Questions for Albert Lee owners...

[SteveF]

Hey...I'm a newbie here, so if this has been covered before, I apologize. Just today got an Albert Lee - after a long long search. Anyway, it's used and the bridge pickup has flat polepieces while the middle and neck are staggered, is this stock? Or an indication of the bridge pickup being a replacement? Either way, the bridge p/u sounds great...warmer and more usable than most strats I've had. I was just wondering. Also, (and this REALLY is probably covered elsewhere) what can you tell from the serial#? Do any of the digits represent the date of manufacture?

By the way - regarding the Albert Lee model....WOW!!!! I'm just knocked out completely. I've been playing a SUB 1 HH for a while as my gigging guitar, so I knew I liked Music man....I also have a Les Paul that doesn't see many gigs 'cos it's so heavy. I've owned Strats, Teles, Gretches, 335s, and ... well you name it....and this guitar slays any strat I've ever had or played.....words kind of fail me here. I CAN'T BELIEVE I FOUND A GUITAR THIS GOOD.

There is a post A.L. pics thread, which I plan to respond to this weekend (in true new guitar geek fashion).....

Thanks for any info on the pickup, if other owners have some insight.

 

[SteveF]

oh...doh!

just saw the serial # thread....please disregard my "captian oblivious" moment....

 

[uvacom]

ALs have flat polepieces stock, so at least the middle/neck are not stock.

 

[Ripper]

The stock bridge p/u are no where close to warm. They are BRIGHT.

 

[robelinda2]

Welcome to the Albert Lee Owners Club! Congrats on buying the greatest guitar not only in this universe, but in other yet to be discovered universes also. Yep its that good.

Twang away brother!

 

[KungFu Grip]

Anyway, it's used and the bridge pickup has flat polepieces while the middle and neck are staggered, is this stock? Or an indication of the bridge pickup being a replacement? Either way, the bridge p/u sounds great...warmer and more usable than most strats I've had. I was just wondering.

Sound to me like the middle and neck pickups were changed out. Just slacken the strings and pop the pickguard off, and you should be able to see at least what brand of pickups they are.

As for the bridge pickup, yeah, it's a great single. Much rounder than a typical strat pickup. They use a variation of the Duncan Alnico 2 single, with a small baseplate installed. Really helps to take off the shrill brightness.

Welcome to the club.

 

[SteveF]

The stock bridge p/u are no where close to warm. They are BRIGHT.

...yeah, maybe not the best description..."round" was a better description. Essentially, it's not as thin and shrill as lots of strats. Much more usable day-to-day for me.

thanks for the info everyone.

 

[mbgreene]

Official greetings and salutations - Welcome to the ALOC

By the way - regarding the Albert Lee model....WOW!!!! I'm just knocked out completely. I've been playing a SUB 1 HH for a while as my gigging guitar, so I knew I liked Music man....I also have a Les Paul that doesn't see many gigs 'cos it's so heavy. I've owned Strats, Teles, Gretches, 335s, and ... well you name it....and this guitar slays any strat I've ever had or played.....words kind of fail me here. I CAN'T BELIEVE I FOUND A GUITAR THIS GOOD.

Funny
After playing the AL - that's pretty much what they all say.

 

[GWDavis28]

SteveF, welcome and congrats man, the AL is sweet.

Can't wait to see the pictures.

Glenn |B)

 

[ernesto]

I just bought my first AL. The polepieces are staggered on the front and middle pickups and flat on the bridge pickup. It's brand new. Has EB changed the AL pickups?

ern

 

[Spudmurphy]

Wecome to the forum and welcome to the AL owners Club.

Regarding your query I hope the following pics help you identify your p/u's

Spud
(Proud to be an AL owner!!)

 

[beej]

Wow that's sexy. Your favourite model with the top off

 

[KungFu Grip]

Well, I take back my statement. My AL is a bit older, so it's very possible that they put the staggered models middle and neck now. Mine doesn't have a Silent Circuit either.

Interesting how the instruments evolve.

 

[uvacom]

Hmm, curious - mine was built in october of '06, and it had flat polepieces on all 3. It came with the silent circuit and compensated nut.

 

[mbgreene]

Anyway, it's used and the bridge pickup has flat polepieces while the middle and neck are staggered, is this stock? Or an indication of the bridge pickup being a replacement?

I just bought my first AL. The polepieces are staggered on the front and middle pickups and flat on the bridge pickup. It's brand new. Has EB changed the AL pickups?

You may want to double check. Flat pole pieces mean they are level relative to each other, but not necessarily even with the pup cover. The neck and middle poles may be above the cover (while the bridge may be even with the cover) but they should be level (or real close) relative to each other if they are original.

If they were staggered it would be truly noticeable like this:

This was how the old strats were set up due to the very rounded radii (7-1/2") of the necks

 

[ernesto]

(Sheepish look inserted here.......) So I went out to my studio to take another look.... and I stand corrected!!! The pole pieces are flat on all three pickups. The pole pieces extend up through the pickup covers for the front and middle pickups... and on the bridge pickup the pole pieces are level with the top of the pickup cover. Time for new reading glasses....

ern

 

[SteveF]

Played my first gig with the Albert last night (run-of-the-mill classic rock cover band)....great. Haven't played single coils is a while....my amp (an old-ish Bedrock 30 watt tube combo) loves this guitar...the 2 and 4 positions sound great, nice and "clucky", and the neck position sounds great for leads. Haven't dialed in the bridge pickup tone yet....kinda hard adjusting from a humbucker in the bridge, and my dirty rhythm sound (from a tonebone "hot british") was not happening....gives me an excuse to look for another overdrive pedal.

Overall, it's light, comfortable, looks cool as could be, and sound awesome. Coolest guitar I've played in a long time.

The other guitarist in my band (who's a TOTAL gearhead - a PRS collector of sorts) had a surf green telecaster that belonged to Vince Gill at some point, allegedly....said "it's for sale, cheap..." didn't even bother to plug it in....

really, why bother?

 

[Spudmurphy]

^

Nice one - glad you liked it.

I cranked up mine through the Mesa today

I would really like to try the Boss Blues Driver BD2 pedal with it - you may like it too?

 

[robelinda2]

The AL sure is killer, its sounds so clear and clean up really loud, just a special tone. Cuts through but not too harsh, and when you add gain it doesnt become mushy, it retains the clarity.