Best Strings for MSA classic supersustain pickups

Houston West · Post by **Houston West** » 20 Jan 2025 7:03 pm

Hey everyone. I have a MSA classic , late seventies I suppose, and I was wondering if a particular brand/make of strings has better tone/sustain with these particular pickups. I don’t know very much and I am up for any bit of advice. Thank you.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 21 Jan 2025 10:04 am

Strings are all pretty much the same, except for the nickel vs. stainless variations of the sound of the wound strings. The wound strings in stainless sets have more "twang", and unfortunately, more bar noise.

You'll get more tone and sustain improvement from developing good technique, and from using a good amp. Sometimes, a sustain improvement can also be heard if you use a heavier bar.

Houston West · Post by **Houston West** » 21 Jan 2025 10:43 am

Thank you Mr. Donny.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 21 Jan 2025 12:42 pm

Pickups, brand, alloy aside, I believe MSA used a 24 in. scale so probably "Sho-Bud" or Nashville set of gauges. That would be basics 14 ga. #4, 17 ga. for #5, 20 ga. plain or 22 wound for #6 etc. vs heavier BE sets.

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 10 Feb 2025 7:30 pm

Best solution is to change that pickup. It is outdated and many did not feel that it was the best available pickup back then.

Even Maurice Anderson's late model MSA's had newer pickups.

In any event, standard string gauges are just just, no matter which pickup you use on most "standard" PSGs

... J-D.