Help--I've been unfaithful

[Pete Howard]

Help--I've been unfaithful--and how to set up a new BFR Luke

Well I was warned--following my last post re the powder blue Albert Lee HH with all your kind welcoming comments, I spent last night with a new Luke BFR courtesy of Steve at Knighton Music Centre who has helped along my "Musicmanisation". I took 2 strats in and 2 hours a coffee and many trips back an forth to the wall of guitars and it was in my car.
Photos attached done in a hurry last night but they give the general idea--I'm told I've bought the shop mascot as a picture of same guitar is on the business cards etc.
I'd be interested in your comments re setup--I've already re jigged it all to my liking i.e. 9's off 10's on lowered the action a bit with the amazing truss rod wheel (don't think I'm interested in buying a guitar without one now?) and after a struggle with my innate tendency to tighten trem springs to the flat position for bends etc I gave way and let it float back somewhere between flat on the body and the recommended 1 and a half steps of backward motion. I did have to put one extra spring in to do this.
It feel good now though very different to the HH but I still wonder am I missing the point?--should I learn to live with 9's on some guitars as Steve suggests?--it was good to iron out the slight buzzes with my usual 10's but should i try 9's (and with my axis--thats another story)
Thanks again to Steve and I'd be grateful for any comments or advice --it certainly sits nicely on the strap and sounds great--very smooth!!

Gigging the Albert Lee tonight for third time--no hand aches at all after last 2 and a half hour stints we tend to do (vocalist and backing tracks--it gets the gigs)--the slim neck is made for long gigs--don't know if I'll take the Luke out??!!

many thanks all

Pete

 

[bazxkr]

Looks great Pete, congrats.

You are on a roll now, what's next ?

Cheers

baz

 

[Big Poppa]

Great story....coffee and guitars

 

[Pete Howard]

Thanks both--changed the post title a bit to see if i can fish for comments re setup--I'm on a bit of a 10's string gauge purist streak which has lasted years and I suspect I'm missing out if I don't string some of these guitars as they were intended?
As to what next baz I don't know as I have been very much selling/exchanging to reduce numbers of guitars and now I"m down to the 3 MM's and a few strats that I would not part with so unless I trade MM's will have to stay as I am for now!--that roasted maple neck looks good though??!!

 

[kbaim]

Just experiment. You're not under the clock to decide how things should be. Let your style, your band, and your music influence any changes to your guitar.

Especially if it's not your main guitar. And it doesn't have to do everything well...just the things you want it to do well.

 

[Pete Howard]

Thanks Keith

That's how I've always viewed it --there are some reports out there of string binding on the nut with 10's on a luke but there seems to be enough room ?
Problem I find with 9's is they bend allover the place and don't stay in tune so well----maybe it just needs practice with differing gauges

Pete

 

[kbaim]

Thanks Keith

That's how I've always viewed it --there are some reports out there of string binding on the nut with 10's on a luke but there seems to be enough room ?
Problem I find with 9's is they bend allover the place and don't stay in tune so well----maybe it just needs practice with differing gauges

Pete

I've used 9's on all my lukes for the last 8 years, but thats what i'm used to...and i may start experimenting w 10's on one of them just to mix things up. I stretch the crap out of them when i restring but i also have the bridge flush so that stablizes things too.

That said, there's usually some tuning correction needed between songs for those anal-y obssessed with perfect pitch. Especially if using different tunings. But i find that on most guitars. Nothing worse than having to listen to a slightly out of tune guitar.

Some folks say they dont encounter any string issues switching, and others say some extra nut lube or a tweak of the truss rod helps.

 

[lukather101]

That’s a great looking guitar you got there Pete, plus there’s no shortage of great pics either from Steve’s web site “Did you get the mug with that guitar on”
I’ve got a Luke just like it but it’s strung with 9’s keep thinking next time I restring it I’ll put 10’s on but I never do.
Don’t want to mess with the set up and I’m not paying another £60 to get it done.

 

[fbecir]

Very nice guitar !
Congratulations !

 

[nathanhny]

Stunning guitar It looks so classy

 

[straycat113]

Contgrats, as it is one sharp looking ax you took home. I understand where you are coming from with the string gauge. Personally when I first changed to 10s I did so on all my guitars more for a feel thing, as I would sometimes overshoot some bends on 9s slightly if playing 10s for a long length of time.

It also seems that a good amount of Strats and Teles have been sacrificed lately in the cause for Balls.

 

[Spudmurphy]

“Did you get the mug with that guitar on”

Nice Guitar - now I know the owner of the guitar on my mug - got one when I visited the shop a few weeks ago.

 

[lukather101]

Nice Guitar - now I know the owner of the guitar on my mug - got one when I visited the shop a few weeks ago.

"Keith did you get a mug"
I hope so because it's your guitar thats on it...

Spud.
That guitar polish was worth the 6 month's i waited for it , worked a treat.
Just using it as regular polish takes all the pick swirls out , thanks again.

Dar.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Spud.
That guitar polish was worth the 6 month's i waited for it , worked a treat.
Just using it as regular polish takes all the pick swirls out , thanks again.

Dar.

Glad it worked out - it is good stuff isn't it.

 

[Pete Howard]

Many Thanks

Yes Steve gave me the mug as well!

Pete

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Pete,

Congrats on the BFR Luke, it's a smokin guitar! I need to find a way to fit one into my stable, but the timing isn't right just yet.

... Nothing worse than having to listen to a slightly out of tune guitar....

I beg to disagree, one slightly out of tune (and loud) violin in an orchestra is arguably worse. I needed LOTS of tylenol after that concert...

 

[fsmith]

I finally got around to swapping the strings on my Luke, I went up to 10's. I had 9's on the Axis and Luke and 10's on the Petrucci and then decided to go 10's on everything.

I had to add another spring too. I set mine up to float as it came from the factory. No issues with the nut, I haven't had any pinging or any other wierd issues, just the normal stretch the crap out of the strings and then stretch them some more.

I think that most of the complaints about guitars not staying in tune have to do with strings that aren't stretched out properly...

Enjoy the Luke, it's a beaut.

fred