Albert Lee HH Tone Question

[Nitrix]

I just picked up an Albert Lee HH this afternoon and used it our jam session this evening. The rosewood neck is a dream to play! I have a rosewood Axis Super Sport so I am not surprised by the quality or feel of it.

A question about the tone. Is it meant to be very dark sounding in the solo bridge and neck humbucker position? I tried it through a Swart Atomic Space Tone, Soldano Hot Rod 100 and a Dr Z Monza. I used the Monza and Swart two nights earlier and set the tone controls at 12 o'clock with a Slash Les Paul and a Steve Morse Y2D (or the treble would take your head off!). When I plugged in the Albert Lee HH though, I had to crank the tone control up to 100% to get a a sharp tone. I like edge on my tone, but not piercing.

Interestingly the middle three pickup combos were bright and well balanced,

Please don't get me wrong. The tone is fantastic! It just seems that I have to crank the treble up really high (much higher than my other guitars) to get a bright tone.

Is this par for the course and part of the design so that the tone with single coil positions is balanced? Should I be checking the rest of my chain ( cables, pedals, power etc). I do hope to be able to try a few more of my amps out in the next few days.

Opinions from other AL HH owners would be greatly appreciated

P.S. Sweeeeet looking instrument! Mint Green with pearloid pickguard. Matching colour to the Classic Stingray I picked up today as well!!!

 

[DrGonzo5150]

I agree 100% with your observation.
They sound great and have mean tone, but for me, that tone was just a bit too dark for my tastes. I too like a trebly edge to my sound and while I could get it with my HH AL after EQ tweaking etc, it just wasn't as point and shoot as my luke or axis. I'm really hoping Colin ordered a Black Suger/Roasted Maple HH AL and I can trade my current one towards it haha

 

[mikeller]

I don't find it too dark, and it does have a nice crack too it and cuts very well.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Interesting question.....

I sort of wondered the same thing when I got mine. Then I stepped back and decided to think about what I was doing and hearing. The other guitars I was using as reference? My Strat (SSH), an Axis and an SSS AL. Hmmmm.....Let's see, all maple necks, alder, ash & basswood bodies (with maple cap, no less!) vs. mahogany body and all RW neck. After pondering a while I figured I better darn well be hearing some differences!

Seriously, the HH AL is a completely different beast than those others (and they were what my ears were very used to hearing!). Yeah it's darker in tone - it's also smooooother as well - AND, most importantly - it still has a lot of bite in that bridge position, to my ear. Yeah - I have to tweak my amps differently for that guitar - but so what! It's such a joy to play - and the tones, once the amp is dialed in properly - are to die for - it's just stunning!

I like bite in my tone too - and it's there in the HH AL - you just need to find it in your amp with the HH AL. But once you do - oh man! Pleasure city.

In fact, I had considered toying with making my HH AL into an SSH AL. I miss the traditional SSS AL tones a lot. I decided against it. It's superb exactly the way it is. My solution? I've started saving for an SSS or MM90 AL. (p.s. anyone wanting to trade such for an Axis - go ahead and PM me! )

 

[LawDaddy]

Those EVH pickups are definitely smoother than PAF-type pickups, like the AlnicoII Pros in the Slash LP.

I'm seriously GASing for an AL HH, but would likely put DiMarzio 36ths in for the music I play.

I'm not saying they're any better or worse (I have 4 EVH/Axis axes), but the EVH pups lack the bloom and 3D character of a nice PAF-type pup. I put the 36ths in my Rosewood ASS, and it sounds great through Fender amps.

 

[Tone?]

The mahogany does not make it dark.
Mahogany is sort of bright sounding, just ask John suhr and he will
tell you
the all rosewood neck makes it full and darker but I don't find it that much darker as you describe
all depends on the wood too from piece to piece. If you got a lighterone maybe it is a bit darker
or do you have the trem version or fixed bridge?
The trem version to me would sound a bit brighter

don't know much about the pups cause I have only played it a handfull of times through an amp since I moved and don't have an amp yet
plugged in it sounded pretty damn good though

cheers

 

[Nitrix]

Thanks for the replies

Thanks for the replies. This forum rocks!

It seems the consensus is that it is a darker tone in general. I just wanted to see if that was the intention or not. The only other AL I have ever was the typical 3 single one, and I think that was in the back of my mind. This is obviously a completely different beast.

I am going to play it through a few different amps for effect. I want to crank it through an edgy JCM800 and see how that grinds!

As one person pointed out, it is smooth. When I cranked up the Swart to full tilt and hit that neck pickup, it was really silky but still had definition. Truly unique tone.

It really is gorgeous too!

 

[LawDaddy]

I should note that I gigged for years with the stock Axis pups playing blues - Axis SS straight into a Mesa Boogie Blue Angel. When I went to the Mesa factory in the '90s to pick out an amp, I brought my original EVH. They gave me strange looks about this, but the consensus was that the EVH sounded great through a Blue Angel 2x10 combo.

I gigged the ASS mainly using the middle position (my fave), the split positions, and occasionally the neck. That neck pup is the money, smooth like melted butter. I only dropped in the 36ths due to the project I was in this year, which involved Fender backlines.

Definitely try out some different amps, and settings as well. I do miss playing those pups through my Soldano, those pups just play so well with the bacon sizzle those amps have

 

[Nitrix]

Different Amps

I was able to briefly plug into my 74 Marshall Super Lead Bass and this afternoon. It is a 4 input amp and I jumper the channels to use both channels. I couldn't dime the amp (my wife was home!) but tried it about 1/3 the way up and used a Tube Screamer as well.

Marshall's are generally pretty bright so I thought it would be good test. I turned the bass down to about 3, but left treble, mid and presence at 5. I used more of the treble channel than the bass.

The verdict? It really sang through the Marshall! I had no problem getting edge at all. I am looking forward to cranking it up and seeing how the edge maintains when the power tubes kick in. I am also going to compare it to my Rosewood Axis Super Sport for kicks and giggles.

Again - it really, really plays beautifully

 

[Colin]

I've been playing mine (vintage white with trem) all afternoon and I'm not sure I'd call it dark. Bright like a Tele or even a Strat? nope, great sound though

 

[Jerry Mckinney]

Mckinney

I've been playing mine (vintage white with trem) all afternoon and I'm not sure I'd call it dark. Bright like a Tele or even a Strat? nope, great sound though

I have both the Albert Lee 3 single Coil Seymour PU,Version & the new HH double Coil Di's Ver. I also miss the cutting edge of the bridge single coil on The SSS. I split the coil on The HH bridge PU and it is better. I'm thinking it's the Seymour's ver's the Di's tone curve. If I could find a Duncan Humbucker with the orignal curve & do a split switch, I'd be in business. I've put this question to the Seymour Duncan, but no answer. Anyone looking for that same mod.? Over all I like the playability of the HH better, a little larger mass feel in the neck. I love both Guitar's. Albert actually played my first one, so it's kinda special.

 

[HCB]

I am over the moon with the tone on these. I have a hardtail and I am using a el34 based plexi type amp. I use the neck pup on 7 or so on the guitar dial, but I can find all sorts of great (sorry for the description) Chocolaty smooth tones with it through the dial, but in this case just not maxed unless I am soloing in the higher registers. I love the variety of tones with this guitar. I find it richer than some guitars and it mates well with a rich amp too IME. Love love love it.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Wow! What a pickguard!

One other thing that you might want to try is raising the pickups. You can certainly tweak the sound a great deal by doing this.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Holy Necro-thread, Batman!!!

Seriously though, @HCB, you can't be posting a pic like THAT without some details on that pick guard!

And, to follow up on my post from 3 years ago - I DID pick up an additional AL - MM90 version. Awesome.

 

[HCB]

Sending you her contact info. She is from germany and she does great metal guards IMO

 

[Cenobyte]

I recently picked up a Hughes and Kettner Anniversary 25 Tube combo and playing the ALHH through that has been kinda brilliant, with very little adjustment to the 12 o'clock settings on the EQ. I've been primarily a SSS guy, but I've been finding myself playing the HH more because I can get similar tones just by playing with the EQ (on the amp and guitar) a bit... it really is a versatile beast of a guitar. I do agree that it has a slightly dark tone to it overall but it has great sustain and never have a problem cutting though (without being obnoxious). Couple weeks ago I played a made up riff in rehearsal on the neck PU and the drummer said that it sounded just like Slash (While I appreciate Slash, I'm not a G&R guy in any way shape or form so I found that kinda cool... pretty close Les Paul neck sounds from ALHH with a bolt-on, who knew!).

 

[David Lind]

New Albert Lee HHS

Ok. I started out with Les Paul's, then got into PRS,. Just picked up a new Albert Lee HH and I must say it my number one player now. I'm talking hard rock, Marshall JCM 2000......The tone..truly awesome, mind blowing
and feel, and comfort, and neck...Wow!

 

[agt]

HCB: that has to be the coolest pickguard ever!

Any chance you could post pics of the whole guitar?

 

[Tollywood]

Welcome to the forum, David.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Ok. I started out with Les Paul's, then got into PRS,. Just picked up a new Albert Lee HH and I must say it my number one player now. I'm talking hard rock, Marshall JCM 2000......The tone..truly awesome, mind blowing
and feel, and comfort, and neck...Wow!

Yeah and to the ALOC
(From an ex Les Paul man)