Replacing MSA pedals

Chris Rohde · Post by **Chris Rohde** » 17 Jun 2002 6:04 am

I have an MSA Classic D10 (not sure of the year) and the post on the A pedal keeps working its way out when I play. I wanted to switch it with a pedal from the C6 neck, but I'm not sure how to get them out. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 17 Jun 2002 7:45 am

Chris...this is an easy one! If you look down into the hole on the pedal (just above, and slightly forward of where the pedal-rod attaches), you'll find a hex-head allen screw. All you have to do is tighten this setscrew, and your problem is fixed.

These will work loose, sometimes, but seldom work out (and get lost!) due to the depth of the hole. This hole serves as an alternate attachment point for the pull-rod fitting, as well.

p.s. I believe the size is 3/32"[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 17 June 2002 at 09:04 AM.]

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 17 Jun 2002 8:42 am

This hole serves as an alternate attachment point for the pull-rod fitting, as well.

Don't use that second hole for the pedal rod ball joint UNLESS you first grind off 1/8" or so of threads!!!

That there was a setscrew in that hole wasn't mentioned in the owner's manual, nor was there any warning about not using that hole for the pedal rod attachment.

When I couldn't get the fitting to screw in flush, I assumed that the threads in the aluminum pedal were tight due to anodize buildup or maybe just not tapped deep enough.

After the fitting snapped off in the middle of a gig, my good friend Sam Gibson worked for hours in his machine shop to remove the remainder of the stud, which ruined that hole in the pedal.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 17 Jun 2002 5:03 pm

Jim, my solution to that "problem" was not to grind off threads, but to put a .062" thick flat washer between the fitting and the pedal...it works perfectly! Should anyone need a couple of these, just send me a S.A.S.E. (I bought a box of 100).

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 17 Jun 2002 7:26 pm

Yep, there were/are several solutions. It's just that as complete as the owner's manual was, nothing was ever mentioned about that. Other guitars had two holes for different pedal leverages so I assumed MSA was the same way.

Even looking into the hole didn't help, as the allen screw and the pedal were both black!

Chris Rohde · Post by **Chris Rohde** » 18 Jun 2002 10:56 am

Thanks for the help; I never would have thought to look there for a set screw. Unfortunately I made the same mistake as Jim; fortunately the fitting that snapped was on the B pedal, not the A pedal that loosened up.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 18 Jun 2002 11:41 am

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one that had this problem, and that just because I'm from New England, my boots aren't that heavy!