Tom Anderson Cobra - Royal Purple Wipeout NAMM

This guitar was the crown jewel of the Anderson booth at the NAMM show. As one can readily see it's got a gorgeous quilt maple top and a spectacular finish. This is the first Cobra (and just the third guitar overall) that they've made with this finish. The only things that can top the stunning cosmetics are the tone and playability and neither is in short supply.

The first thing one notices is how LOUD & clear this guitar is unplugged. It's a sign of good things to come. The mahogany body & neck with its 24.75" scale length provide a warm foundation while the maple cap focuses the bottom and adds some top end snarl. It's the classic Les Paul wood combination but the bolt-on neck and tremolo cavity add a little sonic sparkle. As soon we plug in all that richness & clarity comes through the speaker but with a big gooey midrange courtesy of the HC1 & 2 pickups. Both neck & bridge positions are nicely articulate but provide super fat solo tones. The pickups work extremely well together and split quite well to provide a wide range of tonal possibilities. This guitar is beautifully crafted, sounds amazing, and is a joy to play. 

At 7 pounds 9 ounces it's a whole lot easier on the back and shoulder than an LP so extended sets are a breeze. The neck is quite slim and fast with a consistent feel from the first position all the way up. The contoured heel provides easy access to the upper register. The wedge neck pocket provides more contact area between neck & body and literally locks the neck in place. Fretwork is immaculate & the Buzz Feiten tuning system insures that even the tightest chord clusters play in tune all the way up the neck. Fit & finish are as always flawless. 

Specs:

Guitar Model: Cobra
Finish: Royal Purple Wipeout with Binding
Body Wood: Mahogany Body with Flame Maple Top
Neck: Mahogany with Satin Natural finish
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Scale Length: Shorty (24 3/4")
Neck Shape: Even-Taper +.030 Neck Back Shape
Frets: Heavy
Nut Width: 1 11/16"
Tuners: Buzz Feiten Tuning System with Locking Tuners
Hardware: Chrome
Pickups: HC1- HC2 (5-Way switch for 2 pickups: 3+ Series, Split Switching)
Strings: .010-.046 Elixir Strings
Hardshell Case included