Tell me about the Luke III HSS. Someone's offering me one in trade.

[Gemmy]

okay then here is my other question. I keep hearing so many different things about the neck. It sounds unique enough to take the risk but I know they run a bit thin. I did not enjoy how thin the EVH wolfgang standard neck was when I owned one. Seems like the Luke 3 has the same neck width at the nut but then gets wider. I’m trying to take an educated guess as to if I’d like the neck or not but I’m not sure if the nut width is enough to say either way. Thoughts? If it helps, here are some guitars/necks Ive enjoyed in the past.

1) Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional; Thin-C shape neck, 14" radius, 25.5" scale
2) ESP LTD EC-1000; Thin-U shape neck, 13.7" radius, 24.75" scale
2.5) ESP LTD SN-1000 HT; Thin U, 42mm nut width, 25.5' scale, 300-400mm compound radius; this is my most recent guitar and i dig it alot!
3) 1989 Fender HM Strat; C-shape neck (i think?), 14" radius, 25" scale (old guitar and may have wrong info here so not sure, please correct if needed)
4) Line 6 Shuriken Variax; C-shape neck, 12" radius, 25.5' scale length
5) EVH Wolfgang Standard; Wolfgang neck shape, 12-16" compound radius, 25.5" scale, 1.625"nut width ---- I did not like this neck that much! Added for comparison



Here is where I get confused. My favorites definitely being the HM strat and Schecter Nick Johnston strat tied with the ESP SN-1000. The HM strat and Shuriken variax specs seem similar to me but their necks feel totally different. The HM strat neck feels noticeably wider and I enjoy the wider neck much more. Is that because of the radius? Or the nut width? how do I use all this to figure out if I'd like the Luke 3 neck without being able to play one in a store?

 

[beej]

Neck feel is such a personal preference. I think you need to find a way to play one. Either that, or take a leap of faith and accept that you might have to sell it (or return it) if you don't like it.

 

[Gemmy]

Neck feel is such a personal preference. I think you need to find a way to play one. Either that, or take a leap of faith and accept that you might have to sell it (or return it) if you don't like it.

Very true. Another question. The Luke 3 I am contemplating purchasing; looked up the serial number and it came back as:

Manufactured	June 28th, 2021
Build Code	938-BC-R2-00-CS-CR
Model	LUKE_3 HSS HARDWE KIT

So this model of Luke 3 will definitely have the EBMM custom pickups and NOT the dimarzio transition set correct?

 

[Gemmy]

Can anyone help me on the above? Normally I’d not double reply so quickly but I don’t want to let a good deal go to waste if I don’t have to! Lol thanks in advance

 

[DrKev]

2021, I'd say EBMM pickups.

 

[TheSash]

Can anyone help me on the above? Normally I’d not double reply so quickly but I don’t want to let a good deal go to waste if I don’t have to! Lol thanks in advance

If you have a photo, it’s easy to see.
The Dimarzio Humbucker has a triangle shape routing where the pickups are mounted and the Music Man Pickups do have a square routing.

 

[Rbg]

okay then here is my other question. I keep hearing so many different things about the neck. It sounds unique enough to take the risk but I know they run a bit thin. I did not enjoy how thin the EVH wolfgang standard neck was when I owned one. Seems like the Luke 3 has the same neck width at the nut but then gets wider. I’m trying to take an educated guess as to if I’d like the neck or not but I’m not sure if the nut width is enough to say either way. Thoughts? If it helps, here are some guitars/necks Ive enjoyed in the past.

1) Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional; Thin-C shape neck, 14" radius, 25.5" scale
2) ESP LTD EC-1000; Thin-U shape neck, 13.7" radius, 24.75" scale
2.5) ESP LTD SN-1000 HT; Thin U, 42mm nut width, 25.5' scale, 300-400mm compound radius; this is my most recent guitar and i dig it alot!
3) 1989 Fender HM Strat; C-shape neck (i think?), 14" radius, 25" scale (old guitar and may have wrong info here so not sure, please correct if needed)
4) Line 6 Shuriken Variax; C-shape neck, 12" radius, 25.5' scale length
5) EVH Wolfgang Standard; Wolfgang neck shape, 12-16" compound radius, 25.5" scale, 1.625"nut width ---- I did not like this neck that much! Added for comparison



Here is where I get confused. My favorites definitely being the HM strat and Schecter Nick Johnston strat tied with the ESP SN-1000. The HM strat and Shuriken variax specs seem similar to me but their necks feel totally different. The HM strat neck feels noticeably wider and I enjoy the wider neck much more. Is that because of the radius? Or the nut width? how do I use all this to figure out if I'd like the Luke 3 neck without being able to play one in a store?

I made that leap of faith and got my first Luke without playing one. I was super chunky fender necks player (I am quite chunky as well haha) before so was a huge difference for me. What can I tell you: I discovered the best neck feel I've ever played. I wont go back for sure. Now I can tell that I was convincing myself I liked playing fat necks before coz they "sound better" right? ...but again look my story as a single datapoint, not sure you can easily extrapolate here.

 

[Gemmy]

If you have a photo, it’s easy to see.
The Dimarzio Humbucker has a triangle shape routing where the pickups are mounted and the Music Man Pickups do have a square routing.

Here is a photo. I see what youre saying now. This def looks like the custom EBMM pickups then right?

Here are the transition pickups picture

Luke3

The Luke III features an alder body, hard rock roasted maple neck with East Indian Rosewood fingerboard. The LIII is powered by Dimarzio transitions passive humbuckers and custom voiced single coil pickups. Smooth action Music Man floating vintage tremolo, 5-way pickup selector and 12db...

www.music-man.com

 

[TheSash]

Here is a photo. I see what youre saying now. This def looks like the custom EBMM pickups then right?

Here are the transition pickups picture

Luke3

The Luke III features an alder body, hard rock roasted maple neck with East Indian Rosewood fingerboard. The LIII is powered by Dimarzio transitions passive humbuckers and custom voiced single coil pickups. Smooth action Music Man floating vintage tremolo, 5-way pickup selector and 12db...

www.music-man.com

View attachment 41532

Yes, definitely MM Pickups!

 

[Gemmy]

My next question is who has some solid pics of their Bodhi blue axes. I’ve been using google but I’m trying to get a better feel for how blue it actually is. Some pics make it look totally silver like the one I posted above

 

[GoKart Mozart]

My next question is who has some solid pics of their Bodhi blue axes. I’ve been using google but I’m trying to get a better feel for how blue it actually is. Some pics make it look totally silver like the one I posted above

It's definitely more blue than that pic depicts; see right hand column:

 

[Gemmy]

It's definitely more blue than that pic depicts; see right hand column:

View attachment 41549

Wow, that’s actually a really sweet color. Basically I have two choices. A barely used 2021 L3 with the custom EBMM a very very good price, from a reputable seller, but the seller won’t let me do PayPal goods and services VS a bodhi blue L3 from 2019 with the transitions pickups with the seller wanting to do PayPal goods and services lol. Realistically, how much different are the pickups? I had originally wanted the newer custom ones

 

[Rbg]

I keep saying: pickups is a very personal thing that strongly depends on your idea of your sound. I personally can’t say that the custom pickups are something special. They are good pickups, but so are many others. Another interest g observation: these are the shortest “lasting” pickups in Luke guitars (well apart from EMGx, but those were not like new new pickups).

 

[Gemmy]

I keep saying: pickups is a very personal thing that strongly depends on your idea of your sound. I personally can’t say that the custom pickups are something special. They are good pickups, but so are many others. Another interest g observation: these are the shortest “lasting” pickups in Luke guitars (well apart from EMGx, but those were not like new new pickups).

fair enough, I just don’t see as many people liking the transitions pickups as much as the custom ebmm ones. What was the goal behind the transitions pickups?

 

[Rbg]

Not a new toy anymore, people live new toys. Everyone loved them compare to EMG 10 years ago if you dig deeper

Dimarzio did it for Steve, tone he liked. Check him playing them, they sound amazing. Luke sounds grate whatever pickups he uses. I think they were actually transformative transition, all after them were more incremental with some commercial goals. In my opinion.

Just for the record I never had L3 with them, I had them in ssh strat.

 

[GoKart Mozart]

Wow, that’s actually a really sweet color. Basically I have two choices. A barely used 2021 L3 with the custom EBMM a very very good price, from a reputable seller, but the seller won’t let me do PayPal goods and services VS a bodhi blue L3 from 2019 with the transitions pickups with the seller wanting to do PayPal goods and services lol. Realistically, how much different are the pickups? I had originally wanted the newer custom ones

Either pickup set is great. Since you're not going to have the opportunity to try either one NOR even get to spend time with the neck to see if you can get along with it, I'd say get whichever one is the better price just in case you don't like it and need to sell it in order to recoup your money.

fair enough, I just don’t see as many people liking the transitions pickups as much as the custom ebmm ones. What was the goal behind the

I'm sorry but I don't believe that to be accurate. Nobody decided that the Transitions were junk as soon as the new MM pickups came out.

 

[DrKev]

Also remember the EBMM pickups in the LIII are the stock Cutlass single coils, the only thing different was the humbucker. There is nothing worng with those pickups at all! AMAZING sounding pickups.

 

[Gemmy]

Also remember the EBMM pickups in the LIII are the stock Cutlass single coils, the only thing different was the humbucker. There is nothing worng with those pickups at all! AMAZING sounding pickups.

Oh that’s good to know. How common were cracks In the finish of the neck joint? One of the sellers looks like it has one in a Bodhi blue 2019 luke 3

 

[DrKev]

How common were cracks In the finish of the neck joint?

No more common than any neck joint crack finishes on any bolt-on neck guitar from any manufacturer. It's never a problem, not structural, purely cosmetic. Don't let it put you off buying the right guitar for you.

 

[Gemmy]

No more common than any neck joint crack finishes on any bolt-on neck guitar from any manufacturer. It's never a problem, not structural, purely cosmetic. Don't let it put you off buying the right guitar for you.

Great that’s what I figured. Just wanted to make sure it doesn’t turn into anything else