MSA pickup replacement.

[Chase Gallagher]

Hey guys, I’d like to get a new pickup for my 12 String MSA Classic. Currently it has the wide SuperSustain pickup, I’ve noticed it’s gets a muffled sound when I pick the strings, best way I can describe it is like if someone was tapping their finger on a microphone, plus I can play audio on my phone near the pickup and hear it through my amp. Assuming this means it’s toast. Doing some research on pickups and was looking at the E66, my question being, the aftermarket pickups I’ve seen have mounting tabs for the screws on the outside corners, my MSA only appears to have two screws holding the pickup via the bottom of the guitar body. I think it’s attached to a plate. Is there a certain aftermarket pickup that would work for this or would I just have to modify one to work? How would you adjust for height on this type of setup? I’m sure others have dealt with this and figured I’d ask the experts before I make any decisions. Thanks.

[Dennis Detweiler]

I've installed a variety of pickups on my MSA after the original Super Sustain. I currently have a Telonics X12 on one of my two guitars. It's the perfect choice for tone on MSA. Call Dave at Telonics and he can assure of proper mounting.

[Keith Murrow]

The Supersustain II pickup on my 10-string MSA Classic was doing the same thing - it had gone "microphonic" due to age. I liked the sound of the pickup and hated to change, so I had it repotted. Solved the problem 100%, and I didn't have to spend the money on a new pickup.

I went through Tom Brantley Rewinds, his service was fast and the work was first-rate. Here's the link to his web site, if you are interested:

https://tombrantleyrewinds.com/

It's a very cost-effective option, the shipping was more than the cost of the re-pot.

Obviously this isn't an option if you are looking for a different tone than the stock pickup.