MSA, Who started this company?

Dwight Lewis · Post by **Dwight Lewis** » 30 Dec 2008 9:12 am

I got a question for my own intel, who started the MSA company...who who?
Thanks

James Collett · Post by **James Collett** » 30 Dec 2008 9:14 am

If I remember correctly, MSA stands for
Morrell- Tom Morrell
Shields- Danny Shields
Anderson- Reece Anderson

Dwight Lewis · Post by **Dwight Lewis** » 30 Dec 2008 9:33 am

Thankyou very much. I have a friend that says Bobby Seymour and Buddy Emmons started it.

Dwight

admin · Post by **b0b** » 30 Dec 2008 9:45 am

Disclaimer first: I wasn't there. This is only what I've heard over the years.

Bobbe Seymour was to be the original S in MSA, but he bailed before the company really got off the ground.

Danny Shields was a very innovative pickup designer. He also designed pickups for Sierra.

As far as I know, Buddy Emmons was not involved in the creation of MSA.

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 30 Dec 2008 9:56 am

James Collett wrote:If I remember correctly, MSA stands for
Morrell- Tom Morrell
Shields- Danny Shields
Anderson- Reece Anderson

You are correct.I worked at MSA in the early 70s.

Dwight Lewis · Post by **Dwight Lewis** » 30 Dec 2008 10:04 am

That's part of the story I got. Thanks

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 30 Dec 2008 10:26 am

No Seymour ?

I thought it was

M.. Moe
S.. Seymour
@
A.. Abbott

That would explain a lot of things to me.

tp

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 30 Dec 2008 11:57 am

When I lived in Dallas Tom Morrell told me that he was the "M",Danny Shields was the "S" and Reece was The "A".

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 30 Dec 2008 3:00 pm

Dwight. Just do a search. This subject has been well covered and documented on the Forum.

KB

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 30 Dec 2008 3:05 pm

My Spine Aches?

Jeff Waller · Post by **Jeff Waller** » 30 Dec 2008 3:57 pm

good one donny you are absolutely right the msa guitars are great but heavy. i had a 67 d-12 that weighed probably 90 lbs lol.. downgraded to s-10 that's about 60 lbs.. little lighter

Richard Gonzales · Post by **Richard Gonzales** » 30 Dec 2008 4:01 pm

Someone perform magic as I have a S12 MSA Millenium that weighs in at 19lbs.

Dwight Lewis · Post by **Dwight Lewis** » 31 Dec 2008 2:10 am

Come on people, who wouldn't want an instrument that's built to go to war and back, that can take an M109 howitzer round in stride while still twanging a B Chord. In my opinion these are one of the greatest ever to be twanged..... come on Bruno just 10 more curls then you too will be able to snatch the MSA D12 from the floor.

Thanks Dwight

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 31 Dec 2008 2:46 am

Magnificent

Stupendous

Awesome

The Rolls Royce of pedal steel guitars, both back in the 70s, and today. What with my 2 "classics" and the Milly, I feel like I've got 2 old wives and a hot young girlfriend.

I also heard that the S originally stood for Seymour, but Bobbe left the company very early on.

Chris Johnson · Post by **Chris Johnson** » 31 Dec 2008 7:09 am

My Spine Aches?

Aint that the truth

Watch your feet when one of those D-12's are comin' around

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 31 Dec 2008 7:25 am

The Rolls Royce of pedal steel guitars, both back in the 70s, and today.

Mike, not to disparage your choice(s), but isn't Anapeg generally considered by most to be the RR of steels?

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 31 Dec 2008 8:05 am

Barry Blackwood wrote: Mike, not to disparage your choice(s), but isn't Anapeg generally considered by most to be the RR of steels?

Well, I must admit I've never played one. But other than a rather unique changer and their use of rare woods, they seem pretty ordinary...except for the price.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 31 Dec 2008 8:23 am

When I bought my 1976 MSA Classic wood, it was common knowledge that MSA stood for
Morrell
Shields
Anderson

They were heavy but indestructible. Mine weighed 89 lbs in the case.
I wish I had it today

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 31 Dec 2008 1:58 pm

I had a D-12, I needed two scales to weigh it. It was probably an early 70's'ish Steel, my wife told me it looked like it had never been on a gig.

Ya think !

I told her it was lucky it left the factory !

it as a fine instrument though, high quality well built and played very well.

Dwight Lewis · Post by **Dwight Lewis** » 31 Dec 2008 3:03 pm

Well I guess I will be the first to show honor and due glory to the MSA. This because you guys started this.

And I sold this one. WHYYYY?

But I still got this one.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 31 Dec 2008 7:53 pm

Dwight-Why? I wonder too! The one you sold with the aluminum pocket for the pickup was the one you should have kept, only 39 Lbs out of the case. I have had a few maple wood ones and the old plywood ones.That S12 looks like it has been refinished, must have sounded good, black, you know...Happy New Year...al.

:)

Ric Epperle · Post by **Ric Epperle** » 31 Dec 2008 11:54 pm

Two things will survive a nuclear holocaust. A cockroach and an MSA...

Dwight Lewis · Post by **Dwight Lewis** » 1 Jan 2009 12:47 am

Al, I still have footprint on my rear end from kicking myself for selling the black one. The white one fits me better with the double frame. I had an all wood SS SD-10 and sold it and yep, another footprint was added to the old back side. I just got this extended e9th S-12. Love it. I got a project for one of these and I wont unveil it just yet.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 1 Jan 2009 8:06 am

Well, it's been a while since I posted pictures of some of my MSA's, so here they are again. What do I think of MSA's, I've bought four new one's in the last four years, does that tell you anything? I also have a few older one's. Maurice says I have an MSA Museum. LOL

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 1 Jan 2009 8:27 am

Darvin-Wow! Beautiful collection of MSA guitars. I'll bet you can't decided which one to play each day. Right? Which one do you play the most? Studio Pro?.Happy New year....al.

:)

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