Luke III - Music Man humbuckers question.

[jptortor]

Hey all. I got a drop dead gorgeous Luke III HH(pics will come soon) and I am loving the more vintage sound of the Music Man humbuckers. I did, however, have a question for other folks with one of these.

I am getting that phenomenon I often get from a les Paul where the bridge pickup seems to have a volume drop when compared to the neck pickup. I think in reality it’s just much less low end. I normally raise it up u lbtil they balance out but they’re at a fixed height on this guitar. Wondered if others are experiencing the same thing or if I by some fluke got one with a defective pickup - I only ask because I don’t recall it being this way on the transition loaded Luke’s.

Thanks!

Jason

 

[ruger9]

Following.

On my Luke III, the in-between positions (2 & 4) are louder than the neck, middle, bridge alone. I wonder if that's adjustable with the trimpots inside? And if so- maybe on yours? I know there are a couple different PCBs around, some with more trimpots than others...

 

[DrKev]

Yes, one of the trim pots adjusts the volume of positions 2 & 4. The other is the (push-push) boost level.

 

[morsecode]

Just noticed your for sale listing. If you are specifically looking for the DiMarzio Transition pickups, they are still listed on DiMarzio's website. It might be easier and possibly more cost effective replacing the exisiting pickups with Transitions.

 

[jptortor]

Just noticed your for sale listing. If you are specifically looking for the DiMarzio Transition pickups, they are still listed on DiMarzio's website. It might be easier and possibly more cost effective replacing the exisiting pickups with Transitions.

Yea I’m thinking about that too - but I also know sometimes keeping things original is best and if someone out there wants the new version I have a great one!

 

[Sweat]

Too bad not a Luke II need that for my Luke collection

 

[jptortor]

Just an update. I was able to get some pickup mounting foam and raise it just about a mm maybe. Possibly less. It made a MASSIVE difference in balancing out these two pickups for me. I’d highly recommend that as a “mod” if it even counts as such if you’re feeling the bridge is a little more thin than you’d like.

 

[ruger9]

I know this thread is a year old, but I have a question directly related:

On the HSS Luke models (specifically the Luke III), do the single coils have any foam or springs underneath them, I know they are wood-mounted, but are they screwed all the way down into the wood? Specifically, wondering if the middle pickup on the HSS can be lowered at all? I'm considering being an HSS (I own a HH), but middle pickups sometimes get in my way (picking), and I lower them a bit (easy on a strat, wasn't sure about the Luke)

 

[Rbg]

Look under they may have a plastic standoffs under, but may be not. You have the guitar, right? EMGs had those, but EMGs have the connector underneath so need some extra room. I recall asking this CS and I think the answer was “no they can not be lowered”.

 

[ruger9]

Look under they may have a plastic standoffs under, but may be not. You have the guitar, right? EMGs had those, but EMGs have the connector underneath so need some extra room. I recall asking this CS and I think the answer was “no they can not be lowered”.

No- I have an HH. I'm considering buying an LIII HSS, but wanted to know if the middle pickup had any room to lower it or not. With my playing style, it's kind of a big deal for me (which is why I bought the HH; but I'm really missing a single-coil-sounding neck pickup).

 

[Rbg]

P90 in a Humbucker format and coil splits can be your second best option.

 

[ruger9]

P90 in a Humbucker format and coil splits can be your second best option.

I've considered it. I have a de-mud mod on the neck pickup right now, and it sounds good. A low-wind P90 might be ok, but it'll likely screw up the in-between positions.

I did just look up Dimarzio & Fralin... Fralin has a noiseless, rod magnet (brighter) humbucker-size P90 that might work. The legs would have to be ground to fit into the LIII routs, and who knows what effect it'll have on the in-between positions (all of which is why simply buying an HSS is the simple solution... IF I can lower that middle pickup a little to get it more out of my way).