The Great LUKE Trem Mystery

[JDouglee]

This was posted at HRI, what is up with the Luke Trem in this photo? Some think it's a big huge unit like a Kahler, others think it's merely a reflection. Look for the Luke Blue guitar in the rack, to the right.

What is that thing?? Jon?

(Yes, it's Bob Bradshaw)

 

[SteveB]

At the risk of eating crow, I'm going to say it's a reflection. However, since this appears to be Lukather's own axe, who knows what he may have had modified?

 

[OrangeChannel]

Ha...you beat me to it Doug!

 

[mhorse]

Wasn't there a Luke with Floyd before? Could a Floyd for some reason look like that? Maybe if there is a Roland pickup in front of it and they sorta blend together?

 

[OrangeChannel]

Not a floyd...that's a Luke II (the current one w/ the vintage bridge).

 

[jongitarz]

It's a custom bridge made by Don Ramsay

 

[beej]

Wow- interesting.

Googled him and found a guitar with a similar-ish bridge on the Warmoth gallery:

 

[OrangeChannel]

It's a custom bridge made by Don Ramsay

Any details on it?

 

[jongitarz]

No...I emailed the pic to Dudley, and thats all he told me.....He is a busy guy with NAMM show stuff right now

 

[OrangeChannel]

Understandible brother man.....I tried googling dude and got nuthin'. Hey that Silo RIPS bro! Thanks again! I used it on a recording a started...sounds great.

 

[jongitarz]

 

[OrangeChannel]

I think I want another one...hehe. Maybe a Spec too. GAS!

 

[beej]

Don-

That's a really cool idea! Very innovative. Looking forward to reading more about that!

How much does it affect tuning stability? (I see the prototypes don't have locking nuts.)

 

[tristan]

a question to jon...according to you, how many luke does lucious own? including luke I ?

 

[nocluejimbo]

Here's a better shot from Don's site.

http://www.geocities.com/jbstratman/MusicManLukenew.jpg

 

[JDouglee]

Cool. What's that other bar at the rear of the unit for?

 

[beej]

Congrats Don- that's fantastic!!!

Love to see that trem up close- it's a great idea!

 

[Sigmunds Couch]

Does the flutter bar rotate or drop out of the way if desired?

 

[JDouglee]

Cool, so the bar is there for palming.

What does this bridge sound like? Vintage or maybe modern?

 

[lenny]

That is a tough one. I went through many A/B tests with many versions at Scott Henderson's house. We tried hardened steel, soft steel, aluminum (now I have a stainless version), different woods, pickups, etc. He hears things I don't. He compared it with vintage, but I could only hear the more radical differences (aluminum was very "tinny" for instance).
Luke has used it on "Hooked" on the new TOTO album, so that may be one to listen to.
Sunset Beach happens to be only a few miles from me. Drop me a line, and you can come A/B it for yourself. Have lots of gear to plug into.
Don

WOW again the eb site is the ONLY place where this type of stuff happens!.
Talk about tbeing on the cutting edge of trem evolution!