Tele neck on Albert Lee?

[edcat]

I had an Albert Lee Musicman, loved the sound but evertime I played it I would strain a tendon in my hand because of different shape of the neck. Any other guitar Fender, Gibson, Gretsch-no problem. I wanted to sand it to the shape of a typical Fender neck but a reputable guitar repairman said there wasn't enough wood to allow sanding without interfering with the truss rod. I sold it but these things sound so sweet. Is there a way to put a Tele neck on this guitar? Or would Ernie Ball make a custom neck for me? Thanks.

 

[jongitarz]

I don't know if a Tele neck would work, but I do know we don't do custom necks. Sorry.

Jon

 

[edcat]

Thanks for the reply Jon. Would it be possible to purchase an Albert Lee neck? I still think that with a little reshaping it would work.

 

[dwf1004]

Unless it's another party, a la eBay, the answer is no. EBMM does not sell necks separate from their guitars.

 

[tvanveen]

If you don't like the neck, what's the point? Just get an ash strat and find some pickups with a bassplate on the bridge pickup.

 

[beej]

That's a good point. EBMM make fantastic necks, but if you don't like the AL, then you might be best to find a neck that's better suited to you (say, perhaps, on one of the other EBMM products).

Personally, the neck is always the deal breaker for me on a guitar. You can always change the sound with different pickups & electronics but you can't easily change the feel.

 

[edcat]

tvanveen,

You mean that a bassplate under the bridge pu would make it sound like an AL? Most (all?) strat bridge pups including the one I have in mine (60 Custom Shop)are thin and tinny sounding compared to the bridge pu on a Tele or AL. If a bassplate makes that much of a difference I'd consider it. Use the same Duncan pups as the AL?

 

[musikarero]

To add to what tvan was suggesting......yes you can replace the bridge p/u in your strat to get more bite and punch close to a tele sound. There are lots of p/u's you can try that have a plate on the bottom that would help in this regard. But you could also buy a another pickguard that is routed for a tele size p/u for your strat and then simply put in a tele bridge p/u. I've done this before myself. Won't sound exactly like a tele but it will be close. Hope this helps!!

 

[tvanveen]

"You mean that a bassplate under the bridge pu would make it sound like an AL? Most (all?) strat bridge pups including the one I have in mine (60 Custom Shop)are thin and tinny sounding compared to the bridge pu on a Tele or AL. If a bassplate makes that much of a difference I'd consider it. Use the same Duncan pups as the AL?

The AL is basically a funky ash strat. The pickups are vintage wound non-staggered strat pickups with the addition of a bassplate on the bridge pickup.

I know Lindy Fralin makes a model that is vintage with the bassplate.

Picking up on what Muikarero was saying...Rio Grande makes a tele pickup that fits in the strat bridge slot.

 

[beej]

Another good option- Bill Lawrence's 280 TL (tele) or S (strat) pickups. Awesome sound, noise-free, $40 each.

 

[Orange Adam]

Edcat
when you say "strain a tendon" what do you mean?
Is the neck too small for you?

thanx

 

[koogie2k]

Good question.....I was wondering about the tendon thing myself.