I've joined the club but I just wish it had a tremolo...

[aaronstrumpel]

So, I am thrilled with my new Ernie Ball Albert Lee MM90! Well, it's a 2001, but there's maybe one ding on it that I can see on the back of the neck. White sparkle finish with birds eye neck...workmanship, finish, tones, just killer! I just wish it had a trem. I love it enough to keep it hardtail if I have to - but every other guitar I own has a tremolo of some sort and I find myself missing it. Has any one tried to retrofit a trem unit? I know I can buy a different Albert Lee, but I just love everything about this one, haha. Some pics - I was testing a vintage Helios 44 lens, so there's some flair and vibe going on.

 

[vexed73]

I wouldn't put a kahler on a les paul been kicking myself ever since. I would just buy another with a trem and keep that one like it is. Find I am inspired with a guitar with no trem.

 

[aaronstrumpel]

You might be right. It'd be my only hard tail electric which would probably lead me down some new directions...

 

[Astrofreq]

Apparently, adding an aftermarket Bigsby is all the rage.

 

[aaronstrumpel]

Apparently, adding an aftermarket Bigsby is all the rage.

Hahahaha oh man. That would be sad...

 

[tbonesullivan]

Probably easier to track down one that was made with a tremolo, though the MM90 versions are quite a bit harder to find. I definitely wouldn't try to fit a tremolo on that, especially with that awesome and rare finish.

 

[TripHazard]

That looks amazing!
Adding a trem is doable but would be a bit of work to do. My personal opinion is keep as is and get another one with a trem when it pops up for sale.

 

[tbonesullivan]

I mean, I can see why the hardtails don't get the same love they do... but I love them. In fact when I have a tremolo I often seem lost as to what to do with it. One of the early guitars Billy Gibbons used in the studio, along with the legendary Pearly Gates Les Paul, was a Hardtail Stratocaster.

 

[aaronstrumpel]

Probably easier to track down one that was made with a tremolo, though the MM90 versions are quite a bit harder to find. I definitely wouldn't try to fit a tremolo on that, especially with that awesome and rare finish.

That looks amazing!
Adding a trem is doable but would be a bit of work to do. My personal opinion is keep as is and get another one with a trem when it pops up for sale.

Yeah, I think you guys are right. I'd hate to make it unoriginal - even if a pro does the job and keeps it clean...it's perfect the way it is and will be another flavor in the studio. For folks that need a hard tail. And for when I grow into it...

 

[tbonesullivan]

Yeah, I think you guys are right. I'd hate to make it unoriginal - even if a pro does the job and keeps it clean...it's perfect the way it is and will be another flavor in the studio. For folks that need a hard tail. And for when I grow into it...

Clapton definitely felt that it was a different sound. He never used the tremolo, and would block all of his. All of his signature models are the same way, when he could easily just make it a hard tail. Says the sound is different.

 

[dibart77]

Can you post pictures of the full guitar? Hard to see!

​

 

[GWDavis28]

Nice man, congrats, I have the exact same guitar and absolutely love it!!!!

Glenn |B)

 

[aaronstrumpel]

Nice man, congrats, I have the exact same guitar and absolutely love it!!!!

Glenn |B)

I love those white covers! Such a rad guitar...I've been more of a nitro-finish guitar guy, but with the finish these necks have, I'm blown away by the feel of this thing! Definitely made an exception in the finish department - helps that I'm also a sparkle finish kind of person!

 

[aaronstrumpel]

Let's see if this upload works - had to resize images to make them smaller:

 

[aaronstrumpel]

Ok, just uploaded five pics - I don't know how to make the gallery show them at the size I cropped them to...

Can you post pictures of the full guitar? Hard to see!

​

 

[GWDavis28]

I host on IMG BB and then link from there.

Nice neck you have there. Mine had black knobs and covers too, I set it back for warranty work and the tech took real good care of me and the guitar.

Glenn |B)

 

[jones4tone]

That neck is gorgeous! Congrats on the find.