Replacing the old return springs with the adjustable springs set from PSG Parts
In May 2012, I took my MSA with me for holidays in Italy to meet and play with an italian steel player I contacted the year before and promised to bring my steel the next year.
Shortly before meeting him, the slight detuning problems that started to happen, suddenly became quite severe, particularly when lowering and raising the 4th E string.
This detuning was caused by the fact that the return spring had lost its force after 31 years of use.
The changer finger did not return completely to the stop.
For the time being I exchanged the spring with the one on the 1st string after shortening it.
I guessed it would be better to change all of them when being back home again.
After my holidays I tried to find replacements springs, but spring manufacturers in the Netherlands
did not stock springs that matched the sizes of the original ones
While searching for original replacements for MSA pedal steel guitars, I found the adjustable
springs set on Michael Yahl's PSG Parts web site. Without hesitation I ordered a set.
The original springs on the MSA are attached with screws on the bottom of the end plate
and they angle down towards the attachment points on the lowering part of the changer fingers
Simply attaching the anchor of the adjustable set to the end plate would force the adjustment
screws to angle down with the risk that the spring ends could run into the anchor's edge.
So I thought it would be better to attach the anchor at an angle with the end plate bottom.
With my Dremel Tool I routed an angled spot on the end plate's bottom to fit the anchor.
The springs of the adjustable set are made of smaller spring wire size and with a smaller
diameter, so they are less stiff than the originals with a greater flexibility.
Thus the lowers on pedals and knee levers become much easier because stretching the springs
needs much less force.
I am very satisfied with Michael Yahl's adjustable springs set
The adjustable springs set can be ordered from Michael Yahl's PSG Parts
Ellio Martina