Is the AL really a strat killer??

[RacerS]

Hi, I just got an AVRI Strat in a trade deal for a guitar I owned but never played. It's a very nice guitar but truthfully I don't love it. I did a nice setup an re-string and it plays and sounds like a great early Strat which is a good thing.

I love the sound of the Strat but the neck is not my favorite shape and I prefer unfinished. I also much prefer the look and vibe of the AL's. I do think I kind of need a Strat lying around and this is a nice one, but I'd rather buy an AL if it can give me the sound.

So my ? is, if I get an AL can I dump the strat and still have a convincing Strat tone in my arsenal?

Thanks in Advance,

Steve

 

[whitestrat]

No. The AL is a great single coil machine on its own. But physics alone makes it (and all other single coiled Balls) a little different from a strat.

Then again, if you're after a convincing strat tone, yes, the AL and the Silo Spec can deliver what you want. But they're just not quite the same.

 

[robelinda2]

Yes and no. Both the AL and silo special are strat type guitars. Depends on what type of strat tone you are after. If you want a bright 50's maple strat thing then the AL can do it amazingly. It has such a great full ringing tone. If you want a warmer 60's rosewood tone then the silo special with rosewood board is the one you want.

Everyone has different needs from a strat, there are so many tones that are famous, and not every Fender strat can do them, thats why there are so many different models! Some people want Clapton tones, some want SRV, some want Knopfler, some want Beck etc.

Rest assured, if you dont like the AL you must not have a pulse.

 

[fogman]

Rest assured, if you dont like the AL you must not have a pulse.

LoL!!!!
I think EBMM might be sending you a cheque for that one!

 

[parker1963]

Run The ALbert through a BBE sonic stomp pedal and it will give the extra Stratorific flavor you are talking about.I played my SRV artist tonight and my BFR Albert tremelo while learing 'Lenny" and Rivera de Paradise and the sound of the Texas specials in the Strat where different to the Al. But the Sonic stomp helped in that area right away.

I am trying to breed them together and start a StratAL Farm

Park

 

[RacerS]

Cool thanks. It's definitely on!

SB

 

[robelinda2]

Good man.

 

[ScoobySteve]

Apples and Orange IMO. Like Rob said earlier. I've played every EBMM model, and none of them has wowed me as much as the AL. (It's really hard for me to say this.) The JP, which I previously owned, and the 25th which I own now, cover my needs and fits me well, but the AL delivers something very, very unique.

When I played my JP or my 25th, I say, "Great this is exactly what I'm looking for!"

When I played the AL through some Twin Reverbs, I said, "Holy cow! What a thing!"

The AL may not suit the metal head, or the hard rock player, but like stated earlier, if you're looking at some single coil, clean, twangy goodness, and you don't like the AL, you don't have a pulse.

 

[Big Poppa]

I understand that strat killer and p bass killer are compliments but I have way too much respect for both of those to use those terms myself...The Albert Lee was designed around the balance points of a strat....(where the strap buttons are....)

 

[RacerS]

Yeah, I mean no disrespect to Strats by using the term Strat-Killer. They are awesome guitars and I love the sound. I've just never connected with a Strat style guitar like I have with my Tele's and the 2 Balls I've owned. It's probably just the shape of my hands or something like that.

The fact is that I've bought many instruments in the past that I did not really love enough to own. I was on a collecting/discovery thing for a while now I'm on a different thing. Some of that is because my playing has changed, part is because my attitude has changed and part is because I don't like to see instruments lying around un-played.

As I said, I do want to cover that sound if possible and I like the vibe of the AL a lot. So I was wondering if the AL could do it. In retrospect perhaps the use of the term Strat-Killer is a bit of an overstatement of my question.

Thanks for all the great replies.

Steve

p.s. BP as for compliments, of all of the guitars I've owned in over 30 years of playing, the 2 that felt the most consistently comfortable to me were both EB's.

 

[kimonostereo]

I'd rather play a EBMM than any of my strats but I've only got a Luke and a EVH. Although I love the way they sound, they don't have what it takes to be a strat. Just the mechanics of it LOL!

I had 2 Silhouettes but didn't bond with them at all. I'd love to have an AL to take the place of my strats (too many). This will probably be my next purchase but I'm holding out to see if there might be a humbucker AL sometime soon. The humbucker option will be a big plus!

 

[robelinda2]

Ive come to appreciate that there's a lot of different and great types of single coil tones, and not all of them are exclusive to the 'strat'. Everyone knows what the classic strat type tones sound like, the AL has single coils but it 100% has its own thing going on. for instance, it has an amazing rich full tone- not all strats can do that. People often complain that a strat is thin and wimpy etc, not so on the AL. The louder you go, the more it just owns. I really couldnt believe my ears when I did my first gig with an AL, it was incredible. The dynamics and pure tone were great to hear and experience. I switched back to my strat mid-gig to see the difference- I sold the strat 2 days later. The AL sure does have a beautiful single coil sparkel and chime which just surrounds the mix in a band, no thin or harsh tones. Then I got an AL with MM90's- astonishingly great pickups they are.

 

[Smellybum]

All bar one of my strats went up for sale within an hour of me getting my first AL - I agree with what BP said about the terms, but if you're not a pro like me - Money Vs Tone, the AL comes out on top - plus you can get tele-esque tones out of an al and it has a contoured back so if you were looking to thin out collections or get a multi-tasking workhorse the AL is sure bet.

 

[Big Poppa]

there is a two and three humbucking on the way

 

[travs]

smellybum is correct. multi-tasker! and now with the humbucker option even more coolness.

 

[bkrumme]

there is a two and three humbucking on the way

Oh! Thanks for the inconspicuous torture, BP!

 

[catdaddy]

Steve,
I got a AL with MM90s and piezo saddles in April and I am using it on all but maybe three songs at our shows. I absolutely love it. I've got some other nice guitars but they are sitting the bench lately. Try to check out a MM90 equipped model if you can. Here, I hope Rob doesn't mind me posting this, but it gives you an good idea of how they sound:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhHU-eWqOIo&feature=channel_page"]YouTube - Albert Lee EBMM- neck pickup[/ame]
Nice Chickin' Pickin'!

 

[marantz1300]

This sounds very straty and plays like a Silo. The pickups are Bare Knuckles Apaches.

 

[THE_EB_KID]

there is a two and three humbucking on the way

I think i just SHAT my pants!!!!!

 

[RocketRalf]

What can the MM90 model do that the SSS can't and vise-versa?