Luke II: possible choices for new EMGs

[andi_77]

Hello! I would love to pick your brains on this possible idea...

I really, really love my Luke II, and I am also fine with EMGs and active pickups in general. On the other hand, I sometimes wonder if I would like my guitar even more with slightly more "traditional" sounds.

If I decide to change the pickups, I want everything to be as reversible as possible, and I would prefer to try other EMG models (as opposed to switching to a passive pickup setup).

There are 2 aspects I would like to ask you about:

- among all the EMG active pickups available, should I look for something specific in terms of wiring / specs / requirements? I remember that I've read something about a peculiarity of the Luke II and its wiring, but I honestly don't remember the details

- EMG model choice: if I wanted to have a) a more PAF-like/vintage tone for the humbucker, and b) a more Strat-like sounds (less dark, a bit brighter and more "twangy") for the single coils, what would you recommend?

Thank you so much!

 

[andi_77]

Quick update - the possible final solution could be:
- 57 as a bridge humbucker
- Crossroads single coils for middle and neck positions

What do you think?

 

[andi_77]

...or 57 (HB) + Maverick single coils.

A bit undecided.

 

[beej]

Unfortunately I can't comment on other EMGs as I've only played the ones in the Luke II (which I thought were great), but there are quite a few people who have swapped out their EMGs for passive pickups. If you keep the board, etc. you can always put it all back together later, should you want to reverse it.

 

[Steve Nukather]

I first tried EMG 57 but didn't like it.
Very happy with Seymour Duncan 59:

 

[Rbg]

I tried new(er) EMG retroactive fat55. Really close to traditional PAF sounding pickup with more passive feel. Same goes for their maverick and crossroad single coil pickups. Would be my choice for sure.

 

[Virtuoso]

I've changed a couple of mine. I thought it would be a simple straightforward task, but here are some caveats I found...

Although I love the Luke, I don't really like the stock EMG 85. It's too hot and overwhelms the middle SC in position 2. I thought it would be a simple swap to try other HBs as EMGs use a solderless plug and play system. Unfortunately, for some reason Music Man solder all the pickups instead of using the EMG system. I don't know how to solder, so I had my local tech replace the soldered harness with the EMG system but it cost over $300. It currently has a 57, which I do like as it's more of a PAF-style humbucker and a better match for the SLV single coil.

In a second Luke, I wanted the flexibility of EMGs TW two tone humbuckers so I could have a true single coil as well as the full humbucker in the bridge, switchable via a push-pull tone knob. I tried to install a 57TW but they are taller than the stock 85 and the cavity had to be routed. The cost this time was over $500! When I got the guitar back, the sounds weren't what I was expecting, but EMGs wiring diagrams are too complex for my simple brain to handle. It's on my to-do list to find someone who can decode it and figure it out!

 

[Rbg]

My L2 has EMG connectors on the pickup ends

 

[andi_77]

Thanks a lot to all of you!

My L2 has EMG connectors on the pickup ends

Yeah, that’s what I thought as well… I’m surprised by what Virtuoso wrote…

 

[Virtuoso]

My L2 has EMG connectors on the pickup ends

I guess they must have switched over at some stage - I just checked the serial on my graphite pearl one and it's from September 2008.

 

[andi_77]

Quick update: the luthier is working in the guitar (a complete refret + fitting of a new 57 HB and 2 Maverick single coils).
No connectors on my original EMGs, so… same situation as Virtuoso described. My Luke is a 2004. It’s going to cost a bit… he’s basically rebuilding the entire circuit with the new pickups.

 

[GoKart Mozart]

I've changed a couple of mine. I thought it would be a simple straightforward task, but here are some caveats I found...

Although I love the Luke, I don't really like the stock EMG 85. It's too hot and overwhelms the middle SC in position 2. I thought it would be a simple swap to try other HBs as EMGs use a solderless plug and play system. Unfortunately, for some reason Music Man solder all the pickups instead of using the EMG system. I don't know how to solder, so I had my local tech replace the soldered harness with the EMG system but it cost over $300. It currently has a 57, which I do like as it's more of a PAF-style humbucker and a better match for the SLV single coil.

In a second Luke, I wanted the flexibility of EMGs TW two tone humbuckers so I could have a true single coil as well as the full humbucker in the bridge, switchable via a push-pull tone knob. I tried to install a 57TW but they are taller than the stock 85 and the cavity had to be routed. The cost this time was over $500! When I got the guitar back, the sounds weren't what I was expecting, but EMGs wiring diagrams are too complex for my simple brain to handle. It's on my to-do list to find someone who can decode it and figure it out!

The John Suhr resistor+cap mod is a must-have if you want the quack in position 2; it drops the volume of the 85 only in position 2 just enough to blend better with the middle single:

Mk Suhr mod for EMG 85 and mid pickup combination in a Luke II

not sure, maybe because you're trying to lower the volume of the bridge pickup, not the middle. Give it a try and see what happens :) Indeed that is the point the signal still flows from a point of origin position 1 (bridge humbucker), the pickup via the Cap and resistor or the resistor and...

forums.ernieball.com

 

[jp6user]

I don't have a Luke but have a Suhr with 85/SA/SA configuration. I find that switching the middle pickup to the "X" version really improves the quack on 2nd and 4th position, perhaps you could try that with the Luke.
For neck position, I prefer the sound of regular (non-X) EMGs, it's warmer and mid-focused compared to SA-X which sounds broader and flat, a bit like piezo.

 

[andi_77]

Done!

Love the sounds so far, based on first impressions

 

[GoKart Mozart]

Nice!! I've got a 57 in a Luke also that the prior owner installed; I don't have a stock Luke w/ a factory 85 to compare it directly to but I really like it.

 

[Pascal]

What is the model of emg on the red luke?
I have stock passive on my luke 3, do you think the emg are better?
Thanks

 

[GoKart Mozart]

What is the model of emg on the red luke?
I have stock passive on my luke 3, do you think the emg are better?
Thanks

It's a EMG 57.
No, I don't think any pickup is "better". Collect them all! : )