Need some inputs here for my Mahogany needs (Cobra/Bulldog)

[R2D2]

Hi all,

Am enjoying my DTC everyday since the first day i got her till now. But since i started playing guitar i have always have an "all situation guitar" and a "muscle powerhouse guitar" for all my gigs and all. It used to be my Fender strat and my Les paul. But since i got my DTC i have sold away almost all my guitar and now i have reached point where i think i do need a mahogany based guitar for some extra firepower here during kerrang! djent djent! demanding song. (after watching all the tasty video of cobra and bulldog on youtube)

I am confused in deciding which one to go for currently, Cobra S, Bulldog or Bulldog special.
What I need is something very veryyyyyyy large sounding, very muscular, should i say the very sweet high mids that normally comes from Lespaul/Marshall/Mahogany based guitars.

My thoughts about the 3 guitars:
Bulldog is definitely not within my budget currently but if it is really the best choice i don't mind saving for few more months. I love les paul! and bulldog to me is a les paul with Anderson's playablity with much more features.

Cobra S is another choice for me, its lighter than bulldog and got some mahogany muscle on it, but some did tell me that it is right between a droptop and a bulldog, it is versatile but might not be muscular and large enough as a Bulldog, As i already have a DTC for all around purpose, i might not need the versatility and might just as well go for all muscle.

Last one would be a Bulldog special, les paul shape, more affordable to me currently compared to bulldog, but i wonder without the mapletop will it lose lots of attributes that we always refer to les paul. And looking at it looks thinner than a bulldog and also without maple cap, i wonder will it fall to SG's territory rather than a les paul.

Any inputs will be much appreciated! and pardon me for the long post! If any pickup were to be mentioned for the comparison, i'd say i already have H3 in mind for the bridge!

Thank you! have a nice day!

[Pietro]

Why not an Atom or CT Atom?

[kirkham13]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tom-Anderson-Bulldog-Pup-in-TV-Yellow-w-OHSC-in-Great-Shape-/230796803683?pt=Guitar&hash=item35bc8fbe63

I was looking at the above online recently-seems a good deal. I like the look of the specials, esp in TV yellow.

[R2D2]

@Pietro
I just somehow like Cobra or Bulldog better (from appearance) Atom looks cool too though!

@kirkham13
I like the look of bulldog pup/special too! but i would prefer it to have 2 pickup and maybe in humbucker!

I just wonder will the bulldog special sounds very noticeably thin compared to bulldog

[Big Harry]

I would say , save a little bit more and get Bulldog , you will never regret or look back .The most powerfull , but still articulated guitar ever .

2c of mine :cool: :cool:

[brokenvail]

Why not a normal cobra over the cobra s? It has the awesome contours ect so it is not a flat top t

[dannopelli]

I would say , save a little bit more and get Bulldog , you will never regret or look back .The most powerfull , but still articulated guitar ever .

2c of mine :cool: :cool:

Could not have said it better myself!

Everyone here will tell you that if you want a LP get one. But then you get to have all the issues associated with a LP.

However if you want something in the vein of a LP, but with the great playability and quality of an Anderson, get a Bulldog.

So yeah, wait a couple of months and get what you want. Don't compromise. Listen to Harry!

[gibson5413]

Could not have said it better myself!

Everyone here will tell you that if you want a LP get one. But then you get to have all the issues associated with a LP.

However if you want something in the vein of a LP, but with the great playability and quality of an Anderson, get a Bulldog.

So yeah, wait a couple of months and get what you want. Don't compromise. Listen to Harry!


I have owned many Les Pauls over the years. I love Tom's take on the single cut. It has the things I loved about the Les Paul (body/neck wood, classic shape, big sound) and none of the drawbacks (quality control, thick neck heel, sometimes too heavy). In addition, in some cases you are paying twice to three times as much for a "spoon fed" custom shop Les Paul. I like being able to customize my Bulldog however I want.

This isn't to say I don't like Les Pauls. What I do like is that for my money I get Tom's world class build and customizable features with 100% confidence in the product. Again, you can't go wrong!

In regards to a Cobra, I don't own one but have played one. They sound great and similar to a Les Paul. I would have been fine with one but I wanted that classic single cut shape.

Obligatory pictures:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/gibson5413/IMG_0064.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/gibson5413/IMG_0066.jpg

[R2D2]

@brokenvail
You mean cobra have carvedtop? (as you said its not flattop) or you mean the back?

Some friend of my mine own cobra and i have played one before, but i think i still need something with larger sound

Thank you so much everyone! Definitely thinking about the bulldog, any love for the bulldog special here? Would like to hear some thought about it too!

[mdrs]

I'm with Danno and Big Harry, R2D2.

I'd always buy what you want, even it it takes longer to save up for it.

Lord knows I don't need another new guitar. If I was going to get one, it'd be a Bulldog.

No one makes guitars like Tom.

No one!!!

[brokenvail]

I meant that it doesn't have a flat front and back like a traditional Tele. I doubt a cobra s is bigger sounding than the regular cobra

[R2D2]

@brokenvail

oh i agree! I read from some thread here that says so too, just that i'd prefer the look of a cobra S if i'm getting a cobra. Tried some gibson lespaul standard 2012 lately in the guitar shop, it sounds surprisingly thin, i guess the gibson's chambering really plays a big part in that.

[kirkham13]

This one has some nice specs. I have never played or seen one in person though... I agree the specials and pup look special.........:cool:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1107219&highlight=anderson

[R2D2]

Thanks for the heads up Kirkham!
Anymore inputs? Where is our supreme commander?? :D

[tom]

i have been playing all mahogany guitars for several years. i love the full middle they have . a topped bulldog has a deeper low and a harder cutting top than the special. all depends what you like. cobras have more sizzle on top than bulldogs do. for me personally the feel is different enough that i would play the one i felt most comfortable on. i can adapt more easily to a different sounding guitar than i can an awkward feeling one.

[R2D2]

Wow Tom! i think it should be 8 or 9am over there now??
and thanks for the input! I'm good and comfortable with both Singlecut and Doublecut shape. When you say a topped bulldog have harder cutting top than special you mean harder cutting as in harder to cut in the mix/band setting?

does that mean Bulldog special might cut through better in a band setting?

[tom]

no, i mean that the maple top gives it a bit punchier treble, should cut through better. i enjoy the softer treble for me. i tend to run amps pretty bright so i can get away with a softer top end from the guitar.

[danyeo]

I'll be 100% honest here. I compared my friends Cobra loaded with an H3 in the bridge to a Bulldog I owned and the Cobra blew the doors off the Bulldog for thick ballsy tone. It wasn't close. I forget which exact pickup the Bulldog had but I think it was an HC2. The Bulldog is really comfy but if I was looking for grunt, balls, and thick hard rock tones, I've tried and tried to avoid it but you really can't beat a good Les Paul. And yes, I hate saying that.

[pipedwho]

I'll be 100% honest here. I compared my friends Cobra loaded with an H3 in the bridge to a Bulldog I owned and the Cobra blew the doors off the Bulldog for thick ballsy tone. It wasn't close. I forget which exact pickup the Bulldog had but I think it was an HC2. The Bulldog is really comfy but if I was looking for grunt, balls, and thick hard rock tones, I've tried and tried to avoid it but you really can't beat a good Les Paul. And yes, I hate saying that.
That's probably because the H3 is one ballsy pickup. It sounds huge even in the bridge on a basswood/maple Drop Top.

I imagine if you put the H3 into a Bulldog, you'd get that same massive sound.

[danyeo]

That's probably because the H3 is one ballsy pickup. It sounds huge even in the bridge on a basswood/maple Drop Top.

I imagine if you put the H3 into a Bulldog, you'd get that same massive sound.

I did install an H3 in the Bulldog when I owned it and feedback was a big problem with any amount of gain, I liked my Drop Top better with an H2+. My Drop Top is basswood/maple with a vintage trem and IMHO it had just as much bottom end and it was darker than the Bulldog. Go figure.

[Big Harry]

grunt, balls, and thick hard rock tones
....articulated,musical,sonic pleasant and fluid but punchy and smooth in the same time , depending on pick attack ....
That is my bulldog with HC3 and HC1 :D
And most important - in tune !
Thanks for giving me good idea for describing it .

[R2D2]

I must say that H3 sounds very large, i installed one on my ESP Horizon and it shocked my bandmate and friend, although i must say it still lack of some hi-mids that the mahogany guitar will have (my ESP is alder)

[PaulP]

Everybody's ear is different. Personally I tend not to care for an ALL mahogany guitar because every time I have tried to own one it seemed to "lack focus". The last one being a PRS. Of course this is only my OPINION because there is a gazillion examples of great guitar tones played on all mah guitars and it also depends on what type of music your playing, how much gain your using,.......many factors. And something I think we tend to overlook sometimes when we use our eyes more than our ears (been guilty of it at times myself!). Tom would likely have far more experience with this than any of us (except for the guys that work with him) is that no two pieces of wood are gonna sound exactly the same! The same species will certainly have similar qualities overall, but may have drastic differences. One plank or XYZ MAGIC BEANSTALK WOOD may turn out to be the most resonant plank ever whittled into a guitar (or yuke/violin/bongo/or chopsticks!) but the next one may be about as resonant as a concrete truck! Could be just the way that one is and no amount of Roy's colorful musings (come on..you know its true! VBG....I think its great by the way!) of pickup nervana will turn that concrete truck into a chorus of angels! Of course there is always the chance that the next guy happens to be really into the sound of Concrete....but hopefully you get my point!

In case I am being too vague (possibly) it means that just cause one Bulldog or Cobra didn't work for you it doesn't mean the next one won't...sound wise. The last time I did buy a Les Paul I prob auditioned 50 of them...literally. I would pick up two seemingly identical 57/58 reissues and they would be completely different! I think it is even more apparent when it comes to Strats/Tele's. We can spec identical appointments all day long, Tom and company can build with the exacting standards they do, Roy can sprinkle his magic (saw) dust in the case and lead everybody in a moment of silence followed by the sacred Anderson Incantatus (which in the case of MY guitar I thoroughly EXPECT it to be performed twice AND to call upon the spirits of JIMI, STEVIE,and RANDY for that extra special mojo!;) ) as the guitar is placed on the alter (I hear it also doubles as Tom's desk!:eek: ).......no two guitars are gonna be identical because the one thing that cannot be controlled or definitively regulated is how each individual block of wood is gonna sound in the end! Some are just gonna be more resonant/top or bottom heavy/midrangy....who knows what. It just is the nature of it all and one of the reasons that some guitars just have that "something special".

[R2D2]

Thanks a lot for the cool discussion guys!

I think i limited the choices back to Bulldog, with maybe Humbucker on bridge and P90 on Neck. Most of the time, an awesoe Les paul Junior (gibson) with P90 sounds really really good, and its full mahogany though (mahogany top too)

I wonder will there be a big difference between Maple top and Mahogany top (other than the wonderful flame of course)