What makes them so beautiful?

[jeff h]

What type of finish is on Andersons, I dont think it's laquer. Also, what is the finishing process, I understand it is unique to Anderson's.

01-13-08N Drop Top Classic, Translucent Black
04-23-08P Hollow T Classic, Candy Apple Red
10-10-08N Hollow Drop Top Classic, Desert Sunset

[tom]

what makes them so beautiful? lots of sanding and polishing, oh, and a cured,dry finish.
we use a polyester base coat. urethane colors, and a polyester top coat. all clear coats are UV cured so when it's done, it's really done. we of course try to use as little finish as is needed. i think we sand off more than we leave on! we do not try to fill wood variances with tons of finish.
the myth is that only lacquer breathes. all the finishes above allow water vapor to pass through them, so if a guitar is exposed to high or low humidity, the body and neck will acclimate to that climate. that means wood can still shrink and grow under any of these finishes. a guitar that lives in washington state will take on water and probably have a moisture content of 10% or more. a guitar that lives in new mexico(the driest place i've ever been) will probably drop down way below 6%. we are fortunate to have a very guitar friendly climate to build in so we can have 6% wood here.
i guess that was the long answer:o

[markus]

That's very interesting, Tom!

When I tilt my Alder ProAm and Quilted Maple Drop Top under light, I can see some of the wood grain in the finish. I guess that's perfectly normal then as you try to use as little finish as possible, right? I can't see any wood grain in the Candy Apple finish of my Classic, but I guess that's because Candy Apple is multiple, layered coats of paint and therefore a little thicker?

But I agree with Jeff, Anderson finishes are the best and most beautiful finishes I've ever seen.

Thanks,
Markus

[tom]

the different colors really aren't much different in thickness. it could be that the alder is more consistent in density so it expands and contracts at a more even rate.

[Metron]

Hey Tom,

I'm in Albuquerque and I'm planning on ordering a Cobra with a Pau Ferro board hopefully withing the next couple of months. Are there any special precautions you'd advise I'd take for the guitar concerning the dryness out here?

[ckofahl]

Metron,

I'm here in Albuquerque as well, and the dryness causes a lot changes in the neck from season to season. Nothing that an adjustment wouldn't fix. Also, I just added house humidifiers and this has done wonders for stabelizing the guitars. I can now keep my house at about 35 to 40% humidity. But i had my TAGS for years, and until I added the humidifier this year, all I had to do was neck adjustments each season. If you want to check em out, contact me and I'm sure we can hook up. Always glad to help a fellow out.

[Metron]

ckofahl,

Thank you for the offer and the advice.:)

Glad to hear that seasonal adjustments seem to be the only thing needed. I have some severe pulmonary issues that are worsened by humidity so I try to keep my house dry and have run in to issues with my two Jackson Soloists from doing so. The necks move drastically from Summer to Fall/Winter. Then again, that may be the Ebony and Maple being not too simpatico.

[Barry]

what makes them so beautiful? lots of sanding and polishing, oh, and a cured,dry finish.
we use a polyester base coat. urethane colors, and a polyester top coat. all clear coats are UV cured so when it's done, it's really done. we of course try to use as little finish as is needed. i think we sand off more than we leave on! we do not try to fill wood variances with tons of finish.
the myth is that only lacquer breathes. all the finishes above allow water vapor to pass through them, so if a guitar is exposed to high or low humidity, the body and neck will acclimate to that climate. that means wood can still shrink and grow under any of these finishes. a guitar that lives in washington state will take on water and probably have a moisture content of 10% or more. a guitar that lives in new mexico(the driest place i've ever been) will probably drop down way below 6%. we are fortunate to have a very guitar friendly climate to build in so we can have 6% wood here.
i guess that was the long answer:o

Oh Ok , I think I'll just stick to playing them and leave the building to you . I think you have it figured out !

[MapleGuitar]

Tom, I found a TA drop top with a "satin natural key lime burst" finish. I'm curious how the "satin natural" finish differs from what you described below?


what makes them so beautiful? lots of sanding and polishing, oh, and a cured, dry finish.
we use a polyester base coat. urethane colors, and a polyester top coat. all clear coats are UV cured so when it's done, it's really done. we of course try to use as little finish as is needed. i think we sand off more than we leave on! we do not try to fill wood variances with tons of finish.
the myth is that only lacquer breathes. all the finishes above allow water vapor to pass through them, so if a guitar is exposed to high or low humidity, the body and neck will acclimate to that climate. that means wood can still shrink and grow under any of these finishes....

[gotGASbad]

Check out the colour in this Koa HDT. It's circa 1996! This guitar stops people in their tracks where ever I go.
It still sounds awesome!!!!!!

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn114/kcass7/koa2.jpg
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn114/kcass7/koa1.jpg

[monterosso]

dude, those pictures are great! adequate to anderson website! they should be put on it! ;]

[tom]

love how the cherry edge gets purpleish under the lights!
the satin finish is exactly the same until the final top coat. instead of 3 coats of UV poly it gets 3 coats of urethane satin.

[pdicristina]

incredibly beautiful.

IMHO, the finish on a TAG is just the icing on the cake. I love the balance of the design. The shape of the headstock. The elegance of the logo. It all adds up to something you just don't find in other guitars.

[Big Harry]

they are beautiful since they've been created from love , skills and knowledge , for the people who love them too , so much ! :)

[tom]

thanks zoran. i'd like to think that beauty's not skin deep around here. i love the stuff underneath.

[Big Harry]

on "my " English , word for " stuff underneath " is this word : " magic" ! :)

[jrgantt]

I live in Roswell, so I am kind of astonished to have come across two other boarders from Albuquerque. Anyway, here is my Hollow Atom.

http://www.joshgantt.us/resources/TAG_Hollow_Atom.JPG.jpg

I'm not so interested in what makes my guitar so beautiful, but I would like to know if I am seeing a sailboat or space ship. If you stare at the finish long enough, you can make out what appears to be a small schooner of some sort, but my bandmates think it is a space ship. TAG, can you put this to rest.

And yes we do use dollars in New Mexico.

[tom]

i say have another beer and take a look. if nothing changes, have another and take a look. repeat until you can agree.

[X - Road 28]

Sorry, I took Tom's advice and drank enough that I fell over and knocked your Atom over. All I could make out was the beautiful flame before I passed out :eek:

Enjoy in good health, thats a wicked Axe.



I live in Roswell, so I am kind of astonished to have come across two other boarders from Albuquerque. Anyway, here is my Hollow Atom.

http://www.joshgantt.us/resources/TAG_Hollow_Atom.JPG.jpg

I'm not so interested in what makes my guitar so beautiful, but I would like to know if I am seeing a sailboat or space ship. If you stare at the finish long enough, you can make out what appears to be a small schooner of some sort, but my bandmates think it is a space ship. TAG, can you put this to rest.

And yes we do use dollars in New Mexico.