Anderson Guitarworks Drop Top Classic Guitar, Quilt Maple Top, Natural Honey

Player's Perspective

We're proud to continue our tenure as dealers for our friends at Anderson Guitarworks! Here's a gorgeous Drop Top Classic in a Natural Honey finish on a beautiful quilted maple top. This one has some old-school vibe with the funky-fresh tortoiseshell pickguard as well.

The Drop Top is a little more modern-flavored than the Icon Classic and other similar vintage-style S-type guitars, but we wanted it to still be able to achieve those traditional sounds. The SC1/SC1/HC2 pickup configuration is designed for the workhorse guitar player who isn't afraid to mix things up when it comes to being able to achieve both vintage and modern tones on one guitar. The HC2 humbucker in the bridge is wound a touch hotter than vintage PAF to be able to drive your amp just a bit more while still blending incredibly well with the single-coil pickups, and it splits very well via the mini-switch, too. The SC1s, which are individually hum-canceling, are designed to sound like your favorite rich and creamy vintage single-coils, but work well in a modern context in higher gain settings as well. The clarity and note definition are fantastic throughout all positions of this set, and every note is clear and distinct as you effortlessly string together notes on the Even Taper profile neck.

It's become a regular saying here at the shop whenever we get an Anderson guitar in that "Tom Anderson can do no wrong" and time and time again that sentiment is proven to be true. Here's another phenomenal example of the killer workmanship coming out of Mr. Anderson's factory.

Details

Before the introduction of the magnificent Drop Top in 1990, the number of "S" style guitars that had a maple top that was “dropped” to create a comfortable forearm contour were exactly zero. As a result of this design, we've chosen a body top thickness of 3/16 of an inch, which actually enhances and enriches the sonic character of the instrument. The result is a guitar that not only plays effortlessly, is extremely comfortable, and sounds amazing but is so darn good looking that if you don't dress well it just may upstage you.

Alder Body

Dating back to the late 1950's, this is the wood found in more 3 single coil, double cut-away, 25 1/2" scale length guitars than any other. Due to its wide spread popularity it produces a very familiar tone, a "vintage tone." Its sound is primarily a thicker, midrange tone. It is very full in the low midrange yet produces enough upper midrange to be clear and articulate.

Pickups:

SC1: Slightly more than vintage level, single-coil sound, humcanceling (great for neck and middle application).

HC2: Our other most popular humbucker, perhaps. Who wouldn’t love a medium-hot output package with all the vintage flavor firmly in place, wound to create a full bouquet of tonalities. Muscular mids with a smattering of lush and soft highlights so it is impressively musical, with never a hint of that “oops, I accidentally sat on a duck,” tone. Beautiful from all tonal angles.

• Position 1: Neck Pickup
• Position 2: Neck + Middle Pickups
• Position 3: Middle Pickup
• Position 3 (alternate): Neck + Bridge Pickups
• Position 4: Middle + Bridge Pickups
• Position 5: Bridge Pickup