Ah, You Have The Mark…

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Ah, You Have The Mark…


Editor’s Note: In honor of the fun/scary Holiday, Halloween (as observed in the United States), this Guitar Tales is best read aloud by candle light (or computer light) and with a Transylvanian accent.  Happy Halloween.

Wandering through the forest as night falls, you fortunately (or perhaps not) happen upon a camp with several Romani wagons encircling a blazing campfire.  As you approach, you are startled as an older woman appears from the shadows.  From her attire, mannerisms and dialect, it is apparent, you are in the presence of a gypsy fortune teller.  She asks you to sit a moment.  You cannot help but oblige, almost as if you are compelled.

By the glow of fire light, her penetrating eyes look deeply and quietly into yours, as though she can peer into your very soul.  You feel a shiver run down your spine as she begins to speak, 

“Vin za moon is full and the wolfsbane blooms, things can happen—especially in za forest, alone at night.  Please, give me your hand.”

She cradles your hand in hers and gazes at your palm for a short while, then gasps, “Ah!”  Quickly she lets it go and then grabs your hand again just as quickly.

“You have za mark,” she continues in a very serious tone, “Za mark of za…vere-wolf (werewolf)…”

“A vere-wolf!” she repeats and then pauses as if in a trance-like state.

“No wait…”

“Wrong mark…sorry…”

“Not za vere-wolf…my mistake." Oops,” she says with a faint wry laugh. 

“But you have been marked…something else…something more powerful…something more ominous…something more scary…something with vay better tone and intonation…and extremely good playability that can produce gargantuan sounds that will frighten and sooth even the wildest vere-wolf.  Make them cower in the corner, of za forest, with envy because of your superior tone.”  She paused and then whispered, “But what is it!?”

She rolls your hand over and looks at your fingers and gasps even louder as she asks almost knowingly now, “Your fingertips, your callouses are you a…guitar player?”

You nod slowly, entranced and amazed by her powers of perception.

“So,” she continues, “You have za mark all right…but you have za mark of zee..."

"Raven.”

“This mark is even more scary than zee mark of za vere-wolf…well, not that scary, really, but so, so, so, so cool.  All za players in our band of gypsies want one too.  It is their favorite.  Raven is za world’s most formidable Offset Guitar.  Plays like varm butter, like all Anderson Guitars.”

She gazes even deeper into your eyes and speaks low and matter-of-factly, “For you, for Halloween, I see…black…Satin Black…a Satin Black, Raven with Black Pickguard—Short Scale—24 3/4-inch scale length.  Makes bending and reaching super fluid and playability very forgiving, with big tone.  

You manage to utter the words, “Thank you,” as you stand and snatch your hand from her grasp.  Spinning about, you bolt from the encampment and dash through the darkened forest.  You are now running for your very life.  Are you running in sheer terror or sheer delight?  At this point you do not know which it is but you continue at full speed, to the edge of the woods. 

Finally, some lights do appear as you break free of the heavy forested canopy.  Turning hard left, you are now sprinting down Thompson Lane toward the light of a welcoming building ahead.  You burst through the front doors and scream, “Help me, help me please, I have the mark of the…Raven!”   

Everyone smiles, applauds and congratulates you as you fall into the arms of Tony Higbee.  You are safe.  He will help you now.  He is the Platinum Room manager of the Guitar Center in Nashville, Tennessee—one of only 3 Guitar Center stores in the country to carry Anderson Guitars.  Tony is the guy.  He is now in sole possession of the soul of this Satin Black, Raven, as he was the one who had the insight to spec it as such and order it from Anderson Guitarworks for his store.

Yes it is true, you do have the mark of the Raven…but that is a very good thing.  With one strum of this Satin Black beauty and you will know, it will take good care of your musical vision and faithfully and reliably listen to you and speak musical volumes as you wish.  And as an added Halloween bonus, keep werewolves at bay…or is that baying along with you.  Either way, Raven is so very scary-musical.  

GUITAR SPECIFICATIONS:

 

  • TUNING GEAR: – Locking

  • HARDWARE COLOR: – Chrome

  • NECK PICKUP: – PH1 with Open-Face Nickel Cover 

  • MIDDLE PICKUP: – none

  • BRIDGE PICKUP: – HC2 with Open-Face Nickel Cover

  • PICKGUARD: – Black

  • SWITCHING: – 3-Way Big Toggle with 2 Cut Switches

  • SWITCH TIP: – Black

  • STRING GAUGE REQUESTED: – .010-.046 Elixir® with NANOWEB® Coating

  • DESTINATION/LOCATION: – Guitar Center, Nashville, Tennesse

  • 10-06-16P

 

  • MODEL: – Raven Classic

  • BODY STYLE: – Solid 

  • SCALE LENGTH: – 24 3/4-inch—shorty

  • BODY WOOD: – Alder

  • FINISH: Satin Black

  • BODY BACK COLOR: – same 

  • NECK WOOD: – Maple with Rosewood Fingerboard 

  • HEADSTOCK COLOR: – Matching Satin

  • NECK BACK FINISH: – Natural Satin

  • NECK BACKSHAPE: – Happy Medium

  • NUT WIDTH: – 1 11/16-inch 

  • FRETS: – Low Rise—Exclusive Anderson Stainless Steel

  • BRIDGE: – Vintage Tremolo