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Loving my new Albert Lee HH ... But ...

Twang Banger

Twang Banger

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 19, 2016
Messages
104
Location
Saint Augustine, Florida
No buts about the guitar, I love it and have decided to sell my Eric Johnson Strat to buy another AL. This time I want to pick up an SSS model. So, my question is, what are the SSS pickups like on a AL? Are they along the lines of Seymour Duncan Antiquities or Fender CS classic style, or are the more modern, hugh-output types? What about noise ... Pretty quiet or no?

Thanks!


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Hello Twang.

Happy you like your AL HH. I knew you would.

I had a EJ and they sure are great strats but playability, confort, build quality and just pure fun are nowhere near an AL. And I'm not even talking about the "cool factor";)

BUT

as much as an EJ is a typical strat, the AL is NOT. An AL won't sound like a strat. It's more tele oriented, a little on the trebly side. Nothing unpleasant though!!!

To try to answer your question about pickups : they are on the vintage side. 50's if you ask me but dead quiet even without the silent circuit.
I ended up changing the bridge pickup for a Seymour Duncan SSL5 (David Gilmour) . It was a great move : it is, and remains, a single coil, increases the output very very very slightly but handles gain differently. It is NOT comparable to a hotrail or similar "paf in a single body".

Hope this helps. Shoot me if you need more information.

Ps
This is my opinion based on my experience, I'm no expert.

PPS
There is a killer AL SSS in killer silver at a killer price on reverb!

https://reverb.com/item/1756871-ernie-ball-music-man-albert-lee-sss-sterling-silver
 
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For the noise, the Music Man guitars with single coils come with the patented silent circuit : thus no noise !
(I believe that the only MM guitar with single coils that comes without the silent circuit is the Morse)
 
And unlike guitars with powered circuits (EMG, Clapton strat, powerhouse strat), if the battery dies with the silent circuit, the guitar still plays through an amp just fine. It doesn't die like those other ones.
 
I have an old 1994 AL that does not have a silent circuit. The Pickups are really quiet. Noise was never an issue. Not with higher volumes nor with distortion or both
 
Pickups are really nice , pretty medium output but the bridge has a twang and a beef to it that most strats don't have.

i did a very basic demo of mine which might give you an idea

 
Magic Jason said:
Hello Twang.

Happy you like your AL HH. I knew you would.

I had a EJ and they sure are great strats but playability, confort, build quality and just pure fun are nowhere near an AL. And I'm not even talking about the "cool factor";)

BUT

as much as an EJ is a typical strat, the AL is NOT. An AL won't sound like a strat. It's more tele oriented, a little on the trebly side. Nothing unpleasant though!!!

To try to answer your question about pickups : they are on the vintage side. 50's if you ask me but dead quiet even without the silent circuit.
I ended up changing the bridge pickup for a Seymour Duncan SSL5 (David Gilmour) . It was a great move : it is, and remains, a single coil, increases the output very very very slightly but handles gain differently. It is NOT comparable to a hotrail or similar "paf in a single body".

Hope this helps. Shoot me if you need more information.

Ps
This is my opinion based on my experience, I'm no expert.

PPS
There is a killer AL SSS in killer silver at a killer price on reverb!

https://reverb.com/item/1756871-ernie-ball-music-man-albert-lee-sss-sterling-silver
Click to expand...

Got it! $850 + shipping.


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I just watched reberb 30 seconds ago and thought : "Hope Twang Banger got it." 850 is a real steal.

Fantastic guitar but, please, try not to be surprised/disapointed if it doesn't sound like a strat.
 
I'm looking forward to something a bit different than my 6 or 7 Strats (lost count!)

Thank You!!!

Meanwhile, EJ Candy Apply Red for sale by Twang Banger Guitars on Reverb is me ... I will discount a little bit.
 
You are going to sell 6 or 7 strats my friend...


Since joining EBMM army, I've sold Les Paul Premium Classic+++, Parker Fly Deluxe (2) , Tom Anderson Hollow Drop Top, Gibson Lucille, Stratsss, Telesss, Ibanez Jem and the ones I have long forgotten.

I have NEVER looked back. Not once, not for a second did I regret those.

Maybe the Tom Anderson was more "boutique", maybe the Parker was more futuristic, maybe the Lucille had more Mojo, maybe the strat was legendary......

BUT

the EBMM are just more "fun" to play. I cannot explain it. I re-discovered how fun it is to play : the initial enthusiasm, when I first discovered the instrument, is back! Why? I don't know! But it's not me or something that has changed in my life. It's just those guitars!


Thanks EBMM for making our lives better!
 
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Got it yesterday ... I love the playability and the tone. Sounds stratty on the neck and middle, then very tele on the bridge! I wonder if that bridge pickup is not the same as or similar to Seymor Duncan's Twang Banger bridge pickup for strats. It's supposed to get you tele twang from a strat ... whatever, sounds great on this guitar whatever it is!


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