grayn
Well-known member
It's an hour and fifteen minute drive, to one of my favourite music shops, Promenade Music, in not so sunny, Morcambe. I was looking for a strat-type guitar and I have to say, I was spoilt for choice.
My only minor disappointment was that they had sold a '62 re-issue strat, in surf green, I'd spotted on their website. Shame, it looked a beauty.
So, like the proverbial “kid in a sweet shop”, I wandered around, drooling over all the great guitars there. Eventually I focused more on my requirements and grabbed a MusicMan Silhouette and a Fender Highway strat and made for the try-out room.
The strat was good, sounding and looking as cool as strats usually do. But somehow it didn't grab me and say “I'm for you”.
The Silhouette, being twice the price, had a lot to live up to. And it did not disappoint. A sparkling tone, lovely neck and overall, a high quality, classy guitar. Unfortunately the tremelo was locked down and the overall set-up wasn't the best. It was a real tempter but didn't totally convince me.
Next I tried a Patrick Eggle LA Custom, strat-style guitar. It had a beautiful, semi-transparent, sea-blue body, with an aluminium scratchplate. This pre-owned beauty certainly impressed but it's neck had a real Gibson feel to it, with quite a flat fretboard. So I was not going for it.
After discounting another Fender strat, this time a Lonestar. I was starting to wander if I would come away with nothing. Then the shop guy (Garry) suggested a Czech made Lodestone. These really are quite inventive in their strat like styling. Very well finished and set-up, the pickups were outstanding, with a real chiming tone. But again, the trem system wasn't right, with a stiff feel, that only seem to take the pitch down, no up! Also the trem-arm stuck out way too far, from the guitar's body, making it cumbersome.
I was feeling a little down by now and thought about the other MusicMan in the shop, a Luke. I'd avoided it up until now, because that super-strat look reminds me of the 80s and widdling metal players. But what the heck I gave it a try.
As soon as I plugged it in, the EMGs sang out, with a chiming clarity, that pretty much surpassed anything I'd heard, ever. The set-up was absolutely perfect. The trem was a dream, the neck as comfortable as you could want. The action was low but very solid, with no buzzes or rattles.
The Luke really is an all-round guitar. It's HSS pickups, superb playabilty and professional quality, would suit almost any player. The active nature of the EMGs boosts tone rather than output, which is great, in my book.
Through a Fender, valve combo, the Luke's strength and clarity, with the amp's warmth, is hard to beat.
My only minor disappointment was that they had sold a '62 re-issue strat, in surf green, I'd spotted on their website. Shame, it looked a beauty.
So, like the proverbial “kid in a sweet shop”, I wandered around, drooling over all the great guitars there. Eventually I focused more on my requirements and grabbed a MusicMan Silhouette and a Fender Highway strat and made for the try-out room.
The strat was good, sounding and looking as cool as strats usually do. But somehow it didn't grab me and say “I'm for you”.
The Silhouette, being twice the price, had a lot to live up to. And it did not disappoint. A sparkling tone, lovely neck and overall, a high quality, classy guitar. Unfortunately the tremelo was locked down and the overall set-up wasn't the best. It was a real tempter but didn't totally convince me.
Next I tried a Patrick Eggle LA Custom, strat-style guitar. It had a beautiful, semi-transparent, sea-blue body, with an aluminium scratchplate. This pre-owned beauty certainly impressed but it's neck had a real Gibson feel to it, with quite a flat fretboard. So I was not going for it.
After discounting another Fender strat, this time a Lonestar. I was starting to wander if I would come away with nothing. Then the shop guy (Garry) suggested a Czech made Lodestone. These really are quite inventive in their strat like styling. Very well finished and set-up, the pickups were outstanding, with a real chiming tone. But again, the trem system wasn't right, with a stiff feel, that only seem to take the pitch down, no up! Also the trem-arm stuck out way too far, from the guitar's body, making it cumbersome.
I was feeling a little down by now and thought about the other MusicMan in the shop, a Luke. I'd avoided it up until now, because that super-strat look reminds me of the 80s and widdling metal players. But what the heck I gave it a try.
As soon as I plugged it in, the EMGs sang out, with a chiming clarity, that pretty much surpassed anything I'd heard, ever. The set-up was absolutely perfect. The trem was a dream, the neck as comfortable as you could want. The action was low but very solid, with no buzzes or rattles.
The Luke really is an all-round guitar. It's HSS pickups, superb playabilty and professional quality, would suit almost any player. The active nature of the EMGs boosts tone rather than output, which is great, in my book.
Through a Fender, valve combo, the Luke's strength and clarity, with the amp's warmth, is hard to beat.
