NGD: Albert Lee times two

[Spudmurphy]

Nothing too exciting really...found it online at a dealer's website and got a great deal on it. I've been wanting to get one in original condition for quite some time, now I'm really happy to have found this one.

It's in great condition except for one ding and a couple of scratches, the nut is badly discoloured (think of a long time smoker's teeth...) but everything's in perfect working order...as mentioned the setup was screwed but that's about it.

Thanks to you Spud I'm spending some of my free time training my forearm muscles using GuitarScratchRemover -which I wouldn't have found if it wasn't for your review. That stuff really works miracles. I'm friends with a local luthier who might perform a little cosmetic work on the aforementioned small ding (which is in the clear coat only) and probably replace the nut...other than that it needs a little elbow grease to get the scratches out.

Nice story - I'm glad you managed to track one down.

Yeah the scratch remover is good - but as you say it does take some elbow grease to get the desired results - after all it is a rubbing compound - but one that leaves no haze. I got great results when I did the JP6.

I'd love to see some more photos of the 93 AL - warts and all (I hope that doesn't get lost in translation )

 

[Sweat]

Patrick just awesome congrats on 2 lovely Al's at once, and man you took great pics, especially on the HH AL, hope you enjoy it

 

[Coffeemug]

I'd love to see some more photos of the 93 AL - warts and all (I hope that doesn't get lost in translation )

I'll post some tomorrow if I get around to taking a couple more - warts and all Not sure whether the scratches will show properly on the pics but the ding surely will...

Patrick just awesome congrats on 2 lovely Al's at once, and man you took great pics, especially on the HH AL, hope you enjoy it

Keith, you know how great the HH AL is...there's no way one couldn't enjoy it! Mint green looks so much better face to face...!

 

[straycat113]

Wow what a double score. The Mint Green HH AL is the best looking HH to me, as the rose wood neck just makes it really stand out.That Pinkburst which I have never seen before is also a honey, and a finish I would pick for myself. You should be able to keep yourself busy for a little while with those beauties.

 

[Coffeemug]

Alright, the weather kinda sucks today so it was a rather short outdoor/indoor shoot and the pics still don't represent the colour too well but here they are anyways...

The neck aged beautifully...really smooth and a joy to play!

Those two are the closest to how it looks like "in the flesh"...it's a little more pinkish though...


Upon Spuds request here are the "warts"...nothing to worry about really! There's one small ding near the lower strap button...

...and a really small one plus a couple of tiny (and barely visible) cracks in the clearcoat on the upper part of the arm contour and along the pickguard...

...and then there's the nut which a little discoloured...

...and that's about it! There are a couple of light scratches that can/will be buffed out and don't show in the pics. I'm quite happy with it's condition given the ripe age of (almost) 17 years...

 

[guitfiddle]

Are you sure the nut isn't supposed to be that colour? I'll have to check again tonight, but I think the nut on my 96 AL might be the same as that one (and I don't smoke :') ).

Lovin' that AL. Great score. I'd of picked that one up in a heartbeat.

 

[Coffeemug]

I'm not sure about the nut but judging by the '93 catalog photo found in the "history" section on the MM homepage it should be white...?!

 

[threeminutesboy]

I think that your guitar was in a heavy smoker environment But I would not touch it THIS iS A VINTAGE INSTRUMENT!!!!!! well maybe not yet completely but soon

I remember Tommy (in delaware) selling a vintage strat (60's I think) cause the Albert was superior

Edit : I found the thread and it was a 56 strat !!!! http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/17913-heres-how-good-albert-really.html

that pink is really close to the rickenbacker color. I really like it. That's a nice thing

 

[beej]

Wow that's sweet ... love how much figuring that neck has (mine as well). I'm not sure if my nut is stock, but it's definitely a different colour than that- the usual white.

 

[Coffeemug]

I surely won't touch the nut anytime soon...it's working perfectly! And so are the tuners...takes some time for the strings to settle but then they hold the tuning pretty well! As I mentioned I talked to a local luthier the other day who said it won't be a problem to repair the ding near the strap button...I have great confidence in his skills as I saw and admire some of the work he's done so I'll probably go for that...

 

[Coffeemug]

Wow that's sweet ... love how much figuring that neck has (mine as well).

Thanks Jason, yours is quite unique with all the love and craftsmanship you put into!

I will probably order a new pickguard (white pearloid), it has a slightly different shape compare to modern-day Alberts so I hope it'll fit properly. You have a new one too, right? Did it fit?
I won't mess with the orig. one and leave it completely as it is...I currently have a set of spare singlecoils lying around so I'll equip the new pg with those.

Another quick question for you...did yours fade too? I took off pg and bridge when I cleaned it and there's quite a bit of fading.

 

[beej]

Thanks! Good idea, nice to be able to go back to stock with the original p/g. While you're in there, might be handy to put in a molex connector so you can swap p/gs and not have to solder anything. I've recently put in Lawrence L45s, and on occasion I've gone back to the stock p'ups for fun.

The new p/gs are pretty close, the only difference is the location of a screw or two. (I just drilled a small hole in the body for it, no biggie as it's hidden.)

No- I did not see any real fading on mine. Finish is pretty much the same colour under the guard. Perhaps it's just had less light exposure.

 

[Coffeemug]

Thanks! I'll install a connector, makes things a lot easier. Pickguard Heaven has different ones for the pre- and past-1996 Alberts...something tells me I should go for a pre-96 one...

The original pickups are fabulous...I'm not sure how the replacements will do in the AL but I'm really interested to find it out soon.

The fading is not drastic at all but it's noticeable with the pg taken off.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Thanks for the extra photos - man I'd leave the dings and the nut - I think the nut colour looks great as befits a guitar of that age. Just buff out the scratches using the polish we both love and leave it. It looks really great. As for the fading - nothing to worry about - take a look at real early sg's -you'd be amazed at the colour difference.

 

[Coffeemug]

I surely won't replace the nut...you're right Spud, it blends in nicely with the neck. The slight fading is really nothing to worry, looks quite cool and I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't removed the pg. I'm not sure if I should do something about that one ding...it's the only one that's really noticeable but doesn't bother me too much...it has it's own dignity somehow...

 

[Spudmurphy]

I think the nut looks "classic" - so glad you're gonna keep it.

I don't know whether the luthier would be able to do a totally invisible repair to the dings?

I have a really small ding on my EVH - I just live with it as I think an attempt at a repair would make it worse.

I just love"pinky"!

 

[threeminutesboy]

as much as it hurts to make a ding, those are part of the normal life of the guitar. Just leave them there

when you gig even if you take good care of your instrument they got scars from the road

 

[Coffeemug]

I don't know whether the luthier would be able to do a totally invisible repair to the dings?

Neither do I...it surely won't be invisible but it'd probably smoothen the surface...it's only with this one ding where the clear coat is splittered/dented...I love how the whole guitar looks according to it's age and we all know how certain companies charge a premium to replicate that look...

I'll have a little chat with the guy over a cold one and see what he has to say about it...I know he would deny doing something to it that would do further harm as he does meticulous restoration work on vintage instruments...I'll keep you guys up to date.

 

[Spudmurphy]

..I'll keep you guys up to date.

looking forward to hearing what he has to say.

 

[banjoplayer]

Another quick question for you...did yours fade too? I took off pg and bridge when I cleaned it and there's quite a bit of fading.

the question wasn´t for me but I´ll answer anyway
As you might know I own a 94 pinkburst AL. It´s hard to photograph but the pink is much stronger under the PG. Outside the PG it seems to fade into some red/yellowish burst (similar to yours):