LukeIII 2022 Pickups and preamps and issues and stuff..

[guitarnerdswe]

So I received the new MM bridge pickup and installed it. It is better than the first defective one but still no where near the Super distortion and does not sound like your MM pickup Guitarnerdswe. So I’m giving up with MM pickups.
Have ordered some Dimarzio transitions and will try these.

Damn, that sucks. The only thing I can think of is that there is some kind of issue with the circuit board and the path the bridge pickup takes, but I seem to remember you just doing a straight swap with those Duncans, so that theory wouldn't hold up then?

You can always try and and put the replacement MM humbucker in another guitar and see if the issue is still present, but honestly, I think the store or MM should just collect the guitar and fix it. You as a customer have put way too much time and effort into something that ultimately, they're responsible to sort out.

 

[ruger9]

So I received the new MM bridge pickup and installed it. It is better than the first defective one but still no where near the Super distortion and does not sound like your MM pickup Guitarnerdswe. So I’m giving up with MM pickups.
Have ordered some Dimarzio transitions and will try these.

Looking forward to reading your comparison of the Transitions to the HHs.

 

[Adder]

So Transitions arrived... checked the DCR and the Bridge pickup is way out of spec! Screw Coil 5.61K and Slug Coil 8.33K. Contacted Dimarzio and Tech said I have to send it back for replacment. I guess thier QC does not check every pickup..... The wait continues LOL

 

[beej]

Wow- you are really not having an easy go at this

 

[Rbg]

BTW, do we know which is Alnico 5 and which is Ceramic? I always thought the bridge would be ceramic, but the site says otherwise. Not sure if it is a typo...

 

[DrKev]

BTW, do we know which is Alnico 5 and which is Ceramic? I always thought the bridge would be ceramic, but the site says otherwise. Not sure if it is a typo...

Not a typo. Bridge is AlNiCo, neck is ceramic.

 

[Adder]

So... Update..
I eventually got the Transition Pickup replaced by Dimarzio. fitted it and was instantly amazed at how loud and fat it sounded compared to the MM. it was even louder than my Super Distortion! I had to turn down the input into my AXFX to stop clipping. was kinda happy.
The next day switch everything on and noticed the out from the guitar was lower - by a lot. I mean WTF was going on? I though maybe the Tremelo had slightly raised due to the new string tension. messing with that definately changed the output as the strings got closer to the pickup, but somethign was not right. I was already thinking that in my 30 years of switching out pickups, pots, bridges, truss rod tweaks, you name it, I have NEVER, I mean NEVER had this much sh!t with one piece of wood.
The next Day I picked it up again, plugged in and the volume was back up and clipping the input again, I mean what in seven hells was going on?
After some tweaking and messin, it turns out the boost pot or the circuit activation to boost is not working properly and decides whether it wants to be on or off on any given day.. Now pot pushed in or out it just stays on.. I mean how bad is this?
So from the the MM pickup being faulty, The Dimarzio transition pickup being faulty and Now the PC board, im beyond p(ssed off and thought about smashing the dam thing on the concrete floor and be done.
im going to partake of a bottle of Bourbon and on Monday im going to make a call to California. I just hope they dont expect me to pay for shipping of any parts back to thier factory like last time.

Sorry for the Rant

 

[Gemmy]

So... Update..
I eventually got the Transition Pickup replaced by Dimarzio. fitted it and was instantly amazed at how loud and fat it sounded compared to the MM. it was even louder than my Super Distortion! I had to turn down the input into my AXFX to stop clipping. was kinda happy.
The next day switch everything on and noticed the out from the guitar was lower - by a lot. I mean WTF was going on? I though maybe the Tremelo had slightly raised due to the new string tension. messing with that definately changed the output as the strings got closer to the pickup, but somethign was not right. I was already thinking that in my 30 years of switching out pickups, pots, bridges, truss rod tweaks, you name it, I have NEVER, I mean NEVER had this much sh!t with one piece of wood.
The next Day I picked it up again, plugged in and the volume was back up and clipping the input again, I mean what in seven hells was going on?
After some tweaking and messin, it turns out the boost pot or the circuit activation to boost is not working properly and decides whether it wants to be on or off on any given day.. Now pot pushed in or out it just stays on.. I mean how bad is this?
So from the the MM pickup being faulty, The Dimarzio transition pickup being faulty and Now the PC board, im beyond p(ssed off and thought about smashing the dam thing on the concrete floor and be done.
im going to partake of a bottle of Bourbon and on Monday im going to make a call to California. I just hope they dont expect me to pay for shipping of any parts back to thier factory like last time.

Sorry for the Rant

I hope everything gets worked out for ya. The Luke 3 with transitions pickups is my first music man guitar (HSS model) and I really love the transitions pickups. I also have a Fender HM Strat from the late 80s with a Super Distortion In the bridge and love that pickup too. Not long before I bought the Luke 3, I bought an ESP LTD HH strat hard tail with Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers and thought those pickups had a lot of character to them. They’re not bad pickups by any means and definitely have a rich thickness to them, but compared to the Transitions pickups, it’s night and day really.

 

[Adder]

I hope everything gets worked out for ya. The Luke 3 with transitions pickups is my first music man guitar (HSS model) and I really love the transitions pickups. I also have a Fender HM Strat from the late 80s with a Super Distortion In the bridge and love that pickup too. Not long before I bought the Luke 3, I bought an ESP LTD HH strat hard tail with Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers and thought those pickups had a lot of character to them. They’re not bad pickups by any means and definitely have a rich thickness to them, but compared to the Transitions pickups, it’s night and day really.

Gemmy, Thanks for the reply, you are the only one. seems no one likes to comment when a product is reported defective - I get it.
I agree, the Dimarzio sounds absolutley Killer. The only reason Lukather stopped using the Dimarzio and went for the MMs, was, on his own admission, Money, as MM could make thier own for less. Kudos to JPetrucci for sticking to Dimarzio, as im sure he was offered the same swap out
The LUKEIII is probably the best playing guitar I have ever owned, once I get the PC board replaced im sure it will be my go to AXE. I have to say I really wish there was a LUKE III version that had minimal electronics, tho. No Boost, no active EQ - No PC board, just Pickups into Pots and a 3way switch. I use an AXFX3 as many do here, the Boost has zero benefit as the AXFX does it all. When Steve Lukather says he was looking for a organic sound vs active EMGs, im suprised he still went with any PC board in the Guitar. I know I use a AXFX which many will argue is hardly a definition of organic, but thats my choice lol.

 

[Gemmy]

Gemmy, Thanks for the reply, you are the only one. seems no one likes to comment when a product is reported defective - I get it.
I agree, the Dimarzio sounds absolutley Killer. The only reason Lukather stopped using the Dimarzio and went for the MMs, was, on his own admission, Money, as MM could make thier own for less. Kudos to JPetrucci for sticking to Dimarzio, as im sure he was offered the same swap out
The LUKEIII is probably the best playing guitar I have ever owned, once I get the PC board replaced im sure it will be my go to AXE. I have to say I really wish there was a LUKE III version that had minimal electronics, tho. No Boost, no active EQ - No PC board, just Pickups into Pots and a 3way switch. I use an AXFX3 as many do here, the Boost has zero benefit as the AXFX does it all. When Steve Lukather says he was looking for a organic sound vs active EMGs, im suprised he still went with any PC board in the Guitar. I know I use a AXFX which many will argue is hardly a definition of organic, but thats my choice lol.

We are more alike than you think! I use a Fractal FM9! However, I love the on board boost. I will even use it with a boost set up in my fractal. The pre-amp boost just cuts different; to my ears it shapes the tone in a different way. I love it honestly

 

[Adder]

We are more alike than you think! I use a Fractal FM9! However, I love the on board boost. I will even use it with a boost set up in my fractal. The pre-amp boost just cuts different; to my ears it shapes the tone in a different way. I love it honestly

Thats interesting, for me I set the input on the AXEFX so it does not clip, if I then boost, it sends it into clipping. do you drop the input signal so the Boost is below clipping or just drive it into clipping? It square waves the signal but still sounds fine for a lot of players.

 

[Rbg]

Well if you really don't like the circuit you can remove it and wire things passively. I would imagine you almost there . The most difficult thing that the 5-way switch is mounted on the board not the body, but probably something can be figured out.

 

[Adder]

Well if you really don't like the circuit you can remove it and wire things passively. I would imagine you almost there . The most difficult thing that the 5-way switch is mounted on the board not the body, but probably something can be figured out.

Yep thought about that, as you say its the 5 way that will take some fancy footwork to mount and rewire, or just leave the PC in there and wire the pots and 5 way manually.
EBMM have just confirmed they are sending a replacement board out to me, so ill swap it out and hopefully im good.

 

[Gemmy]

Thats interesting, for me I set the input on the AXEFX so it does not clip, if I then boost, it sends it into clipping. do you drop the input signal so the Boost is below clipping or just drive it into clipping? It square waves the signal but still sounds fine for a lot of players

Thats interesting, for me I set the input on the AXEFX so it does not clip, if I then boost, it sends it into clipping. do you drop the input signal so the Boost is below clipping or just drive it into clipping? It square waves the signal but still sounds fine for a lot of players.

My input 1 knob is always between 8 and 12 oclock. If I need more volume I turn up at the board. I mainly just use factory presets with some minor personal tweaks. I don’t think I’ve had any input clipping issues

 

[Magic Jason]

Long story short, I've owned 4 or 5 , I lost count, Luke III HSS Olive Gold with the rosewood neck. They all sounded the same and...glorious. Never had a problem with the Di Marzio's.
You must have had a lemon. Keep fighting, it's a fab guitar, it's worth it.
(I'd be pissed as hell myself!)

 

[Steve Nukather]

You have to get rid of the factory circuit board in these guitars. The circuit boards are not designed properly. I removed all of the stock electronics from my L3 and installed a passive Custom Custom Seymour Duncan humbucker and a CTS 500K low friction volume pot. Huge improvement in performance!

 

[Rbg]

Somebody has to inform Steve!

 

[Adder]

You have to get rid of the factory circuit board in these guitars. The circuit boards are not designed properly. I removed all of the stock electronics from my L3 and installed a passive Custom Custom Seymour Duncan humbucker and a CTS 500K low friction volume pot. Huge improvement in performance!

How did you install the 5 way switch? Any info on this? Pics maybe “ very interested to see what you did

 

[Adder]

Long story short, I've owned 4 or 5 , I lost count, Luke III HSS Olive Gold with the rosewood neck. They all sounded the same and...glorious. Never had a problem with the Di Marzio's.
You must have had a lemon. Keep fighting, it's a fab guitar, it's worth it.
(I'd be pissed as hell myself!)

Yes I agree. The Luke III has to be one of the best guitars I’ve played, and I’ve played a lot! Vintage Vs Strats, LPs, its playability is in my opinion second to none. Electrics? Not so much lol

 

[Steve Nukather]

How did you install the 5 way switch? Any info on this? Pics maybe “ very interested to see what you did