My take on the SSS AL pick ups.

[Spudmurphy]

I took off early from work today (well I am 50+ hours up!!) and visited my guitar building buddy's workshop. This guy makes great guitars and he presented me with a Tele type guitar he had built and asked me to play the Albert chop I had been working on (T bird to Vegas).

His Tele was a disappointment to me - the guitar felt nice & looked great. The neck wasn't to my liking but it had been custom made to the customers specifications after all!

I got back home and plugged my BCB AL into my Mesa and played the same chops.
My AL SSS pickups just chimed and you could hear all the notes ringing out in the opening phrases (you gotta listen to AL playing T Bird to know what I mean). It struck home to me how good the SSS pickups are on the AL - how nice they are voiced.

I then played a couple of Ainsley Lister /Robert Cray bluesy style licks with the tone rolled back slightly and turning the wick (gain) up a tad on the Mesa. Boy what a great blues tone!!

So guys - thinking of getting an AL guitar?
Will it suit you ? - maybe not a shredders guitar (but I bet it could do it too!)

Bleeb me, "The AL Guitar is DA BOMB!!"

 

[KungFu Grip]

The AL is the guitar that killed the aftermarket pickup market for me. I tried a couple of different sets in it, just out of stupid habit. Both sets were expensive replacements, and both sets went up on eBay a couple weeks after purchase.

The SSS AL is just one of those guitars that has it right in all aspects.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Wow - is that so!!

I have a buddy who gets taken in by all the reviews like Harmont Central and magazine write ups rather than make his own mind up.
He got sucked into buying a US Strat based on what he had read. It's a good guitar don't get me wrong - but ya know what he said? - "I wish that I'd gone for a SSS guitar now because I so much like your tone".

Another mate went out and got himself an AL too after hearing mine - damn, that reminds me that I gotta get photos of that!!!

 

[dannymusic]

I sunno Spud, between you and Rob (fercripesake).

I guess I'm convinced

 

[Spudmurphy]

I sunno Spud, between you and Rob (fercripesake).

I guess I'm convinced

So what one ya gonna order?
or will you order a SSS and an MM90 AL?

 

[Norrin Radd]

I'm telling you Spud, this is not news to me!

I love my SSS AL to pieces - it is by far my favorite fiddle right now. The clean tones are amazing, BUT, stick that SD Pickup Booster between it and a high gain amp and - woah! Look out for killer tone there, too! It's a crazy good sounding guitar - and ridiculously comfortable to play. Doesn't mean I'm not looking at MM90s for the 08 LE though....

 

[wolfbone07]

Yes, the stock sss AL pickups are amazing. Don't be fooled. Trust your ears. If it sounds good, it is.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I'm telling you Spud, this is not news to me!

I love my SSS AL to pieces - it is by far my favorite fiddle right now. The clean tones are amazing, BUT, stick that SD Pickup Booster between it and a high gain amp and - woah! Look out for killer tone there, too! It's a crazy good sounding guitar - and ridiculously comfortable to play. Doesn't mean I'm not looking at MM90s for the 08 LE though....

spot on Norrin - people have the misconception that it's just a country fiddle !! it's a sweet guitar for da Blues!!

 

[mbgreene]

So guys - thinking of getting an AL guitar?
Will it suit you ? - maybe not a shredders guitar (but I bet it could do it too!)

Bleeb me, "The AL Guitar is DA BOMB!!"

The truth shall set you free.

 

[dannymusic]

If I make the call RIGHT NOW, i get:

Rad Red, SSS, trem, piezo, natural HS, white ice PG.

1-800-howsmydriving?

 

[glockaxis]

Spud, I concur with all you've said. I'm still grinning every time I open the case to play my AL. The body, the neck, the sounds are just all perfect for me. I never thought I'd have this reaction, but am very happy I do.

 

[Spudmurphy]

If I make the call RIGHT NOW, i get:

Rad Red, SSS, trem, piezo, natural HS, white ice PG.

1-800-howsmydriving?

Made that call yet?

 

[Spudmurphy]

Spud, I concur with all you've said. I'm still grinning every time I open the case to play my AL. The body, the neck, the sounds are just all perfect for me. I never thought I'd have this reaction, but am very happy I do.

Did ya think, say 18 months ago, that you would have an AL?

I remember when Rob got his first AL then starting selling off some of his other balls, replacing them with more AL's.

Personally I blame my addiction on JimiD and MbGreen !!!

 

[mbgreene]

Personally I blame my addiction on JimiD and MbGreen !!!

Always happy to help
Just call me the Pusher Man

I'm thrilled that the interest and discussions about the the AL has steadily increased, at least on the forum and hopefully in the world at large, since I first joined (I don't want to sound like I'm taking credit - that sounded funny when I read what I typed) Plus when Rob adds "Go the AL" into every thread it just adds that much more. I also miss JimiD around here. He promoted the AL, had a wealth of knowledge and imparted much common sense.

I'm just glad more people seem to have gotten over what may be their inital issue with trying something a bit different looking, given it a try and discovered how this guitar sounds and plays.

Try it - You'll like it.

 

[glockaxis]

Did ya think, say 18 months ago, that you would have an AL?

I remember when Rob got his first AL then starting selling off some of his other balls, replacing them with more AL's.

Personally I blame my addiction on JimiD and MbGreen !!!

Well, here's the story if you hear me out.

(This started years ago btw) I always wanted a single coil strat for those particular sounds. While looking for one I was seriously looking at a Fender 57 reissue. I couldn't bring myself to buy a modern day Fender so I took the plunge on a blonde, US-made G&L Legacy which I still have.

It's okay, but it's no EBMM imo. It weighs a ton (I have shoulder and neck issues) and seems huge, and the headstock never really grew on me at all. Plus it has a glossy neck, and the shape of the neck doesn't make it as comfortable as any of my Balls.

Before getting it I looked at the Silo but it didn't hit me at the time and I never thought the AL, w/ the body shape being as futuristic as it is, would be the strat I was looking for. The G&L has pretty much stayed in the case since. Resale on G&Ls is terribly low so I keep it incase someone else comes over to play (If you are a guest in my house you play the G&L hahaha!)

Over the last couple of years I've still been searching for the comfortable strat I've always wanted and started researching the AL, reading old posts and the like and listening to Rob. The style grew on me and w/ everyone saying how it was a strat-killer, a Telemonster, and knowing the quality and neck feel only EBMM has given me, I decided this year to take the plunge. I can't rave enough about my AL. The BCB color is retroish, the neck highly satisfying, and the sounds are killer. I should have done this years ago, but in the end it all turned out right.

 

[Spudmurphy]

The BCB color is retroish, the neck highly satisfying, and the sounds are killer. I should have done this years ago, but in the end it all turned out right.

I love the BCB too! - I got it 'cos of a Cherry SG I used to have and my penchant for Black guitars!!

Now having the SSS and the MM90's I have the best of both worlds - ask me to choose and I would choose the SSS anytime fabulous, fabulous pickups.

(shoot I'm almost at 4000!!)

 

[gerry d]

you know what sparked my interest in AL's... this photograph....

 

[lenny]

Its pretty much all i play ,it just has that twang i look for and my rig really compliments it!
i cant wait for the BFR AL to be released!

 

[grumpyoldman]

So what one ya gonna order?
or will you order a SSS and an MM90 AL?

Get 'em both - I have both and absolutely NO regrets!

 

[Big Poppa]

It has been SO frustrating to watch people not give the AL credit. It has the same balance poins as a a strat but is way more comfortable...the guitar is a tele/strat blend that is just fantastic...