Met Tom Anderson the other day!

[EvilBatman]

Yeah Tom and everyone at Anderson are great people. My biggest regret is selling the Drop Top I had years ago. I'm debating right now whether I want to move back to seven strings or get an Anderson. I'd love to get in on the 7's Anderson is doing on the limited run but won't have the money in time unfortunately.

Anderson pickups are my favorite too.

Awesome story man. I'd love to take the tour someday too.

 

[Mr. Willy]

What's the deal with the dual strap buttons on Andersons?

Keeps the guitars from falling over if leaned up against an amp

Hmm...when I lean my guitar against an amp, the wood is in contact with the floor, not the strap button. I guess if it works, it works. Does it feel strange when the guitar is strapped on?

 

[mysticaxe]

What's the deal with the dual strap buttons on Andersons?

Keeps the guitars from falling over if leaned up against an amp

Hmm...when I lean my guitar against an amp, the wood is in contact with the floor, not the strap button. I guess if it works, it works. Does it feel strange when the guitar is strapped on?

Nope. I'm used to holding the Anderson that way, so it feels natural. Other guitars feel natural with the the single button too.

 

[chakosh]

Yeah that was certainly a lot of fun. That heat treated maple is giving me some serious GAS. I think I'm already spec-ing out my next Anderson in my head... Great guitars, really cool people, and a great facility. I like how Tom said it - "I don't want to make one really great guitar and a few ok guitars. I want to make them ALL really great. If that means we do 15 instead of 22 this week, I'm fine with that."

I especially liked the vacuum top adhering device. That was pretty cool.

 

[gbsmusic]

A few years ago, my parents moved to Southern CA, about 15 minutes from the Anderson shop (which I didn't realize until earlier this week). So my brother (who posts here from time to time as Chakosh), my dad and I popped for a quick tour. We called ahead and they said something along the lines of "we're here all day, come on by."

As soon as we walk in the door, a guy walks up to us and says, "Hi, I'm Tom, can I help you?" After my brother asked for the tour, Tom grabbed his coffee cup and we were off. He took us around the shop from the raw wood receiving area through everything to the final setup. Every single step, it was bluntly obvious that we were with someone who thoroughly loved what he did and talking about how and why.

We saw stuff every step along the way from roughed out, tops that hadn't been dropped, necks drying out, initial sprays for some of the crazy finishes, pickup winding stuff, and a couple that were on their way out the door. Tom spent a good hour (OK, a great hour) with us and answered any question we could come up with.

Now there's only one problem... My GAS had been more-or-less under control, but I seem to have pangs for a nice new Atom...

I love to hear about guys like this. He takes the time to give you a tour!! Thats awesome!!

 

[Digital Jams]

Very cool story, must have been great to speak with one of the founding fathers of the superstrat. I got the same feelings from my tour of the Hamer factory, you see these true craftsmen building and you start to understand how true custom shop guitars come to be.

 

[mysticaxe]

I like how Tom said it - "I don't want to make one really great guitar and a few ok guitars. I want to make them ALL really great. If that means we do 15 instead of 22 this week, I'm fine with that."

I found that interesting too - he was far more concerned with the product than the production quantity.

 

[killertone]

When I was a TA dealer, it was a blast to call in my orders and spec out all the guitars with Roy. I had a Cobra in Tiger's Eye Burst built once that I took home and was going to buy because it was just the sickest guitar I had ever played at that point. Ended up not doing it only because I was super broke back then. Wish I had it, though.