Tom won me over (Atom content)

[Dave K]

Like a few other people, the first time I saw a pic of the Atom I was........not thoroughly overjoyed. But after playing one I started to see there was something special in the design. After playing three or four more I knew I would eventually own one. ;) Now after playing mine for the past week, I can't believe I ever doubted the man. It plays great, feels perfect, and has many tones that you wouldn't expect in a short scale, mahogany based guitar.

If you've discounted the Atom based solely on the looks, just try playing one.
Here's mine. :D
http://www.nwlink.com/~davemk/atom7-0-6-05atop2.jpg

[tom]

another thing occored to me the other day. we're all used to seeing single cutaway guitars with a tear drop shaped burst so the perimeter following burst may be throwing some people. i have done a few tear drop shaped bursts on atoms lately and it looks a bit more familiar.
gotta say i played my new atom special this past weekend and it is the deal for me. simple, 2 pickups, all the sounds i need and none i don't.

[GaryMcT]

What pickups do you have in your special?

Also, I'd be interested to see shots of the teardrop burst if anyone has 'em.

[GaryMcT]

Dave, that's a great looking guitar! I can't wait to hear it through your amps.

[sean]

Great looking Atom! :eek:
I too am going to get one.I now have two TAG guitars(HTC and Cobra Special) and an Atom is next.

[sean]

Tom,
Can we see a photo of a tear drop shaped burst on an Atom?I am very interested to see how it looks.If all goes as planed,I will be ordering an Atom soon.Thanks.

[tom]

i just shot a 3 color today. it will go together in a couple weeks. we'll shoot it then. my special is amber with a light brown tear drop on the out side so it's pretty subtle.

[Son of Anderson]

what are you doing with your own ones... wink wink :D

sorry to hijack. beauitful geeetar. love the flame.

[MEP]

I am another one who originally wasn't that fond of the Atom shape, but after I played one I was won over. The guitar felt very, very comfortable and sounded superb. Now, my only question is, will my Atom have M pickups or H pickups. I am leaning toward the m's.

I too would like to see the guitar that you are playing now Tom. Subtle brown teardrop sounds good. :cool:

[tom]

i'll se if i can get a photo today. i was also torn with which pickups to do. they both have their place and both do what they do really well. i settled on an m1 in the neck and an h2 in the bridge. i'm going to swap to an ho2 today for the weekend and give that a go. i had the ho2 in my last hollow atom and really loved the humbucker tone but the singe tone wasn't quite as good. the humbucker tone is getting used more these days, so the ho might be the best for now. interesting how the illusive tone is a moving target.

[guitarzan]

... interesting how the illusive tone is a moving target.

I've heard you say this before. I quote it all the time.

...especially when I'm trying to convnce my wife that I need a new piece of gear. :)

[Janine Doubly]

I was not fond of the Atom shape at first either. But then I started to notice something. I kept seeing pictures of the Atom standing upright, plus I had customers come into the shop I used to work at and complain too. But they were seeing the Atom hang from the headstock. OF course, nobody plays the guitar this way and after looking at it on a person's body, it makes a lot more aesthetic sense. Les Pauls look great hanging by the headstock, but sideways in a playing position, well...We all know what that looks like and feels like! I wonder if this is why three of the most famous Paul players (Page, Slash and Zakk Wylde) hang their Pauls to their knees and or prop them up on their leg.

[kccheers]

Hi Chris!

Well, I have to say that I was one of Chris's Customers that saw the Atom hanging, but for me it was love at first sight. I had seen the pix but seeing it in person "wow'ed" me. I had actually gone in to buy a DR Z amp and order a TAG Classic, but whaen I saw the Atom it was all over, and it followed my Dr Z home.

Cheers from KC

[Dave K]

I was not fond of the Atom shape at first either. But then I started to notice something. I kept seeing pictures of the Atom standing upright, plus I had customers come into the shop I used to work at and complain too. But they were seeing the Atom hang from the headstock. OF course, nobody plays the guitar this way and after looking at it on a person's body, it makes a lot more aesthetic sense.

I think you hit the nail on the head here. I've heard this from several guys that have played my Atom now,too. Once it's in your hands it starts to make sense.
Now it's grown on me to the point that I like the lines of the design. Every time I pick it up I spend five minutes running my hand around the contours on the back. :D

[GaryMcT]

i'll se if i can get a photo today. i was also torn with which pickups to do. they both have their place and both do what they do really well. i settled on an m1 in the neck and an h2 in the bridge. i'm going to swap to an ho2 today for the weekend and give that a go. i had the ho2 in my last hollow atom and really loved the humbucker tone but the singe tone wasn't quite as good. the humbucker tone is getting used more these days, so the ho might be the best for now. interesting how the illusive tone is a moving target.

I can definitely see going to this config. I find that I don't use the middle M on my Atom very much.

[dave]

nice looking guitar - which finish is that?

dave

[Dave K]

Cherry Burst. The honeymoon hasn't worn off,either. The more I play it the more I'm impressed with Tom's creation. Absolutely love it! :D
Figuring out how I can afford another one is my only problem. ;)

[GaryMcT]

Cherry Burst. The honeymoon hasn't worn off,either. The more I play it the more I'm impressed with Tom's creation. Absolutely love it! :D
Figuring out how I can afford another one is my only problem. ;)

If you want to try a hollow one, they have one over at NW Guitars with 2 HBs.

[Dave K]

I've played a hollow. Not sure if that's what I want next.I'm curious about an Atom Special,though.

[GaryMcT]

I've played a hollow. Not sure if that's what I want next.I'm curious about an Atom Special,though.

Is that an Atom with P90's, or is it the figured top version, or both?

[Dave K]

I think an Atom Special is a mahogany body without a maple top.
Didn't I read that Tom built himself one? Maybe he can clarify and help with
a tonal explanation.
Found a pic of one on andersonalley.com
http://www.andersonalley.com/spotlight.aspx?sl=112

[tom]

that one is hollow. i have been playing a hollow one with the mmh bigsby setup for a few months. just recently did a solid one with mxh and no bigsby. very simple, very versitile, very light. does all i need... for now...

[Dave K]

What's the tonal change by not having the maple top? Fatter, more fundamental?

[tom]

generally darker and fuller, mostly noticable in the softer top end.

[Rhys]

is this a special you're doing a pull-up on? maybe the solid mahogany makes them a bit more robust for integrating into a workout regimine.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/Rhys227/Tom_pullup.jpg

[tom]

that is my original 3 pu special with the bigsby. it could be the extra weight and spring that makes it such an exercise machine.

[Dave M.]

... Absolutely love it! :D
Figuring out how I can afford another one is my only problem. ;)


I think I can come up with a good idea for that! ~~~~....koaaaaahhhh......koaaaaahhhh.......~~~~

[Dave K]

Do you have an Atom you might be interested in swapping? ;)

[GaryMcT]

Does Dave M have a koa topped ATom!??!?!??!?!!?

[GaryMcT]

Since this seems like the right place for an Atom love-fest. . . . .

I got mine back today from Anderson with a jumbo refret (from heavy) and a switch from M1 to M1- for the neck and middle.

Ummmmmmmm. . ..WOW!!! It turned out really really well. I'll never get a non-jumbo Anderson again. :)

I can't exactly do the Pepsi Challenge, but from my memory, the M1- is exactly the tweak that I wanted to the M1. The multi-pickup positions are perfectly chimy and growly with a bit more "essense of strat" than I remember from the M1. I didn't use to find much use for the neck pickup by itself, but now I like it.

Hey Bruce and Tom (and everyone else at Anderson). . . thanks!!!!

[Dave K]

Does Dave M have a koa topped ATom!??!?!??!?!!?

If he did it would be in my hands right now!!!!!!!! :D
Dave M has no koa guitars, but would like one, but he does have a super bitchin' Cajun Cobra S. He's thinking of ways I can afford another Atom, so he's reminding me I have a couple koa DTs. Understand? ;)

[Dave M.]

Does Dave M have a koa topped ATom!??!?!??!?!!?

Ehhh, unfortunately, no. :(
Dave M has no koa, nor Atom.

But, I'm still very happy with my Cobra S and Classic. I just can't convince Tom and Co. to build a nice Classic version of a 5 string bass. ;)

Hey, at least I can go to Dave K's and play his Atom or koas. Are there any Koa topped Atoms? Maybe Dave K really don't wanna know!! :D

[Dave M.]

If he did it would be in my hands right now!!!!!!!! :D

Down, big fella!!


Dave M has no koa guitars, but would like one...He's thinking of ways I can afford another Atom, so he's reminding me I have a couple koa DTs...

About as subtle as a bull in a china shop, that's me! :D

...Hmmm, let's see. USGP ticket....

[Dave K]

Great, now you've got me on a koa hunt. :p
http://www.bigislandkoa.com/sk.1.sm.jpg

[bruce]

Since this seems like the right place for an Atom love-fest. . . . .

I got mine back today from Anderson with a jumbo refret (from heavy) and a switch from M1 to M1- for the neck and middle.

Ummmmmmmm. . ..WOW!!! It turned out really really well. I'll never get a non-jumbo Anderson again. :)

I can't exactly do the Pepsi Challenge, but from my memory, the M1- is exactly the tweak that I wanted to the M1. The multi-pickup positions are perfectly chimy and growly with a bit more "essense of strat" than I remember from the M1. I didn't use to find much use for the neck pickup by itself, but now I like it.

Hey Bruce and Tom (and everyone else at Anderson). . . thanks!!!!

Yer welcome! That's a pretty stellar Atom you have there!

[tom]

no koa topped atoms. we just did deliver a walnut topped one , pretty cool looking.

[Dave K]

Any pics of the Walnut topped Atom?

[brian b]

Here is an Atom special.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y77/bcbtoby/redatom007.jpg

[tom]

roy did shoot the walnut, but don't know when it's going to surface. it went to gelb music.

[Dave K]

Thanks Tom,I'll keep an eye on Gelb.
Thanks for the Special pic,Brian. What color is that?

[brian b]

Trans Red.

[Dave M.]

Thanks Tom,I'll keep an eye on Gelb.

Yes, you will, Dave. Yes, you will. If you're lucky it might be there sometime, say, around the latter part of July. Good time to check, eh? ;)



Trans Red.

Thanks for the Special pic,Brian. What color is that?

Is that the same kinda Trans Red that's "traditionally" seen on, *ahem*, older mahogany bodied Special models -- if ya know-what-I-mean?

[nickdahl]

Trans Red on an Atom Special must be incredible. I'll join the Atom lovefest: mine is fantastic and I play it all the time. I, too, would like to see more photos of this elusive instrument.

Nick

[mtucker]

I, too, would like to see more photos of this elusive instrument.

here's a so so pic of my tiger flame - it's much prettier in person.. the weight, body size/shape and everything about the guitar is just fantastic.

although it's very different than my cobra special in its response ... more immediate ... it is still very very familiar. extremely comfortable for a couch noodler like me ... you definitely know its an anderson.

i debated some weeks on one but must say that everybody should at least take a test drive.

i ran it through my redbone special and 410 cab last night and it just sparkles.

its a beauty ... a fine fine piece, tom!

the Atom is Abomb!

[tom]

the trans red is a little reder than most of those late model double cutaway pointy guitars. cherry looks more like the old ones. we are doing a 2 pu special right now for one of the guys at gelb in cherry. it has an older look to it.

[enr1co]

Yes, you will, Dave. Yes, you will. If you're lucky it might be there sometime, say, around the latter part of July. Good time to check, eh? ;)


If if was just shot by Roy, it may be there a bit earlier than July...
If it landed there this week, it may not last too long over the weekend.

Gelb has GC- like crowds/foot traffic on Saturdays and Andersons dont hang around there too long. Ive seen them getting rung up as soon as they pull them out of the case even before they have a chance to hang them on "high wall" ;)

If I can get thru my list of honey do's, I'll try to head over and
see if its still there for you :)

e

[Dave K]

Thanks for the heads up,Enr1co. We'll stop by Gelb while on vacation and see what's hanging out. July is down the road a bit, so who knows what we'll find in the meantime. ;)

[enr1co]

roy did shoot the walnut, but don't know when it's going to surface. it went to gelb music.

Its was there today and looking fine! It has to be one of the lightest weight Andersons Ive ever held!
The natural shaded edge finish color of the walnut gave it the appearance of premium panel wood used for luxury euro sedans

e

[velcro-fly]

Great, now you've got me on a koa hunt. :p
http://www.bigislandkoa.com/sk.1.sm.jpg

Hmmmm....well I've got this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/speedmonkey1/Koalumber.jpg

And a bunch more...and a new Aiken Tomcat / Aiken Intruder / Maz 18 jr (incoming) / Andy Cobra combo that needs to go on a Seattle road trip to see some friends..and I've not had a chance to play an Atom...

Do the Dave's drink beer ?? :p :D

Steve E
Portland, OR

[Dave K]

Hmmmm....well I've got this:

:eek: :eek: Now that's a koa stash!!!!!!! :eek: :eek:



Do the Dave's drink beer ?? :p :D

Steve E
Portland, OR
http://users.pandora.be/eforum/emoticons4u/happy/143.gif You show up with a load of gear and koa, we'll have cold one's waiting. ;)

[GaryMcT]

:eek: :eek: Now that's a koa stash!!!!!!! :eek: :eek:


http://users.pandora.be/eforum/emoticons4u/happy/143.gif You show up with a load of gear and koa, we'll have cold one's waiting. ;)

Count me in!

[Dave K]

roy did shoot the walnut, but don't know when it's going to surface. it went to gelb music.

Gelb put some pics on their site of this hollow walnut Atom.
More HERE (http://www.gelbmusic.com/store/)

http://www.gelbmusic.com/store/images/AndAtomWalnut-30106f.jpg