Thank you from the Anderson family

Jerry Anderson · Post by **Jerry Anderson** » 17 Feb 2014 11:32 am

I apologize for taking so long to THANK everyone for
your warm and sincere condolences and heart felt
words you put out on the forum on the passing of REECE
on July 4th. It meant a lot to all of us at a very
tough time. Reece wanted MSA to continue and I can
guarantee that me,Kyle,David Horner and David Wright
will make sure this happens. We have some new products
just coming out that MSA talked about years ago but the
technology was not available until now. We will keep the MSA name as a leader in the steel guitar industry
for years to come. I guarantee REECE will be proud.
Thanks again to everyone.

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 17 Feb 2014 1:37 pm

Good to hear MSA carries on. Maybe the continuing of that brand will help the family heal.

Steve Alcott · Post by **Steve Alcott** » 19 Feb 2014 12:45 pm

Good luck to you all in this endeavor.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 19 Feb 2014 6:43 pm

"Like"

Dave Grothusen · Post by **Dave Grothusen** » 21 Feb 2014 5:48 am

Jerry you can add me to the list of folks that will be wishing you the best. Sorry about the loss of your brother. What a shock it was to us that did not know the seriousness of his condition.

Junior Knight · Post by **Junior Knight** » 21 Feb 2014 7:19 am

MSA and all the people in MSA are and will always be a #1 class company! Reese will always be there in my heart.

Quesney Gibbs · Post by **Quesney Gibbs** » 23 Feb 2014 4:36 am

He was one of the greatest con man ever. My dealing with him cost me 1500.00. Enough said.

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 23 Feb 2014 5:16 am

Bad form Quesney.

Show some respect.

Quesney Gibbs · Post by **Quesney Gibbs** » 24 Feb 2014 4:11 am

Why should I show some respect for someone who cheated me out of $1500.00. I was not the only one cheated out of money. No respect forthcoming from me.

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 24 Feb 2014 5:56 am

The respect is for the people still here.

Badmouthing someone who is deceased is one thing, doing it on a post meant to comfort who they have left behind is another.

It's bad form, and in all all likelihood, VERY hurtful to his family.

Shame on you

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 24 Feb 2014 6:00 am

Well said Jay. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything.

Terry Winter · Post by **Terry Winter** » 24 Feb 2014 7:30 am

So glad to hear MSA will be going strong. Although I never met Reece face to face, I have a great respect for him and the company and what he was able to do for me!

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 24 Feb 2014 10:21 am

Reece was a great human being that was always more than fair on business transactions I had with him, anyone to say other wise, well speaks volumes about them.
Is there any plans to sell any of his instructional material at the website.

Johnny Case · Post by **Johnny Case** » 24 Feb 2014 11:10 am

I think the Steel Guitar Forum is the perfect place for Mr. Gibbs to express his opinion based on his own unfortunate experience with Maurice Anderson. I also think it takes courage to be the sole dissenting voice so I respect Mr. Gibbs for not remaining silent. His statement that others were ripped off is absolutely true. Anyone who cares to research this issue can find lots of factual information in support of that statement. Maurice was once an idol of mine and he helped me early in my career. But either there was a change in his character or all along his main goal was to be the greatest con man ever. The fact that so many people still praise him proves that he was an expert in knowing how to fool the majority of people so that the ones who know the truth and dare speak it are admonished ("shame on you") by those admirers among the protective crowd.

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 24 Feb 2014 12:17 pm

You are both missing my point entirely-

If you want to start a topic discussing the dealings you had with the man, go ahead, this IS the perfect place for it-but NOT in this topic.

My problem is slapping the mans brother and family in the face with it.

Not the topic for that, this is for the people that have a different memory of Reece.

The real issue is the lack of compassion for the feelings of someone else.

I stand by my statements.

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 24 Feb 2014 1:15 pm

I am with You Jay!

Quesney Gibbs · Post by **Quesney Gibbs** » 24 Feb 2014 2:56 pm

I will say no more about anderson. Those who were cheated know the truth and those who were fooled will stay fooled.

As for me I played a MSA for years and worked it very hard with few problems. It never failed me once and the only reason I got rid of it was my health issues which brought my playing to an abrupt end. However, if anyone buys a MSA just make sure to have it in hand before giving MSA et al a dime.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 28 Feb 2014 10:40 pm

When I first joined this Forum, I had only been a member for a couple of weeks, and the emails started. People were telling me to avoid Reece Anderson. I never had any dealings with Reece, other than hearing his amazing talent. I didn't care for the old MSA's tone, so I left them alone.
Kinda like the folks who were quick to point out the Fabians, and Carter guitars. As it turned out, John Fabian became a very good friend. And when I bought a Carter SD-10, it was well set up, John knew how big I was, and installed a 2" lift kit for me, at no extra cost. John would call me 2-3 days a week.
A rather long-winded way to say, don't judge your fellow man, based on what you've been told. Experience, OK. But don't base an opinion on gossip.
Sorry it took so long to get to the end. To the Anderson family, I am sorry for the loss of your loved one.

Karl Truitt · Post by **Karl Truitt** » 1 May 2014 4:18 pm

I never met the guy, his family or any of his friends. I have two MSA guitars, D-10 Classic and Classic U-12....although I prefer to play my Williams....I've always liked the tone of my MSAs and recorded with them several times.

Randy Gilliam · Post by **Randy Gilliam** » 2 May 2014 2:09 pm

Maurice Always Treated me nice, Would like to Hear his side of the Story! Great Company and Great Steel Guitars! Randy G.

Steven Cummings · Post by **Steven Cummings** » 2 May 2014 3:28 pm

I took lessons for the last 2 years Reece was around. It wasn't just his amazing talent that drew me to him but the fact that as a human being he was the most incredible and encouraging man I had ever encountered (exception being my own father). I couldn't wait for lesson time to roll around, not so much for the lesson but for the opportunity to be with the guy. I'd heard plenty of stories from Reece and talked with him enough about things in my life that I am confident when I state that he was a compassionate, forgiving kind of guy the would always go above and beyond for his fellow man. I've made a few mistakes along the way and am thankful for the folks whom have shown me tolerance and forgiveness. That is what we are told to do for our fellow man. It is however a choice.

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 5 May 2014 8:11 am

I had a few conversations with Reece about 5 years ago on some parts for an older MSA...I can honestly say, he treated me with the upmost respect on the phone and via email. His reply was swift and on the ball. He thanked me graciously for being an MSA fan and player.
I later bought his book, which is a remarkable life story.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 14 May 2014 11:36 pm

I find it very sad that some people are still so bitter about their experience with MSA that they choose to besmirch Reece's name on this thread of gratitude from his brother.

Reece was a dear friend of mine for nearly 40 years. If he had any regret in life it was having to pull the plug on the MSA company when recession hit. If only MSA had been able to take credit card payments as they do now, there would have been no-one out of pocket.

While the closure of MSA was extremely regrettable, it was only one of thousands of companies who went to the wall at the time. These things happen unfortunately, and certainly Reece did not set out with an intention to rip anyone off. He was not that type of person. However he did take the whole episode personally and would have taken the regret to the grave with him.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 15 May 2014 6:37 am

Very well said, Ken: I concur.

I hardly knew Reece but by some strange circumstance I found myself 'fixing' a band for him on a few UK dates he did in the '70s. I didn't put myself in the ensemble but did go to see a London date. He couldn't have been nicer and thanked me profusely for my help.

His playing and musicianship? Well, I'd been playing steel myself for only about five minutes at the time and I almost threw in the towel there and then! "I'll never be able to do that!!!" I said to myself.

Prophetic words - forty years later and I'm no closer!

(PS: I wonder how that meeting came about? I suspect that Maurice contacted Eric Snowball - UK ZB dealer - and Eric thought that, as a pro musician myself, I'd have a lot of pro contacts. Whatever the facts I'm delighted that I got to meet him and hear him 'live'.)

Al Collinsworth · Post by **Al Collinsworth** » 4 Jul 2014 1:39 am

Remembering Reece today and how he helped and encouraged me throughout the years that I knew him.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Thank you from the Anderson family

Thank you from the Anderson family

reece

Always Nice to Me.