Modified Luke Pics

[brownpants69]

Here are the pics of my finished Luke mod with passive pickups (Bare knuckle pickups Crawler & Irish tour and Seymour Duncan lil 59). Still have an issue with the in between sounds not being hum cancelling, but I'm sure its nothing major (I may have ordered the wrong middle pickup )
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The installation was fairly easy, but I had a few hours of bashing my head up against the wall with the wiring. But it's all good now.

 

[Sweat]

So you have taken one of the best sounding guitars and turned it into a frankenstien Silo Special???? I am confused

 

[Volt]

He explained why in the other thread why he changed the pups.

The photo is too dark on my monitor to see it well. I see a black Luke that looks like it has two single coils and a bridge humbucker.
I think I also may be seeing a Lz Paul coat hanger. lol

Enjoy!

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

The neck pickup is a humbucker that is the same size as a single-coil. I think it's a cool idea to try out - I might be swapping a pickup in my Dargie LUKE

 

[Pittman75]

The neck pickup is a humbucker that is the same size as a single-coil. I think it's a cool idea to try out - I might be swapping a pickup in my Dargie LUKE

Don't do it Pete! Don't do it!

 

[brasco68]

The neck pickup is a humbucker that is the same size as a single-coil. I think it's a cool idea to try out - I might be swapping a pickup in my Dargie LUKE

Pete..let us know how it sounds if you do.

I don't think I'll change out the EMG's in my Dargie, but it would be cool to hear the results from another Luke owner.

 

[francric]

The neck pickup is a humbucker that is the same size as a single-coil. I think it's a cool idea to try out - I might be swapping a pickup in my Dargie LUKE

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.............................................

 

[Psychicpet]

The neck pickup is a humbucker that is the same size as a single-coil. I think it's a cool idea to try out - I might be swapping a pickup in my Dargie LUKE

Monty Billocks done did change all three of his MM90s in his DD Albert to DiMarzio 'buckers that are "90" sized...... the funkiness abounds!!

 

[whitestrat]

The neck pickup is a humbucker that is the same size as a single-coil. I think it's a cool idea to try out - I might be swapping a pickup in my Dargie LUKE

It won't sound like a full sized humbucker, but I think it's a nice approach. The AT300 I had did have similar pickups in both the neck and the middle. Nice difference from single coils. Not quite singles, and not quite hums, but the tone was really nice.

 

[whitestrat]

Still have an issue with the in between sounds not being hum cancelling, but I'm sure its nothing major (I may have ordered the wrong middle pickup )

Sounds like the middle is wired up in the wrong phase from both humbuckers when split. Beej might be able to shed more light on this.

 

[Oldtoe]

I can vouch for a Seymour Duncan "JB Jr." in the bridge position sounding totally kick ass on an Albert Lee.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Don't do it Pete! Don't do it!

Pete..let us know how it sounds if you do.

I don't think I'll change out the EMG's in my Dargie, but it would be cool to hear the results from another Luke owner.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.............................................

It won't sound like a full sized humbucker, but I think it's a nice approach. The AT300 I had did have similar pickups in both the neck and the middle. Nice difference from single coils. Not quite singles, and not quite hums, but the tone was really nice.

Well it wouldn't be a single-sized humbucker, I would keep it a single coil. Still just kicking the idea around, although it did sound fantastic at the gig on Saturday!



Yellow9 6-14-08

 

[phatduckk]

The neck pickup is a humbucker that is the same size as a single-coil. I think it's a cool idea to try out - I might be swapping a pickup in my Dargie LUKE

i've got a lil 59 in my HSS Axis Sport. I dig it

 

[beej]

I swapped Bill Lawrences into my Albert. I'm seriously thinking about doing the same on the Luke. This thread is getting me in gear.

 

[GWDavis28]

Congrats man nice mod!!!!

Beej, yah man I agree 100%.

Glenn |B)

 

[brownpants69]

Thanks for the comments and tips people- really appreciate it.

But why is it that when you customise an instrument people think you are stupid or a heretic?!

The Luke is nothing like the Silhouette Special- I own both! The neck and the feel is totally different between the two instruments in my opinion. I just don't see how I have turned it into a modified Silo Spec.

And I have eventually weened myself off of EMG pickups- I had 5 guitars at one point all with EMGs, but I can't get on with the extra hiss they put into the signal and the in your face output and tone. I'm afraid I don't "dig" them anymore- I'm not saying they are bad pickups or "sterile" (that is total bull IMO), I just have out grown them- they just arent for me anymore.

The choice for the lil 59 stems from the fact that I want all noiseless pickups selections. I agree with the observations that the lil 59 does not sound like a full size humbucker- but it is very useable. Plus it enables (when I have it wired up properly... lol) to get all noisless selections.

Will update later when the switch is rewired... Fingers crossed!

 

[Mikey]

If emg had a single sized humbucker, I would try it as well on one of my lukes because they are so easy to swap due to the typical connectors. But as there is none, my lukes stay just the way they are. Maybe I'll give the emg 81 a try at the bridge position.

 

[brownpants69]

I'm not so sure about the 81 at the bridge- I don't think it is as fat sounding as the 85. I always found the 81 to be a bit better as a neck pickup if anything- I installed the Zakk Wylde set in a Les Paul for someone and we both agreed that the 85 was best as bridge and 81 as neck- but with the Les Paul you have the luxury of two lots of volume controls for balancing them out.

Anyone tried a 81 in a Luke?

By the way- the Gibson thing in the picture is a clock that was a present- I think from one of my guitar students- so it is only there out of my being polite- I'd rather have a Bongo bass clock than a LP shaped one personally... (Joking! No hate mail please...).

 

[Mikey]

There was a discussion in one thread recently and that made me curious how it will sound.

 

[Sweat]

Thanks for the comments and tips people- really appreciate it.

But why is it that when you customise an instrument people think you are stupid or a heretic?!

The Luke is nothing like the Silhouette Special- I own both! The neck and the feel is totally different between the two instruments in my opinion. I just don't see how I have turned it into a modified Silo Spec.

And I have eventually weened myself off of EMG pickups- I had 5 guitars at one point all with EMGs, but I can't get on with the extra hiss they put into the signal and the in your face output and tone. I'm afraid I don't "dig" them anymore- I'm not saying they are bad pickups or "sterile" (that is total bull IMO), I just have out grown them- they just arent for me anymore.

The choice for the lil 59 stems from the fact that I want all noiseless pickups selections. I agree with the observations that the lil 59 does not sound like a full size humbucker- but it is very useable. Plus it enables (when I have it wired up properly... lol) to get all noisless selections.

Will update later when the switch is rewired... Fingers crossed!

hey, I am all for a mod, been there done that and I know there are differences in a Luke and Silo, love both and the Luke neck is a thing of perfection, plus i am a fan of EMG sets the Luke apart, no offense meant by my post and I am sure it sounds great, just something I would not do but congrats on getting it done