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Topic: Morrell Shields Custom PSG |
Bob Dell
From:
Siloam Springs,Ar. 72761 (deceased)
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Posted 11 Apr 2004 2:22 pm |
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Just thought you might want to see a piece of PSG history. This is a guitar that a friend brought over and asked me to restring and adjust it, so I thought I'd put some pics on the Forum. http://www.cox-internet.com/dellcases/MorrellShields/
Does anybody know approx. how many of these were manufactured?
Thanks.
Bob Dell |
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David Wright
From:
Pilot Point ,Tx USA.
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Reece Anderson
From:
Keller Texas USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 12 Apr 2004 8:13 am
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Bob D....The Morrell/Shields guitar your friend has, was made prior to 1963. Tom Morrell and Danny Shields were later to become the "M" and "S" in MSA, and I became the "A".
To avoid any confusion, the new MSA which was formed in 2001, signifies Micro Space and Anderson.
At the time your friends guitar was built, Tom Morrell was living in Carlsbad New Mexico, and to the best of my knowledge, Danny Shields was living in Wichita Kansas. I don't know how they coordinated the building effort, but obviously they were successful in doing so.
After conversations with Tom, it was agreed we would form a new company, both him and Danny would move to Dallas, and the three of us would be the principals. When the decision was made, they still had a few Morrell/Shields guitars to complete.
During the interim period between their arrival and my completing business arrangements for the new company, their equipment was setup in Bobbe Seymours garage in the "Oak Cliff" section of Dallas where they completed the obligations relative to the Morrell/Shields guitars.
When business arrangements were completed and their commitment to customers for Morrell/Shields guitars was accomplished, the new company Morrell/Shields/Anderson (MSA)was born.
Thank you Bob for sharing the pictures of a guitar of such vintage which is now a part of the long history of MSA. |
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GARYPHILLIPS
From:
SOMERSET, OHIO ,PERRY
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Posted 12 Apr 2004 8:33 am
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| hey great lookin steel ,looks like 55lb out of the case. |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 13 Apr 2004 6:07 am
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A very nice looking guitar. I have always liked a natural birch or maple finish.
Is there a reason that there is a space between pedals 3 & 4....? |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2004 9:49 am
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| Danny Shields was a pickup wizard. I'll bet that guitar sounds really good. |
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Richard Gonzales
From:
Davidson, NC USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2004 4:55 pm
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| It looks like Morrell/Shields brought the chessmen fret markers with them to incorporate in the MSA guitars. |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 13 Apr 2004 5:38 pm
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Thank you Maurice, I'm happy now. Best wishes on your new company.
(One of the Bill Denison Rangers)
RKS |
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Bob Dell
From:
Siloam Springs,Ar. 72761 (deceased)
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Posted 13 Apr 2004 7:29 pm
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Reece thanks for the input. I knew it was the "ONLY" Morrell-Shields PSG that I had ever seen......in fact......heard of!
I felt sure it was Tom Morrell and Danny Shields........guess that almost goes without saying, but there were lots of blanks that needed filling in.
Thanks also to Bobbe Seymour for the e-mails with info. regarding this piece of history.
thanks to all!
Bob Dell |
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Bob Dell
From:
Siloam Springs,Ar. 72761 (deceased)
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Posted 13 Apr 2004 7:39 pm
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I guess I thought I had already posted "Some" of the particulars about the
Morrell-Shields PSG, but I must have had a "SENIOR MOMENT", so will do so now.
The front apron is highly figured birds eye maple, necks are more of a flame, fiddle back, or tiger stripe maple.....the top and back apron appear to be native american walnut.
The pedal rods are .250" dia. ( guess they did not want them to flex..huh? ), the cabinet is 13.000" wide X 36.250" long, 8 pedals and no K.L.'s, and weighs a surprising 46 pounds. I thought it would be more.
Bob Dell |
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Mike Black
From:
New Mexico, USA
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Posted 17 Apr 2004 6:56 pm
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| Tom once told me that Doyle Grisham had one of the very first M/S guitars. That sure is a dandy looking steel! I once saw a real early T10 MSA and the guy driving it was the Wolfman hisself. His C.W. was having PU problems so he used this ol' guitar Charlie Irwin brought out. A way cool axe in all the maple and aluminum a guy could ever want! 2 necks with pedals and 1 non pedal. Charle was given that old steel and he wound up giving it back to the guy he originally got it from, so it's back in the D/FW area. [This message was edited by Mike Black on 18 April 2004 at 11:26 AM.] |
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Reece Anderson
From:
Keller Texas USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 20 Apr 2004 9:24 am
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Richard G....You're right, the chessmen fret markers were on the Morrell/Shields guitars, and they are still being used on MSA guitars today, unless otherwise specified.
Bobbe S....I don't know what I done to deserve your thanks, but for whatever reason.......you're welcome.
I'm also glad to know you're happy, as am I.
Thank you for your professed best wishes for MSA.
Mike B....If memory serves correct, (records from that very early era have not been preserved)Jimmy Stewart and Doyle Grisham each received one of the earliest MSA guitars.
I would appreciate any additional information concerning the triple neck to which you eluded. At this time I don't recall MSA ever building a triple neck guitar. Could it have been a Morrell/Shields custom guitar made before MSA was formed? |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 20 Apr 2004 10:59 am
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Lookin at the end picture, are the strings threaded through the front of the changer and then over the top or are there notches to put the ball in? I couldn't tell by the photo...........Thanks, JH
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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.
[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 20 April 2004 at 12:01 PM.] |
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Bob Dell
From:
Siloam Springs,Ar. 72761 (deceased)
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Posted 21 Apr 2004 8:26 am
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Jerry,
Yes....the strings go through a hole in the string finger so the ball ends are on the pickup side.....then they go over the top of the roller.......and then to the key head end.....just like you suspected.
Bob Dell |
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