cobra configuration

[guitarzan]

Question: If I love the look of a traditional tele but want something that is not as bright as a traditional tele, is it possible to get a hollow cobra with a pickguard? ...or is that heresy?

I have a HDTC (Maple on Basswood) and would like to spend my money on something that would expand my abilities sonically (so I don't want a HTC in Maple/Basswood), but I also love the way a tele looks and feels. I just want something a little less spanky, I think. Also, if your answer involves a certain configuration of a Hollow T classic, I'm all ears.

Thanks for the help, everybody.

[bruce]

Well, the Cobra is not avail with a pickgard.

Have you thought of a T shape with humbuckers or maybe mini's? We can make a T shape body utilizing mini's (M-series p/u's) and not angle the bridge p/u so it's not as spanky sounding as when they are angled. You can still retain that Tele look with the pickguard. A less spanky bodywood choice would be Alder or Mahogany, and you could always go non-hollow for more thump. (Go non hollow...sounds like an Asian dish)!

[taclassic]

How about a Drop Top T or a Hollow Drop Top T with either and H-H combo or H-S-H combo. It does lack the pick guard. The Hollow T with a pickguard and the wood combos that Bruce mentioned might help.

I own a T Classic (Alder with singles) and I am sure you can get a similar guitar but witht he humbuckers that would suit your needs.


I just saw one with a Floyd and boy was that cool looking.

[guitarzan]

I think the Hollow T with minis is the way to go for me. It still has a vintage look and the self-assuring psycho-mojo-ness (a technical term, of course) of playing what appears to be a vintage-styled guitar. I'm not a Floyd guy at all. I went down that road in the 80's and 90's and I never use the whammy bar on my strat or my HDTC, so a FR bridge would be of no benefit to my playing style- and besides, my other Andy stays in tune just as well.

No, I think a Hollow T Classic is the right choice, but now I need to find a guitar that will be an alternate to my maple-on-basswood HDTC. I was thinking maybe maple on mahogany with a maple neck? How would that sound? I just don't want to be that guy who has a whole collection of really expensive Andersons that all sound really similar to each other. Actually, I don't have the money to be the guy who has TWO Andersons that sound really similar to each other. I have to pull teeth and gig like crazy to set aside the money for my 2nd one- it better do some things that my other one can't (which is tough).

So what's the verdict... HTC in Maple on Mahogany, Maple neck, no contours. What's that sound like?

[sylvanshine]

http://www.sylvanshine.net/ClassicTFloyd.jpg

Floyds are not for everyone so ignore that in this picture. If I had a HDTC and was looking for different sounds, I would go M1-M1-M3 in a solid alder or swamp ash.

I've got a Cobra with Ms, a swamp ash Classic T with Ms and this guitar which is alder. They all sound different and I'm glad I have all 3 flavors. Don't stress too much, after all it's an Anderson. :D

[bruce]

Cool...there is the example (pic above) I was talking about with the NON-angled mini in the bridge position for a T Classic.

Guitarzan...Do you need to have a maple top? I ask because I was under the impression that you liked a tradtional Tele look.

Alder with maple neck is one of my favorite combos... I have a T-classic with this convig. and it'a full sounding T with lots of thump.

I would guess a Mahogany body would be full too but maybe a little more sizzle on top and a little more bottom compared to Alder... Tom? Roy? Bueller?

[guitarzan]

naw, Bruce, I don't really need a maple top, but I had the following in mind with that configuration:

1) maple makes a transparent finish much cooler and I'd like the most bang for my buck- something like Desert Sunset with binding and a TS pickguard (like Joe Don's GOTW). The Anderson finishes are the finest in the industry as far as I'm concerned so I'd like to have eye candy as well as ear candy. I like a "traditional" look, but some CS Fender Teles also had flame maple tops, too.

2) the Hollow body was only to increase natural compression in the body. My understanding is that a hollow body makes the notes "give" a little more when you dig in. Am I incorrect?

3) Mahogany was just to offset the brightness of a traditional tele. I like the spank, but have never really been happy with a bridge pickup in any guitar I've played- and a tele would only be that much brighter. I just a like tones that are a little more jazzy flavored (even when I'm chicken pickin)

Lastly, whoever said it was right, it IS an Anderson so there's no chance on earth that it'll suck- no matter what I pick. But it's just a lot of money to spend on something that's 96 percent perfect so I'd rather obssess about it now than when it's sitting on my lap and I'm fantasizing about the other 4 percent.

[tom]

i will agree on the give of the hollow t classic. i'm still voting for alder with a maple neck though. if you must have a maple top go for it. i would not be concerned about the bridge pickup being too bright at all.