Question Luke II Hystory

[andrealuke]

Hello everyone! I'm trying to remember when Luke guitars production was split into two segments: "standard" and "Ball Family Reserve". After the two colors available Luke I, Luke II was a single model (few colors available) since it was established, until it was split in two different features. If you compare them directly, it's clear the difference...
Can someone help me in finding the year?
That's because I'd like to find a Luke II before BFR but only by online photos it's hard to tell differences...
Thank you!

 

[Stratty316]

What's the difference between the Luke 2 before and after the introduction of the BFR release? Other than color availability the Luke 2 is the same guitar... The BFR is technically a different model, right?

 

[DrKev]

Yep. Regular Lukes (Luke IIs) have not changed since the Luke I years. BFR guitars have the mahogany toneblock and maple top, with the exception of the Lukes with the all-rosewood neck (which also had the BFR logo but were regular alder bodies).

The BFRs were introduced in late 2006 or early 2007.

 

[Stratty316]

That's what I thought .. The Luke 2 is the same as when it was introduced.

 

[andrealuke]

Thanks guys for your answers. I simply own a 1995 Luke I and a 2010 Luke II (regular) and they feel like different guitars when you play them. Their weight is different and you can feel it in your arms! Sound is similar but the main part of the typical Luke voice is different. I know technical specification, but I play guitars, I don't build them, so I feel them in my arms and they are different...


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[Mikey]

Well, the obvious differences that will affect the sound are the pickups, the electronics and the trem. The Luke II has SLV singlecoils instead of SA, it has a tone pot in the circuit and it has the vintage style trem instead of the floyd.
But don't forget that your Luke I is nearly twenty years old so the wood might have aged...

 

[DrKev]

Yep, electronics and trem were a little different on the Luke I. They absolutely should sound different. Similar, yes, but different. And they will feel different too - density of wood can vary from tree to tree and the neck shape is hand finished so there are differences in weight and feel from guitar to guitar, even if the basic specifications are identical.

 

[Craiguitar]

I always thought that the SA57s in the Luke 1 were a lot pokier than the SLVs in the II. They really come into their own using clean sounds with a bit of chorus or delay. But also a factor is that there is no tone pot in the circuit on the Luke 1. It's altogether more open sounding. Other factors are The Floyd and metal locking nut, the slimmer neck, and as mentioned above, older wood. No doubt the fact it's older may well have an impact also.

 

[DrKev]

FWIW, classical violin players will laugh in the face of 20 year old wood having aged significantly at all. Stradivari's "golden period" was 300 years ago. Of course in a blind tests, violin players can't tell the difference between a great strad and a modern instrument less than ten years old. Food for thought...