Pre Owned Tom Anderson Guitar Works Bass A Tom Bass Red With Case

Here's something you haven't seen: a bass from Tom Anderson Guitarworks.  That's right, a bass.  The revered builder has been putting out amazing guitars since the mid-80's.  After working for Schecter, Anderson struck out on his own a build a company that has become the premier boutique guitar maker.   In the decades since, very very few basses were built.  Literally a handful.  That's why we were rather shocked to see this one come in.

This was a tough one to research, as there's no official record of it and definitely no webpages, catalogs or other reference materials.  That's because it was never an actual model.  This is a one-off instrument, and we're going with what we could source.

The story is that it build in the later 80's / early 90's, for an employee at a guitar store that was a Tom Anderson Guitarworks dealer.  Since Anderson didn't really do basses, he branded the headstock with "A Tom".   That employee kept the bass for many years, until he passed away and then it ended up going to a co-worker and friend of his.  It's stayed in that person's possession, until now.

As far as we can tell, this is the only bass out there exactly like this.  A former employee filled us in that only 3 basses were made with the logo - one was a Precision bass style, one was a Jazz bass style, and apparently this one that has it's own style.  It's believed to have originated there in the Tom Anderson Guitarworks shop, with them making the body and neck, and finishing it there.

The body shape is unique, and rather light - the bass comes in at just 7.9 lbs.  The maple neck superbly easy to play, with a slim C profile and perfectly worn in.  The bass is outfitted with a Jazz bass style pickguard configuration, two volumes and a tone control, plus a selector switch.  The black hardware is a nice touch.

Tone-wise, it's very well balanced, with a powerful low end punch, controlled mids and a top end that could work well for leads and popping.  Overall, we're seeing it as versatile bass that could be used in a variety of musical situations.

Overall, the bass is in good shape - there are some marks and dings, but in general it's clean.  Most importantly, it plays great, especially after being setup by the techs in our shop.  A hardshell case is included.

Made right here in California, this bass has made it through the last 3 - 4 decades and is ready to go for more.  It's a rare find and we won't see one again.  For fans of Tom Anderson, or for bass players that are out there looking for something unique, this is a truly special find.