WHAT ABOUT THE SOUND AND TONE WHEN USING A CARBON-COMPOSITE BODY?
The sound/tone of a steel guitar is an extremely important quality to the steel player. Since the quality of the sound produced by any given guitar is somewhat subjective for each individual, what is great to one may be marginal or barely acceptable to the next. Further, most players do agree that the sound/tone of any steel guitar improves relative to the increased proficiency of the player. That being said, we at MSA do believe there are certain sound/tone parameters that must be exhibited by the guitar itself if the sound it produces is to be truly outstanding.
What about a pedal steel with a carbon-composite body? It has never been done. What would be the sound/tone characteristics of such a guitar? Yeah, we know carbon-composite construction is strong and light, but “what is this thing going to sound like. . . ?” These were some of the basic questions confronting the Millennium design team at MSA.
Well, rest assured and make no mistake about it, MSA did not get the cart before the horse. Yes, we are offering what we truly believe to be the highest quality pedal steel guitar both in production methods and advanced materials ever produced, but our very first and highest priority from the very inception of the MSA Millennium, was that of a superior sound/tone.
To this end, the design team proceeded to go to great lengths to ensure the tone of the all new MSA Millennium would be second to none. Finally after months of research and experimentation, that sound has dramatically surpassed our greatest expectations. To put it simply, the composite body offers a velvet sound and touch on the bass strings and a sparkle on the higher strings that we think has never before been achievable on any pedal steel.
SOUND/TONE LOGIC OF COMPOSITE BODY
MSA’s ability to maintain sound/tone consistency relative to the construction of the carbon-composite body represents a tremendous advancement in steel guitar technology. In addition, through varied core design, the MSA Millennium offers refinements and extensions of traditionally acceptable sound/tones never before provided by pedal steel.
Here’s why:
Steel guitar bodies made of wood are often inconsistent due to different moisture content, age and density. In addition, the varied use of glue in body fabrication and/or mica lamination further reduces consistency. Theoretically, bodies made of aluminum should have more consistency than those made of wood. However, both wood and aluminum bodies share a common inconsistency. That inconsistency is in the attachment of all other guitar parts to the body itself.
In other words, how tight is the neck? What about the key heads? What effect do these have on the resonance and vibration of the body itself? There are many factors that make a guitar sound the way it does, and these are certainly some of the many.
When the body of the MSA Millennium is formed, virtually every point of compression where changer, neck and key heads are attached is predetermined with laser accuracy. When the body is molded, these points are not part of the core material and resin flows within the mold into these predetermined compression points. The result becomes a perfectly integrated body that recognizes no fault or void at attachment points. MSA also goes a step further. To ensure total consistency, all components are assembled to the body at predetermined torque settings.
Carbon-composite technology, when used in steel guitar construction, provides an outstanding sound/tone and a superior level of consistency in the body itself, making the MSA Millennium truly unique and a one of a kind. We most sincerely hope our efforts on your behalf help to provide an even brighter future for the pedal steel guitar.