Joining the Family - Incoming LUKE

[ARRITDOR]

Future NGD. LUKE in Luke Blue. I think from 2011 or 12. Electronics switched out to Transition HB and Injector SC pups (similar to the Luke III HSS?). Comes with original pups in case I ever want to switch back.

Pretty excited - I've been reading some great things about these guitars and this company for the last year or so. I'm mostly a Fender strat guy so will be interesting to try something different. Can't wait!

Will update with pics and initial impressions when it comes in.

 

[mtrejo]

Awesome! That's a nice guitar and pickup setup you are waiting on. Can't wait to hear what you think.
Welcome to the forum…and the Family.

 

[ozzyrules]

Welcome aboard! Get ready for the addiction.

 

[TSHOW]

Welcome....Congratulations!

 

[Stratty316]

Welcome to the forum. I'm actually considering the same pickups for my Silhouette Special.

 

[lock-ny]

Stratty I have a transition humbucker in one of my silo specials, nice pup, very clear and articulate, not the thickest sounding pup but clear and tight...

 

[nopicknick]

Congratulations....looking forward to pics and your thoughts!

 

[ARRITDOR]

It here!

Here it is, my first EBMM guitar. Wow! The narrow neck and low profile frets will take some getting used to. The transition pup doesn't sound like anything I've played before - still figuring out if I like it or not. Seems more smooth, less fat - doesn't have that "roar" of the SD59's I have installed in another strat, but maybe that's a good thing.

The bummer is the neck pocket stress crack. I searched this forum and found it to be a common "problem". I think the extreme temp change while being on the truck, not to mention the 4 truck changes took its toll. Doesn't impact playability or tone, of course - more of an annoyance than anything (spend this much on a guitar and now it has a "scratch"...).

Overall great guitar. The back of that neck is sick! I don't think its supposed to be roasted maple but it is certainly a darker shade - maybe its the combination of oil finish and age?

Enough babble, back to playing...

 

[Tollywood]

Congrats! The stress crack is no big deal. A Lefty Luke looks so strange!

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[ARRITDOR]

Ha, ha - surprise! Yep, I'm a lefty. Lefty Lukes don't show up used too often.
It with the tech now getting the original pickups re-installed and setup. Maybe I should post another NGD once the new pups are installed - will look a little different at least.
I got to play it for about a week and really came to love it. That neck is sick - thicker than a "standard thin" but doesn't really feel like it, if that makes any sense.

 

[Siro Rayge]

Congratulations on your epic Luke ARRITDOR. It is only the fourth lefty Luke I've seen in fifteen years. I'm a lefty myself and spent about two years trying to track down a Luke, eventually I've purchased a 2014 PDN. Unfortunately due to a run of unforeseen financial circumstances I haven't finished paying for it yet. I've never played a lefty Luke, the wait is killing me.

If you don't mind me asking, why have you decided to go back to the EMGs?
I've fitted an EMG 85 and a pair of single coils from 1990 into an old superstr*t and I absolutely love the tones I'm getting.

 

[ARRITDOR]

@SIRO - A 2014 PDN Luke?
I would love a Luke 3, but no lefties. I understand the economics of it, but to your point, its hard to find lefty Lukes new, used or anywhere. Seems like it's time to make a couple. I got luck and snatched this one up right after it was posted on reverb.

I switched back for multiple reasons:
Never had a guitar with active pups and wanted to try it
The bridge pup was spaced for a Gibson, not the correct Fender spacing so I would have to change that one out anyway
The tone!

I've read the negative reviews on active pickups - sterile, shrill, flat, lifeless, etc, etc. but these guys are getting very nice tones from them:

An observation here - looks like you might actually have to use the volume and tone controls to dial in a the tone(!). How many guys leave everything at 10, never touch it, then complain they can't get any good sounds out of guitar xyx?

Should have it back from the tech tomorrow - can't wait (again)!

 

[Siro Rayge]

You're right about the lack of lefty Lukes. I contacted the UK distributor to see if any dealer had ordered one for stock or for a customer, so that I could try one, no luck! I was in the process of ordering a standard model then I saw the 2014 PDN info and I heard a chorus of angels.

I'd heard similar things about active pickups. Mainly that they make all guitars, no matter the woods used, sound the same. I agree with you about the 'everything on 10' situation, certain active pickups seem to be marketed at that type of player. I was lucky when I first started playing as I had an old valve amp and learnt to use my volume and tone controls as there was only one channel, I still don't use a channel switching amp.