I just did the mod and I'm digging it... I was thinking about selling the guitar because I thought it would be a shame to route it out for passive pups. I just couldn't make it sing the way I wanted to on my Roccaforte HG 60. Single channel PTP, straight in, no effects. I use my guitar volume and tone constantly to go from clean to dirty and my pick attack just wasn't working for me like my LP custom. I could get great sounds when practicing through a DOD effects processor, but my biggest complaint was clipping, dynamics, touch, feel, through my amp. Much better now and it sounds really good. I might try the EMG X series next or the SD Blackouts, and heavier strings. For those of you who haven't tried this mod you are really missing out... unless you play metal only (don't think their are too many Luke metal players, though)
- Thread starter RAR
- Start date
Colin
Well-known member
Slingy
Well-known member
I prefer my passive guitars for straight to amp. Luke really shines when you pour on the effects. Interesting mod glad it worked out. Are you able to pull one battery and have normal operation?
threeminutesboy
Well-known member
interesting 
can you post some picture of the setup? where did you place the extra battery?
can you post some picture of the setup? where did you place the extra battery?
straycat113
Well-known member
Hey glad it worked out and you are happy with it which is all that matters. Just kind of an expensive ax to kill the resale value on.
interesting
can you post some picture of the setup? where did you place the extra battery?
Used existing battery compartment and installed a insulated second battery in between slector switch and volume pot.
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I'm not sure why it would kill the resale value... it is completely reversable and it's not like your modding all the electronics or replacing them. I just wired two 9 volt batterys in series. Would trying different pickups like EMG X or SD Blackouts, which are plug and play kill the resale? Not sure I understand how this can kill the value? I could see killing the value if I had installed passive pups that require routing or cutting wood out of the guitar, or removing all the electronics if you don't know how to solder.
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BTW, Most of EMG products are actually rated for 27 volts and are recommended at 18. See page 3 of the following document. http://www.emginc.com/pdfs/faq/EMG-FAQ-Battery-Questions.pdf
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dwells
Well-known member
The Luke is a metal monster with an 81 in it But i use them for POP/rock too super versatile even with an 81 in the bridge! still the greatest guitar ever designed..
+1.
I'm using it for rock, too, but I can easily get bluesy sounds. I recently (re)discovered the neck pickup and I love it
I still have the factory 85, but it has plenty of power as well when you crank up the gain.
dannymusic
Well-known member
so,
I'm guessing that this wouldn't be a good mod if you had a piezo system running off that battery also.
I'm guessing that this wouldn't be a good mod if you had a piezo system running off that battery also.
Probably not... not if the piezo electronics are rated for a maximum of 9 volts. You could install a switch...
beej
Moderator
You could wire it to run the piezos on 9V and the EMGs on 18V.
THE_EB_KID
Well-known member
BrickGlass
Well-known member
Glad you are liking the mod, but I'll take my koa Luke just the way it is.
That's cool... The way I see it is... imagine your Luke came setup for 18 volts. You would never know you prefer the 9 volt setup if you didn't take the time to try it. It such a simple setup that may (or may not) yield a huge improvement. I think it's so easy and probably quicker than changing a set of strings.
I've never been into signature guitars because I'm not really into trying to emulate anyone's tone. The JP and Luke are the first signature guitars that I really like and I honestly didn't even know too much about Steve Lukather until I played his sig guitar. I'm sure he's using the 9 volt setup to achieve his tone... but since I'm searching for my own, I think it's worth trying without butchering the guitar.
threeminutesboy
Well-known member
Still want to see a picture of the mod
