Modded my ALbert. Probably for the last time!

[Norrin Radd]

SO, I was looking for some different tones out of my MM90 ALbert. I tried it with the HH AL humbuckers and the rosewood neck - and it did sound terrific! However, it didn't sound as good (IMO) as the HH AL did with it's own pickups. Something about that combination of woods just makes the HH AL something truly spectacular - so I put all of the original parts of it back together and yeah - EBMM knows what the he!! they're doing when they make design choices, for sure!

So my HH AL is all back to it's original state. Now, I had a problem. I love the neck and neck/middle positions on an SSS ALbert. Some of my absolute favorite tones. And when I went to the Brad Paisley concert earlier this year and he played Everything to Me on an SSS AL win the neck/middle position for the whole song - I knew I had to have that tone. I also have a hankering for some awesome Hendrix tone too. AND (like that's not demanding enough ), I also really dig the bridge position that a good Tele has too - but I like it a bit thicker than stock. Did I mention I really prefer noiseless pickups, too? (can't stand the 60 cycle hum - belch) What's a guy to do??? Did I mention the neck on my MM90 Albert is the best neck I've ever played? Did I mention I really only want to have two main guitars at most? No? Well, that stuff is true.

All of that, led (notice the nod?) to this: my SSS Albert, formerly known as MM90 AL and HB/RW neck AL:

What's inside? How did I manage to piece together all of those tones I love? Are they really all in there (yup.)? I put DiMarzio Area '67s in the neck and middle (Jimi for days, people) and I put a Duncan Twang Banger in the bridge. Holy hannah the tones in this thing! Yeah - I have to put up with a bit of 60 cycle in the bridge and and bridge/middle positions - but it's well worth it. It is truly an amazing beast now and I am totally in love with this thing. I like to hear about when people mod their EBMMs to suits their needs, so I thought I'd share my mod story too.

And one last time, the HH AL - it comes from the factory perfect. It is the ONLY guitar I've owned that I like, and have decided to leave, stock. And that's a whole lot of guitars behind me! Kudos to EBMM for coming up with that design - truly a classic classic design. Thank you EBMM!!!!

 

[guitfiddle]

Great AL story. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Sticky1973]

Looks great in SSS form, Greg.

Sounds like the tones I would love, too.

Very very nice.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Nice one Norrin. As you can see from my thread on Knighton guitars - I played a HH AL with a roasted neck - awesome.

I just can't see how somebody would not like the guitar.

 

[Roubster]

Cool! Yea, the HH AL is really a great combination. I would not change a thing on that one if I owned one. Now about the noise from singles...I wish that we could get the EB silent system for doing mods like this. But there is another alternative, which is the Suhr Back Plate Single Coil System. Maybe you can check that out. Cool thing about it is that it does not require any batteries either.

 

[meanMRmustard]

Great story. Very cool read

 

[musikarero]

I put a twang banger in my AL and liked it too.....but you are right.....in most cases the builder has the best design already there.

 

[Dreadge]

My friend has 2 DiMarzio choppers in the neck and bridge and between them Area 67 in his Lee model, and it sound killer. Better sounding than my other SSS model guitars. I think it has to do with the wood as well with the fact that Ernie Ball just wont put some wood. They put THE wood and it's outstanding whatever pups you put in them>

 

[robelinda2]

SSS AL, MM90 AL, can't lose.