TAG Old vs. New - Thoughts?

[michaelomiya]

If memory serves, I remember picking up a Shoreline Gold Classic in April 1996 (one of tom's first SG's) and hearing about it being "feitenized" or temper tuned. Then it was near or around January 2002, when John Ou tells me that TAG's going full out and using SS frets. Sometime in 2005 (?) Tom announces that the truss rod access for all (not just the Cobras) will be headstock. Then in January 2006, the 2 bolt wedgie necks are announced for all models.

Question: do you guys value the old or the new? Both? if so why?

Personally, I find the new improvements, especially the wedgie joint, to have a profound impact on the playing experience. I'm all about the A-wedge joint. I gotta have all the "bells and whistles". (weak, I know)

Thoughts?

[taclassic]

Mike,

I have not had the opportunity to try a wedgie Anderson, but having played other Andersons I have to say that SS Frets are amazing. It is hard to go back to non SS Frets. I am also big on the truss rod adjustment at the neck. I was always afraid of damaging the body when it was at the lower end of the neck. Buzz tunning all the way as well.

[Barry]

If memory serves, I remember picking up a Shoreline Gold Classic in April 1996 (one of tom's first SG's) and hearing about it being "feitenized" or temper tuned. Then it was near or around January 2002, when John Ou tells me that TAG's going full out and using SS frets. Sometime in 2005 (?) Tom announces that the truss rod access for all (not just the Cobras) will be headstock. Then in January 2006, the 2 bolt wedgie necks are announced for all models.

Question: do you guys value the old or the new? Both? if so why?

Personally, I find the new improvements, especially the wedgie joint, to have a profound impact on the playing experience. I'm all about the A-wedge joint. I gotta have all the "bells and whistles". (weak, I know)

Thoughts?
Just look at the wedgie and then look at the traditional 4 bolt joint . Its a no brainer . More wood touching each other where as the old joint has one side "exposed" if you will . Im a fan of old four bolt necks but they do shift over time . I have a Cobra with the wedgie . Love it .

[grapeshot]

I've never been big on Andersons until the I played one with the new joint. It's all about that A Wedge for me!

[bud]

I find my attachment to the old being driven by emotion (how much I have played my HTC and how it has never let me down). I know intellectually a new one would do all that this one does, and more (with the wedgie). It is at that point the attachment switches to one that is more "economic" in nature ;)

[michaelomiya]

man, you guys are doing nothing to stop my G.A.S. for another A-wedge andy!!:D I'm in absolute agreement - wedge joint, h/s truss, BFTS, SS all the way!!:p

[GaryMcT]

My Drop Top has all the goods except for the new neck joint. There is no way that I'm ever getting rid of that guitar, although I do like the new neck joint more.

[entraind]

I find the new neck joint to be an amazing step forward for the guitar. It plays and responds to my touch in a way that I couldn't have imagined before playing my Atom. I got to play a Classic with the new neck joint and was astounded with it as swell. It was kind of a Spinal Tap moment..."This guitar goes to 11!" :)

[pluto]

Without a doubt, I would take a new one with all of Tom's current improvements (ss frets, buzz feiten, wedgie). I'm looking forward to even newer improvements that Tom will make in the future!

[pluto]

BTW-Mike I noticed that you are catching up to my post count-so here's a gratuitous post to increase my post count!:D

[michaelomiya]

BTW-Mike I noticed that you are catching up to my post count-so here's a gratuitous post to increase my post count!:D

:D ;) :D ha!:p

[pluto]

:p :p :p :p :p


:D ;) :D ha!:p

[mbrown3]

One of the great things about TAG is that everything they do is for the betterment of the instrument...i.e., not for some "fad" or new fangled thing for its own sake, but rather because TAG truly believes that it makes for better guitars. And I agree 100%. I think every innovation they've embraced has not been on a whim...with much thought and research have they taken on new ideas/technologies, and I honestly think their instruments are better for all of them. I couldn't imagine my guitars now without BFTS OR SS frets, and I can't wait until next month to try to new neck joint. I know it's going to blow me away.

[Pietro]

Hey, you don't put old wine into new wineskins, do you.

It kinda reminds me of another guitar builder, not nearly as high-end... Robert Godin, who I got to meet and speak with on a couple occasions. The difference between the guitars he made in the early 90s and the ones he makes today is astounding because of what he's learned and changed about them. I wouldn't buy one of the 15-year old ones at all. I own THREE of the ones he's made in the past 3 or 4 years. I just love 'em!

Same thing with Tom, although he started out much closer to perfect imho... The first Drop Tops, Classics, etc I played in the early 90s were just as much a revelation as his guitars are today.

[michaelomiya]

Same thing with Tom, although he started out much closer to perfect imho... The first Drop Tops, Classics, etc I played in the early 90s were just as much a revelation as his guitars are today.

well put Pietro, I feel exactly the same way!:)

[Kevin]

Its pretty cool having someone like Tom who strives to improve the construction of the guitar and not just try to make some ornate piece of wooden art that just happens to have strings on it.

I think Leo would be proud!

[LamChop]

As a Newbie, take everything I have to say with a couple of grains of whatever makes you skeptical. I'm a little biased toward old, but not necessarily because they were more refined instruments. In fact, I'm proud of the way Tom never rested long on any laurels, and continues to strive to make his instruments uniquely innovative. I've never tried a TAG with the new neck joint. Mssrs. Buzz and Stainless are widely hailed as refinements, and I'm sure they're great. Still, most of our Guitar Heros made most of the best guitar music ever, all without these "advantages". I realize that some folks reading this are pros, but for what does a basement wanker like me really need these improved features that ultimately, collectively add a lot to price and help put TAG guitars out of the reach of lots of decent people?
I own only one of Tom's guitars, though I have played a few others. Mine is a Grand Am Lam Hollow T born in July of 1990. I am the second owner, buying her in 1999. She is a decidedly un-red cherryburst; a beautiful and giving piece of ash that was born on a typical day at a time that one guitar per day was completed. It may be an anomaly in an interesting way, but we'll get to that - I hope - another day. My point is that other than wishing that I could access the truss rod from the headstock area, I wouldn't change a damn thing on her. No real need to. Just about perfect she is.
I guess what I'm really getting to is a question: Especially in light of recent developments and in light of the realities of the collectors' market today, would you rather own a new-fangled, five-born-today, less-cool-headstock, more expensive instrument, or an earlier, more classic looking and wonderfully-sounding example .... if you were a basement wanker like me?

[GaryMcT]

For what it's worth, I'm a basement wanker (well, maybe if I can actually get a basement one day) too, and I have an unnatural addiction to Tom's guitars. None of mine are very old, although my drop top has the old neck joint. If it could magically get the new neck joint, I'd do it. It's a pretty incredible guitar nonetheless. If you haven't played one with the new neck joint, don't! Ignorance is bliss. :)

[LamChop]

.... on that Atom is really something. Finest I've seen. Hey - I'm not closed minded. Got me curious about trying the new neck joint. Still not hankering for anything, though.....

[GaryMcT]

.... on that Atom is really something. Finest I've seen. Hey - I'm not closed minded. Got me curious about trying the new neck joint. Still not hankering for anything, though.....

Thanks, although that's really a complement for the folks at TAGW that built it. :) I was pretty shocked when the bora bora drop top (my one custom ordered TAG) showed up with its top as well.

[Mike D.]

My Anderson is an '04 I believe. It is sheer tonal perfection. The fretwork is beyond compare with any other guitar I've ever played. I've owned guitars with stainless steel frets and didn't really care one way or the other about them. Well, I'm a believer now. My nickel fretted guitars get tarnished so quickly. The stainless just stay polished and play so nice with no effort on my part to keep them polished. My Andy has the old neck joint. It sounds so big that I wouldn't trade it for another Andy. That being said, I had the opportunity to play six or seven Andy's with the new neck joint and they were stellar as well (just not as cool as mine, but hey, I'm biased :D ).

All in all, I wouldn't change a thing about my Anderson, but I still look forward to what the future holds for new Andersons in the new era.

[BoraBora]

My Favorite guitar is a 1993 Anderson. It's been well worn in and I have a strong emotional attachment to it. It's also been upgraded with jumbo ss frets and the BFTS by Bruce. :)

[Pietro]

"...would you rather own a new-fangled, five-born-today, less-cool-headstock, more expensive instrument, or an earlier, more classic looking and wonderfully-sounding example .... if you were a basement wanker like me?"

Well, since I play in my work (worship pastor) I guess I'm technically a pro, but so many "basement" players are better than me so maybe my opinion counts...

I'd rather have BOTH! For instance. a BFTS guitar sounds pretty cool next to a non-BFTS guitar sometimes...

If I could only have one?

New.

[pluto]

For what it's worth, I'm a basement wanker (well, maybe if I can actually get a basement one day) too, and I have an unnatural addiction to Tom's guitars. None of mine are very old, although my drop top has the old neck joint. If it could magically get the new neck joint, I'd do it. It's a pretty incredible guitar nonetheless. If you haven't played one with the new neck joint, don't! Ignorance is bliss. :)

Totally agreed-The new neck joint is my favorite Tom innovation.

[Pietro]

...another example. the Anderson I finally bought was a Crowdster Plus. This kind of guitar simply NEVER existed before! An acoustic that sounds fantastic on stage and still can make good electric sounds!!!

For that I want new! An Old SST won't cut it. I love the Godins, but it's not the same. The Fly has "no soul" to my hands/ears/heart... Even five years ago I couldn't imagine something like this.

A friend of mine once owned a Tele from the late 50s (he was the second or third owner) that weighed under 7 pounds. All original. It was AMAZING! For that, I'd want old.

Except maybe I want my two bolt cool neck joint and stainless steel frets, too... Can I get that on a 57 strat?

:p

[pluto]

WHEN NEWER IS NOT BETTER-

When you buy your state of the art Anderson and Tom comes up with a new innovation the following month! Can you imaging having the last non wedgie Anderson or the last non stainless steel fret Anderson? OHHHHH, I would be one angry person! :mad:

[Barry]

WHEN NEWER IS NOT BETTER-

When you buy your state of the art Anderson and Tom comes up with a new innovation the following month! Can you imaging having the last non wedgie Anderson or the last non stainless steel fret Anderson? OHHHHH, I would be one angry person! :mad:

Thats a bit like mesa revoicing some of their models . Same sort of thing . They did that with the Road King and Stiletto just recently .

[michaelomiya]

WHEN NEWER IS NOT BETTER-

When you buy your state of the art Anderson and Tom comes up with a new innovation the following month! Can you imaging having the last non wedgie Anderson or the last non stainless steel fret Anderson? OHHHHH, I would be one angry person! :mad:

Not if you're satisfied with what tone you've received. The value in everyone's opinions and input is that I'm now getting a perspective on how the gang here see's their Andys, whether old or new. Jame's (bora bora) 1993, to Mike D's 2004 DT (my former DT), to Gary McT's 2006 Atom. Each guy has a rationale as to why he's retaining his Andy and not "trading up". Honestly, if Tom came out with a whole new method of assembling a guitar out of recycled parts, I'd still not sell my Sweet & Sour Drop Top. I've never bonded with an instrument the way I have with this one!;)

[pluto]

Thats a bit like mesa revoicing some of their models . Same sort of thing . They did that with the Road King and Stiletto just recently .

I couldn't figure out why Mesa revoiced the stilleto after only a short while. It's almost as if they conceded that version 1 was horrible!

[tom]

to be fair, i think sometimes manufacturers release a product, and after some sales they find that the product is reaching a different audience than they thought it would. then they tweak it to fit that audience to make them happier. not saying that's what happened here, but i know that honda thought the element was going to be for younger people, and it's old guys like me who are buying them.

[michaelomiya]

but i know that honda thought the element was going to be for younger people, and it's old guys like me who are buying them.

so how jealous is the seafoam green woody?:D

[pluto]

I don't know how any marketing genius could've imagined the element as being cool for the young crowd!

[michaelomiya]

I don't know how any marketing genius could've imagined the element as being cool for the young crowd!

....that's because you're too old to understand......:D

[tom]

the '57 is long gone. don't miss it at all.

[Barry]

I couldn't figure out why Mesa revoiced the stilleto after only a short while. It's almost as if they conceded that version 1 was horrible!
I have a Stiletto Stage 1 and I Love it . Oh well, obviously everyone didnt feel the same as me

[Mystroe]

On the trail torwards perfection, the closer you get , the smaller the steps. My #1 remains GOTW 4-29-01. She bristles with character,sustain,projection and compliance. I've also got two wedgies, h-atom h-drop top and they are also quite special. There's plenty of majic all along this trail. Mystroe

[Casper]

Not if you're satisfied with what tone you've received. The value in everyone's opinions and input is that I'm now getting a perspective on how the gang here see's their Andys, whether old or new. Jame's (bora bora) 1993, to Mike D's 2004 DT (my former DT), to Gary McT's 2006 Atom. Each guy has a rationale as to why he's retaining his Andy and not "trading up". Honestly, if Tom came out with a whole new method of assembling a guitar out of recycled parts, I'd still not sell my Sweet & Sour Drop Top. I've never bonded with an instrument the way I have with this one!;)
Amen!
I love my pre-buz 96 calssic and am bonding so well to my 06 Atom that I actually feel weird. between the two, I can do all things now. Im satisfied.
I have finally found my perfect Anderson, and it was totally and tonally different than I imagined. I don't need to look anymore.
........well, a crowdster.....then maybe a hollow t....but MUCH MUCH later:D
Shaun