Rosewood Necks!

[ShaunzNoiz]

Hey guys and gals! Thinking about ordering a Drop Top, Hollow Drop Top, or a Cobra with a rosewood neck. What are your sonic impressions of these necks compared to the standard necks? What are the differences? What additional steps must I take in careing for these necks? Thanks!

[sylvanshine]

I've got a Cobra with a rosewood neck that is my favorite Anderson out of the 8 or so I've owned. The fact that Tom built it for himself might have something to do with it, but it's a fantastic guitar!

To me, the rosewood neck makes the guitar brighter (I know, I thought darker too) and tighter focused than standard mahogany Cobra necks. It's superfast. They are neck heavy, which makes you compensate a little when you strap it on. I definitely wouldn't recommend a hollow body which in my opinion would compound the problem.

In terms of care, I clean it like any other guitar I've got and have had no problems.

Hope that helps!

[tom]

i don't think balance is an issue with the strat shape. jay, do you have the one with the african rosewood neck or is it the black one? the african neck was quite a bit heavier than most of the indian rosewood necks. i'd say it was also a bit brighter.

[pluto]

I had my cobra s retrofitted with a rosewood neck. I think it sounds brighter than before but obviously I couldn't do a true a/b test. I actually like it heavier because it balances better with my guitar. The body on my cobra s is very heavy and it was too body heavy compared to its old neck. Now, with the rosewood neck, it feels balanced. For some reason too, it also feels chunkier than before-I know it's my imagination, but it feels bulkier (must be the weight I guess). Lookwise-it's beautiful. I'm probably more partial to the feel of PRS's unfinished rosewood necks, but I like the look of the Anderson rosewood neck better.

[enr1co]

Ive a rosewood neck on my newly acquired Hollow T and
Sylvanshine provided a perfect descriptive, " makes the guitar brighter and tighter focused than standard mahogany Cobra necks. It's superfast."

Dont have any issues with the weight? feels about
the same as my hollow cobra T.

The look of the satin back rosewood and the
gloss headstock face is just gorgeous!!


http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3577307/1070335229082_081303p3.jpg

[sylvanshine]

Originally posted by tom
i don't think balance is an issue with the strat shape. jay, do you have the one with the african rosewood neck or is it the black one? the african neck was quite a bit heavier than most of the indian rosewood necks. i'd say it was also a bit brighter.

Tom, I have the Deep Cherry Burst 06-05-02P. Don't take my comment as a negative, just an initial observation that I've more than overcome.

http://www.andersonalley.com/gallery/spence.htm

[nickdahl]

The rosewood neck is absolutely beautiful! I can't believe how good it looks! Saw an Anderson on eBay with a rosewood neck last night and was very glad I just got this Cobra...otherwise, I'd be tempted to place a bid!

Nick

[Stan Malinowski]

I find it interesting that most people describe the tone of Andersons equipped with a solid RW neck as being brighter. The general consensus of PRS owners with solid RW necks is that it darkens the tone of the guitar!

I own 2 PRSi with RW necks and I would tend to agree they sound darker than their mahog necked counterparts. I only had an oppurtunity to play one Cobra with a RW neck and to be quite honest I was not able to A/B it witha mahog necked Cobra.

What would drive a RW neck to sound brighter on an Anderson & darker on a PRS?

[dpeterson]

i've yet to put my finger on what it does to the guitar either. I need some more time, it's not jumping out at me right now. I personally got one because it looks cool :)

http://www.activewebcreation.com/pics/custom_anderson/images/DSC01654-01.jpg

Dave

[sylvanshine]

It is counter-intuitive that RW is brighter. I can't speak to the PRS v. TA RW differences, but I will say that my RW Cobra is more transparent and brighter than any of the 8 Andersons I've owned. And for that matter, superior in that department to my two early 90's Les Paul Classics, a '61 LP Jr, a 336, and a Rossington SG with Braz fretboard.

All I know is that RW feels very fast. You know how an ebony fretboard feels? Imagine that feeling on the back of the neck as well.

[BrianH]

The solid rosewood neck is Low Mid Power, and more dominant fundamental low Mid. In a gruff manner, it makes the guitar jump out a little more. IMO.

[enr1co]

The darker, warmer comments of rosewood do make sense.

I attempted to A/B with my mahogany neck cobra vs my rosewood neck hollow T but then figured there were too many other variables contributing to the "brighter sound" besides the necks...

eg.

-newer elixers vs. GHS boomers?
-24.75 scale vs 25.5 scale neck?
-rosewood top hollow alder body vs. maple top hollow mahogany body?
-P90's vs SA's?

Regardless of darker or brighter, they're Andersons and both sound great to me.

The "look" and the feel of the rosewood was likely the larger factor with my purchase decision.

:D

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by enr1co
The darker, warmer comments of rosewood do make sense.

I attempted to A/B with my mahogany neck cobra vs my rosewood neck hollow T but then figured there were too many other variables contributing to the "brighter sound" besides the necks...

eg.

-newer elixers vs. GHS boomers?
-24.75 scale vs 25.5 scale neck?
-rosewood top hollow alder body vs. maple top hollow mahogany body?
-P90's vs SA's?

Regardless of darker or brighter, they're Andersons and both sound great to me.

The "look" and the feel of the rosewood was likely the larger factor with my purchase decision.

:D

Point well taken. I've always been of the opinion that the body wood and the p/up's, rather than the neck wood, have a more pronounced impact on tone.

For example, when playing my 2 Classics (both w/ hard rock maple necks, one alder body and other swamp ash), the differences between the thick midrange (alder) and the scooped midrange and robust low/sparking highs (swamp ash) are as obvious as night and day.

When grabbing an alder classic w/ a rosewood neck, the attack appears looser, primarily due to the rosewood board. However, I cannot hear a significant difference between the rosewood board and the maple neck (probably due to my poor ears). And when I can detect subtle tonal variations, such differences are not so pronounced that I cannot dial out or re-eq the amp to desired taste. That said, for those players who really attack the strings, I believe the tonal differences in the neck woods will be more noticable.

I would be interested in comparing a hard rock maple neck to an all rosewood neck. Of course, the body woods, p/ups and the bridge (to a lesser degree) would need to be constant to ensure an accurate comparision/conclusion.

[Tom Gross]

Mine was (I believe) the second one made, I ordered it right after Jack got his (the one SteveK now has).
I love it, and I think it does project more, and may thus appear brighter.
With the S-shape, it gives me no balance problems - and I use the bottom button!
It's a hollow Cobra S with 3 - P90's, and it sounds fantastic, and can sound very Stratty in the 2 & 4 position.

My neck looks like a darker chocolate

http://community.webshots.com/s/image2/1/34/98/47313498iZpckP_ph.jpg

[SteveK]

I've got the first Anderson with a rosewood neck as Tom said (thanks Jack!), a PRS McCarty Rosewood, and a Thorn Artisan Master with a rosewood neck. To me they all sound a little sweeter and a little more "present" than my mahogany necked guitars. With the PRS and Thorn it was more about the feel for me though, as they are not finished. That said, my hollow Cobra S mahogany neck, and my hollow Cobra rosewood just feel fantastic with the satin finished necks, and I like the way they both balance on the strap. I'll let you know how my rosewood necked Crowdster compares...:eek: ;)


It's not a disease, and I DON'T want the vaccine!!! :D

[SteveK]

BTW....It's all Tom G., Jack G., and Tom A.'s fault!! :rolleyes:

[tom]

just so it's clear, the mahogany and rosewood necks have the same finish on them.

[Stan Malinowski]

just so it's clear, the mahogany and rosewood necks have the same finish on them

Which raises an interesting point... PRS (and also the Jack Gretz Solid RW I own) leave the back of the rosewood neck unfinished, while TA puts a satin finish on the neck. Is there an advantage to finishing the rw?

BTW I have played both finished and unfinished RW necks, both types feel GREAT! But then again the satin finish TA puts on the neck is pretty natural feeling to me. My guess is finishing a RW neck with more of a gloss finish would not feel so good?

[tom]

i do like the satin feel, hate the gloss. unfinished leaves it open for the acid sweat guy or the spilled the beer on the neck guy to need to deal with those issues. the finish does give some degree of pretection from the elements, natural or man made.

[BrianH]

I am spilled beer on the neck guy. Not my beer of course.

[tom]

that's why we don't let you order unfinished necks.

[BrianH]

It all makes sense now.
If I had a dollar for everytime some wonderful audience member hit me with beer, usually out of sheer joy, I could quit my second job.

[sylvanshine]

Originally posted by BrianH
It all makes sense now.
If I had a dollar for everytime some wonderful audience member hit me with beer, usually out of sheer joy, I could quit my second job.

I don't think that's why they hit you with their beer there Romeo! ;)

[BrianH]

EASY.