE on the MSA was to mean - but those guitars were new in the 70' & '80 ----- the great news is they were built like tanks and just last forever - when taken care of. Price - worth what someone else will pay you today a new D-10 is $5,000 or more. At same time that guitar no matter how well cared for is 40 + years old - $2,000 to $3000 ??? A new SD-10 Discoery is $2,500 ??? Prices are all over the place. - have 3 prices -
Dream price - Realtic Price - Bottom line price - start at the top -- always can go down ---- never can go up. Great looking guitar - Good Luck

Tommy Mc · From: Middlesex VT

Some detailed photos of the actual instrument will tell us more. Be sure to include shots of the underside. Generally speaking, the old MSA guitars are built very well and hold up to a lot of use. Unfortunately, they have acquired a reputation with some players as not having the best tone. Consequently, they don't tend to sell for as much as other guitars of equal quality.

You can use the forum's search function to see what they've actually been selling for. I'd expect the value to be within spitting distance of $2k, depending on condition.

Jim Goins · From: Michigan, USA

Hi Joy. Sorry for all the trouble you are having to go through. I am interested in the MSA, would like to see some photos.
Jim Goins.

Paul Wade · From: mundelein,ill

i have HAD many msa d-10 classic and classic xl guitars in the 34 years of playing P.S.G the
most i paid for a msa d-10 was $1800.00 shipping will be over a $100.00 if i was looking i would offer you $1700.00 plus shipping. just my 2 cents THEY are great guitars easy to work on too....

P.W

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

Great guitar! Mr. Green

Jim Goins · From: Michigan, USA

Wonder if this guitar is still for sale. J.G.

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

Helluva guitar, even better than the one I played for 29 years. That's a D10 Vintage model, very similar to the old 'mica Classic I have with a couple of notable exceptions (read: improvements). It's a solid maple guitar with the metal "neck stub", which improved tone and sustain. In addition, it has no center crossrod support, which was also done to enhance the tone and sustain. It's big, the same size as the old Classics, but a couple of pounds lighter. I suspect it's an 8+4 with either a double or triple raise changer, but we'd need pics of the endplate to verify which. (They made both in the Vintage series.) There's no reason to believe the underside isn't as flawless as the topside.

I know what it's worth, but won't go into that except by PM.

Steve Lamb · From: Ft. Worth, Texas, USA

Hello Joy Is the MSA still for sale?

Michael Weaver · From: Buffalo Grove, IL

I had a Vintage XL built for me with 9 & 7....regret ever selling it

Jim Goins · From: Michigan, USA

Has anyone ever got a response from this seller? I have sent her a PM and EMAIL but never heard anything from her.
JG

Andrew Schmidt · From: Austin Texas, USA

This feels scammy due to seeing that Jimmy Powell passed away in 2019 and she hasn't responded...Might be a different Jimmy Powell...Mods might want to flag this one

Jim Goins · From: Michigan, USA

I agree Andrew something doesn't sound right here, could be a scam, no photos of the guitar for sale.
JG

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

There is apparently another pedal steel player named Jimmy Powell from Wichita KS who died prior to 2006 - see these threads:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=86625

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/favorite-pedal-steel-players.59432/page-3

There are other web references to that particular Jimmy Powell. BTW - Jimmy Powell is not an uncommon name - there are quite a lot of well known Jimmy Powells - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Powell including the very well known jazz sax player Jimmy Powell.

Anyway - we are watching this thread. Anyone contemplating purchasing this pedal steel should do their due diligence before completing a deal.

Butch Pytko · From: Orlando, Florida, USA

deleted

Joy Hollis · From: Houston, Texas, USA

Hey there this is joy anybody can email me im@joyjpowelltx.youknowimsorry@gmail.com my dad was Jimmy Powell was Jimmy Powell from Kansas in the best of warehouse in Texas I'm off on the years yeah maybe a little bit but I was born in 75 so you know what do you what do on me to can you account for where you were 3 or 4 years old with you know a touring musician and you know come on it's not scamming it's not anything I have a chronic debilitating pain disease I'm going through divorce I'm trying to rearrange my life and I'm just trying to get things done I haven't taken pictures of it I can I'm probably not going to today But yeah I mean I'm not a steel player so I don't speak all the lingo that you'll do but I said that before so You know I don't know what else you want from me his name is James William Powell you know so so yeah any proof you'd like I've got it

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

Maybe somebody who lives near her in Texas(I know it’s a big state-she hasn’t said where) will contact her and help this lady sort things out.
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Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing.

Joy Hollis · From: Houston, Texas, USA

Susan Alcorn · From: Baltimore, MD, USA

I remember Jimmy Powell (in Houston). He was a great steel player, and I loved his singing.
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www.susanalcorn.net

"So this is how you swim inward. So this is how you flow outwards. So this is how you pray."
- Mary Oliver

Joy Hollis · From: Houston, Texas, USA

Hi Susan,

Aww, thanks 😊 for remembering. I'm finally getting notifications. I've been meaning to change my reply and I have 3 times already but then I get distracted and there's no way you save a draft. So I have to start over and hopefully finish.. lol

Thanks for your sweet words

J R Rose · From: Keota, Oklahoma, USA

One of the BEST guitars I have ever owned. It was a Red D-10 with 8&5. Stayed in tune forever. But as someone said was tough as a tank but weigh like one. I carried it and played it all over Central US. Wish you luck Joy on your sale and I might add it should be priced in the $1800 range. J.R. Rose
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NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose

Joy Hollis · From: Houston, Texas, USA

Hey y'all,

FINALLY got the pics. I'm just north of Houston in Conroe. Asking price is $2500 plus shipping at your expense. There might be some wiggle room but not on the shipping.

David Higginbotham · From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA

I’m not trying to be negative in any sense. But the pics indicate the guitar has either been the victim of a flood or in a very damp environment for an extended period of time. The finish on the body is extremely degraded (water damage) and probably warped as well as numerous rust in all areas. The changers fingers are rusted together and may not be salvageable. One pickup is out of the cavity and likely the body is warped underneath it.

I could go on and you may receive observations from others as to the extent of damage. The keyheads also indicate an earlier model than 1980 but you will be hard pressed to find a buyer for a third of your asking price. With lots of work and many replacement parts it may be able to be rebuilt but it would be major construction.

Joy Hollis · From: Houston, Texas, USA

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