Curious about the early Andersons.....

[jeepster]

At what point did the company make the transition from making parts to making guitars.

10 years ago I came across a blue guitar that was advertised as being from the first NAMM show that Tom Anderson Guitarworks displayed at (as a guitar builder) The serial number was 1-11-88. I know that is quite early on - is it from "the beginning"?

It was on Ebay and the seller was in Canada.

I've found many early ads in GP from '88 or so - usually showing a guitar with a bowling ball finish and Ultrasonic pickups. And of course the first headstock.

What is the early history of Tom Anderson Guitarworks?

[tom]

i started in my garage in summer of '84. got my first shop in '85. never intended to make complete guitars. a friend and local dealer encouraged me to put together some gitars for him to sell in his store. we started doing that on a very small scale, and found it was much more rewarding to make the complete instrument rather than just selling unfinished parts. i did make a few guitars in my garage, but the first guitar with the logo was shown at the namm show in jan of 86. that guitar got stolen. we made parts for sale to dealers and other builders till '90. guitar numbers were very small before that. we moved into our current shop in '87, and could believe we'd ever fill it up. it's pretty full now but we're happy making the quantity we do so we're not looking for bigger digs. we do about 800 guitars per year now and have been around that level for several years.

[pluto]

Originally posted by tom
it's pretty full now but we're happy making the quantity we do so we're not looking for bigger digs. we do about 800 guitars per year now and have been around that level for several years.

Tom, I think it's quite amazing that you are very happy to keep your operation on the smaller scale. I guess that's why I like your company so much-you haven't sacrificed quality in order to increase production and gain more $$, you are not just a figurehead for the company but an active builder, and you appear to be such a humble person. Your vision for your company is very uncorporate which is very refreshing these days.

[tom]

i don't have the killer instinct that would help me succeed in the corporate environment. i think i am the poster child for the old "question authority" bumper sticker.

[BrianH]

You're the poster child for not selling out, and for quality.