NGD! Anderson Drop Top 7 *HOLY SHIT!*

  • Thread starter Thread starter killertone
  • Start date Start date
Rezamatix":1qlzogew said:
A little video would be appropriate right about now...
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My little one is home sick with me today. Gonna have something for tomorrow though. :thumbsup:
 
TeleBlaster":1lhp7f5p said:
killertone":1lhp7f5p said:
Why did it take so long you ask? I originally asked for a reverse headstock. They have never made a reverse headstock 7 before and mine was going to be the first one. Lots of stuff was going on at Anderson (busy as hell plus a company move) and Tom never wrote the program for the CNC which apparently is a major undertaking. I opted to wait it out but then was told a few moths later that Tom had too much on his plate and that it was going to be until late this year when he could devote the time to writing the program.
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Wow, very beautiful.
Sorry you didn't get your reverse. Not a big deal to mirror image a path. This is pure conjecture, but I'm guessing they don't create their own tool paths but have an outside company do it, probably whoever sold them the CNC router or mill, whatever they use.
Another possibility is that TA does not make their own necks but subs them out to another company like Warmoth or USA Custom Guitars. Many smaller builders do this.
Not at all trying to say anything negative about TA, just trying to look for a logical reason why they would accept an order for a reverse but not be able to produce it.
Regardless, it looks fantastic! Great to see a fixed bridge that is not a TOM, as well.
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I don't know anything about TAGs processes other than what we see on shop tour videos and whatnot but it's possible if not likely that there's much more to it than mirroring a path.

For example, when I make a neck, I can create a mirrored toolpath for the perimeter cut of the neck very easily. Everything outside of the headstock as far as the perimeter goes is symmetrical, so that one toolpath by itself is no big deal.

But the toolpath that I use to thin the headstock only thins a non-reverse headstock. So I'd need to create a new toolpath for that as well.

On a tool-changing machine, multiple toolpaths are ganged together and if you change just one toolpath in the middle, you need to rethink the whole prcoess.

And my jigs and rigging for fixtures through the rest of the process are not always symmetrical or capable of holding a reverse headstock either. They may hold the neck by the tuner holes, for example.

I'm just guessing that there may be issues like that.

And so he has to make a call with how much he wants to disrupt the production process and how many new toolpaths and/or jigs he wants to build to accomodate one order.

And whoever took the order might not have understood all this.

Just a guess...
 
Rezamatix":3d4gjdlc said:
I love reverse headstocks. Why not just be Ready to deliver them.
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I think that's my point...because it's not always easy. Especially when you've already got a waiting list and getting guitars out the door everyday.
 
I run a tool changer machine and create my own tool paths from illustrator paths. Doesn't take more than a few minutes. If you know what your speeds and feeds are for the tools you use, it's not a big deal.
That said, again, not at all a knock against TAG, just speculating on why the reverse might be unobtainable.
If Tom is the only guy in the shop that can do it, but can't take the time to write it and run it, that's understandable.
 
TeleBlaster":2jwu18su said:
I run a tool changer machine and create my own tool paths from illustrator paths. Doesn't take more than a few minutes. If you know what your speeds and feeds are for the tools you use, it's not a big deal.
That said, again, not at all a knock against TAG, just speculating on why the reverse might be unobtainable.
If Tom is the only guy in the shop that can do it, but can't take the time to write it and run it, that's understandable.
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IMO it's probably less about the toolpaths and the CNC and more about what happens with the jigs and fixtures and larger workflow issues. But again, just a wild guess.
 
He runs a very small but structured shop. He just started making seven strings as a regular production guitar last year. Before that he did special runs here and there. He does do the reverse headstock on six strings (Ivan has one). Either way, it worked out for Jason and sounds like he is very pleased (so am I).

I own a DVD that was produced about Tom's shop. It is a 90 minute video that takes the viewer from cradle to grave in the entire process at his shop. Everything is made in house. I know some of the joking is tongue in cheek but thought I would confirm that nothing is sent out of his shop. That is part of the reason his guitars are so great, quality assurance. Tom plays every guitar before it leaves the shop.
 
beautiful guitar, but I have to concur with the comments on the CNC stuff. I, and several of my fellow co-workers, could get a CNC tool path file ready for a reverse headstock in about 15 mins if there was an existing one for a normal headstock. he would just need to flip the headstock in CAD (takes like .05 secs), make sure it connected to the neck correctly in 3D, i.e that it looked right and had the right angle, etc., and convert his CAD drawings to CNC toolpaths, which the software mostly does for you. you just have to check it and make sure it didn't program itself to do something like cut a furrow straight through the neck on its way over to cut the other side. hour's work, tops. No slam on Anderson, but it sounds to me like he either didn't want to do it, or isn't very adept at CNC programming.
 
Man, I do not want this to turn into some sort of Anderson bashing fest. I am not pissed at them at all and am very happy with the guitar as is.
 
I've been out of the CNC programming business for about 10 years now. I can only imagine the advances in technology since then. I like me some bookmatched Anderson guitars too. I bought two used and ordered this one new.

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didnt mean to bash, just conversing in line with the previous dialogue and my experience with said tech.
 
Looks like a nice guitar. Doesnt seem like a year went by since your initial post ordering it. Man does time fly!
 
Greazygeo":262tsm84 said:
Looks like a nice guitar. Doesnt seem like a year went by since your initial post ordering it. Man does time fly!
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I know, it's crazy how fast the years go by. :cry:
 
Screw the reversed headstock chit chat. How did you convince Tom to do direct mount pickups?! I wanted to order my first TAG with direct mounts and got shot down. :(

However I will say I'm also a reverse headstock fan and got my second drop top with reversed HS :) That is a sick looking guitar you have btw!
 
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