Anderson Drop Top

1996 Drop Top: Quilted Maple top Mahogany body, Maple neck Rosewood finger board, 22 fret neck, 3 pickups One Humbucker two single coils, Floyd Rose, Grover tuners, Jumbo frets, Switch-a-Roo switching

This guitar can play any style of music in the world

No Flaws at all. A TOP RATE GUITAR!!!!!! 10 out of 10 wood finsh

I have Emailed Anderson guitars and talk to them on the phone Tom Anderson and Roy have always been a GREAT HELP.

Been playing 20 years I own a gibson Les Paul, Custom Shop Jackson but the Tom Anderson Beats them all. If it were stolen I would not walk but run to the nearest Tom Anderson Dealer and buy another one.........Try one out for a week get use to it and you will not want another guitar.....The Greatest guitar's Built---} Tom Anderson Guitar's

i have had 3 different andersons in the past, and they all play excellent, the drop top being my favorite model. the necks all seem alittle on the thin side, and the pickups alittle bright. the frets are super, the best fret work, hands down. the woods and colors are top notch....

This is the big part,,,all tom anderson's sound very hyped, very unreal,..if you have been playing along time, and have had fenders and gibsons, you have a hard time playing with this tone for a long time...in the studio, i had to bury the tone a little, and was wishing for a good fender. anderson's play fantastic, but i would rather hear one of my older fenders on tape and live. I taped a big show we played last summer, and i had the anderson drop top, it sounded very hot and unreal, i was not mixing with the band at all, untill i used my 74 fender strat....

the best out there.

very well built

don't know,,,called once to order a classic, had to buy it at a dealer...

I had 2 drop tops, and 1 classic,,,just traded in the last one, on a fender jeff beck model......will not buy another one..P.S. on one model i changed pick ups to 3 different make's of pickup's,,,the end result was the same, too hyped of a sound....

My Fireburst Drop Top is a 2000 w/ all the accessories - SA1/SA1R/H2+ pickups, Fishman Powerbridge piezo pickup, switcheroo pickup selector, vintage voicing, gold hardware, Madigascar Rosewood fingerboard, binding, Wilkinson type bridge and, of course, the Buzz Feitin tuning system. The top on this guitar is one of the two or three most impressive tops I have ever seen on any guitar. One word of warning about the piezo system - you need to get a Fishman Powerblend to mix the magnetic and piezo pickups as Anderson has taken the switches and knobs off of the face of the guitar.

The middle and neck pickups on this guitar are stacked humbuckers. With the swicheroo system, each magnetic pickup can be selected as humbucker, single coil, or off. Since each pickup has its own switch, they can be combined in any configuration desired. THE SOUND IS PHENOMINAL. It can do clean, it can do crunch, it can go heavy. The tone is amazing and individual notes do ring out at every level. I can hit just about any sound I want with this guitar. I'm even thinking about buying a couple Anderson pickups for other guitars... Oh, and don't forget the piezo pickup. Again, a great sound, even through my Marshall valvestate amp. The only limit on this guitar is the guy holding it. The neck just begs to be played. Sometimes, it just takes over and leaves you holding on for dear life, your left hand doing things it normally can't do. Every note is smooth - all the way up and down the neck. With the Buzz Feiten tuning system, you're never out of tune, you don't have those notes that make you cringe.

The fireburst on this thing is absolutely sick. Around the edge is a fire orange/red that blends into a yellow by the pickups. It almost looks painted on!!! Out of the box, the guitar practically played itself. I don't even think I needed to tune it! Anderson makes the best guitars in the biz IMHO.

The guitar is built like a rock. I have absolutely no concerns about the guitar. The only cause for hesitation is that someone will do something stupid and scratch/drop it.

never used em, but I heard they are the best. Wildwood guitars (the dealer I went through) in Louisville, CO was awesome. They respond to questions/concerns immediately and want you to be happy. Check them out at www.wildwoodguitars.com

This isn't fair. 10 is sooooo low for this guitar. I went into Wildwood and had it ordered directly from Anderson after seeing a couple firebursts. After waiting ~ 4 months, I was really excited when I found out the guitar was on the way. Nothing could prepare me for what I saw when I opened the box. This guitar is the bomb. It is perfect. It has everything. It does everything. Ten years and many guitars later, I have found the one. One word of warning - if you do in fact play an Anderson, you will continuously think about it until you get one. I'm not kidding. I know it's been said before, but this guitar IS that good.

Tortose Maple Quilt on Basswood Drop Top. 1998 w/ buzz feiten tuning system. Switcheroo w/HSS pickup configuration. Gold hardware w/grover locking tuners. Anderson standard bridge. Anderson standaard neck w/matching headstock.

Lush, full, lots of Feathery single coil top.
Very little ice pick in the ear single coil sound.
H2 bridge humbucker is very nice , not too nasty, clear and full, that retains note definition. Mostly used for top 40 party Band stuff. With my PRS or my Gibson ES446 can cover all the bases. Little darker and fuller than my strat (50 anniversary limited edition custom shop)

I bot this used. I have an Anderson Hollow T also. Even used this puppy is wonderful. Anderson makes GREAT GUITARS. they truly LOVE what they do, and believe me it shows. If you play, you owe it to yourself to try one.

This is my main gigging guitar with the party act, cuz it covers most of the bases. My only mod was strap-locks, which I use on all my guitars.

Phone Roy, tho' he could use a sense of humor!

I own over 10 guitars. All upper end
I have played 30 years plus.
I an going to order a Cobra Anderson next year.
More focused than my Hollow T in the midrange.
I run into a line ^ and /or a Victoria Double Deluxe.
These guys make great guitars
Nuff Said

this is a 1995 wounderful US-made (of caurse) transparent red Drop Top (strat look alike) with a matching headstock, pealariod scracth plate, 22 medium jumbo frets and so on.
S/S/H pickup configuration and switcheroo switching. it's got a gold floyd rose bridge and volume and tone controls.

this guitar suits every kind of music and playing (except for atl. tunings)
the pickups sounds great.

i bought it used

this one will last forever

My Drop Top was made in April 1999 in the USA. It features 22 frets, and a beautiful quilted maple top over a basswood body. One volume, one tone. I ordered mine with Anderson's wonderful "Switcheroo" system, which is a PCB with four mini toggle switches. Three of these are 3-position switches, one for each pickup: middle=off, down=series, and for the up position, you can select what it will actually do from either split or parallel via additional switches accessable through the back of the guitar, and best of all individually for each pickup.
I requested a S/S/H. However, let me say that the single coils are actually single coil sized humbucking Anderson pickups model SD1 and SD1R (neck). The bridge humbucker is an Anderson H2+. It's all passive so you all the warmth, but the sound can be every bit as sparkling clean as active pickups.
The neck is Anderson standard solid maple with Brazilian Rosewood, and 1-5/8" nut.
Another nice feature is the Buzz Feiten tuning system www.buzzfeiten.com which spoiled me in a minute, and made me sell my strat and Ibanez because I couldn't stand playing them any more.
The bridge is a Floyd Rose, and the tuners are Grover non-locking tuners. Heavy frets.
The case looks like a fender case but the inside is shaped like the guitar's body to prevent it from bouncing around.
When mailing the warranty registration, you get your choice of either an Anderson strap or t-shirt, but since they are so cool with their customers, I actually got a strap and two shirts!

I can honestly say that I regret not knowing about Anderson sooner. This is the most versitile guitar I've ever had (2 Fender Stratocasters, Ibanez Musician, Ibanez RG770) or played (Gibson LP, Fender Telecaster, Parker Fly).
I mostly run it through a Boss GT-3, and/or a Line6 AX2 amp.
When using only one pickup in split mode, you get the regular single coil hum.
I'm mostly into rock music, but I do a lot of session playing in studios, so I need a guitar that can cover a lot of ground. I can do a full session with only this guitar, without running out of sounds. It can go from Dark metal to bright pop sounds in a flash. Simply put, it's all there for whenever you need it. Truly amazing instrument.

This guitar went from California to Florida and then to Venezuela. When I pulled it out, and checked the tuning, I was amazed that only two strings were just a tad off. I've had this guitar for over a year now, and I have had no need to adjust anything! neck profile, pickup height, action, nothing. Perfect factory set-up.
The finish is beautiful. One of the main reasons for getting a Tom Anderson guitars is precisely how well they're built. You can tell that great care and attention has been taken in the making of these instruments. The craftsmanship is top notch.

The guitar is rock solid. The hardware looks very durable and reliable. The finish looks heavy duty but with class. The strap buttons are solid and all Anderson guitars feature not two, but three strap buttons; two of them on the bottom end of the guitar. Anderson says it's so it stays up balanced when set down without a stand.

I've contacted them via email, and they've been extremely friendly and helpful. Sometimes, Tom himself replies to email fom owners. He offered to send a new pot once I asked recommendations about a static noise on the volume pot, but contact cleaner fixed it satisfactorily, and there was no need for they to send me a new pot. They offer a lifetime warranty.

I've been playing guitar for over 16 years, and I can honestly say I will not need another guitar ever.
If it were stolen or lost, I would buy it again for sure. As a matter of fact, I've already ordered my second piezo equiped Drop Top (I'll review it soon).
As I said, I've had it for over a year and I can't find anything I dislike about this guitar. I'm very satisfied with everything about it.
It's hard to pick my favorite feature, but I guess it would have to be the "switcheroo" system. The overall feel and playability would be a close second, and I like the Anderson pickups better than anything I've used before (DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan, EMG).
I wish they offered synth access as an option.

Drop Top, FireBurst finish (see the website for a visual), matching headstock, Two Tom Anderson humbucker pickup, Cobra five-way switching, Jumbo frets, Madagascar Rosewood Fretboard, blocked Foyd Rose Tremelo and R4 locking nut. This guitar was made at the Tom Anderson Guitarworks in Newbury Park California.

This guitar was made for Metal and Hard Rock per my request. Absolutely spotless fretwork! I have never played and instrument that felt like this. I've played (not neccessarily owned) a Thomas McNaught,Custom Gibson,Custom Fender, Ernie Ball, Jackson, Charvel, Melancon and nothing can compare to this. It has a totally clean sounding fretboard void of buzzes. Just absolutely pure music rolls of this thing! I really don't know how they are able to accomplish this...I really don't. You can clean-up the sound, you can make this thing sound like anything...total flexibilty.

No flaws at all. The only problem was the many fingerprints my guitar shop put on it when it arrived! My local guitar shop was astounded! They all agree this is the finest TA they have ever seen!

This thing is built to last! I fully expect a long life.

Roy is one of the finest public relations guy you could ever talk to. He takes all the time you need when asking questions regarding the products. He's a real gentleman! The whole place has the same attitude. Jesse is wonderful, everyone is dedicated to total satisfaction.

I've been playing for 20 years with a minimum amount of gigs. I own a Mesa Triple Rectifier and a Mesa Rectifier 4x12. The effects I use are BBE 362, M-One TC Electronic Processor, Hot Plate 8ohm, and a Shure UHF Wireless.

There is nothing I would change about this guitar! I got EXACTLY what I wanted...you know why? Because Roy and the crew walked me through every step! That's what it takes to create and build dream guitars!

If you read this review and you are a guitar enthusiast, buy and Anderson! I have my hand on a bible right now and I'm telling you this is the top rung on the ladder (at any price).

If this guitar were stolen, I would first cry (because, I don't know if this could ever be duplicated), then I would purchase a new lawnmower and run it over my head!

Do yourself a favor, if your looking for the ultimate edge in your playing...get an Anderson-CASE CLOSED-

George

Made in the USA in 1999. 22 fret gorgeous Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard on a spotless Maple neck. Buzz Feiten tuning system sounds absolutely fan-freakin-tastic all the way up the neck (which plays as fast or slow as you want). It's got a S/S/H pickup config, with the Single coil's stacked. Tom knows pickups, 'cuz there is no buzz or noise from the pickups... absolutely incredible. Basswood body, with a superb Cherry Sunburst finish. God this is a beautiful guitar. Strat style body with a gold classic style tremelo system that has never lost tune (even when the low E gets dropped to a B!). Locking gold tuners. Gold hardware is definitely the way to go on a Tom. This gets more than a 10. Switcheroo system is just great. Pop the switch up during clean tone to get a great bluesy tone (reminiscent of Stevie Ray), then toss it down to get that extra gain for overdrive.

This is the most versatile guitar I have ever played. It plays blues (as mentioned above), as well as classic rock Rush, to metal like Slayer and even Emperor. It sounds phenomenal thru a tube amp for a Hendrix type sound, but still can shred using an ART Xtreme pedal. Like I said, the clean tone is fantastic, and when you toss a little reverb and chorus on there it's mind-blowing. Every note is clear and can sustain for a while! Also, if you play really fast it is all clear and bright. This is a phenomenal guitar. Again, I'd give it more than a 10 but this thing only goes up to 10.

If this guitar contains a flaw of any sort, I haven't found it. I love this guitar's action, finish, and pickups. There is nothing I would change about this axe.

I've had it for 3 months and haven't broken a string yet even tho i play super hard sometimes. Sounds great every time I plug in!

I haven't had any problems, so I've had no reason to send it back. It's got a lifetime warranty on it, and I pray I never have to use it. However, the company is very friendly when you ask them about damn near anything. Check 'em out at www.andersonguitars.com

I've been playing for a long time. I've got a BC Rich Bich Deluxe that I play the majority of my heavy stuff on, but Tom has a place in my heart for the amount of joy I get every time I pick it up. The only thing I wish I had asked before I bought this guitar is if I could get about 10 more. I've played PRS, Ibanez, Fender, etc. No one comes CLOSE to Tom Anderson's guitars. If you want a really beautiful guitar with incredible sound for ANY style of playing, get a Drop Top. You will not be disappointed! It was worth every penny, and I'm going to try to get a couple more in the near future.

USA Made all soild tone wood Mahogany body maple top I have a custom shop Jackson Les paul custom and a Strat forget about these guitars there is not a better sounding or playing guitar better than the Anderson. Play one and you will see!!!

This guitar can play any style of music. Rich full and thick. If you want the best. Buy Tom Anderson!

Setup was GREAT right from the Anderson Shop The Finsh was the best!!!

Reliability 10 out of 10

Customer support not needed

If this guitar was stolen I would not walk but run to get another one. It would take to long to tell you how GREAT these guitars are you just have to try one out.

This guitar was made on April 21, 1999, and it is the finest instrument I have ever played. I could not believe all of the sounds that I could get from this thing. (Strat, Tele, and Les Paul) I have heard people say that you cannot get all of these sounds from one guitar, and it's true that you can't cop them all perfectly, but this guitar comes FAR closer than any I have ever seen.
The guitar I was searching for when I bought this guitar was a good stage and studio guitar. I'm getting to where I'm gigging more and I am getting tired of lugging around a Strat and Les Paul to get the majority of the sounds that I need.
When I asked people what guitar might get these sounds, I was told to try the PRS Swamp Ash model. I tried it and I found that the neck was too large and the guitar had no special characteristics to it. The one thing that made me really stop and take notice of Tom Anderson's guitars was when I was at a local guitar show and I played a Tom Anderson Cobra S. This particular guitar had a mahogany body which made the guitar heavier but also lended itself toward making a better Les Paul sound.
So from gathering information about what I liked about other Tom Anderson's, I order this guitar. Here is a list of the options that I ordered and what I think about them.
Tom Anderson Drop Top
Neck 62 Roundback - 1" 5/8" (this is the best neck I have ever played. At first it seemed a little narrow, but I adapted very quickly. I am used to playing a '94 American Standard Strat which has a fairly big neck.) Maple / Madagascar Rosewood Fretboard (The rosewood on this neck is flawless. It is a very dense wood and has very little open grain. It's so dense that it almost feels like ebony. Its color is a dark brown red color that is supposed to turn black over time. I guess then it will look like ebony.)
Heavy Frets (The frets on this guitar are so perfectly crowned and set that it must have taken hours to get this right. I do not know how they did this. The frets are seated so perfectly that they merge with the rosewood. I was expecting to see file marks on the finderboard where they had filed the frets, but it was all perfect. I wished that the frets were a little wider: more like a Gibson's frets. I think that wider frets make for better and smoother bends, but I have heard from other guitar players that a more narrow fret will make the guitar play more in tune. This brings me to the Buzz Feiten tuning system. I could not believe it when I played this thing. All of the notes played in tune perfectly all the way up the neck. Chords that you would not dare touch before, especially with distortion now ring clear. This is a great improvement in guitars and it will make you hate your non Feiten guitars when you try this.)
Matching Headstock (There's not much I can say about this except that the paint job is perfect. No flaws at all.)
Satin Back (The back of this neck is so smooth! You hands (as long as they are clean) will glide up and down this neck without any drags whatsoever.)
Body Mahogany with Quilted Maple Top (This is where this guitar is set apart from the rest. Like I said earlier, I had this Drop Top body made from Mahogany and that added the sustain and tone that I was looking for. While it did increase the weight a little, that was great because I played a few Drop Top's that had basswood bodies, and they felt cheap. I like a guitar that has some weight and feels substancial, and this one feels great strapped on. It's no where near as heavy as a Les Paul, but it feels more solid than a Strat. The stain and quilted maple top on this body are second to none. The grain is very dense and it looks like a bed of fire. It is the best maple top on a guitar that I have ever seen. Some maple tops are so perfect that they look fake. (they look too semetrical, almost like they were drawn on) This one has a lot of texture changes in it that makes it look very unique.)
Tortoise Shell (If you have not seen this color before, check out t

This guitar sounds really great. Like I said, it is a great stage and studio guitar that will cop all of the classic sounds very nicely.
Right now I am using this guitar with a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, and a Ibanez TS-808 Tube Streamer. I hope to soon upgrade my amp to something like a Mesa Boogie. I have found the Mesa Boogie Trem-O-Verb to be a nice amp, but a little too dark for this guitar. That amp will make this guitar loose it's sparkle and presence. I played this guitar through a Fender Hot Rod DeVille and it sounded great. The one thing I am looking for in an amp is a really tight crunch, but still retain those warm jazz and clean Fender sounds that people love.
I have never played a guitar that was this noise free. This thing is so quiet that you will pick it up with the amp on, a scare yourself to death because you forgot that it is still plugged in. (I'm not kidding here. I did this yesterday!!) The reason that it is so quiet is because Tom Anderson shielded the control cavity like I've never seen before. The bottom is layered with a copper sheet and the sides are painted with the paint that kills electromagnetic noise.

This guitar was almost perfectly setup when I got it. The only I had to do was lower the right side of the Floyd Rose just a little. This was easily done by tightening one of the screws on the bridge. Other than that it was perfect. I couldn't believe how well the pickups were balanced on this guitar. Usually on guitars with split humbuckers, the volume greatly varies from pickup to pickup, but not on this one. The sound is remarkably consistent. The neck is to perfectly seated in place, that it sounds, (and sustains) like a through neck guitar. The joints are perfect on this guitar.

I have only had this guitar for one day, but it feels very stable. I would and plan to gig with this being my only axe. (that's why I bought it.)
The paint on this guitar looks like something you would see from a show car!! It is flawless.

I cannot say enough great things about the Tom Anderson staff, especially Roy. Roy is the kindest most patient person I have ever dealt with in ANY customer service department. I too work in customer service and he inspires me to my my job better! He is a true joy to work with. If you talk with him, please give him my kind regards.

This is the finest instrument I have ever played. If you can't make this guitar talk, it's not the guitars fault. Tom Anderson makes a great guitar, and they set a new standard for innovation, craftsmanship, and sound quality in all of their instruments. I could not possibly recommend them more.