Anderson Drop Top

Awesome. Basswood body, quilted maple top. Maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. On-off switches for each pickup. Humbucker in the bridge, stacked single coils up above.

Doesn't sound like my Suhr Standard. Not as rich or tonally complex.

Plays amazing, almost exactly like my Suhr.

Well made. Reliable.

Good guitar, but I sold it and bought a Suhr Classic to compliment my Standard.

Mine is 10/2002, tobacco sunburst, quilt maple top on basswood body, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard, 1 piece hardrock maple neck, floyd rose tremolo, 1 volume and 1 tone knob, HSS with two SD1 and one H2+, b5 type switch with master split and push-pull on tone knob. Sure it has plenty of features with the 14 (!) different pickup configurations available.

This guitar can make almost anything. The bridge pickup screams with tons of harmonics and has a nice cutting voice, which makes it perfect for rock and soloing, when split it retains a strat-ish bridge single coil voice. The two single coils sound crisp and glassy yet warm, and sound great both clean or no-matter-how-much-distorted. These single coil are stacked, so no hum can be heard in "humbucking" mode, when split they sound even bigger, without losing their singlecoil character. Highs are cutting but warm, lows are almost piano-ish. The intermediate positions sound great on clean sounds (especially if you're looking for a good funk tone) and also crunchy, where they reproduce a good SRV-like tone.

My only dislike is that in humbucking mode, there is quite a huge volume difference between single coils and the bridge humbucker, but I think it is quite unavoidable.

I am using it with a Mesa/Boogie Quad preamp, a custom made poweramp and an ENGL 2x12 cab, a Flextone I HD, Flextone III Plus combo, Fender Hot Rod De Luxe combo.

When I first got it the action was almost impractical, but that was store's fault. Once set to a comfortable fit, this guitar is a butter to play, after a few minutes you feel like you've owned it for ages.

The Floyd Rose bridge is smooth and works great, without compromising tuning, no matter how many dive bombs you make.

Too bad paint on mine has a few flaws, which is something I can't forgive in such a high-price instrument. I bought it anyway, because it sounds and play beautifully, but I would have liked to see a better painting quality overall.

I bet that, if handled properly, it'll last longer than I will ever do. Very solid and well made (apart from the painting), if it wasn't for the risk of breaking a string (which can always happen) you could gig it without no stinking backup.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing for 13 years now. I've owned and played on many instruments, cheap and horribly expensive. I've played with Custom Les Pauls, Custom Shop Stratocasters, MusicMan Petrucci signature, PRS Custom 22, Peavey Wolfgangs and other that couldn't come to my mind so far. This guitar impresses me any time I play it, which almost never happened with other guitars.

My Tom Anderson Drop Top was made in 6/96 Has (2) stacked single coils SD1's and Humbucker HO2+ Floyed Rose Locking Tremlo,(3) Mini switches are on/off/on up position splits humbukers and down position full humbucker. Has a (1) 2-way switch on/off that by-passes the single coils and kicks in Humbucker only this is a very cool switching system. Basswood back/Flame maple top/Rosewood 22 fret neck 1 inch 11/16 Buzz Feiten tuning. comes with case
http://www.andersonguitars.com/productinfo.html
http://www.buzzfeiten.com/

The Drop top is killer plays like a dream the best neck and fret work I have ever seen or played.I play Rock,County,Blues.Jazz,Fusion,80's Metal. The stock pu's are good for the 80's Metal thing I had ahard time getting the strat thing happing when split I even had Tom make me a SL1 and SL1R these pickups are muck better than the SD's but still not the tone I was trying to get I wan'ted an nice strat tone Like Micheal Landau,Hendrix,Eric Johnson Tom's pu's where just not happing. I turned to my Freind John Suhr He makes V60 single coils to die for I put them in the Neck and Middle killer tone! I still was on the search for a humbucker tried everything you can think of and stayed with Duncan 59 humbucker this combo is killer made the Anderson sing and very happing I turn the SD 59 around so the srews are facing the bridge this gives a better strat tone. The V60's are ture single coils they will hum but if you want a true single coil vibe like Eric Johnson hum is good. Now The Anderson sounds full I truely recomend going with The Suhr V60's and Duncan 59
http://www.suhrguitars.com/
My amp set up is as such:
I use a Rivera custom 100W Rake head that Paul,Jay Gradon,and mysel designed itis dumble and marshall mix Killer tones! A Marshall 4X12 cab loaded with (2) weber Chicago 60 watt speakers and (2) Weber Thame 60 watt speakers I use this set up for my dry tones. Rack set up: Furman PL8,Bob Bradshaw Mini Mixer, Carvin DCM 1000 Pwr amp for TC electronics D-Two and G-Force I run these units 100% wet for cabs I use Rivera 2X12 Loaded with Weber Chicago 60 watt speakers and Vincenzo 2X12 Loaded with (1) Weber Thame and (1) Vintage 30 all cabs are at 16 ohms,after the DCM there is TC D-two delay,TC G-Force, Rack Drawer: Keeyle compressor,Ananlog man Jucier it's like a Dan Armstrong Orange sqeezer Killer! Arion Chorus,Fantone Peach Fuzz.
Bob Bradshaw/CAE Interface,Bob Bradshaw/CAE 2X4 switcher.

Pedal board: Bob Bradshaw/CAE RS-10,(2) Boss FV300L Vol Pedals to contoll the vol on the D-Two and G-Force,Boss 100 Guitar Volume pedal used through Rivera effects loop,Boss TU-2 tuner,Vox wah Mod by Bob Bradshaw/CAE.

The Anderson Drop Top was set-up killer from the factory, It's an Anderson everything is killer!

I have had this axe sence 96 everything still Killer. I have a PRS and the Tom Anderson Drop Top I use the Anderson 80% of the time if I only needed on guitar Anderson Drop Top is the one they are that killer! and worth the bucks!

Tom and his staff are very cool have delt with them many times always took time out on the phone and E-Mail! Thanks Tom and Staff. I have my tech Joe Glasier here in Nashville set up all my GTRs he's the best.

I have been play sence I was 12 I'm 39 now this is the only gear I use I't killer for my style and needs. If where stolen would buy another Like I said the pu's are good not killer! I love the guitar very soild axe. I dislike Tom's Pickups John Suhr and Duncans are the shit! I have compared these GTRs to others nothing come's close! in a Strat syle AXE.

01 or 02 modell bora-bora blue colour.Anderson tremolo swicheroo system for pick up changes.ssh,carved top (very beutifull top)maple,the back is alder or basswood,maple neck with magadascar rosewood fretboard,22 frets,self locking tuners cool hard case same as prs or custom shop fender,uncountable combinatios of sounds since the single coils are actually splitable humbuckers at the size of a single coil.The finish is marvelous (prs level).

My openion is based at +25 years of playing guitar.I have owned and still own some of the best instruments ever made therefore my openion on sound is very critical.A friend of mine top session guitarist in greece was selling this guitar(was on mint condition),so i took the guitar for test at home for 2 days.When i first plugged the instrument at the amp (clean class A) i thought something must be wrong with the amp since a biochemical sterilised sound directly from a top lab was coming through at any setting!I unplugged the anderson and i did plugg my favorite guitar a fender shomaster fmt (custom shop)the sound was the same as i knew allways,i checked with my prs same results as with the fender.I got really disapointed and i thought (with all this noise about the andersons)that maybe i had to change strings so i did but the results were the same.I ve tryid this guitar at dirty sounds but there was not a tone at all even the cheap(in comparison)Ibanez js(satriani)1000 sounded by far better.Dont know guys why all this noise for this guitar at list for me it doesnt do the trick.A complete disapointment!!!!

IS amazing,playability is really high.I suppose with the f/r bridge you can play and modern stuff,but the anderson bridge is cool as well for soft dives (no reverse).The construction is really top as you expect from an instrument at this price.

It seems that is builted for ever top quality instrument.

I dont know

As i explained i wanted to have this instrument badly but i got really disapointed.If this instrument is the real deal for others for me sounds plastic no real.The sound does not have definition at all.At the high gains does not keap character gets mudy and does not have tone at all.The swicheroo system is ideal for the studio but i believe it must be a real pain at the a... for live use.I believe with other pick ups this baby will sing fantastic,but who wants to spend a fortune for a guitar that will have to replace the p/us right after the purchase.As a conclusion if you want to give a try at this guitar modell compare it with other instruments as well at this price tag.Do not buy it based at all this noise.

Body Finish - Cajun Red with Black Back and Binding
Body Wood - Quilted Maple Top on Basswood
Neck Wood - Hard Rock Maple, Madagascar Rosewood Fretboard
Neck Finish - Matching Headstock, Satin Back
Nutwidth - 1 11/16 in
Frets - Heavy
Back Shape -
Hardware - Chrome
Bridge - Sunken Floyd Rose - Left Handed
Pickguard -
Pickups - SA1R SA1 H3
Switching - Switcheroo, Vintage Voicing
Strings - .010-.046 Elixir strings
Comments - Buzz Feiten Tuning System

The switcheroo pickup selector with blower switch alows for seemingly infinite sound combinations. Plus you can customize the seris/parallel functions of each pickup to get even more combos. See there website for details.

This is a review of first impression based on over 25 years of guitar playing. I will update this review in a year after living with this guitar but I felt compelled to write about it now.
The problem with this guitar is that there are so many different sound/pickup combinations that it is impossible to pick a favorite. Every guitar should have this problem :) Chords sound full, lush, and articulate, you can hear everything beautifully clear, even at the highest gain settings, over the top playing, the guitar retains definition, never muddy. The overtones this combination of woods get are simply amazing. So rich it almost sounds as if you are using reverb. A great guitar will sound great even when it is not plugged in, this guitar sounds so good acoustically that you will get great enjoyment out of playing it without an amp. The feel of the strings are somewhat tight, probably due to the floyd nut, but this helps the guitars overall richness and volume. The neck just feels right. This axe can get any sound of the best strat or les paul, with more definition, articulation, sound quality all while retaining its own unique sound. Seriously, I am not into writing fan mail, but this guitar deserves it. It is as good, even better, as people say, and there aren't many things that you can say that about. Any sound, any time, for any music. Since I realize some of you may be deciding between other guitars, I will tell you that I have owned a PRS Cust 22 and it is not even close to being in this guitars league. The PRS has good high end but muddy in the mids and lows. This is probably due to the different wood combinations. The combination of woods I got in the anderson compliment each other perfectly. The guitar sounds alive. The other guitar in this range is a LP. The LP uses the same mahoganny wood combo as the PRS and thus many of characteristics are the same as in the PRS. The PRS plays better and has a better fit and finish but in the end the PRS is just a LP wannabe. Both guitars are muddy sounding in the gain applications and the PRS is better than the LP in the clean sounds, more high end articulation. In high gain applications the LP deserves some credit, it is a bit more aggressive than the Anderson, but the anderson retains more definition and therfore sounds bigger and just plain better, add to that the awesome playability and quality, and the Drop Top wins hands down. The Drop Top in the above wood/pickup combination simply blows them all away. And to the american strat lovers, forget about it! the Anderson will get you any strat and tele sound, only much better and if you select the single coils in parallel...no typical strat hum. No better value for the money than this one.

Flawless. Low Action perfect, no buzz. No sharpe fret edges, perfect paint, perfect intonation. Best of show.

Too new to give serious review, but looks and feels like it will deliver the goods live, in the studio and everyday. The workmanship is perfect.

Quick to answer emails. Not sure what the warranty is. I think this is one of those companies that will take care of you, should you need it. Time will tell.

I've been playing for 25 years and have owned just about every major guitar out there. This guitar is expensive, but you get more than what you pay for. The guitar gets such a huge range of sounds that it makes other guitars obselete. There are other choices in this price range, I've had them PRS Cust 22, LP Classic, etc, but those guitars only really do one sound good, this Anderson does any sound great. Check one out or just go ahead and order one, you won't be disappointed.

My 2000 hollow drop-top has a mapple top on basswood,honeyburst with binding, matching headstock,s/s/h pickup-configuration,vintage trem,...and that fabulous switcheroo system!!! (Strat-style)

I give a 10 ten.These are the options I've chosen but you can get anything you want, just ask for it. And even if mine is rather traditional, the switcheroo offers so many possibilities, it's unreal.

I play blues, jazz and rock. The guitar suits me perfectly. I don't play heavy metal but I'm sure my Tom Anderson could handle it.
I'm using a Tweed Fender Deluxe as an amp.
I've got a BOSS GT5 for "Rock" sounds and a variety of pedals for Blues: Tube Screamer - Fulltone Overdrive - Boss digital delay - Rocktron Hush - Morley Bad Horsie Wah
The Anderson is absolutely DEAD QUITE even with heavy distortions.
I particularly like that hollow sound, it's very rich and smooth for soft jazz-blues ala Robben Ford. ( I wish I could play like him...but I've got a cool fusion sound at least.)
Once again the variety of sounds you can get with all the pickup combinations is amazing.

How can one beat this? I don't know.
Without a doubt, better than PRS. (I've tried a few.)
Better than Parkers (I had one)
Better than Ibanez jem 7vwh (I had one)


I'm an absolute maniac: one of my friend has a PRS Mc Carthy, with the birds and everything: 4000$ (more or less): I could see glu through the F-holes: I've now a poor opinion of this guitar. But here: Everything is PERFECT!!! and trust me I'm still looking for that slightest imperfection. I can't find it.

By the way, I was used to playing 9-46's.
This guitar was set up with 10-52's: I can play them with no problem, it's just butter. I keep them because it's easy and it sounds great. So if you like big strings, big sounds but you don't want sore fingers, once again you can it.

I'm trying to be honnest since the beginning of my review. I realise I've only been giving tens which doesn't sound very critical but I've been playing this guitar for four month now and I'm everyday more excited about my baby.

I won't give ten for this one because I've seen a few Tom Anderson's and I've to say that the hardware, eventhough perfectly efficient, gets easily oxidized. It's even worst with gold finish. (Mostly pickup plots, tone, volume and bridges) Looks like they don't resist well to sweat.

But they are build like tanks and you could rely on it.
Always carry a backup because you can't rely on a string. :o)

I mailed a long letter to the factory a few weeks ago to let them know how satisfied I was and Tom Anderson himself answered the very same day.

Do I need to say that this is UNTHINKABLE with other companies?
There should be a special scale for Tom Anderson and his team in this category: 20 out of 10.

PS
If you Anderson guys read this: Thanks Again!!! Best wishes from Belgium!!!

---I've been playing only six years but I'm dedicated and I play at least two hours everyday. I've had a lot of gear yet. Strat US, Strat+ US, Tele US, Steinberger 'Stick', Parker Fly Deluxe, Ibanez Jem 7vwh(just like Steve).
I was a die-hard Fender fan and I still am one BUT I sold my Fenders. Not because I needed the money real bad but just because I was sure I wouldn't use them anymore.
I sold the Parker fly because the sound was so "sterile" compared to the Tom Anderson.
I sold the Ibanez because it was so "cheesy" compared to the Tom Anderson.
I only have one electric guitar now and I'm much happier than when I had five!!!
I'll probably buy a Cobra as "Tom" "suggested" me to do in his mail.
(I need a backup and only T.A. will do.)

----Some people will say that a Tom Anderson doesn't sound as good as some old 1962's-1963's Strats. I believe it, some vintage Fenders are fantastic. It's like wine, the good ones only get better with age.

FUCK, I can't wait 40 years to listen to my Tom Anderson. It's already great now...How divine will it be?

---I read in some reviews that Tom Anderson are expensive.
THEY AREN'T!!! They sure cost a lot of money! But they are worth every penny. Buy one, you won't regret it. Take my word.

Made in October of 01 this Anderson Drop Top features a beautiful flamed maple top on Alder, not the more typical basswood, finished in their Tiger's Eye burst with matching head stock. It is a s/s/h configuration with Anderson SA1, SA1R, and I think a H2+ (bought it used) with the Anderson "switcheroo" system. Other features include an Anderson standard neck with rosewood fretboard, locking tuners and vintage style bridge.

This is where this guitar really shines. There are guitar makers that make instruments that look just as good but Anderson's have the tone to match. This guitar absolutely sings! The chords just bloom with harmonics and overtones. Single notes have sustain for days and are well balanced throughout the register. There is SO much complexity to the sound it makes the guitar hard to put down. I purchased this guitar to replace a PRS Custom 24, which is a great guitar, but the tone was a bit generic and uninspiring. Maybe this is the difference in the body woods.

The Feiten tuning system is also just amazing. You really can tell a huge difference in the intonation across the entire neck. The "switcheroo" system is incredibly versatile and cops about any sound I would need. The whole wiring circuitry that Anderson's use is just phenomenal. The volume knob works better than any guitar I have ever owned. As you turn down the volume that is all you loose...is volume. The tone stays the same and this is the same on any pickup setting. The tone knob is much more usable as well. The vintage voicing deal they do is really cool too.

This guitar is truly designed around tone first and foremost. I have read quotes that Tom Anderson is not really interested in overly ornate guitars, as you can tell by their line, and shoots for making the best sounding and playing instruments. I think they hit the mark!

Best I've ever seen! This guitar?s finish, tolerances, fret work and overall attention to detail is second to none. I like my action a bit higher so I did raise it a little but it came set up perfectly. The funny thing is I got this one used and it still is better than any guitar I have ever seen at a store. You can really tell these guys love making guitars and take a lot of pride in what they do.

Don't know here yet but from reading other reviews and judging from the quality of the instrument I don't see this will be a problem.

I have to share this. After the first time I played an Anderson (used in a store) I fell in love. So I called Anderson and reached a women in customer service. She was very helpfull and sent me the information I requested quickly. She also informed me that if I had any other questions in my decision process of possibly buying an Anderson to call and they would be glad to explain/help me get what would best suit my needs. So my firstimpressions were great...and I was calling in reguards to a used one! Then, just a couple of months ago I sent an email to Tom himself about an article I had read about him and to compliment him on their guitars. I received an email from Tom himself later that day not only responding to my email but again offering to assist in any way if I had questions about thier guitars. Try that with some other manufactures!

I've been playing for about 16 years and would consider myself very picky about tone and performance of an instrument. I play a lot of stuff clean and have an incredible little Princeton Reverb with NOS tubes. So the tone of the guitar is pretty exposed and not buried in a bunch of distortion and effects. Don?t get me wrong, I like to play with overdrive as well but if it doesn?t cut it clean than it doesn?t cut it for me. I've owned a custom Kramer (made in the 80's with the Statue of Liberty painted on it...would probably be worth a little right now), an Ibanez JEM, 2 ?74 strats (still own one), a Yamaha 335 copy, and a PRS Custom 24. I also have worked in music retail on and off for 7 years and have had the opportunity to play a lot of fine instruments from custom shop to vintage stuff. After I played an Anderson for the first time I was blown away. It sounded better and played better than any guitar I have played. Ever since then I have wanted one and now with the purchase of this Drop Top I have one.

The PRS was awful good and I got it through the store I worked at so I couldn't pass up the deal, but as I stated before it didn't quite have the tone I was looking for. This Drop Top is replacing that guitar and I think it will be around for a while. That first Anderson I played was a Classic, which will probably be my next purchase to replace my Strat. Don?t play one or you will not be the same until you get one.

1995 model
Cajon Red
Original Floyd
Basswood w/ Maple top
Pickups: SD1R, SD1 & H2+
Maple fretboard
Case

This is the first electric guitar I have ever played that can get a round, vintage Strat neck and middle pickup tone with lots of sharp attack and clarity, as well as a fat, robust, smooth bridge pickup tone ala a vintage Les Paul, not to mention many other tones unique to this guitar. A player can literally play any style of electric guitar music with this instrument and always have a sweet tone doing it. I have 5 electric guitars including an early 60s Fender, custom made Charvel Strat, Gibson Les Paul Custom and an Ibanez Strat and the Anderson is my main guitar for recording and live performances. Also, although I don't use the trem as much as I used to, the guitar simply won't go out of tune no matter how much I yank the bar.
I highly recommend the basswood/maple top body with my pickup combinations (mentioned above). The clean tones are crystal clear with a nice balance of bottom, mids and highs. The overdriven and high gain distorted tones are superior to all of my other guitars. The leads are full with lots of musical tone and sustain. The sound is smooth and isn't too dark or ear piercingly bright. I've received many compliments on my tone while playing live with this guitar.

The guitar is very refined and well made. It's obvious it's hand crafted and a lot of time was spent on the details. While I play the guitar it feels as if it's an extension of my own body. WHen I play other guitars they seem inferior, bulky and uncomfortable now.

I've been playing this guitar for at least 6 years for live gigs and studio use and I've never had a problem. THis guitar has been dropped in the studio and kicked over by a Hoochy Mama that jumped on the stage at a live show, and the guitar still plays like it did when It was new.

I've emailed Anderson Guitars a few times with questions and Tom, himself, has always responded in a timely and informative manner.

While I own a few sought after guitars and have played many expensive, handcrafted intruments (PRS, Moore, etc..), Andersons are always my favorites. There's no other one guitar that can get the variety and quality of tones that my Droptop gets with a feel and action that is second to none. For me, this is my dream guitar and I won't need to buy another electric ever, except maybe another Anderson. This alone justifies the price of the guitar. I look at this way, it may cost 5 times what the average electric costs but it's 10 times the quality, is tonally equal to 3 or 4 guitars, will last a lifetime, looks so good sometimes I get aroused looking at it and it allows me to fully express my musical ideas. Therefore, it's a bargain when compared to other guitars.

US Made, 22-fret neck, rosewood fingerboard, S/S/H with switcheroo system and blower switch. Bora Bora Blue finish on body and headstock. The criteria for leaving a review says that glowing reviews won't be published. But for an instrument of this caliber, how can you leave anything <but> a glowing review? This is the Ferrari of guitars! Worth every penny you spend. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is that the Kahler-made Floyd-licensed bridge had the trem arm receiver drilled too close to the high E string saddle. The upshot of this is, when you go to screw the trem arm in, you have to apply a little more force to torque it as the locking collar of the arm rubs up against the bridge at that point. Not Anderson's fault per se, but worth a slight deduction.

Tone runs the gamut from very clean split parallel Wes Montgomery sound on the clean channel of the amp (Rivera TBR-1SL) to nice and chunky distortion using the stock bridge pickup and the dirty channel of the amp. The Anderson pickups are remarkably versatile in sound, and by varying the volume and tone controls slightly, you are able to achieve a wide variety of tones. The bridge humbucker in particular has a wonderful harmonic sweetness to it that I've not found before in any other guitar I own, and I own quite a few. It's very easy to dial in a Larry Carlton-esque (esp. with Steely Dan)sound-distorted but more of a singing sustain. And if your tastes run harder (as mine do), it's fully capable of really laying on the shred!

I got this instrument from an online auction, and they had it professionally set up before they shipped. However, the overall quality of the instrument is top notch. The Bora Bora Blue finish is remarkable to look at, especially in direct or filtered sunlight! I also like the two strap pegs on the bottom of the instrument, allowing those without guitar stands to be able to stand it upright against a wall without as much chance of the guitar taking a header into the floor.

I've only had this one for a few months, but it seems totally reliable. The only hardware "problem" would be the oxidation of the gold-plate Floyd bridge and volume knobs, but that is the same with any instrument having those installed.

The guitar came without a trem arm, and the bozos at my local music store seemed uncertain as to which size replacement arm they could order because of the snugness between the locking collar and the bridge mentioned earlier. I emailed the company and received a prompt reply from Tom, who I'm guessing is the man himself. He was very helpful with directing me towards a replacement arm. I challenge anybody to have this kind of timely, helpful response from the owner/president/namesake of any of the other "major" guitar companies. A+!!!

I have a variety of guitars from several manufacturers(Hamer, ESP, Ibanez, PRS, Carvin, Jackson, Kramer) and this one stands head and shoulders above them all. Its beauty, easy playability, and tonal palette are second to none. If it were stolen...UGH!! What a thought!! If it were stolen, after I sobered up from my post-theft bender, I would scour the planet looking for another as quickly as I could stagger. Another reviewer said the Anderson is the ultimate evolution of the Strat where the PRS is the ultimate evolution of the Les Paul. I totally agree. After playing for 16+ years on quite a few different guitars, I wouldn't trade or sell this one for ANYTHING.

1999: Body is quilted maple top on basswood. Neck is hard rock maple with madagascar rosewood fretboard. 1 11/16 nut, heavy frets, locking tuners, PUPS: SA1R / SA1 / H2, 5 way mini splits, with .10 gauge strings. Vintage Tremolo.
Feiten tuning system.

I play blues, rock and jazz. Sound is incredible. Does it all. I have an amer. std. strat, and have had Les Pauls in the past. I can approximate these tones, but I find the drop top in its own category. Frankly, if you want Gibson or Fender tone - play one. T.Anderson is different and much better. Rich singing tone. I have never played a guitar with this much sustain. I have to be more precise with my fingering because of the lengthy sustain in order to avoid notes playing too long!
Feiten system is for real. I have been a piano player for almost 30 years and I am intonation obsessed. This is the first guitar I have played that does not have sour spots. I am going to retrofit my strat and my gibson accoustic.

Action, fit & finish I rate a 10. This is the best playing guitar I have ever put my hands on. Factory settings were perfect. When I played it at the store, I was in heaven. I told my wife I had to have this guitar - she said to sleep on it before you buy it. I did not sleep that night and tossed and turned thinking about all night long. I bought this baby the next day.

Seems good so far. Have had no problems. This guitar will definately withstand live playing and gigging. I would gig without a backup because I now play 10's. Never broken a 10, but have broken 9 gauge strings back to back on several occassions. I don't foresee any other technical problems with this guitar that would require a backup.

Never had to deal with them.

Been playing at least 15 years - I don't want to count. Have an american standard strat, crate G40D 2x8 stereo (for practice), and Fender hot rod deluxe 2x12 - although I'm about to get a Bogner shiva or Dr. Z.
If it were stolen I would cry like a baby girl! Then I would get another one!

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.

My Transparent Cajun Magenta (gorgeous!) DT was finished on 4-3-96@Noon. This was one of the last non-Buzz Feiten Tuning Drop Tops. It has a quilted maple top on a basswood body, maple w/rosewood fingerboard, pull-pot for combined split coil hum cancelling on the two TA passive humbuckers(H3, H1), and a chrome original Floyd Rose, sunken into the body. The frets are so perfectly dressed, they look like a jeweler did them. I bought this guitar at a show in NYC that had skylights, so that I could see it in all its glory. It was sitting next to a more expensive EVH Music Man, and there was just no comparison. the non-locking Grover tuners would not have been my first choice(I don't like the look of them), but since TA decided to use them, I figure they had their reasons, so I won't change them for simply aesthetic reasons of my own. TA sends you one of their matching straps (or a t-shirt) when you register your warranty, which is lifetime, transferable, unlimited, and completely unnecessary(unless you alter any specific area of the guitar-duh).

Whatever I play on this guitar, it speaks with authority. Notes jump out of it. I use a few different amps- Mesa/Boogie Studio .22; Hughes & Kettner Tubeman plus preamp and M/B fifty/fifty power amp; a Sundown, and an amp made by a guy in Holland named ROY (but because the NA distibutor is such a jerk, I refuse to give the name-you figure it out...). The sound of this guitar is simply chameleonic. It can go from a LP crunch mid to a stratty sparkle in a flick. All the electronic parts are ultra-high quality. It sounds unbelievable and feels even better.

Flawless everywhere, of course.

I got the catalog, and it says to be sure to wear something sharp, or the guitar will upstage you. Too true. I don't even take mine out of the the house unless I know I'm going to be seen in a positive environment. I'm too paranoid of somebody stealing it from me.

Top notch, all the way. Roy is a very knowledgeable and patient guy who will answer all of the questions you may have pertaining to the guitars.

I've been playing for 20 years. I have an '82 Fender '62 strat RI, a '93 Parker Fly Deluxe non-trem, an Ibanez prototype(secret, one of a kind), and a bunch of other guitars I bash on when I don't want to take out the TA or the other three. They can have my Drop Top when they pry it out of my cold, dead hands. I love that it's one of the last non-Buzz Feiten TA's made. I can always get another with the system installed. This guitar has character without it. Unless you are prepared to part with (at least) a grand and a half, do not even pick up a TA. Otherwise, you'll start looking for gas stations and convenience stores to knock over to come up with the cash...

My 1992 Drop Top was made in California like all Andersons. It's a quilt maple top in Bora Bora blue on a basswood Strat-style body. Neck is 22-fret, 25.5-inch scale maple neck with matching paint headstock, pau ferro fingerboard with medium jumbo frets, Schaller license keys. All hardware is gold. Kahler Floyd Rose license trem. Pickup configuration is humbucker in bridge and stacked singles in middle and neck, all passive made by Anderson. The "switcheroo system" is on board (three on-off-on switches which taps the humbucker and the stacks and the Anderson "blower" switch bypasses any toggle combination to go straight to bridge humbucker) are on board with master volume and tone.
This guitar is decked out with every thing a player could dream of but don't let the hot-rod super-strat thing fool you.. It's so versatile, it's the first guitar I've owned (including high end pieces like ESPs, Jacksons, old USA Charvels, Gibson, even a Steinberger) that remains totally stock, down to the strap pins.

You'd be hard pressed to find a guitar more versatile. I play primarily hard rock and Texas-style blues. It does the "super Strat" thing great due to the humbucker in bridge and single stacks. Very quiet guitar noise-wise and only feeds back when you want it to. And I have yet to find a non-Fender Strat that can do a better job emulating classic strat tones better than this guitar.
It does pristine clean, kinda clean, little dirty, getting raspy, and down-right obnoxious, you name it. If I show up at a gig or recording time with one guitar, it's this one.

I string my Drop Top with Dean Markley Hybrid Slinkys (9-46). I have not had to intonate the guitar since I got it, I only touch the keys to re-string and I rarely have to touch the fine tuners, tuning is that stable (according to both my ears and the Peterson strobe tuner at the guitar shop). This Anderson was made before Feiten Tuning became a standard factory option and most Anderson owners who play it swear it's a Feiten-equipped guitar, it's that perfectly in tune up and down the neck.
There's not a flaw on this guitar, construction wise or set-up wise. Fretwork that's this clean will spoil you. The action will go as low as a 70s Les Paul Custom without buzzing if you want it that low. Electronics are quiet and six years later, not even the slightest dust scratches in the pots.
Visually, the Bora Bora (originally a blueish turquoise) has yellowed slightly over the years, making it a hint greener than brand new Bora Bora-painted guitar. Don't let that scare you. Between the severely quilted top and the color, this guitar looks like the floor of the Caribbean from a plane. It's so beautiful, my wife doesn't mind if I leave it in the living room and uninvited guests pop up.

Never had a tuning problem live and only broke a string once at practice, playing a Metallica song requiring heavy downstroke picking on month-old strings. Not one crapped out switch, pot, not even a broken tremolo part.

The guys at Anderson seem very helpful by phone. I don't know why they even warranty their guitars because apparently nothing on the guitar is breakable. And I have yet to find a non-Anderson-dealer guitar shop owner, manager or employee that doesn't have nice things to say about them (and I don't tell them I have one before I ask).

I've been playing 16 years and I've owned a lot of guitars, but when I got my Drop Top, I noticed I stopped playing my other guitars and I started selling them off. Whether I'm at rehearsals, on stage or just playing around at the house, I'm using the Anderson, a Mesa-Boogie Mark III half stack and a cable. Very rarely I'll throw in effects, and even then it's only a Crybaby and a cheap delay pedal for soloing. The guitar literally sings and it would be a sin to color its tone with effect grease.
The Drop Top iis the ultimate workhorse and it's beautiful on top of that. Not a weakness to be found in the instrument and they carry solid re-sale value if you're stupid enough to get rid of it. You can't ask for more in a guitar.
If it dies in a house fire or is stolen, I will likely need therapy...and another guitar just like it within 24 hours on top of that.

Anderson, made in the USA, 22 frets, maple top with basswood body, switcheroo switching system, volume knob, tone knob, SSH config, anderson pickups SD-1, SD-1R, H2+, bora bora blue quilted top, floyd rose, grover turners, tom anderson standard fretboard, rosewood fingerboard/maple neck, came with anderson case.

This guitar suits my music style perfectly. Im into a lot of instrumental rock, satriani, vai, and others. Im also into stuff like dream theater, pat martino (jazz), metallica and many other bands like these. Im using it with a Gallien-Krueger backline 100 amp, the pickups are very very quiet, the tone is awesome, best tone in any guitar bar none. the varitey of this guitar is mind-blowing, i can go from a shredding metallica solo, to a soft jazz solo, to about anything you can imagine.

Anderson guitars come with a FLAWLESS set up, the action is very very low, it plays like butter. the pickups are adjusted PERFECTLY, everything is perfect about this guitar, no flaws at all, as i said before, this guitar is flawless.

this is a VERY reliable guitar. taking one look at it, it is a VERY solid made guitar. perfect is the word i use to describe it.

the BEST customer support out there, bar none. and yes there is a lifetime warranty.

I have been playing for around 2-2 1/2 years and played about every guitar make out there. this is the perfect guitar period, nothing beats it. ive tried various ibanez, prs, gibson, parker, fender, you name it. ive owned a yamaha and a ibanez js100 guitars, if this guitar was stolen, i would hunt that person down. what do i love about it? i love EVERYTHING about it, i compared it to MANY guitars as ive mentioned above and this one was way above all of them. this is the perfect guitar.

This Drop Top was born on 10-12-97 in the afternoon (or "p" as on the neck plate). This is a tortoise shell (or Rootbeer finish) with binding, quilted maple top on basswood body, hard rock maple neck with madagascar rosewood fretboard, matching headstock, satin back finish on neck, 1-11/16" nut, heavy frets, Buzz Feiten Tuning System, gold vintage trem, grover locking tuners, SD1R -> SD1 -> H2+ pickups (S/S/H), switcheroo, vintage voicing.
If you have the 1998 Tom Anderson Catalog, you have seen this guitar. It is the cover. Yes, it really is the exact guitar shot for the cover as confirmed by my dealer, the folks at Tom Anderson and Brian Tong at The Brainyard who did the catalog.
The switcheroo system is explained well by John Ou's review of his Drop Top Classic, but here is a quickie run down of how it works: Each pickup has a on-off-on switch. Up is either parallel or split coil (as per you choice on EACH pickup inside the control cavity), middle is pickup off and down is pickup in series. The fourth mini switch is the "blower switch" which is up = off and down = full series humbucker no matter how the other mini swithes are set. So you can go from a bright single coil tone to ripping humbucker and back with a quick flip of the wrist. In use, this is a very powerful and intelligent solution.

This guitar fills a void in my sound (which is primarily Gibson'esque rock guitar ala my three PRS's) by giving me true single coil tones. My equipment list consists of: Amps: Rivera Rake 55 (with NOS Mullard 12AX7/ECC83 in preamp and Svetlana EL-34's in power amp), Rivera Knucklehead (GE NOS 12AX7 in preamp and Svetlana EL-34's in power amp)
Speaker Cabs: Rivera Rake 2x12 (Celestion G12T-85 wired in series 16 ohms), Rivera Q-Cab 2x12 (EVM-12L's wired in series 16 ohm), 1980's Carvin 4x12 (reloaded and rewired with Celestion Vintage 30's wired in series 16 ohms), Peterson Custom Shop 2x12 with Naylor Special Design 50's (wired in series 16 ohms).
Effects: Fulltone Clyde Wah, Fulltone Deja Vibe, Fulltone Supa Trem, Ayan Signal Conditioner. (All mounted on a custom Fulltone pedal board powered by Fulltone Black Box Jr. power supply and travels in a Custom Fulltone Road Case)
The sounds generated with my Anderson are smooth. There is no better word to describe it. I am a very happy Anderson owner because the guitar has lived up to its billing and given me the Fender'esque tones I was lacking with the PRS's. In the studio and live, the guitar sounds very good as compared with the PRS's. It is inherently a brighter sounding instrument (probably due to the maple neck) even with the humbucker only on in series as compared to my PRS's. Very detailed sounding, complex overtones, fairly even spread over the sound spectrum with a slight upper midrange hump on the humbucker, but this is all another way of saying, "Very smooth sounding." This is not a grungy sounding bluesy guitar. The tones are too round, full and pretty sounding. Although you could make the guitar do the nasty tones if you wanted too, you are better served by being seduced by its silky sounds. The single coil sounds share the same descriptions with the spanky and undeniably fun sounding Fender Strat tones.
My quick 2? on the Buzz Feiten Tuning System: the overtones that beat or pulsate on many chord voicings are not present here. Open string chords ring true, diads and triads that I would normally shy away from with a real clean tone sound more pleasent. To my ear, the system does in fact represent a real improvement.

Now here is where this Tom Anderson Drop Top outshines even my beloved PRS's. This is mostly because of the following: the fret work is the best I have ever seen on any level instrument bar none. If there is ever a more perfect fret finish, then it can only be as good as this guitar, not better. The set-up from the factory was good, but I have specific wants and needs and do my own set-ups, so only minor tweaking was necessary. The Feiten Tuning system threw me a bit on this part, I cannot do my own intonation without a tuner that can be adjusted for tempered tuning. But the pickups, the fit and finish overall are just what you would expect from a guitar at this price level or beyond.
The neck is so sexy and seductive feeling, when I first sat with this guitar I must have played for 20 or 30 minutes without plugging in. The neck was so inviting and acoustic tone unplugged is very appearent and very rich. I had just played a 10th Anniversary PRS, an Artist IV PRS, and even a couple of other Anderson models (Drop Top Classics) at that store. This one just spoke to me. Once I plugged in and was met with the rich and creamy sounds I paid for and walked out of the store with the guitar.
I do not use trem at all anymore and added the fifth spring and set up the guitar with the trem base flat against the body. Tuning stability is good.
I am not crazy at all about the grover locking tuners. You need a key or screwdriver to unlock/lock them, making stage use limited IMHO. I am not going to change them for this reason, but if this was my live axe, I would in a hearbeat.

This guitar has been played live in rehearsal halls and at a controlled atmosphere party, but because of its cost and my inability to see it bumped and scratched, it will most likely be mostly played at home, in the studio and at rehearsals only. The finish will withstand it fair share of use, it hung on the wall of a music store for a few months with no scratches or wear evident at all.

Here again, Tom Anderson stands above the rest of the Guitar makers out there. They answer the phone, they talk to you and treat you with respect. I requested a catalog long ago, it was sent promptly. I called when I got this guitar to get the offsets for the tuning system. It was sent with my free guitar strap (or you can get a free t-shirt). Very nice touch.
Because this guitar was on the cover of the Anderson Catalog, I wanted a copy of the photo. I called Tom Anderson and they put me in touch with their catalog producer, Brian Tong, a fellow Tom Anderson owner. He sent me the original transparency. That is gutsy. I had it copied and sent it back. That is cool. Highest kudos.

This guitar is the Mercedes of guitars. I have always been a PRS lover and player, this guitar is a beautiful contrast to that type of sound. IMHO, PRS is the intelligent evolution of Gibson-esque guitars, and Tom Anderson is the intelligent evolution of Fender-esque guitars. I spent more money on this one instrument than any one instrument ever. I do not spend money lightly. An incredible guitar that more than lived up to the hype.
Here is my full gear breakdown, plus my influences and style:
Guitar Related Stuff
Guitars: 1991 PRS Custom 24, 1995 PRS Custom 22, 1997 PRS CE-22, 1995 Peterson Custom Shop Signature, 1982 Guild S-25, 1994 Parker Fly Deluxe, 1996 Taylor 810S.
Amps: Rivera Rake 55 (with NOS Mullard 12AX7/ECC83 in preamp and Svetlana EL-34's in power amp), Rivera Knucklehead (GE NOS 12AX7 in preamp and Svetlana EL-34's in power amp)
Speaker Cabs: Rivera Rake 2x12 (Celestion G12T-85 wired in series 16 ohms), Rivera Q-Cab 2x12 (EVM-12L's wired in series 16 ohm), 1980's Carvin 4x12 (reloaded and rewired with Celestion Vintage 30's wired in series 16 ohms), Peterson Custom Shop 2x12 with Naylor Special Design 50's (wired in series 16 ohms).
Effects: Fulltone Clyde Wah, Fulltone Deja Vibe, Fulltone Supa Trem, Ayan Signal Conditioner. (All mounted on a custom Fulltone pedal board powered by Fulltone Black Box Jr. power supply and travels in a Custom Fulltone Road Case)
Misc: Mesa Boogie V-Twin Pedal, Furman PL-8 Plus, Tascam 424mkII, Pro Co 10 gauge 2ft speaker cable with Switchcraft plugs, D'Addario 10's (Phosphor Bronze 13's on Acoustics), D'Andrea .73mm Delrex Formula Picks (the Yellow ones), Boss AD-5 Acoustic Preamp, Monster Cable Rock Cords, Spectraflex Fatso Flex Guitar Cords. PA Stuff: Mackie 1604VLZ, Mackie FR-1400i Power Amp, Fender Artist 115-ELC Speakers, EV Monitors, SKB Rack Cases.
Music Related Stuff
Band Name: Marilyn Mack Group
Favorite Music: Guitar rock/pop/funk/jazz.
Favorite Musicians: Brian May, Jeff Beck, Alex Lifeson, Tim Pierce, Seal, BB King, Edward Van Halen, Wes Montgomery, James Brown, Miles Davis, etc.
Favorite Music to Play: Guitar rock/pop/funk/jazz.
If something happed to this guitar, I would go out of my way to find another Tom Anderson that meant as much to me. I love the way it feels, sounds, looks and plays. I do not like the grover locking tuners. The Buzz Feiten Tuning System and Switcheroo pickup selection scheme are very useful and make this guitar very important in my mix of tones I can play.
If you can not afford it and want it, start saving now. The Tom Anderson guitar will not disappoint -- it is worth the money.