How Did You Discover Anderson?

[Stan Malinowski]

For me I was at Magdon Music picking up a PRS that I had ordered. I picked up a Drop Top Classic while Jack was doing a final tune-up to my PRS. Fell in love and the rest is history. I bought 2 in 2001, 2 in 2002 and 1 this year!

[Brad Scott]

I spent some time in California in the late '80s and early '90s; playing in an original band, and doing session work. At the time, I was using a PRS and a Fender '57 Reissue.

One of the studios I was recording at had an early Anderson Grand Am hanging around, so I used it on a couple of tracks. I just remember what a joy that guitar was to play.

After relocating back to the east coast years later, I fell for a beautiful 6120 Drop Top. What a guitar!

I have been enamored ever since.

['93hollow tele]

In "92 I picked up a Guitar Player mag which had 32 telecasters in a head to head. The bottom line was, a tobacco burst Tom Anderson hollow tele classic won it hands down. I wrote Tom, and he said there was one in Australia (where I just happened to live). I rang the then dealer and it was a tobacco burst hollow classic tele that they had. The rest........is history as they say. Bought it sight unseen, and is still my number one axe.

Great to see a T.A. forum, regards, Rob.

[pluto]

I bought my first Anderson in 1998-traded an acoustic guitar for a used hollow t. Since then, I've bought 4 new Andersons and 1 used one and currently own 3-a Hollow Drop Top 2/3/03A), a Hollow Cobra S (4/12/02A) and a Cobra S (1/16/00A). Great guitars, and also great people.

[John Price]

I believe it was at the Phili guitar show when I first picked up a classic, I knew after playing it for about 20 minutes that I had to have one!! I placed my first order on a hollow drop top classic, Then after that it was a Cobra, And just this week I ordered a hollow drop top and should be here in October!!!!!! ;)

[trpullen]

I went shopping for a Fendery guitar that was the same build quality as my PRS. It worked. I bought a HollowT Classic. Great guitar but I never dug the Tele bod so.....I have been shopping for the right DropTop. Wish me luck.

[Tom Gross]

I'd seen them for years, and heard about them from the old HC John Ou days. I first fell in love with the Cobra at a local dealer here in Richmond several years ago, but didn't get one until Jack at Magdon hooked me up with my first on a few years ago.

[sonsop]

well, i was sold on the idea that a Tom Anderson was going to be the answer to a vintage strat by wildwood guitars. hey, i'm easy bait and when i feasted my eyes on wildwoods website i was hooked that they were totally cool looking and after talking to steve i was totally convinced i had to have one!

i had a lake placid blue classic built up and although it was an awesome player after playing it for a year i wasn't smitten. it was easily the best playing guitar that i ever played but to my ears it lacked the woody tone i eventually heard in grosh guitars. BUT now that it's gone i have come to realize it was perfect and very good sounding. it should still be here because it had a sound that really cut through with other instruments. sigh :(

one time i got together with a few friends who argued with me that it was a 24 3/4 scale and that was the reason why the strings were so easy to bend! knuckleheads...

anyway, there's a TA in my future. i am considering a cobra and i think i'll be calling some dealers to kick tires in the near future.
JoeR

[Rockerbob]

A friend I jam with from time to time showed up with one at a jam session. It looked good, but I didn't try it. Then he showed up with another one. I didn't get to try that one either, but it started to catch my attention. I know this guys only buys top notch stuff. I headed out to a local dealer (almost an hour drive) who had a couple in stock and I left with my hollow drop top. I'm still in love.

Photos here: http://www.rockerbob.com/anderson/

[BrianH]

It was 1988, in Los Angeles recording a crap record. A friend came by the studio with a guitar that he said I 'had' to check out. It was a Grand Am, and I fell in love. Then the 'Deli guy' turned me on to the Cobra, and the rest is history. I love'em, play 'em and sell 'em. Easy.
Alan Gilbert is responsible!

[andersonfan]

i became aware of them when i saw Kirk Hammett (Metallica) playing one back in 1988 on the ...and justice for all tour (it was a bowling ball grey grand am).

i liked the guitar but didn't think much about it...back then i was a jackson/charvel fan...in the mean time i tried almost every other brand of guitars and wasn't SUPER happy with any of them...

back in 2001 ( i think) i saw a Journey video where Neil was playing an all white 3 humbucker drop top...i did a search on the web...found andersonalley.com and i was HOOKED!...

:D

[Ariel Pozzo]

GP magazine was running an ad for Make'n'Music in the late '80s that said "When you're ready for the best..." and there was a picture of some high end gear: VHT and Soldano amps and a green Tom Anderson Grand Am. I fell in love with that guitar so I worked hard until I could get myself a blue Grand Am.:)

[BrianH]

Ariel, I believe we featured your Grand Am Lam's birthday on andersonalley. Always a favorite with the visitors to our site.

[Ariel Pozzo]

Originally posted by BrianH
Ariel, I believe we featured your Grand Am Lam's birthday on andersonalley. Always a favorite with the visitors to our site.

Brian
yeah, that was my guitar!!!:D
I hope I can send you pics of more Anderson birthday cakes!!;)

[BrianH]

Please do, that was a great moment!!!!!

[FlameTop]

Back in 1990 I decided I 'needed' a high end strat. There had just been a review of the classic in a UK guitar magazine.

So I set off to London to try some classics. They had three in stock. I was shown to the basement, my amp preference was sorted out and I was left to try them in my own time (excellent service, so much better than trying to make your mind up in a crowded, noisy shop).

They did not just bring the classics down though. They also had a Grand Am Lam that had been a review guitar for the UK press. I tried the classics, and then the GAL. While the classics were such high quality players, the GAL just looked so pretty :)

It had a 'SOLD' sticker on the headstock :( but a date that was three months old. So I decided to ask. It seems the guitar was on hold waiting for 'some record contract money' to come through. I pointed out three months was a long time and I was willing to deal there and then :) I spent a fun afternoon in the shop while they contacted the purchaser and the record company. In the end the 'deal' was still months away so they decided to return his deposit and let me take the GAL home :)



http://hosted.barrysworld.net/flametop/guitars/GrandAmLam.jpg


PS. Hi Ariel!! :)

[mapleneck]

I found out about Anderson in the early 90's from my friend Mark Williams at Veneman's. He put one in my hands and it was the most amazing neck I had ever played. It took a while but I was finally able to afford one in 2000.

[LeonC]

In 1993, I hadn't really been playing much guitar, after going through grad school, a cross-country move, career change and starting my own business...guitars were the last thing on my mind. But one night after work, I was giving a presentation at a database software user group in the western San Fernando valley. A woman in the audience asked a number of interesting questions and on a break, approached me with more questions about an inventory system she was building.

I got intrigued about her inventory system and said, "Hey what is this inventory of? What does your company do?" She replied, "We build guitars." Well, this got me very interseted and I said, "I play guitar, what company do you work for?"

She said, "Tom Anderson Guitars."

Me, "Um, who??"

The woman, of course was Laurie Berg. I talked to her more and found interesting, of course, but pretty much forgot about it. A month or so later, a cardboard tube shows up in the mail. I open it up and there's this big poster featuring these unbelievably gorgeous guitars! She included a catalog and price list and list of dealers and famous players, etc.

Now I'm really intrigued. I head up to the old Makin Music in North Hollywood and play every Anderson in the place (must of been 14 or 15). I'm blown away, of course. I settle in on my first Drop Top. I've subsequently purchased three more, two on custom order.

Tom's guitars continue to blow me away. The overall quality, wood selections, tone, precision work...all unbeatable.

[LeonC]

BTW, I had the poster laminated and it still hangs on the wall in my office!

[JGraham]

Like Andersonfan, I recall Kirk Hammet playing one in 1988. I had seen a few in shops over the years, and played one or two. It wasn't until about 48 hours ago that I actually purchased one. It will be here in a few days...

[Tom Gross]

Originally posted by JGraham
... It wasn't until about 48 hours ago that I actually purchased one. It will be here in a few days...

Congratulations!
Let us know about it when it comes in.

[Domer]

Hello Everybody!!!
I am a new guy in the forum...

I'm a student of Ariel Pozzo and he shows me heaven, I mean the 1990 Grand Am Lam. I couldn't resisted and bought it.

In Argentina it's not very common to see one of these around.
I've recorded and played with it. Outstanding!!!

Three years later I've decided to sell it.
Why?

Ariel shows me hell, I mean PRS.
:D :D :D

I think I´ll be regreted soon.

Hello again to all members!!

[gregc]

I'd heard Anderson talked about for a long time. Word on the vine was 'top notch stuff, modern, perhaps a tad sterile'. Being a vintage lover I steered away... not that you ran across many (or any) to try. I stuch to Fender Custom Shop & Don Gosh stuff.
Recently I was speaking with Jol Dantzig (Hamer guitars founder) and he mentioned, 'if you want a good strat, buy an Anderson.' Now, I trust Jol completely. Shortly after, I came across a used Andy for a price which seemed too good to be true. I took a chance figuring I could recoup my cost if it didn't float my boat.
It turns out the guitar is wonderful and I can't imagine letting it go ever. It's a hollow drop-top, swamp ash back, 6120 tiger stripe, loaded with the single coils which have the sweet/hot switching. It's light, and fits like a glove. The only thing I may do is float the trem. I really like a fully floating trem.
The fretwork is close to, but not quite as good as the Don Grosh I once owned. I loved the Grosh neck feel but the guitar also felt very stiff to me. I never could figure that out and wound up letting it go. I'm now an Andy fan.... and itching to try a Suhr for comparion. Sooooo many good Strat style guitars out there now. ... and there's room for them all, IMO. We're a lucky bunch!

gregc

[jeepster]

Originally posted by Ariel Pozzo
GP magazine was running an ad for Make'n'Music in the late '80s that said "When you're ready for the best..." and there was a picture of some high end gear: VHT and Soldano amps and a green Tom Anderson Grand Am. I fell in love with that guitar so I worked hard until I could get myself a blue Grand Am.:)

I remember that ad! Great looking guitar.

I wonder where it is now?

Does anyone have a copy of that ad they could post?

[dpeterson]

rewind 12 years...

I always just heard about them, but never saw one till i was out on the west coast for a few years. I saw them at the mesa boogie hollywood store, but never played one there, as i dont like playing guitars in stores, especially those kind of stores.

Another trip out to l.a. one year, i found one at the covina GC and it was waaaay expensive, but real nice. at the time i couldnt justify the price.

fast forward to 2003

after doing some buying/selling on ebay, i saw my purple htd on ebay for a great price, and just decided to pull the trigger, worse case I could sell it and not take too much of a beating if any. I got the guitar from andersonfan (i have 2 of his now), after i got it set up the way i like, i was hooked. I proceeded to sell off my charvel san dimas re-issues, and a prs i just got. Now i'm up to 5 andersons, and just about done for now ;)

Funny side note, the guy i got one of my charvels from had it at the store on consignment to fund and anderson, and at the time i didnt understand why he would dump such a nice guitar for the price he did, for an anderson.... but now it's perfectly clear.

Dave

[scottiK]

I was the Sales Manager at a small guitar shop and a Classic came in on trade. I had never heard of Andersons so I was intrigued. I did a little research and also took it home to a/b it against my strats (both 74’s). It totally blew them away!

So, I go to the owner of the store and make him an offer (knowing what we had in it since I did the trade) and he wouldn’t give me the deal I wanted. Here’s where it gets stupid…one of the other sales guys over hears us talking and just hears enough of the conversation to hear the owners bottom dollar for me as an employee. Later that day a guy calls the store asks about the Anderson and what are price was. Well, the sales guy is too lazy to go look at the tag and tells him the price the owner had quoted me!!!! Which wasn’t the greatest deal as an employee but sure was for this guy. I wanted to kill him. Of coarse he came in about an hour later and left VERY a happy man.

So…long story short I didn’t get it but always had that experience in my mind from playing that guitar. Ended up a few months later with a PRS and liked it but I was never quite 100% on the tone. Finally decided to sell it and bought a DT used on ebay. It was everything I remembered and more. Can’t wait to get another one…or two….or three...

scott

[andersonguy]

Great thread!!;)
Back in 1991 I was in a band in Los Angeles with some very talented musicians. One night a few of them took me to see another local band who had a friend of theirs playing guitar.
It turned out to be Joey Brassler, a fantastic guitar player who also happened to work at Make'n Music.
What I remember most was the sound I heard that night, It was like a strat only way better, beautiful. I fell in love with it way before I even had a chance to go down to play one. Joey, who turned into a friend, took me to the Anderson shop and introduced me to everybody. I was allowd back int the depths of the shop where I picked my own top for a drop top t to be built for me. It was a fantastic guitar and is currently in the hands of Brian Harris for sale.
I have owned many since, and have many a happy story about Anderson and co. A great guitar by a great guitar company!:D :D

AG

[jimmieb]

Stan,
Great question by the responce. Well, I had played a few at the Boogie store in Orange Co. Ca owned by the Tubbs brother of "Violet Burning" fame. I believe it was 1986 when first met Steve Mesple' of Wildwood Guitars, we hit it off right away he ask me to come work with him. We soon took on Tom Anderson as a line in 86, and I was fortunate to receive the first Drop Top to come into the store. It was the most beautiful curly maple I had ever seen. I later sold my PRS not for tone sake, but because it just didn't feel good anymore. I have since bought a total of 4 Andies with one more on the way... all Cajun Red.

Jimmie B

[jeepster]

......"We soon took on Tom Anderson as a line in 86, and I was fortunate to receive the first Drop Top to come into the store".....

When were the first Andersons made? You mentioned '86....is that the "birthdate" of the TA's?

I was introduced to them by Greg B. at Make 'N Music somewhere around '90 or so. I went in to buy a PRS sig and 59 RI that I had on order - while he was doing the paperwork, he put a classic in my hands and went away for a few minutes. Lightweight, spruce (I think), 2 color burst. Also the best guitar I ever held. I went home, but couldn't get the Anderson out of my mind. I went back the next week to buy it - but it was gone.

Forever etched in my memory as "the one that got away". I've been looking for one like it ever since.

[enr1co]

My first exposure to an Anderson was seeing one on a instructional video called "Funk Rhythmn Guitar" in 99'.

I had been dormant ~20 yrs from my R&B high school
guitar band playing days and decided to jump back into it.
With this, I was thought the world still revolved around
Fender and Gibson :confused:

Ross Bolton on the Funk video was playing a "strat" looking natural ash classic and I noticed the streamlined headstock with an "A" logo. I thought it looked pretty cool (vs. the normal Fender headstock)

With the the close ups of the right hand the quality details of the guitar and S/S/H pickup config were also very noticable .

Didnt think too much about it, as I just purchased a natural ES 335 for an electric upon emerging from my dormant period. One of those guitars I had always wanted in HS but could not afford it.

A couple months later, I wandered into Gelb music in Redwood
City CA to look at their Gibsons and other high end guitars
that were hung high up in the "ask for assistance" altitude.

Before I experienced too much neck cramp, my eyes
were drawn to a group of beautifully topped strat looking guitars with the "beak" headstock and that " A" logo
from my Funk Guitar video :)

I dared to inquire for assistance to try one of these
"A" logo guitars and Eric the sales person informed
me that they were made by Tom Anderson. He then
enthusiatically proceeded to share tons of info on them.
(I found out later he and most of the rest of the staff at Gelb are dyed in wool Anderson fans)

He first demo'd a HDT with swithcheroo for me to demonstrate the versatility, features and then he let me hold one for the first time :)

From that first magic moment, I was hooked- not only with the tone and quality but the comfort and feel. My mind started racing with how to quickly dump off my 335 (which comparitively now felt like a "log" with strings) to buy an Anderson.

I ended up buying a HDT thru ebay a couple months later in 99' and have been a fan since:D.

[Casper]

My first exposure to Anderson was watching a Three Dog Night show here in Richmond, the guitar player had a solid black classic and this axe sounded and looked amazing. One of my favorite guitar players, Dawayne Bailey, (formerly of Chicago) started playing them and when I got lucky enough to meet him, we talked at length about the quality and service. As soon as I bought mine, I started seeing all the road and studio cats with them and I knew I made the right choice.

I had been a Zion and Godin player. My first TA was a 91 Namm show droptop in Honeyburst with gold hardware and a Kahler Steeler and the best looking neck Tom ever did....(IMO)
a honey tinted birdseye maple neck. I have begged him to make me another to no avail...:(
I have bought and sold a few since then, but the joy of getting a new one is one of life's great joys to me. (ask my wife and band)I have found my perfect one and am still looking for my perfect second! I don't think I've been a bigger fan of anything......for 15 years and going!!
Shaun

[Gary F.]

i had to think about this, even though my familiarity and experience with Anderson is fairly recent. I'd undoubtedly seen the logo'ed headstock in guitar mags, but I had never seen one in person. Last summer, I read a ToneQuest Report review of, first, a used classic, (Vol. 4, #10), followed by an in-depth interview with Tom and a review of an HTC in the next issue (Aug. 03, #11). I was intrigued.

The review ended with, "If you think that this may the gushiest lovefest of a guitar review we've ever published, you are correct. The Hollow T Classic ias as good as it gets and better than we had ever imagined."

I had to see what Andersons were all about, but couldn't find one locally. Anderson Guy, I later came to discover, was advertising a used one (probably the one he mentions above in this thread), and I almost bought it. Instead, he was generous enough to offer email suggestions that I should just order what i want and get a brand new one. (Thanks, AG!). I ordered through Garrett Park Guitars in Annapolis, MD in early November, bothered Roy to no end in the process, and took delivery of my DTC in 6120 tiger in early January of this year. The first time I actually played an Anderson was when i took delivery. I'm new to anderson but really enthusiastic; I'll be taking home an alder Lake Placid Blue Classic sometime in June. While i don't believe there is truly a 'perfect guitar, ' Anderson may very well be as good as it gets.

[andersonguy]

:'( Me wipes the tear from my eye.
In all honestly, when you believe so very much in a product, its hard not to be enthusiastic about it. Im honored to have been helpful in your quest Gary.:D

AG

[guitararmy]

The old Guitar Player mags used to have a column written by
someone posing with a killer quilt grand am. I called Veneman
Music outside of DC and talked to Jerry Athey who had a blue
one just like it. Well, three grand ams, two drop top classics,
one classic and one pro am later, I'm still an Anderson fan!
Now I just need a Cobra M!

[Stys]

I saw Neal Schon playing Anderson guitars in a few Journey videos and a bootleg Paul Roger video. I called the local dealer and they connected me to Roy. After talking to Roy, I knew that Anderson guitars were special. That was 1998. Fast forward to present day and many Anderson guitars later, I'm convinced there is nothing as magical.

[BrianH]

Hey Mark. Where you been hiding?

[Stys]

Designing cars. Been busy on new programs - 2007 minivan, Stow - n - Go Seating and the Chrysler Pacifica. We recently switched over to a new system and my address book has been lost. Plus, we had a new addition to the family. Yes, a new Anderson but we had another boy. Three boys keep me busy. I called Brook Mays but they said you moved on - this was a while ago though. E-mail me your numbers and e-mail address when you get a chance. mes15@daimlerchrysler.com

[JoeB63]

I saw (but did not play) my first TAs while on a business trip in Portland, OR. This was at Apple Music (around 1998, I think). I had a couple of Fender Strats, and those TAs just looked like really expensive Fenders. So I didn't bother to even try them out. I had a PRS at the time, and I think I was looking at others.

Flash forward to early last year. I was trying out a bunch of Custom Shop Fender Strats at a Guitar Center in Dallas (again, on a business trip). Way in the back of the store, all the way on the top rack, they had a used TA Classic. I got it down and brought it in the room with the Custom Shop Fenders. I compared the TA with the Fenders through a Fender Blues Junior amp. The TA sounded so much richer than the best of the Fenders. But the TA had a V neck that I hated, and of course since it was CG it was way overpriced for a used guitar. Interestingly, when I went back to that store a few weeks later, someone had swapped out the pickguard (and pickups) on that TA. They stuck on a cheap Mexican Fender guard that didn't even come close to fitting right. I think it had 2 screws holding it on. Evidently, someone working at the store also heard the magic in those pickups.

So I went on the hunt for a reasonably priced Classic with a '62 Round back neck, and bought one from a Forum member (but this was before the birth of this Forum).

Then while spending waay tooo much time at Wildwood Guitars in Colorado (those pesky business trips again), I spent some quality time with some Cobras - and decided I had to have one of those too. Then Pluto decided to sell his HDTC, so I had to buy that too.

Now I just need 2 T models and I'll be all set. For now....

[bacustic]

i discovered anderson a few years ago when i played a guys classic in a guitar shop in my hometown. i was only in to playing acoustic at that point and did not think much about it. the name stuck with me so when a friend of mine came in last summer from a david crowder band show and mentioned he had a guitar with an "A" on the headstock it peaked my interest. being a huge david crowder fan i went to his website and then to tom's and read about the conception of the crowdster. i was so impressed with tom's dedication to this guitar that i decided that i would sell my les paul and by a cobra. i bought a 98 cobra s sight unseen and love it! check out www.davidcrowderband.com.

in peace,
brian

[getgo]

I'm kinda the odd man here. After seeing the David Crowder Band play locally, I talked to David after the show by chance meeting behind the theatre. He told me all about his Crowdys and I checked out the web site and was very intrigued. I am an acoustic player only and I have been struggling for years with acoustic guitars on stage with loud bands. Even the ES taylors have been a little disappointing. I started researching the Crowdsters more and more and even tried a Rick Turner Rennaissanse RS-6 but just wasn't happy with it. I searched and found a quilted natural Crowdster and have been enjoying playing so much since. These things have the most awesome neck I have ever felt. Just incredible guitars. I am close to pirchasing another in the "Tigers Eye" finish that just knocks your socks off! Who knows? I may start to play electric now!:D

[MikeHil]

I was at 48th Street Custom Guitars in Manhattan about 15-16 yrs ago. (I don't think they're a dealer anymore, if they ever were).

They had the Kirk Hammett style Grand Am. I'm not even sure if I knew at the time it was the same type Hammett had.

I instantly fell in love.

(I just read a post by Tom about when he started building his guitars. Maybe it wasn't 15-16 years. I'm 31 now and I was about 15-16... could be 17-18 at the time. Point is, I've wanted one forever :) )

[dkaplowitz]

I was lucky enough to do the whole GIT thing after I got out of high school, so that brought me to LA in 1987. I guess I first saw Tom Andersons when I was stumbling around at the Mesa Boogie shop on Sunset (across from guitar center). Being mostly a strat player and a fan of guys like Vai, it seemed like the perfect guitar for me. I loved the wood finish with the rich colors, the playability was better than anything I'd experienced before and the tone was awesome.

I remember seeing one of the guys who worked at Mesa Boogie at the time (I think his name was Rich) play live. He had the full on Mesa Studio 22 rig and a grand am. His sound was great, though the band (with a male soap opera star as their singer) was kinda' sucky. I definitely wanted a rig like his. Long story short I had gotten banged up in a car accident a year or two before and the settlement came through. Ka-ching! I went to Mesa Boogie with over 5 large in my pocket and walked out with a brand new Grand Am Lam (09-06-90) and a full on rack of amplification and effects gear. It was a great day. So I literally broke my back to get a Tom Anderson. ;)

O yeah, and the other guy who worked the counter with Rich was Rob DeLeo, the bass player in Stone Temple Pilots. Back then he was another schlub from NJ trying to make it in LA like I was. (He got a lot further in the music biz than I did.)

[-CM-]

Hmmm, it had to have been from talk on The Gear Page or the Birds and Moons forum. There were always threads stating that everyone needs a tele, and what kind to buy led me to TAG, so I bought my T Classic. I was mightly impressed with the fit and finish, so when the fireburst HDT I have was available from Magdons, I snatched it up. Then I learned that everyone must have a Cobra with minis*, and I was already a fireburst fan, so when my Hollow Cobra showed up at Magdon's I bought it also.

*Or was that a Mini with a Cobra? If I could get a Mini in Fireburst, I would.

[Guitarded]

I have been an acoustic player for years... but there are things you just can't do on an acoustic... I actually won a Fender Vintage Classic strat last year!!... then a friend of mine, Robbie Brown, of Legend Guitar (www.legendguitar.com) and L'Arrivee (Pete Anderson Signature model) mentioned that Andersons were THE BEST electric guitars and that Tom was a very cool, down-to-earth guy... I started looking seriously and I am ready to order by first TAG... will it be a Cobra or an Atom?... I will be milking Roy to help me with the decision next week... :D

[guitarzan]

I moved to SoCal from Texas in 92 and started meeting local players shortly after. One of the guys I met, Brian Swerdfeger, had a long and impressive pedigree of designing and working with products that all of us have played, loved, and wished we'd been smart enough to invent. (I could be off, but I think he was part owner in the Boogie Store that so many guys have mentioned earlier in this thread. He's told me stories about Shawn Tubbs and the young DeLeo brother hanging out at the store before they finally gave them a job.) He did a clinic one night where he showed all of his main guitars and spoke of the Andersons like it was common sense that nothing held a candle to them. I don't wanna give the impression that he was condescending, he just made it clear that people who value their tone invest in an Anderson. He took me up to the shop a couple of months later so I could order my own.

I'm always thankful to Brian for introducing me to REAL tone and I'm regularly reminded of what a beautiful piece of craftsmanship my HDTC is and rarely play in a new situation without someone commenting on the tone and/or beauty of the guitar.

[brian b]

First saw one on the Journey video "When you love a woman" Seeing neil Schon play. But could not afford one until last year. Or was it that I was just brainwashed by PRS. ;)

[taclassic]

I first discovered Tom Anderson guitars when I saw one of my favorite guitar players in concert with one. His name is Sergio Vallin and he plays for the Spanish Rock band Mana. They are featured on Santanas Supernatural album. The song is Corazon Espinado. It was around 1996, but I could not make out the guitar from the distance. Their next album (Suenos Liquidos released in 1997) noted that they used Tom Anderson guitars and that is when I looked them up on ther Web. I quickly fell in love with their guitars but could not afford one till 2002 (I was a poor College student before then). I picked up a Classic and it has been All Anderson since then.

[BoraBora]

The first time I became fully aware of Tom Anderson Guitarworks was in 1990, while reading the September 1990 issue of Guitar For The Practicing Musician. Remember that magazine? In the table of content section was a picture of Vivian Campbell (Dio & Whitesnake), who at the time was playing in a band called the Riverdogs. Vivian was pictured with a translucent blue swamp ash Classic with a solid maple neck, black pickguard, and S/S/H pickup config. The guitar really caught my attention and jumped out at me. Soon after looking at that picture I contacted TAG and received a catalog from them.

Like most kids that grew up on 80s metal and shred music, I was playing Charvels & Jacksons. I was starting to expand my musical tastes and wanted to get away from the pointy headed guitars. That same year while attending college in Boston, I became good friends with a guy that had a TAG GrandAM in translucent red. I remember being absolutely blown away when I first played his GrandAM.

Around this time period, Pensa-Suhr, Valley Arts, and Tyler Guitars were the other big name custom shop guitar builders. I briefly considered buying one of those guitars, but to me the Andersons were hands down the best guitars.

I bought my first Anderson (a Bora Bora blue Drop Top) in 1992 from Veneman Music in Rockville, Maryland. I've been in love with Tom's guitars since then. :)

[dkaplowitz]

...Guitar For The Practicing Musician. Remember that magazine?...I sure do. With Andy Aledort and Wolf Marshall they really set the bar for transcriptions of songs. I don't think anyone was doing transcriptions that good at the time. I still have tattered photo copies of some of their transcriptions from back then. Good stuff.

[guitarzan]

I sure do. With Andy Aledort and Wolf Marshall they really set the bar for transcriptions of songs. I don't think anyone was doing transcriptions that good at the time. I still have tattered photo copies of some of their transcriptions from back then. Good stuff.



Wolf Marshall- I'd forgotten all about that guy 'til a church called me to sub for him in Solana Beach (North San Diego) last month.

[BrianH]

Kendall from Fishbone and Dr. No from Bad Brains were the first cats I saw, other than myself, playing Anderson out live in big ole loud rock and roll bands.
Saw Dr. No on the HBO show Reverb playing his Drop Top Classic with Mos Def (in 2002). It was Smokin'!