Hollow cobraS vs. hollow drop top

[GDane1]

Looking to order a new TAG. Reading the website, cobra S and drop top seem very similar. In short, what are the main differences between the two? I am interested in a hollow mahogany body/maple top, dual humbuckers (h1+ h3+) chromed vintage tremolo, mahogany neck/even taper/heavy frets.
1 11/16" nut. Thanks in advance and sorry if this is a dumb question.

[blues junkie]

Cobra S has a shorter scale then a Drop top (Les Paul scale vs strat scale)

Can't go wrong with either model.I have a Hollow Cobra S and LOVE IT!!!!!!!

Also I think Cobra's only come in Mahogony while the drop tops you can get in ash, alder and so on.

[tom]

the simple answer would be that the shorter scale will be more middle focused while the longer will have more extended bottom and top. the mahogany neck on the cobra will also contribute to a softer high end.

[Jimmy-Sekshun8]

As the proud owner of both a Cobra and a Drop Top, let me throw in my two cents. I love them both for different reasons. However, I just ordered a new guitar and my preference of the two is the Cobra. I don't think you can go wrong either way but the focus of the Cobra is amazing. How I've played guitar this long without one is beyond me. Tom, my preference will from now on be a Cobra. I am just looking for some sort of "Snakey" names for my Cobras. Anybody have suggestions?

[okstrat]

I'd like to thank all of you guys for making the next few days darn near unbearable... have a hollow Cobra S in UPS' gentle hands working its way across the USA to me.

Sounds like this may be a Les Paul killer... I have a '90 custom and an '05 flametop Standard that are looking at me nervously, since they already saw a Korina McCarty swapped for an Anderson last week. :)

Pete

[GDane1]

thanks for all your input. I am looking to replace my les paul custom, so the shorter scale cobra may be better for me. Looking for a very rock/hard rock sound. I'll have to locate them somewhere to play them just to be sure. There is a gorgeous cobra S for sale on ebay which has everything I want, except the color, don't know if I can do blue, especially on the back color. I want to try and match my burnished orange of my hollow T.

[Ful Metal Strat]

I have a Drop Top Classic in Burnished Orange, guitars this good looking should be outlawed. Sorry, but I can't attach th photo, anybody wanna help?

S

[csd]

hey welcome to the forum f.m.s!!! danno says go to flicker or photobucket, (?!?!?) and post yer pics. its free. :D

[dannopelli]

Can you get a mahogany neck on a Drop Top? I thought it was only Maple or Rosewood. That for sure is going to make a HUGE difference in tone.

[tom]

no mahogany neck on drop tops or any long scale stuff.

[ryman150]

I might be selling my Cobra S in Trans Plum. Pretty much "mint condish" (words of Jack Black).

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/114/l_babb1f8c138fab07c41429bb4d2954f6.jpg

Let me know if anybody is really interested. I definitely love the guitar, but I might be wanting to change things up. And I'm starting to notice that all of my guitars are some shade of maroon...lol. Plum DTC, Sparkle Plum HTC, Cajun Red Crowdster, Burgundy Mist Tyler Strat, and then this... :D

[mslugano]

As the proud owner of both a Cobra and a Drop Top, let me throw in my two cents. I love them both for different reasons. However, I just ordered a new guitar and my preference of the two is the Cobra. I don't think you can go wrong either way but the focus of the Cobra is amazing. How I've played guitar this long without one is beyond me. Tom, my preference will from now on be a Cobra. I am just looking for some sort of "Snakey" names for my Cobras. Anybody have suggestions?

AAARRRGG! Please say you're kidding about naming your guitars! I used to name my GI Joe's and my kids name their stuffed dolls but, PLEASE, don't do this. We're "big" people now, right? :D

I mean, maybe your mom will think it's cute..."ah listen, my little boy named his cute little guitar "The Biter"..."Shakey"..."The Stinger"..."The Rattler"...", etc. Then dad just rolls his eyes, says "Whatever" and tells you to go get a job or cut your hair or something else deservedly condescending. But, honestly, I don't want my mom to comment on how cute either I or my guitars are and I don't want/need to give my dad yet another reason to tell me what a snotty little infantile I am.

Ah well, you're at least not naming your guitars after ex-girlfriends or giving them stripper names...are you?? "This is "Tish"..."Diamond"..."Rainbow"..."Stephanie"...ad nauseum"...just sounds nauseating.

OK, sometimes names just happen like when someone throws up on your guitar mid-gig so you name that one "Puke" or, as in John Mayer's case, where he apparently asked for the black one a couple times so it became known as "the black one" but most anything else sounds pretty contrived, IMO. Sorry.

Blanket apology to all you guys that name your guitars...I realize I might just be asking for a flaming...but I had to get that off my chest. I mean it in the nicest way, really....like when only your best friend is nice/honest enough to tell you that your crap looking hair style looks like crap so you stop making a fool of yourself. :o What are friends for?

[tom]

so you need to find bb kings email address and send this to him too?

[mslugano]

so you need to find bb kings email address and send this to him too?

LOL. Yea, I am sure the list of famous named guitars is pretty long (and I suspect my post may get a pretty good list going) and I don't know the story behind Lucille but I'd still sorta snicker at my friends that randomly named a guitar. Sorry.

[mslugano]

LOL. Yea, I am sure the list of famous named guitars is pretty long (and I suspect my post may get a pretty good list going) and I don't know the story behind Lucille but I'd still sorta snicker at my friends that randomly named a guitar. Sorry.

OK, I just checked Wikipedia and this is what they write:

"In the winter of 1949, King played at a dance hall in Twist, Arkansas. In order to heat the hall, a barrel half-filled with kerosene was lit, a fairly common practice at the time. During a performance, two men began to fight, knocking over the burning barrel and sending burning fuel across the floor. The hall burst into flames, which triggered an evacuation. Once outside, King realized that he had left his guitar inside the burning building. He entered the blaze to retrieve his beloved $30 guitar, a Gibson acoustic. Two people died in the fire. The next day, King learned that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as every one he owned since that near-fatal experience, as a reminder never again to do something as stupid as run into a burning building or fight over women."

Not sure what conclusion to draw but I think it gets to my point about sometimes a name just happens and maybe Lucille was not so random.

FWIW, I know I am not the judge of whether to name a guitar nor what/how to name it and really didn't mean to hijack the thread. My post was intended to be a light-hearted poke.

[tom]

mine was just a grinning poke back.

[okstrat]

Not to derail this back to guitar tones but... :D

I might have been a little ambiguous - what I mean by the hollow cobra having more snap was that it has more snap to me than my Les Pauls. Every set or glued in neck guitar that I've owned was just way too 'soft' sounding - the cobra S has a great blend of what I like about bolt ons and what I like about the shorter scale length. My Drop Tops are snappier by far, but the cobra S just kinda... oozes the notes out but maintains clarity on the attack, moreso than my Pauls do.

I'll get to find out for sure in about 8 hours - taking my Andersons to a gig, along with an Axe-FX. Should be fun, one of the guys in the band has a real critical ear for tuning, am curious if he notices anything different with the feiten setups.

Pete

[blues junkie]

Congrates on the Cobra S. My favorite pick-up position on My Hollow Cobra S is both pick-up's split(pull toneknob up) man that is a great sound!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[ConnemaraGuitar]

... my preference will from now on be a Cobra. I am just looking for some sort of "Snakey" names for my Cobras. Anybody have suggestions?

Might I suggest "Shelby" for at least one of them? And perhaps "Viper" for another? To pique the ladies' curiosity go with "Carroll"...

[tom]

the cobra was indeed shelby inspired. inspired by the ac cobra, one of the prettiest cars ever made,imho. it's original working name was GT.

[guitarzan]

the cobra was indeed shelby inspired. inspired by the ac cobra, one of the prettiest cars ever made,imho. it's original working name was GT.

I have been telling Beth since way back when we were dating: If we win the lottery, we'll need to clean the garage out for my AC Cobra... love those cars.

[tom]

yes, beauty and the beast all in one. i heard that some 427 cobra owners never lived to make their first payment. 0-100 and back to 0 again in 11 seconds! frightening.

[markus]

For some reason I believe to remember seeing a video on YouTube some time ago, claiming that the AC Cobra ahead on a Southern Californian freeway was driven by the Supreme Commander. Can't find it anymore though... maybe I remember wrong or maybe it was just taken down?!
Anyway, beautiful car indeed! My sister-in-law is a huge AC Cobra fan, but never managed to buy a decent one. It's tough to find in Germany + not very practical with all the rain over there. ;)
Maybe I should get her into Anderson guitars instead... :) She's always asking what I want for my birthday & christmas... :D :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Jimmy-Sekshun8]

Yes, as a matter of fact I do think it's ok to name a guitar after a girl, or whatever. I'd like to add that even though it's not a girl's name, the Reverend Willie G played a Les Paul for years he named "Pearly Gates" so it's kinda ok with me. I like Shelby for the new Cobra I have coming. My son jumped on Olivia for the Cobra I currently have. I'm going to call my Drop Top Valencia since it's bright and vibrant looking.

Ok, back to the original topic, here's a note. I played a show this weekend with a band and the guitar player looked right at me (with his Les Paul) and said "I played those Andersons and they sounded so sterile to me. So I pulled out my dear sweet Olivia (Cobra) and said, here, play this through your Marshall. He was obliterated. He couldn't believe it. He even said, "maybe my Les Paul is the sterile one." True story everyone. The Cobra is the "Shelby" of guitars.