Is it possible to do this?

[spc_1968]

Ok so the Luke has a floating trem.

Here is the question which not many people put in their reviews of this guitar.

Is the luke capable of switching back and forth between drop d tuning on the low e then back to standard tuning without knocking the other strings (A-D-G-B-High-E) out of whack?

I think I know what the answer is "NO" please correct me if I am wrong.

Pro's and Cons.

Pro's

EB music man Luke stays in tune perfectly and I love the tremolo because you can get a really sweet vibrato and then some awesome warble.

Con's

Back to my question, I play in a cover band and I tried dropping the low E and then of course. Time out I need to retune all the other strings.....HMMM.

Well of course I could always drop the bridge down flush, but I really like having that sweet rocking action of the tremolo for vibrato purposes and the warble.

Advice, suggestions?

I don't even think Eddie Van Halen's could accomplish this with a floating trem or hipshot...Again correct me if I am wrong or if there are exceptions to the rule.

Peace,

Steve

 

[gerry d]

the tuning will drift a bit if you do this... but I've always been able to tune the other strings fairly quickly as they will not be out too far...

 

[the24thfret]

If it's floating, physics dictates that all the strings will change tension and pitch if one string does. So you will need to tune all the strings again if you drop the E to a D. This is just the life of a floating trem player!

 

[Larry]

Get 2 LUKES one for standard and one for drop D

 

[geektard]

Is the luke capable of switching back and forth between drop d tuning on the low e then back to standard tuning without knocking the other strings (A-D-G-B-High-E) out of whack?

If it's floating, no. Any "normal" "floating" "sync trem" can't go down and back without retune.

 

[dwells]

buy 2 i did there awesome ! hang on buy 3

 

[the24thfret]

buy 2 i did there awesome ! hang on buy 3

Yeah this is the predicament of floating trem players. There is a reason that John Petrucci owns 72 JP model guitars. It's not just to brag about it.

I want a hardtail or two or 10, but that's for different styles and not because they are easier to tune.

Ideally I'd have like 7 JPs and about 90 other guitars to handle everything I wanted to play. Of course, my wallet thinks differently.

 

[mesadualrec]

to be honest you should really use a tuner to tune down the low E to a D a simple task without a tuner I hear you say but it will be both practice and alot more professional to silent tune your low E to the D

While you are tuning the Low E down it should only really take a once over of the other 5 strings to put them back into tune as MM guitars are just Awesome!!! and they dont float out much


thats my tips anywasy I also Play in a functions/covers band and I do this it doesnt take long trust me but then again my balls are firmly stuck to my body


HARDTAIL OVER HERE

 

[Beth]

Welcome to the Forum, Steve!

Get 2 LUKES one for standard and one for drop D

I like the way this man thinks...

-Beth

 

[jaxadam]

Tremol-No™

 

[Paul in WV]

Yeah this is the predicament of floating trem players. There is a reason that John Petrucci owns 72 JP model guitars. It's not just to brag about it.

I want a hardtail or two or 10, but that's for different styles and not because they are easier to tune.

Ideally I'd have like 7 JPs and about 90 other guitars to handle everything I wanted to play. Of course, my wallet thinks differently.

This is EXACTLY why I need to buy at least one (probably two) more EBMM guitars. I really want some sort of Hard Tail just for the detuned stuff so I'm thinking Axis Super Sport. But then, I want something more along the lines of my JP6 so I'm thinking Silo.

If I end up with both of those, I should then buy a JP7 of some sort...I mean, if I'm gonna "TRY TO PLAY" JPs stuff, I need to outfit myself properly...right?

Oh yeah...what if I want to play some twangy stuff (listening to Brad Paisley right this minute) so where do I go there? An Al?

Now, let's see, that a total of five EBMM guitars...I guess I better start saving now.

Oh wait, I should have two of each just in case...that's even better right?

Hey...is there any sort of Volume Discount? Apparently, I've got a sickness!

 

[the24thfret]

Hey...is there any sort of Volume Discount? Apparently, I've got a sickness!

You've got GAS. It's easily diagnosed. I'm not a doctor, but I know the symptoms well!

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Well,

I would get an extra guitar and keep it in a different tuning.

Hey...is there any sort of Volume Discount? Apparently, I've got a sickness!

Yep, sickness indeed!

 

[Lou]

+1 to the Tremol-no. You'll be glad you did.

 

[fsmith]

Multiple tunings? You need multiple guitars, trust me you *need* them.

The 20th is tuned 1/2 step flat
The Silo Special is Drop D

Luke and Petrucci are standard tuning. Floating bridges are a real pain to change on the fly. As well as they stay in tune normally, any change to one or more strings is not a simple once through tune and go. At least that's always been my experience. I wouldn't want to have to do it on stage.

The new Axis SS will probably become the Drop D guitar.

 

[spc_1968]

The master LUKE Tuning schedule

Thanks everyone for your helpful opinions and insight.

This is what I thought anyway. I have two gibsons a les paul and an SG and I also have a Yamaha Pacifica 012 that I vamped up and customized with graphtech saddles and Dimarzio pickups. Actually I recently placed Dimarzio's in the LP too. The SG still has Stock pickups. As far as the Luke, I'm pretty happy with the EMG's right now - hopefully it will stay that way.

Anyone of these others can stand in the background with Drop D tuning.

What I would like to do live is use the "Luke" for all the standard tuning. The entire band plays 1/2 step down for everything. I think I'm going to go with your suggestions and use the Luke as the main and then pick up the Les Paul for the drop D stuff.

I really love this guitar, despite the floating trem issue. If you don't alter the string tuning I have found that it will stay in tune very well.

The thing that I find unmatched by any other guitar with the Luke is the quality of the feel and the craftsmanship. Also like I said I like the MM floating bridge for vibrato type stuff....ala....Alex lifeson. If you strike a nice chord voicing and rock the bar subtle it purrs our beautiful vibrato. It is sweet....can't do that with a hardtail or a gibson.

Then again I hear Eddie Van Halen has all of his Floyd's flush with the body when he drop's the D. I find that hard to believe because...Have you ever seen the flexibility of not being able to pull up and only move it down. If EVH is currently doing this live 2007 with the Charvel EVH model I would be shocked!!!

Thanks all- Have a great weekend! ROCK!

Steve

 

[pjc812]

There is another thread regarding the Tremel-No. I suggest you check it out. It could be the answer to your problem. It basically allows your floating bridge to act like a hard tail, or go to "dive only" mode which would let you go into drop D and still dive your trem.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

The EBMM EVH guitars were set flat on the body and to dive only.

 

[dwells]

sell the gibsons and yamaha and buy 2 more lukes im telling ya they will understand!!!!