<div class="bbWrapper">HI guys, I recently bough a new Luke III and have a question about the new "high output" humbuckers. I have several high end guitars from PRS, Tom Anderson, Gibson, etc and I notice that the output of both humbuckers on my Luke III are lower output (as measured on my Fractal AXE FX3 input meter) than any of the my other guitars. Is that normal? The boost obviously makes the pickups really hot but without this it seems low for what is marketed as "high output".</div>
Luke III - new "high output" humbucker
- Thread starter PaulC
- Start date
beej
Moderator
<div class="bbWrapper">Nice! I have 2 of them- an HH with the Transition set and an HSS with the newer pickups. Definitely a different vibe with the new humbucker.</div>
<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 67106" data-quote="PaulC" data-source="post: 1075752"
class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-title">
<a href="/goto/post?id=1075752"
class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump"
rel="nofollow"
data-xf-click="attribution"
data-content-selector="#post-1075752">PaulC said:</a>
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent ">
Thanks for the input I received here. I have given the guitar a little more time and I think I am starting to really enjoy the tone. Here’s a video I made with a tone I really like from this guitar. I am using bridge and then neck pickups with the boost engaged.<br />
<br />
<div class="bbMediaWrapper" data-media-site-id="youtube" data-media-key="nfPTeDY3rHg">
<div class="bbMediaWrapper-inner">
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nfPTeDY3rHg?wmode=opaque"
loading="lazy"
width="560" height="315"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>Great tone, there is nothing not to like. Nice playing as well!</div>
<div class="bbWrapper">Wow, you nailed the tone, and the solo!<br />
<br />
I love Luke's playing, but his solos scare me. I'm still trying to nail down the first Rosanna solo, and it's been nearly two years. But I may have to try this solo.</div>
<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 67106" data-quote="PaulC" data-source="post: 1075655"
class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-title">
<a href="/goto/post?id=1075655"
class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump"
rel="nofollow"
data-xf-click="attribution"
data-content-selector="#post-1075655">PaulC said:</a>
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent ">
This is what the Music Man site says: “The HH model is outfitted with newly designed custom Ernie Ball Music Man high-output humbucking pickups”
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>PaulC - You posted this early march 2022, my luke III was built end of March 2022 - it still has a way looooow output vs my Custom V with Dimarzio Super Distortion (passive) pickups. I have a wireless reciever and have to adjust the gain up by at least 7dB to match the two Guitars. really thinking of swapping out the MM pups for the older Dimarzio Transitions.</div>
Last edited:
guitarnerdswe
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2020
- Messages
- 32
<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 70768" data-quote="Adder" data-source="post: 1084238"
class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-title">
<a href="/goto/post?id=1084238"
class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump"
rel="nofollow"
data-xf-click="attribution"
data-content-selector="#post-1084238">Adder said:</a>
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent ">
PaulC - You posted this early march 2022, my luke III was built end of March 2022 - it still has a way looooow output vs my Custom V with Dimarzio Super Distortion (passive) pickups. I have a wireless reciever and have to adjust the gain up by at least 7dB to match the two Guitars. really thinking of swapping out the MM pups for the older Dimarzio Transitions.<br />
I have to ask - "WTF was Luke thinking?" LOL
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>7 dB? Then something is wrong. Granted, the Super Distortion is very high output, but still. That's "this pickup is basically dead" territory. The MM pickups are way hotter than what's considered low output (PAF style), and close to the Transitions in output, but slightly brighter.<br />
<br />
I've come across a LIII with MM pickups that had something wrong with it, which made the humbucker have very low output. Yours might have the same issue? You can try measuring it, it's supposed to be around 13.5 k. The fault can also be with the circuit board though.</div>
<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 50708" data-quote="guitarnerdswe" data-source="post: 1084241"
class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-title">
<a href="/goto/post?id=1084241"
class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump"
rel="nofollow"
data-xf-click="attribution"
data-content-selector="#post-1084241">guitarnerdswe said:</a>
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent ">
7 dB? Then something is wrong. Granted, the Super Distortion is very high output, but still. That's "this pickup is basically dead" territory. The MM pickups are way hotter than what's considered low output (PAF style), and close to the Transitions in output, but slightly brighter.<br />
<br />
I've come across a LIII with MM pickups that had something wrong with it, which made the humbucker have very low output. Yours might have the same issue? You can try measuring it, it's supposed to be around 13.5 k. The fault can also be with the circuit board though.
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>I rechecked and it’s probably more like 6dB Delta. I may just swap the MM and put the Dimarzio SD that I currently have and see if it’s the board. Either way it’s very annoying to have to change the gain when swapping out guitars. Can I get a confirmation that the board output is fixed? Also, it’s almost as if the boost pot is de-throttling the output when engaged. I need to contact MM on this. I’ll try read the pickup resistance.</div>
guitarnerdswe
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2020
- Messages
- 32
<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 70768" data-quote="Adder" data-source="post: 1084247"
class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-title">
<a href="/goto/post?id=1084247"
class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump"
rel="nofollow"
data-xf-click="attribution"
data-content-selector="#post-1084247">Adder said:</a>
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent ">
I rechecked and it’s probably more like 6dB Delta. I may just swap the MM and put the Dimarzio SD that I currently have and see if it’s the board. Either way it’s very annoying to have to change the gain when swapping out guitars. Can I get a confirmation that the board output is fixed? Also, it’s almost as if the boost pot is de-throttling the output when engaged. I need to contact MM on this. I’ll try read the pickup resistance.
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>Ouch, that's a lot! Well, the guitar is active so it's hard to tell exactly how hot the pickups would be if everything was completely passive. I at least know that the humbucker output as is, is a lot louder than some other guitars I've compared them too. <br />
<br />
I also tried to turn off the pickup compensation boost for the single coils in my HSS LIII. The humbucker was way louder compared to singles than the PAF-style pickups I tend to favour in HSS guitars. It drastically overpowered the single coils. But that's what the pickup compensation feature is for, to compensate. Checking with MM CS sounds like a good idea.</div>
Gemmy
Well-known member
<div class="bbWrapper">I was skeptical about getting the Luke 3 with the transitions pickups since they’re higher output but man oh man they are rich in character, glory and honor haha. Seeing Luke in live clips with his Heat treated single coil models makes me really want to try those</div>
<div class="bbWrapper">All of you here who have expressed concern or disappointment over the apparent low output of the MM “high output” pickups:<br />
<br />
In frustration, I pulled out the MM pickups and replaced them with a couple of spare Seymour Duncan Jazz bridge and neck pickups. The output increase was nothing short of spectacular. Totally up there with my Super distortion. I checked the MM on a multimeter and my Bridge pickup had Zero response on the one coil and 679k on the other. Seems my MM pickups are wired single coil only. I have contacted MM (Friday am)<br />
My advice to y’all, check your pickups for continuity.. If I were to hazard a guess, all of you with low output have shorted single coil connectivity on your humbuckers.</div>
Last edited:
coughlinkelly
New member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2017
- Messages
- 3
<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 70768" data-quote="Adder" data-source="post: 1084392"
class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-title">
<a href="/goto/post?id=1084392"
class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump"
rel="nofollow"
data-xf-click="attribution"
data-content-selector="#post-1084392">Adder said:</a>
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent ">
As an update<br />
MM are sending replacement pickups under warranty.
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>Hi there, I'm relatively new to this forum. I have a Luke 3 and if anything I noticed that my pickups are hotter than most of my other guitars....I actually love them so much I wanted to research them more and that brought me to this thread. I bought my Luke 3 used....should I contact MM and give them my serial number and ask if I need a replacement?</div>
<div class="bbWrapper">Wait… you love them so much so want to replace them? <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></div>
Iperfungus
Well-known member
<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 33045" data-quote="coughlinkelly" data-source="post: 1086451"
class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-title">
<a href="/goto/post?id=1086451"
class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump"
rel="nofollow"
data-xf-click="attribution"
data-content-selector="#post-1086451">coughlinkelly said:</a>
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent ">
Hi there, I'm relatively new to this forum. I have a Luke 3 and if anything I noticed that my pickups are hotter than most of my other guitars....I actually love them so much I wanted to research them more and that brought me to this thread. I bought my Luke 3 used....should I contact MM and give them my serial number and ask if I need a replacement?
</div>
<div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>Why should you replace anything if you like the guitar? <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><br />
What's production year of your Luke III? Has it Transitions or MM pickups?</div>