MSA Conversion #2 going Crossover

[Scott Howard]

I started adding the dual pedal changer to pedal 3 and it has gotten out of hand . I was not real happy with a few of the knee levers as far as location . So I thought this would be a good time to move them .

I have decided to add some more knee lever changers and have most of the rods out of it. Looking at 5 pedals and 5 knees all at one seating position. All 5 knees working both necks and 4 of them working only one neck at a time. The vertical will pull the standard C 6th and 5th string lower all the time.

Standard C 6th pedal 7 and 4 will be on the left knee and pedal 6 on the right knee. In the past I have played with these pedals on knee levers but I only had one on a knee. I can always change it later if I don't like it.

This still leaves one extra knee I want to add a E 9th chane on .

[Scott Howard]

I have 2 pedals done and I am not happy with the space they are taking up. I see what I can do to fix it but it is going to be more work. This guitar has a center support for the crossrods . This was eliminated on later newer MSA's . I guess I am going to pull this one out and make some notches in it so I can scoot these mini changers more to the middle of the guitar. It is a pain to get it back out but I think it will make it work out so much better.

Just now looking at it I see another way of doing something. Will post picture as soon as I get it made.

[Scott Howard]

I have one crossover pedal mechanism on the guitar. I do have the lever that changes it removed . I am showing the shafts and the idea . I did remove the center brace as MSA did later on. I left a few inches because I needed it for the first few pedals.

I ended up splitting the crossrod the pedal hooks to and then making it hook back together. I will try and get the lever made today and then at least one will be finished .

[Allan]

That's scary looking stuff. What's your background Scott? Are you a mechanical engineer or something?

Allan.....

[Scott Howard]

I am going to make a pattern for the switching lever so they will all match. Here it is with the old lever . I am going to have to redesign my stop on one crossrod and the other one is not on yet but will still work as before .

I am undecided for now as to try and make one lever hooked to all the changers or just leave them as individual pull knobs.

Allan

I was a auto mechanic on Police cars for the City Of Chattanooga for 15 1/2 years. After that I was a self employed mechanic until my health has made it near impossible for me to work on cars for a living .
It seems I build something and almost immediatly see a different way to do it. I am trying to do my R & D on this guitar before I do my other one.

My neck and shoulders are giving me too much trouble for me to play right now so I went ahead and tore my guitar apart .

[Pat Comeau]

Hi Scott, nice work on those parts , i've read somewhere in the SGF forum that someone mentioned that adding too much stuff on a steel guitar changes the tone overall like too many holes and screws in the wood cuts the sustain and tone little by little with every screws and holes , did you noticed any differences in your guitar with all those changes you've made to date?

[Scott Howard]

Pat

I will let you know when I get it back together . I have had guitars that I thought sounded good that had all kind of extra holes in them. I have had several double necks that ended up as a loafer and they were some of my favorites . I also have heard all kinds of things that change the sound of a guitar.

I lean to the idea that the biggest thing for tone is the hands of the player. I have sat down on days and could not get a good sound for nothing. Same guitar , same amp , same everything settings and all and it sound as good as I can sound on another day . What changed ? Had to be something I was doing .

My better days are behind me and I am just playing for enjoyment and something to keep me busy.