Mooer MSC50 PRO | Review

Mooer MSC50 PRO | Review

A while back, we took a look at Mooer’s very impressive MSC10 Pro - an exceptionally high quality take on a classic HSS “Strat-style” guitar at a crazy-low price. It’s a fairly conservative instrument, which is a departure for Mooer’s GTRS line given they are primarily known for their innovative “Intelligent Guitars”.

It’s flamboyant cousin - the MSC50 Pro - is anything but conservative. While this guitar is essentially the same rock-solid HSS doublecut at heart, it’s presented in a finish (“Magic Crystal”) that would make Prince blush. A sparkling flip-flop silver with notes of purple and jade green, this eye-catching (eye-watering?) paint job is as attention-grabbing as they come. It even sports a clear pickguard infused with reflective foil strips, revealing the tidy electronics within. It’s like a glam Frankenstrat, and I’m very much here for it.

The blues lawyers will be clutching their pearls at the sight of it, but that’s sort of the point

But like the dearly departed Mick Ronson, the MSC50 Pro is glam on the outside and tough workmanlike grit on the inside. It features a very playable roasted maple neck, with Mooer’s immaculate fretwork on a rosewood ‘board. The profile is a comfy modern “C” with a 12” radius, allowing for a very “friendly” action should you choose to crank it down a little from the factory setup.

Tones come courtesy of Mooer’s own HSS pickup set, with a pair of great-sounding single coils in the neck and middle positions. These pickups are very well balanced, with plenty of sparkle and a gentle midrange scoop in the spot where some vintage-style pickups can be a little brash. Position 4 is pure funk magic, while the neck and middle positions on their own are clonky, round and surprisingly powerful. The bridge humbucker balances well with the single coils, but is a little uninspiring on it’s own. There’s a toggle switch for coil splitting, but truthfully the sound is pretty weak and thin. It’s not a tone I could see myself using, and the inclusion of the toggle adds a fussiness to the control array that I’m not a huge fan of.

The hardware, as you’d expect from Mooer, is of the highest quality. A set of rock-solid Mooer-branded locking tuners help keep the 6-point tremolo system in tune, which functions exactly as it should. The arm feel is positive and responsive, with very good return to pitch.

The MSC50 Pro is less “Les Paul” and more “RuPaul”, with a look that’s not for the faint of heart. The blues lawyers will be clutching their pearls at the sight of it, but that’s sort of the point, and underneath that outrageous exterior lies a reliable, very playable and great sounding instrument.