calling all luke players

[kbaim]

Hello playa's,

new to the board. Own a few balls... though my favorite is my Luke in blue dawn. Tone, playability, shape, weight, and small slim neck feels different and plays so much better and easier than most other better known brands.

Just curious how people happened to decide on theirs as 1) they're not well known; 2) you have to hunt one down; 3) I've never seen one advertised.

I'd point out that Jamie Lee Curtis plays one for about 3 minutes in the movie Freaky Friday. Also, she poses for a promo in full straddle position which is the first time I've seen one in print.

Mine was displayed next to an amp I was demoing. So glad I discovered this guitar. Saw Luke like 20 years ago in LA playing fusion with some heavyweights. (More of that would be cool, steve!)

KEITH

 

[VegasGreg]

Been a fan of Luke

I bought my original Luke because:

A) I've always been a huge Lukather fan, and
B) I really wanted a Valley Arts Custom Luke-but they were out of business.

I heard that the guys that made the Valley Arts also had a hand in making his Ernie Ball signature guitar, so I figured it would be better.

I've only recently gotten rid of the guitar. It was a great player, but I wanted something with a tone control (which this one didn't have)

Greg

 

[kbaim]

I remember Steve playing the Valley arts Custom. I bought my first electric at Valley Arts back in '76. A sunburst strat. They routed it out cause I wanted a trem installed. I kinda remember two guys named mike and al owned the place. (I think one of them works at ebmm now). Also took guitar lessons there. Still my favorite guitar store.

Man that was a long time ago.

You probably know that the lukes now have 1 vol and 1 tone control.

KEITH

 

[VegasGreg]

You probably know that the lukes now have 1 vol and 1 tone control.

Yeah, but I prefer the Petrucci's. I just ordered a 6 string and a 7 String.

Personal taste for me-I just got tired of EMG's-I really like the custom Dimarzios on the Petrucci's.

Greg

 

[the_g_man]

I bought my Luke because I have small hands, and that neck fits me like a glove! I spent a lot of time in the newsgroups and in Harmony Central looking for a guitar that had a small neck, but not a 17-inch radius and railroad-tie sized frets. FWIW, my fave guitar to date has been custom job that has a Warmoth Soloist body matched to a Kramer Baretta neck. (One of the ESP made "American" necks.) I was looking for a new guitar because I am totally feed-up with Floyd Rose trems...hence my search.

Once I decided I needed a Luke, I started searching Ebay without any luck. Then last December, Musician's Friend ran a special price on the Blue Luke's, selling them for $999

A couple of days later I was in heaven

What a fantastic instrument!!! I currently don't own any Steve Lukather recordings, but I think I should check him out. He's got great taste in guitars. The only thing I would want to change are the pick-ups. I just can't seem to warm up to those EMG's. The single coils are OK, but that 85 in the bridge ain't workin' out.

So that's my Luke story.

Gary

 

[kbaim]

g_man,

I love the EMG's! Not sure why you don't like the Bridge pickup.

I use it a lot, but only when doing high gain stuff. I stick to the single's for clean and along with some compression, they're my favorite pickup on ebmm guitars (though the middle position on the petrucci sounds amazing but I don't own one).

I even swapped out pups on my mid 70's strat for the EMG David Gilmore 20 set. That guitar sounds great now but I don't play it much cause I prefer playing the E-balls.

KEITH

 

[JDouglee]

LUKE in Blue Dawn?? Got a pic by any chance?

I have a BlkSparkle, Burnt Apple w/piezo & a Purple w/sustainer.
Great guitars, very different sound...ya gotta get used to it.

Really dig the tremolo, the way it's set up for pull ups. Nice

 

[kbaim]

re: pics of blue dawn luke

Uh...about those pictures of my blue dawn luke, I don't own a scanner or digital camera. But it's drop dead gorgeous. Special ordered it. Took 3 months. Picked it up dec '02. Blue burst with a metallic flake that just glistens on stage and is mesmorizing. I wish I could look at it more when I'm playing it.

You have one with Piezo? In Burnt apple?? You bastard! (I've got 2 Axis SuperSports with piezo. A Morse too). I'd be very interested in seeing pics if possible. And playing it. I'm like an hour away from sunset in Laguna. E-mail whenenver.

How did you discover them, I'm guessing you got the one w/o piezo first said "I need a backup just in case...and while I'm at it one with a piezo sounds pretty good". You must have had to Special order it.

Keith
[email protected]

 

[doctor_worm]

I walked into Guitar Center a week ago to purchase a power adapter for my Boss BR864 and there it was, sitting on a stand with $350 tag on it. I had never really considered a Luke, or even played one...but I knew what it was so I walked over and looked at it. There was a blemish on the upper bout that was fairly noticable within a couple of feet of the guitar.

I looked over at one of the salesmen and asked what was wrong with it. Nothing, other than it has some dings in it was the reply. I asked if it was used, and the guy said that it hadn't, that it had been on display for a while, had the scratch and they just couldn't get rid of it. So that put it in the back for almost a year. I plugged it in, and played it for about 10 minutes through a fender twin, and then moved over to a marshall tsl for about 10 minutes.

In short, I haven't played very many guitars that were as fine as this guitar was...even if the strings were a year old. I walked back and said gimme this, a case and throw in a a pack of strings, Im taking her home.

It may be the best playing neck I have ever had. I still cannot believe I got it at such a ridiculous price.

It is almost an avacado green flake, with a matching headstock and a non-locking mm tremolo. I haven't had any luck with information about the actual color name. I don't even know what year it was made yet.

 

[bing4sons]

I walked into Guitar Center a week ago to purchase a power adapter for my Boss BR864 and there it was, sitting on a stand with $350 tag on it.

You do know that there is already a thread on your purchase...

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1500

You're the stuff of legends...

Bing

 

[kbaim]

$350???????????????????????????

You bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does it have a tone knob? If not, it's older.

Note they're set up for 9's when you change strings.

The ball guys will tell you the born on date if you give them the serial #on this board. Just ask a moderator.

KEITH

 

[JDouglee]

Ernie Ball can also refinish your guitar for you too, if the dings bug ya. It'll cost ya a little however.

Congrats on the score!

 

[milky]

I waited 6 month here in italy to have one....but i wanted it from a long time ...here they are so expensive just like 1600 €
Why i buy it?

It sounds awesome
the neck is oil
stays in tune even if you use the bridge
it's not so heavy
bending is easy even if with 10-52
i feel good with it

the only things i have to say on it:
the neck was not oriented in the right way so action was too close beyond the 12th fret and too far in the first position when i switched to 10-52
colors are not so good ( i was obliged to choose blue luke...i desired pacific blue burst o red trasp!!)


so thanks EBMM and thanks Steve

Milky
Milano
Italy

 

[doctor_worm]

it does indeed have one tone and one volume knob, and a mm standard trem.

 

[JDouglee]

By any chance was that guitar ever at the Brea GC? I know they move guitars from store to store sometimes.

I remember a Luke in that same color, with a ding on it. If it's the same one, it's a keeper. Played great.

 

[doctor_worm]

By any chance was that guitar ever at the Brea GC?

I didn't think to ask, but I wouldn't be too surprised if that were the case. regardless, it plays so well it wouldn't matter if cc deville peed on it, it's the best $350 I think I have ever spent.

 

[JDouglee]

I didn't think to ask, but I wouldn't be too surprised if that were the case. regardless, it plays so well it wouldn't matter if cc deville peed on it, it's the best $350 I think I have ever spent.

THAT'S Funny!

I haven't seen too many in that color is why I asked. I almost bought that guitar on playability alone if it's the same one.
What's the approx serial #, and where is the ding located?

 

[doctor_worm]

the ding is on the top of the guitar, straight up between the two single coils. # G13765

 

[the_g_man]

g_man,

I love the EMG's! Not sure why you don't like the Bridge pickup.


KEITH

I need to get an 81

Gary

 

[dan ratcliffe]

hey guys,

i'm new to the forum so here goes...

i got my black Luke on the Tuesday before xmas last year. i happened upon it by chance and the store had reduced the price from £1299 to £999 because some doofus put three scratches onto the body, on the front of the guitar, but slashing two thirds of the price was enough to seal the deal! it plays and sounds like a dream! the scratches are barely visible from a couple of feet away, i'd just like to shake the hand of the nutbag who put them on there!

what an amazing guitar for such a bargain price! i've been a fan of Steve Lukathers' since '92 and its just been a matter of time since he joined the Ernie Ball ranks until i finally got one. it goes with my two Axis guitars very nicely!

such a cool forum!