Albert Lee Guitar

[Spudmurphy]

So just how good are these?

I've had a Les Paul since 1974 and a 20 yera old Dave Dearnaley custom made Tele guitar.

I've fallen out with the Les Paul and want to buy a guitar with the money from my 50th birthday party !!!!

Some dealers smirk when I mention that I want to try one out - they think that they are "strange looking instruments" !

I haven't been able to try out an AL yet but I love the MM necks on their othet models - especially the sculptered neck - which feels great in my smallish hands.

So do I go for the Seymour duncans or the P90 lookalikes?

Hope I can get to see examples of this guitar in my "neck of the woods" = but there doesn't seem to be any available !!

 

[Jimi D]

Hey Murph! Welcome to the forum. The Albert Lee is a fantastic guitar, imho... sure, they look like something you'd see on The Jetsons, but they are incredibly well balanced and very, very comfortable to play sitting or standing. I have the three Duncan singles model, and I swear that guitar "sounds like every Strat wishes it could sound"® If it's Strat tones you want (with a touch of Tele twang in the bridge), combined with a super-comfortable and ergonomic form factor, light weight, and one of the best necks in the industry, this is the guitar for you!

 

[Ballbuster]

Great guitar

Spud
I have owned 3 Albert Lees and about every model Gibson and Fender. I have small hands too and the Albert Lee is the best, especially with the MM90 pickups. That ax blew away any Fender. If you are used to Les Paul humbuckers, you will like the MM90's which have the power (see my post - Two Pickup Albert Lee - posted yesterday). The other advantage is that they are light weight, unlike a LP and the neck is great.
Ballbuster

 

[Spudmurphy]

Nice one Jimi D.
I've changed styles over the years and play my Tele more and more.
Infact I left the LP so long in the case unopened(not a Gibson case) that the foam insert stuck to the paintwork - Ouch !!
I'm reluctant to part with the LP as it has gigged all over Wales and abroad too.
It owes me nothing and I would be sorry to see it go.
I'm a big fan of Sonny Landreth and if a LP is good enough for him it will be good enough for me - I'll have to raise the action though !!!
I tried a Strat through my set up which is a Pod XT directly input into my Marshall 50 Siver Jubilee combo and the sound was awesome.
I came close to buying a Strat but fell in love with the MM neck when I tried one out in a local shop.
One thing led to another and I started hankering after the Albert Lee.
A mate of mine met him after a concert here in Cardiff and talked to him about the guitar he used in the concert (my mate had never seen one b4) Albert said that it was made for him by EB and he just loves it.
So I'll need to track one down in Wales or somewher close in the UK b4 I hand over >£1100.
Thanks again for the info.
Spud
Wales
GB

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hey Ballbuster
Thanks for the great info.
Seems like you have been a fan of these guitars for some time?

I'm leaning towards NOT getting the MM90's as I want it to be a Strat/Tele slayer ha! - having the crunch and high end bite that the humbuckers (and I presume the MM90's don't have).

I do like your mod to your AL- I know the problem as my LP has three pickups and the middle one does get in the way at times.

I was going to go for a black AL but I love the finish on your 2 pick up AL - that is the honeyburst right ?

BTW whats all this about AL prototypes?

Where is there info on this in the forum?

Thanks again
Spud

 

[fogman]

Some dealers smirk when I mention that I want to try one out - they think that they are "strange looking instruments" !

I really don't find them that strange looking. Sure they're not an LP or Strat copy, but think about the Gibson Explorers or Flying Vs. They're actually stranger looking in my opinion!

 

[Dodgeball]

Spudmurphy,

In know it's a way from Cardiff but there is a new Albert Lee in Pacific Blue burst w/single coils and (I think) perl pickguard at the Oxford Guitar Gallery if you are interested in trying before buying.

Hope that helps.

C

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hi Fog
I'm not put off by the shape - but it's one of the initial comments you get when "chewing it over" with other musos.

Now what specs will I order? ;-)

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hi Dodgeball

Just a bit too far to go at the mo but will keep that in mind. Thanks though.

Spud

 

[fogman]

Hi Fog
I'm not put off by the shape

Oh I know you're not!
I'm just replying to the general reaction of people in general.
I think if it were a black heavy metal guitar, the young ones would be all over it going "Wow", "Cool", "I want one"!

 

[Big Poppa]

Spud I love the line "chewing it over with the muso's" It kind of reminds me of "dining with the homeless"

 

[fogman]

Spud I love the line "chewing it over with the muso's" It kind of reminds me of "dining with the homeless"

LOL!!!!

 

[kbaim]

Spudmurphy,

In know it's a way from Cardiff but there is a new Albert Lee in Pacific Blue burst w/single coils and (I think) perl pickguard at the Oxford Guitar Gallery if you are interested in trying before buying.

Hope that helps.

C

How far (in time, not kilometers for us states bound retards)?

Pac Blueburst is a pretty rare color on the Albert and probably worth a road trip on a day off.

I went to a concert tuesday night with my old friend Alan, we both took from Randy Rhoads for about a year. Alan doesn't pick up a guitar more than once a week these days, but I let him play my honeyburst Albert and he LOVED it.

He was fingerpicking Alices restaurant in position #2 and it sounded gorgeous.

 

[tommyindelaware]

welcome !!!!!!!

another sonny landreth fan !!!!!!!
the guy is AMAZING !!!!!!!! easily one of my all time favs. & i've had my ears on for 45 years now. & that latest live recording !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the guy is top top shelf live. ya gotta hear it.......it's too amazing & unique for me to describe.

beacuse you say you loved the strat....and because sonny uses a strat....i'm thinkin you would be even happier w/ the non mm90 albert.
how sonny gets his GIANT FAT HUEMUNGO JUCIEY UNWORLDLY tone w/ those strat pickups is a mystery to me !!!!!! i personally am dying for an albert w/ mm90's on it.....cause they are even fatter sounding.....but still twang & quack .

Nice one Jimi D.
I've changed styles over the years and play my Tele more and more.
Infact I left the LP so long in the case unopened(not a Gibson case) that the foam insert stuck to the paintwork - Ouch !!
I'm reluctant to part with the LP as it has gigged all over Wales and abroad too.
It owes me nothing and I would be sorry to see it go.
I'm a big fan of Sonny Landreth and if a LP is good enough for him it will be good enough for me - I'll have to raise the action though !!!
I tried a Strat through my set up which is a Pod XT directly input into my Marshall 50 Siver Jubilee combo and the sound was awesome.
I came close to buying a Strat but fell in love with the MM neck when I tried one out in a local shop.
One thing led to another and I started hankering after the Albert Lee.
A mate of mine met him after a concert here in Cardiff and talked to him about the guitar he used in the concert (my mate had never seen one b4) Albert said that it was made for him by EB and he just loves it.
So I'll need to track one down in Wales or somewher close in the UK b4 I hand over >£1100.
Thanks again for the info.
Spud
Wales
GB

 

[Spudmurphy]

Just stopped laughing!!!
There I was with a "muso" sat at the computer, drinking a can or 2 of Guinness, looking at the the Albert Lee pickies and we come across your posting. we have just stopped laughing - nice one !!!

 

[Spudmurphy]

welcome !!!!!!!

another sonny landreth fan !!!!!!!
the guy is AMAZING !!!!!!!! easily one of my all time favs. & i've had my ears on for 45 years now. & that latest live recording !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the guy is top top shelf live. ya gotta hear it.......it's too amazing & unique for me to describe.

beacuse you say you loved the strat....and because sonny uses a strat....i'm thinkin you would be even happier w/ the non mm90 albert.
how sonny gets his GIANT FAT HUEMUNGO JUCIEY UNWORLDLY tone w/ those strat pickups is a mystery to me !!!!!! i personally am dying for an albert w/ mm90's on it.....cause they are even fatter sounding.....but still twang & quack .

oh for sure- I love his stuff with Hiatt and the Goners.
I've cracked "Native Stepson" and need to work on some others

 

[Spudmurphy]

How far (in time, not kilometers for us states bound retards)?

Pac Blueburst is a pretty rare color on the Albert and probably worth a road trip on a day off.

I went to a concert tuesday night with my old friend Alan, we both took from Randy Rhoads for about a year. Alan doesn't pick up a guitar more than once a week these days, but I let him play my honeyburst Albert and he LOVED it.

He was fingerpicking Alices restaurant in position #2 and it sounded gorgeous.

About 2.5 hours away and not a very nice drive.
I'm leaning towards black or black cherry sunburst.