Question: HSS with TREM same as L3 but higher frets?

[Dcolucci]

I have a LUKE (L3) - perfect intonation & easy to play except for bends due to low med width frets. Options include 1) get use to it 2) refret 3) get a MM that has HSS - same great Trem but higher frets

Suggestions appreciated

Thanks,
Dan

 

[xjbebop]

The Luke "V" neck might be the problem for you. I don't think any other models have that neck profile, although the brand new Cutlass HSS might be close... I don't know...

 

[jones4tone]

The Luke "V" neck might be the problem for you. I don't think any other models have that neck profile, although the brand new Cutlass HSS might be close... I don't know...

I don't know. My son's Cutlass SSS has a more pronounced V neck profile than my Starry Night LIII. Neither is a hard V, but it's barely perceptible on my LIII. Both are very comfy necks to play, though. (Maybe you meant missing the V would be a problem for Dan?)

The Cutlass does have taller frets. It's a different bridge than the Luke, but it seems to perform just as well. So the HSS model, which Casey said recently would be in stores beginning tomorrow, might be a good option.

 

[guertzi]

Actually I had the same issues with a Luke II some years ago!
Loved the neck, but I felt I was always fighting to bend those strings: my hands would cramp and hurt after approx. 20 minutes of playing.
I blamed the V neck for that and came to the conclusion that it just was not made for my hands ( I am not Luke after all ;-)) so I decided to sell it.

Boy was I wrong!
I recently purchased a Luke III Starry Night which has bigger frets than the stock models and I have no problems whats-o-ever playing that thing - I can bend strings like a madman without having any problems with my hands afterwards!

So I guess since the neck profile is still the same on the Luke III as on the Luke II, it all comes down to the fret size.

Maybe I should have gotten a refret for that Luke II... but then I might never have tried that Starry Night L III, who knows?

 

[Dcolucci]

Actually I had the same issues with a Luke II some years ago!
Loved the neck, but I felt I was always fighting to bend those strings: my hands would cramp and hurt after approx. 20 minutes of playing.
I blamed the V neck for that and came to the conclusion that it just was not made for my hands ( I am not Luke after all ;-)) so I decided to sell it.

Boy was I wrong!
I recently purchased a Luke III Starry Night which has bigger frets than the stock models and I have no problems whats-o-ever playing that thing - I can bend strings like a madman without having any problems with my hands afterwards!

So I guess since the neck profile is still the same on the Luke III as on the Luke II, it all comes down to the fret size.

Maybe I should have gotten a refret for that Luke II... but then I might never have tried that Starry Night L III, who knows?

So you are saying the Starry Night L3 has different frets than low medium? My L3 is the Vintage Sunburst if that matters. Went on the EB site and didn't see any notation about frets and L3 models.

Thanks for the update .... Dan

 

[DrKev]

So you are saying the Starry Night L3 has different frets than low medium? My L3 is the Vintage Sunburst if that matters. Went on the EB site and didn't see any notation about frets and L3 models.

Thanks for the update .... Dan

The special limited runs (like the Starry night) sometimes have one fret size across all models that may not correspond to the frets used on some regular production models.

 

[guertzi]

So you are saying the Starry Night L3 has different frets than low medium? My L3 is the Vintage Sunburst if that matters. Went on the EB site and didn't see any notation about frets and L3 models.

Thanks for the update .... Dan

Yes, exactly. The frets on the Starry Night L III are in the medium jumbo ballpark (high profile, wide) whereas the frets on yours are the same as on the stock models which are more vintage sized (low profile, wide).