NG(inbound)D: I finally joined the club- LukeIII BFR

[ruger9]

I wanted a Luke III, because I liked the colors better than the new 4's and because I really wanted the Transition pickups and didn't want to swap them in an L4. I'm just so tired of working on guitars, I just want to buy something that's DONE, out of the box. Found a mint LIII in my favorite color- Bluesberry? Blueberry Burst? I've seen it called both.

It's not here yet, but I just made the purchase. Looking very much forward to it. I probably overpaid a bit, but this color is pretty rare used... I've been looking for a year. And I didn't want to lose it over a few hundred bucks, so I paid asking price.

 

[jlf599]

Absolutely beautiful! Congrats!

 

[GWDavis28]

Congrats!!!

Glenn |B)

 

[DrKev]

WAHEY!!

When's delivery day? Ya wanna send me the tracking number so I can get excited/frustrated with you too?

 

[Mixolydian82]

A fine example. Congrats!

 

[Jalcom1]

Beautiful! I love mine. Share some pics when it arrives

 

[beej]

I LOOOVE that finish! Well done!

And honestly, for a guitar you love and are going to play, it's worth just getting and paying whatever vs having a ton of regret. I've done the same thing myself.

Congrats!

 

[KyleJ1487]

Sharp guitar, Ruger.

I saw the same--it was on Reverb, right? If so, knew that one wouldn't last long at all.

Completely agree with wanting to just have something ready to roll (for real) right out of the box. My first Luke was perfect right away--still can't believe it.

Congrats!

 

[dibart77]

NICELY DONE. Blueberry Burst with an aces flame top. NICE. +100 points.

 

[ruger9]

Sharp guitar, Ruger.

I saw the same--it was on Reverb, right? If so, knew that one wouldn't last long at all.

Completely agree with wanting to just have something ready to roll (for real) right out of the box. My first Luke was perfect right away--still can't believe it.

Congrats!

Yeah that's the one. It took me less than a day to decide. I do think I overpaid a bit, but I've seen only 2 blueberry burst in a year, and the other one had a flame maple neck so it was even rarer. I knew if I didn't buy it, someone else would. So I didn't bother making an offer, I just paid asking price. It says it's in mint condition, so I'm assuming the frets are too.

I'm interested in the "smaller" neck I have heard about. One guy at Andertons said it actually had him playing faster than he normally does, the unique neck was so comfortable for him apparently.

 

[Iperfungus]

I probably overpaid a bit, but this color is pretty rare used... I've been looking for a year. And I didn't want to lose it over a few hundred bucks, so I paid asking price.

View attachment 42682

That's exactly the same I did with my Axis Super Sport. I wanted THAT guitar like hell. I was hunting "high&low" since some years...THAT color, THAT finish, THAT matching headstock, THAT everything about it.
The seller was asking a bit too much and so I negotiated the price a bit, but, as soon as we found a reasonable agreement, I paid the price and got the guitar.
Probably I overpaid it a little anyway, but two hundred euros less wouldn't have made too much difference, in this case.
If I had lost her, I would never have forgiven myself instead.

Well done! And for a great guitar.
I own a Luke III in Bodhi Blue and that's another great axe, but your BFR has an awesome look!

 

[Jalcom1]

Yeah that's the one. It took me less than a day to decide. I do think I overpaid a bit, but I've seen only 2 blueberry burst in a year, and the other one had a flame maple neck so it was even rarer. I knew if I didn't buy it, someone else would. So I didn't bother making an offer, I just paid asking price. It says it's in mint condition, so I'm assuming the frets are too.

I'm interested in the "smaller" neck I have heard about. One guy at Andertons said it actually had him playing faster than he normally does, the unique neck was so comfortable for him apparently.

That's exactly the same I did with my Axis Super Sport. I wanted THAT guitar like hell. I was hunting "high&low" since some years...THAT color, THAT finish, THAT matching headstock, THAT everything about it.
The seller was asking a bit too much and so I negotiated the price a bit, but, as soon as we found a reasonable agreement, I paid the price and got the guitar.
If I had lost her, I would never have forgiven myself.

Well done! And for a great guitar.
I own a Luke III in Bodhi Blue and that's another great axe, but your BFR has an awesome look!

No shame in paying a little extra to ensure you get exactly what you want. I’ve pulled the trigger several times within hours of a guitar being posted, in fact, that’s how I got my blueberry. She was my first L3. I had been waiting for 8 months or so for a blueberry to pop up. I bought it within 2 hours of being posted and paid the asking price to make sure I got it. I keep her tuned to Eb and she SINGS!

I’m sure you’ll enjoy it when it arrives.

 

[Sweat]

Sweet, good choice!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Warmart]

That is absolutely perfect, wise move! May you love it long time

 

[ruger9]

She sure is purty...

I'll be honest, I'm concerned about the small neck... I've never played a guitar with a neck this small! I'll have to set it up to my preferences (feels like it might have 9's on it???- maybe they are 10s but the ultra-soft bridge (springs) makes them feel like 9s?) and see if I can get comfortable with it. Check the relief, action, etc...

Hopefully there's an adjustment to tighten up the bar? It's very loose and a little sloppy in there. I'd like it to stay where I put it.

It's interesting because another guitar I have always been interested in- the Ibanez AT100/AT10 (Andy Timmons' signature models) also has the smaller nut and neck.

 

[Ted]

Damn that's a beautiful top and color!

I have big hands and am generally a fan of thicker necks. That said, the necks and shorter nut on my Valentine guitars feel perfect to me-- they don't cramp my hand up. My BFR now has 9.5s on it and my standard issue has 9's-- which feel almost too light for some things but perfect for others. If you've never used a set of EB 9.5 gauge strings, I can recommend them.

Also, if the neck feels crampy or small-- especially in the lower frets, check that the nut is cut correctly. My BFR's nut was cut too high when I got it and as a result the action in the lower frets was too high and my hand was getting so cramped--and I chalked it up to that "small nut/ tiny neck" complaint I hear. So much string tension in the cowboy chord positions. I finally took it to a tech who diagnosed the improper nut setup and fixed it. Night and day difference.

 

[ruger9]

Yeah, I'll be putting 10's on it, I have a hard time with 9s. I even put 10s on my old Charvel shredder (which I used to play 9's on back in the day). That might require a small nut slot adjustment, I have the files and can do that myself.

I found on the FAQ the info for re-setting up the tremolo after a string gauge change. Also the info to tighten the bar.

My last question: pickup height adjustment? Can you raise or lower these humbuckers since they are screwed directly into the wood? Looking to lower the bass side of the neck pickup a tad. I know there are trimmers inside to adjust for the volumes of the different pickup positions, just looking for a little less low end out of the neck humbucker.

 

[GoKart Mozart]

My last question: pickup height adjustment? Can you raise or lower these humbuckers since they are screwed directly into the wood? Looking to lower the bass side of the neck pickup a tad. I know there are trimmers inside to adjust for the volumes of the different pickup positions, just looking for a little less low end out of the neck humbucker.

They're screwed directly into the wood. I bought a LIII BFR in Blueberry burst as well a couple of years back and I noticed the bridge humbucker was a lot higher than the one in my regular LIII from 2013; ended up taking a little bit of finish/wood out from under the mounting ears in the cavity to drop it down and lower the output a tad.

 

[ruger9]

They're screwed directly into the wood. I bought a LIII BFR in Blueberry burst as well a couple of years back and I noticed the bridge humbucker was a lot higher than the one in my regular LIII from 2013; ended up taking a little bit of finish/wood out from under the mounting ears in the cavity to drop it down and lower the output a tad.



View attachment 42743

So they are resting on the body? The L-brackets? There are no springs or foam underneath to allow for any raising of the pickups height while maintaining stability?

 

[GoKart Mozart]

So they are resting on the body? The L-brackets? There are no springs or foam underneath to allow for any raising of the pickups height while maintaining stability?

Correct.