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Albert Lee SSS w/ Rosewood Neck

Johnny Alien

Johnny Alien

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2006
Messages
352
Location
Harrisburg, PA USA
I just picked this up used from GC online. I have been wanting an AL with three singles and a trem but prefer rosewood fretboards so this was a perfect match for me. That said I know this combo is not super common from the factory so is this a legit thing or am I going to find out that it's a swapped neck?

52613282690_1e4e84fac0_c.jpg
 
I can't tell you if that particular guitar has a swapped neck or not but MM has made quite a few SSS models with rosewood necks over the years.

I remember there being one made in Pearl White as well. Not sure color that one is exactly. It looks off-white/yellowed but that could be the lighting.

Either way, congrats!
 
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I had my eye on this since it was a great price but I already happen to have an Al sss with a rosewood neck. When I posted mine someone was kind enough to alert me that it was a neck swap based on using the serial number lookup. Check yourself and it’ll tell you if it shipped with a maple or rosewood neck.
 
I like using the GC used site. Since you aren't seeing it in person it can be hit or miss as to what you actually get BUT it's super easy to return to a local GC if there are any issues and you have 30 days to return it. Maybe more I forget.
 
Likely either a swapped neck (I seem to remember someone doing that some years back...)

OR, it started life as an HH, and someone routed out the body and put the SSS pickups setup on it.
Pull the strings and the p/g up and peek inside....
 
Johnny Alien said:
I like using the GC used site. Since you aren't seeing it in person it can be hit or miss as to what you actually get BUT it's super easy to return to a local GC if there are any issues and you have 30 days to return it. Maybe more I forget.
Click to expand...
I bought my AL MM90's from GC one time, it wasn't bad, that was quite awhile ago. But yah I can see the returns being 1000% easier.

Glenn |B)
 
xjbebop said:
Likely either a swapped neck (I seem to remember someone doing that some years back...)

OR, it started life as an HH, and someone routed out the body and put the SSS pickups setup on it.
Pull the strings and the p/g up and peek inside....
Click to expand...
That's the biggest question. I know they DID make some SSS and rosewood AL's but I wonder if its more likely to be a swapped neck. Hard to say. I have googled limited edition AL's and there just isn't a lot of info coming up.
 
I've never seen a factory SSS with a full RW neck, other than a few one-offs made for artists. Same for MM90's...
All the HH's came that way though...
 
Johnny Alien said:
Hard to say. I have googled limited edition AL's and there just isn't a lot of info coming up.
Click to expand...
Here is an example of a potentially similar guitar: Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee SSS - Pearl White
xjbebop said:
I've never seen a factory SSS with a full RW neck, other than a few one-offs made for artists
Click to expand...
There have been quite a few runs of these over the years, haven't there?

xjbebop said:
Same for MM90's...
Click to expand...
I think there was a run of MM90s with rosewood necks done for guitar center a while back. I remember seeing a gold one.

There have also been BFRs with MM90s and rosewood necks.
 
dalto is correct, the GC special MM90's are Mahogany bodies w/ RW necks (I have one, actually) Doh!
Also, there have been some special runs of SSS that may have come w/ RW necks. I'm sure some of the more experienced members could chime in on that...
The knobs on the one pictured look to be the same as the ones that came on the GC special HH models, which made me go "Hmmmmm...???"
 
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