• Ernie Ball
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  • Sterling by MusicMan

rickjohns

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
123
I always looked at the Al and thought that it was an ugly guitar. I went to Pete's yesterday, and low and behold, there was a Pinkburst BFR Al hanging on the wall. It actually looks cooler in person than in the pictures. I thought to myself, people rave about these things, I need to at least give it a go.
Complete, and utter amazement went through my as I played a few chords. First off, I am not really single coil fan, I hate that they normally sound thin and harsh. This guitar was unbelievable! The tone of those pups was completely musical, smooth and buttery, and just sounded great, especially as the gain on a high gain amp is turned. Go to the clean side, and it just jangles the hell out of the amp, but with just the right amount of high-end. And to top it all off, the neck is absolutley BRILLIANT. Felt like an old friend in my hands immediately. Hats off to you Sterling and crew, that is one fantastic guitar.

And one other thing I fell in love with yesterday, was the EBMM non-locking trems. I play really hard, and every guitar I've touched in the past that didn't have a double locking trem installed on I could knock out of tune in about 30 seconds, no matter what I tried. I picked up a silo, and a petrucci, and I tuned them up. I worked that bar hard, and bent the beejesus out of the strings. Couldn't knock it out if tune. I tried, I really tried, it just wouldn't. How do you do it? My next guitar will be a Silo, and after that, an AL BFR. Time to work some overtime.
 

Spudmurphy

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Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
I have got to admit that the BFR AL is one awesome guitar after playing one at a couple of exhibitions.

Now ya see why we rave about the AL's = and yeah you are right about the neck!!
 

rickjohns

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
123
Absolutely Spud. Absolutely. What an amazing guitar. No if I could only get the Al neck on my AXIS......... Just kidding BP!:D
 

SteveB

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Joined
Sep 3, 2004
Messages
6,192
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Well said. The AL is such a soulful-sounding guitar. It sounds so good clean, I don't know that I'd ever get around to playing it with gain!
 

travs

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Joined
Mar 16, 2007
Messages
729
Location
sea.wa
^ Rob and Spud. those cats know. I bought mine just from reading the posts here on mr.ball bandwidth cant wait to get home tonight and play.
 

Colin

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Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Messages
10,649
Location
Brisbane Queensland
bfr_albert_vault_sm.jpg


great guitar
 

Spudmurphy

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Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Hey, in 3 years time, I'll be able to corroborate!

You did like mine at the bash didn't ya?

Read my thread on the Fender Blues junior that I used live tonight - it was awesome!!

OLplayer was there and he heard it. - He thought that I had my Mesa hee hee

I used every pick up config from 1 - 5 and they were all great.
 

mb99zz

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Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
1,765
Location
Commonwealth of Virginia
Would really love to play a BFR AL. I too thought the AL was ugly when I first saw it years ago. The shape has really grown on me and now I think it's quite attractive. Then I finally played a SSS AL at my local GC and I felt total remorse for not trying one sooner. I will own an AL one day. The question is, will it be a BP AL, an SSS AL, an MM90 AL, or a BFR AL?
 

paranoid70

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Joined
Feb 9, 2007
Messages
2,647
Location
Long Beach, CA
Count me in as one who thought the AL was a rather odd looking guitar. However, when I finally played one I found out what a great guitar it really is. Incredible blues machine.
 

lenny

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Joined
Feb 4, 2006
Messages
2,415
Location
Nova Scotia Canada
The TRIFECTA of Tone!....the BFR AL has more mids than a standard ...so it sounds a little different....just to let you know!

DSC04193.jpg
 

Astrofreq

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Joined
Sep 5, 2006
Messages
4,204
Location
Santa Fe, NM
I have to agree that they sound great. I played one at GC and it was really twangy. However, it is too ugly for my tastes.
 

mb99zz

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Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
1,765
Location
Commonwealth of Virginia
Ah man, it's way too cold in Nova Scotia for a BFR AL. I have a nice warm home for it in Virginia :p

That's a fantastic collection you have there. So, when you say the BFR AL has more mids, does that result in a warmer overall sound?
 

lenny

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 4, 2006
Messages
2,415
Location
Nova Scotia Canada
its a brighter Guitar overall, more response ,more mids, more high;s ...it plays the same feels the same ....but when switching from my #1 ,the silver Sparkle to the BFR i have to hit my Eq on my board ...its almost louder as well.....im still breaking in the BFR ....The Sparkle has 5 years of playing on it ...i am the original owner ...i bought it N.O.S in Maine.....so it fits like a glove ...the BFR will as well ...it just needs more stage time hahaha ...
 
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