new Albert Lee HH and some sadness :(

[markd]

A bit the same here. I want my amp to give me the best clean sound possible when I bypass all my pedals.

for sure! I started doing that when I got a blackface Fender Tremolux. It only has bass and treble knobs. I found it sounded best when I just set them at "5" and used the guitar/pedals the sculpt the tone.

Prior to this "revelation" I was using Rivera M/S amps - either an M100 combo or an S120 head. Those amps have 18 knobs, each with a push/pull function and a VERY sensitive EQ. I gigged those amps for 23 years before deciding to go "old school" with a Marshall rig and pedals. I get endless compliments on my tone after shows, and guys practically fall over when they hear my EQ is set straight up. When they see my board is ALL MXR - nothing boutique or exotic - their jaws hit the floor. It's pretty funny!!!

 

[Magic Jason]

...and, the addiction begins What color did you get for the second one?

This is NOT funny!

I'm yet to receive my pdn 2014 Neptune blue AL SSS...and I'm already thinking A LOT about getting a MM90 with the next PDN.

 

[Pott]

The AL can sound very rich, though I never found it middy, even if an EL84 amp cranked up (did a gig with a Tubemeister 18 a wee ago).
What could be disconcerting is if you approach with it 'it's a Mahog, HH Strat' or 'It's a long scale bolt-on LP'. IT really is its own thing.

The guitar was incredible during the show. Sounded amazing for both Hotel California AND Sweet Home Alabama; I did all the leads and the guitar did not need to be retuned once even after 12 songs.
Incredibly versatile guitar. There hasn't been a sound I've not gotten with it yet.

 

[straycat113]

Not many guitars I have owned that played and sounded great in a store sounded like a choir of angels when I got home and plugged it into my main rig. Sometimes it may take over a week tweaking and doing the little things to get it to where it is supposed to be. On the flipside your gear at home may not of been a great match for that particular guitar and add in the pedal board you could of spent a lot of time tweaking. I think you did great getting where you wanted to be after only two days. Also congrats on buying a second as the AL is a killer guitar that finally got my attention when the double humbucker model was released. Good crack about the Jetsons, as it has that retro vibe and does look exactly like what George would play lol.

 

[mtrejo]

Mike! Welcome back!!!!