Albert Lee HH rosewood neck

[Pete Howard]

New to the forum so apologies for any mistakes.

Just brought home a new AL HH (I'm in the UK) fell in love with it whilst considering a Steve Morse but the lightweight and rosewood neck won me over. Just wondering if any of you have played one of these in and can tell me what to expect from the rosewood? New its smooth and silky and hard to put down but slightly "sticky" on hard bends on the higher strings. I wonder whether it just needs time and some playing in to get even better? Any comments appreciated. I have recently turned "musicman" after decades of playing strats fancied a change and px'd a les paul for 2002 axis and wanted another to complement it. I think the axis and the AL make a good pair?
many thanks

Pete

 

[ScoobySteve]

Hello and welcome to the family! (Or addiction as others may put it)

As with any new instrument (and in my honest opinion) every instrument needs to time to be broken in. I love the rosewood EBMM puts out. Plain and simple. Absolutely lovely. Any type of stickiness you feel on the fretboard or neck will come out with a little bit of playing love.

As for AL HH and Axis making a great pair? Absolutely! Couldn't be more right. (I only got to spend 5mins on the Hollywood's AL HH's) but the pups are the same. The only difference is obviously the guitar and the body woods.

You get familiarity and something new at the same time! Wonderful thing.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Nice One Pete welcome to the forum and welcome to The ALOC (Albert Lee Owners Club)

Nice to see another Brit on the Forum especially as you have an AL.

I too discovered EB guitars after playing a Les Paul for 30 years. I am now an avid fan of EB guitars.

A new ball needs to be played in - get some of the sweat into the wood.
Play it for a while then when you do a string change use some of the fretboard wipes that probably came with your guitar. If you don't have any PM me and I'll send you a sachet.

Spud

EDIT

There is one rule around here ... "it doesn't exist without pics!!!"

 

[Ricman]

Hi Pete - welcome to the forum!! Where in the UK are you? And where are the pics?!!!

 

[ScoobySteve]

There is one rule around here ... "it doesn't exist without pics!!!"

And where are the pics?!!!

This.

 

[Pete Howard]

Thanks yes it's going to get played well and gigged. Its interesting the two do sound very different at least to me ----the axis to me sounds a bit more "high gain" ----I wonder if the metal covers make a difference? (I've been playing guitar since I was a child and never understood how metal covered pickups worked!). I watched some demo's of the HH on youtube last night before buying the guitar and there was a distinctice tone which is definately there even in my hands!

 

[threeminutesboy]

welcome and congrats

I'm curious which color did you get ?

 

[browndog]

Welcome to the family.

Congrats on your all mighty HH AL.

 

[Pete Howard]

Ok sorry I told you I was new----here's a couple of quick shots that don't do it justice as its indoors and low light etc

I'm in Hay-on-Wye Welsh borders ----just in England. We are lucky enough to have a musicman dealer open a large shop in Knighton which is 25 odd miles away (close for round here and 40 minutes) he has a good stock so I'm going to have to sell some other guitars now i've joined the musicman club!

many thanks for quick replies

Pete

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[Spudmurphy]

Great stuff!
Fellow forumite Lukather101 bought a HH AL from the same store.

I must try and get there one day.

 

[Pete Howard]

Thanks for the offer of the wipes ----I think I got some in the case say hello to cardiff was there sunday took my wife for sushi --great city!

 

[Spudmurphy]

^
No probs re the wipes. Cardiff is a great place. Next time take her down the 'Bay (there is a nice little guitar shop not far from there that sometimes has some 'balls in stock !!)

 

[Pete Howard]

Only one in the shop the powder blue----to be honest I'd probably have bought it in any colour its so comfortable ----I'm quite small "stature wise" as they say so the compact musicman guitars has been a bit of a revelation always fancied them at guitar shows etc
Don't think my back will miss the les paul used to gig that for hours. The necks are one of the main attractions aren't they? I was initially looking at a de-burst Steve Morse Y2D----lovely but the AL just made me take it home? I didn't dare look around at what else he had on the wall!

 

[Stratty316]

The same, yet different... the HHAL and the Axis make a great quartette... (see signature) Welcome and hope you stick around!

 

[ScoobySteve]

Your HH AL looks beautiful! Love that classic vintage blue. (powder blue) w/ the tort PG.

I know what you mean by "stature" but I still feel like Music Man guitars are the industry's best kept secret. So very very few people know about them, and they just offer wonderful instruments that cover so many different needs.

You gotta try the 25th/Reflex. Once you try it, you'll find yourself owning another instrument.

 

[travs]

Welcome to the ALOC. blue/tort is Beautiful and classic. Enjoy!

 

[guitfiddle]

Welcome to the ALOC Pete, and congrats on a very nice looking AL!

 

[RocketRalf]

Nice guitar and welcome!

The ALHH may sound more vintage because it has 250k pots instead of 500k like on the Axis. And the woods are different of course.

 

[Stratty316]

Nice guitar and welcome!

The ALHH may sound more vintage because it has 250k pots instead of 500k like on the Axis. And the woods are different of course.

Actually, the HHAL has 500k pots. AJ clarified that a week or so ago. I don't have a link to the thread, but it is on the spec sheet for the HHAL. Splitting the coils seems to mellow out the pickups on the Super Sport compared to the Axis... It's all about the wood combo on the HHAL. The rosewood neck paired with a Mahogany body is totally a modern classic

 

[lukather101]

Hi Pete.
Welcome and congrats
Great choice with the Al HH, got mine from the same store, I wondered where that one would end up.
Steve (knighton music) is a great guy and his collection of balls must be one of the best in the country.

Sound wise it's as if they use different pup's the sound is so different but like the few fellow knuckleheads pointed out the wood makes all the difference , I find the axis a much hotter guitar the Al 's brighter and more vintage sounding to me.

Darren