New Cobra ...and a few questions

[PaulS]

I just received my first Cobra yesterday and am quite thrilled with the tonal range it has. It's new for me but was created 01-01-98A, great shape and feels broken-in nicely. Bought it unplayed so am very happy it's what I had hoped it to be....never had played a Cobra before.

One thing I noticed is that it has a one piece mahogany body. It seems that all of the one's I've seen pictured of have always been 2 piece. Are one piece bodies common?

The other question has to do with string hight. I like my action fairly high, not rediculous but like to get my fingers under the strings for bends. With this guitar the saddles are already on their tip-toes, screws are extended about as far as they can go. In order to get the strings to where I want them to be I've had to slacken the truss-rod to give the neck a little more bow...not sure if that's the best solution. I guess a new nut can be in order so as to maintain a straighter neck. Any thoughts on this?

And lastly, what's the cost to have SS 6100's installed.

Thanks...great job on creating a very nice guitar.

http://homepage.mac.com/sherstobitoff/.Pictures/Gibson%20335/Cobra.jpg

[sylvanshine]

Congrats on the Cobra. One of my fav Andersons.

The truss rod is very useful for big shifts in action, so I think you are on the right track there. Especially if the saddles are maxed out.

Do a search on this forum, I think the SS refret question has been answered already.

Someone will chime in pretty quick on the one piece/two piece back question.

[Roy (maybe)]

Hi Paul,

Congratulations on you new Cobra. May it bring you many years of musical inspiration.

I am a little surprised that you cannot get the action as high as you would like. Those frets are quite tall and you should be able to lift action to 1/8” or so. Are the screws really extended or just not sticking through the top of the saddle? Anderson keeps them short so they don’t nip at your picking hand. To get more height, do not change truss rod adjustment for more front bow to get the action up. This can cause other symptoms. Easiest is to change the height adjust Allen screws in each saddle to longer ones so you can lift them higher.

Anderson’s Jumbo frets are wonderful to play. I think you will like them. They are smooth, tall and wide—a nice play for sure. Bruce at Anderson charges $300.00 to install all new frets and do a full setup—plus shipping.

You can call Anderson and set up a time to send in your new Cobra for Jumbo frets or if you want to wait and play it awhile, call and they will send you longer Allen screws for the bridge.

Maybe

[PaulS]

Thanks...it is a wonderful guitar!

The allen screws are almost ready to fall out :-) as they are at the end of their travel within the saddle. I have a call in to Roy regarding a longer set.
It felt a little off to tweak the truss rod to raise the strings so longer screws will be a good solution. I'm sitting a little more than 1/8....probably 5/32.

I'll probably play the guitar for a few weeks before I send it for new frets....and yes, I love the wide, fat, SS you offer.

How long does it take to have new frets put in?

Thanks again.

Paul

[Roy (maybe)]

Hi Paul,

Bruce usually says about 2 weeks.

Maybe

[PaulS]

Thanks Roy...and for the screws.

I guess having a one piece body isn't too common...here's a picture.

http://homepage.mac.com/sherstobitoff/.Pictures/Gibson%20335/CobraBack.jpg

[PaulS]

I just had to gush a little more about the Cobra...I honestly think TAG had me personally in mind when this guitar was developed. It has the exact sound I've been after in a Mahogany guitar...after 5 LP's and 6 PRS' in the last 2 years, this one has the smooth richness I craved in mahogany, amazing clarity and a bite if so required.

Wonderful, wonderful guitar...it's going to be hard to let it go to get the new frets put in.

[nickdahl]

That's a lovely guitar. Congrats. My Cobra completely replaced my Les Pauls.

Nick

[Marty S Horne]

Cobras are great guitars; I'm planning to order my second in the near future.

[MikesTech]

Nice Guitar... and yes they are all excellent instruments.

I agree that the taller allen screws will help you with the height issue, but I also have a suggestion for you. Have you considered using a bigger gauge set of strings. You should be able to re-straighten the neck to maintain the height integrity down the length of the fingerboard, and raise the action at the bridge (with the longer allen screws), but here's where I'm going with this.

I have met players before that like the extra height because the strings "slip" or "mush" under their fingers when bending. I have found that this can be a tension issue as much as a height issue. If you want the strings to "fight back" a little, you might consider going up a gauge. the difference in tension between .010's and .011's is substancial, and you can leave the string height alone (for the most part).

Just a suggestion, and again congrats on the great instrument

Bobby
mikestech

[PaulS]

Thanks for taking the time for the suggestion. I tried 11's for about a week and while I like the thicker feel under my fingers and also the sound, the added tension was just a little too much to play comfortably....for me, a true 10 1/2 guage would be perfect.

...and yes, I'm still just lovng the Cobra. Easily, one of the best guitar purchases I've made.

I'm also now starting to consider an Atom. Anyone who has owned both could freely comment on likes/dislikes between the two and also similarities or differences between them.

Thanks.

[sylvanshine]

The Atom is everything you love about your Cobra x 2. Playability, tone, comfort, warmth, humbucker crunch, single coil spank, the ability to dig into a note, chord resonance, etc. All the great things about the Cobra are enhanced in the Atom. Seriously.

[PaulS]

Thanks...and a warm congrats on the triplets! I always considered birth a real miracle and to have 3 at once must be incredible....I guess a few sleepless nights jungling their needs. Do they all like to be fed at the same time?

Do you think an Atom surplants the need for a Cobra or do they both have their unique thing going on?

[sylvanshine]

Thanks! We are trying to get them on an every 4 hour schedule in 15 minute increments (A- noon, B- 12:15, C- 12:30). That leaves some time for sleep.

I think that the Cobra and Atom can both be unique enough to have each. I'm a 2 humbucker guy, so the Cobra and Atom with 2 HBs is probably too close to keep each. But I have a Cobra with H/M/M and an H/H Atom that compliment each other well. Especially with the PowerBridge on my Cobra, which is currently unavailable on the Atom.

[Roy (maybe)]

Jay, Jay, Jay, Jay, Jay, Jay, Jay, Jay,

Congratulations Dad!

Happy Family,
Roy

[sylvanshine]

Thanks Roy (maybe)!

BTW, isn't Happy Family a Chinese dish?

[Roy (maybe)]

Yes and great for triplets.

Maybe