Tom Anderson Drop Top | Dark Cherry Burst with Binding

Anderson Guitarworks has long been revered amongst musicians for its commitment to innovation and quality craftsmanship. Amongst their illustrious lineup, the Anderson Drop Top stands as a testament to their pursuit of excellence in both design and sonic performance.

A Unique Design Philosophy

The Anderson Drop Top guitar is instantly recognisable, thanks to its striking exotic wood top. The "drop" in Drop Top refers to the innovative technique where the maple top is bent to create a comfortable forearm contour. This not only enhances the guitar's ergonomic feel but also adds to its aesthetic allure with sweeping body lines that catch the eye.

Before the Drop Top's introduction in 1990, guitars with a maple top designed in this manner were non-existent. Anderson's decision to use a 3/16-inch body top thickness further enriches the instrument's sonic character, ensuring a rich and resonant tone that complements its visual appeal and Basswood body back.

Design and Construction Details

The Anderson Drop Top features a traditional 25 1/2-inch scale length, a standard in the industry known for its balanced feel and versatility. Finished in the stunning Dark Cherry Burst with Binding, the guitar boasts a captivating appearance, enhanced by a black back that adds a modern edge.

The neck is crafted from caramel maple and paired with a rosewood fingerboard. Anderson's choice of a fingerboard radius ranging from 12 to 14 inches ensures optimal playability, facilitating effortless string bending and smooth fretting across the entire range of the guitar.

Neck Profile and Fretwork

One of Anderson's standout features is their Even Taper neck profile, favoured for its sleek and fast feel. This profile maintains consistent depth from the nut to the 12th fret, ensuring a comfortable playing experience even as you move up the neck.

The guitar's nut width measures 1 11/16 inches, providing ample spacing for precise fingering. Anderson equips the Drop Top with Jumbo stainless steel frets, which are renowned for their durability and smooth feel. According to Anderson, these frets offer enhanced playability with silky smooth string bends and vibrant vibrato, elevating the guitarist's performance capabilities.

Electronics and Hardware

In terms of electronics, the Drop Top Classic Hollow is equipped with SA1R, SA1, and H2+ pickups. The H2+ is a great all-rounder of a pickup with a medium output and a big low end that compliments its full mids. Paired with two SA1 pickups - one of which is reverse wound - you get access to some real classic vintage output single-coil tones without the hum!

This guitar also features the "Switcheroo" system, containing a blower switch to bypass all switching and send the full bridge humbucker straight to the guitar's output. When the blower switch is off, you have individual series/parallel/split switches for each pickup for any [ickup combination you can think of.

Buzz Feiten Tuning System

Anderson incorporates the Buzz Feiten Tuning System, enhancing the guitar's tuning stability and overall intonation. This system, adopted by Anderson since 1996, ensures that chords and single notes sound more harmonious across the fretboard, enriching the playing experience for both studio recordings and live performances.