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jijoe

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
12
Hello guys.

I am about 3 months into owning a Luke III (SSH). Took a bit of getting used to the tighter dimensions of the neck. Just otherness - no issue of playability. It's an amazing playing and sounding instrument - no doubt about it.

However, I wonder if anybody has experience of 10s rather than 9s on this instrument. Normally I'd throw a set on a guitar and adjust accordingly. But this thing is very finely balanced for 9s. I guess I'm looking for a bit more certainty under the fingers - but I absoloutley do not want to destabilise this instrument - it was very, very well set up out of the box - as seems to be std for EBMM to their great cerdit.

So the question is - anybody using 10s on the L3. If so what would you say the difference was in feel, tone, playability etc compared to the factory set up? Please note - I am not looking for set up instructions - very comfortable with that - just interested to hear how the instrument feels and sounds with heavier gauge strings?

Thanks for your thoughts on this.
 

billy carr

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
265
I wouldn't use anything other than 10's. Better bottom end. More punch and clarity. Still easy to bend. Once you get used to them you'll never go back.
 

Magic Jason

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Jul 12, 2014
Messages
1,253
Location
Malmedy, Belgium
Sounds great! Feels great. I didn't even play mine with the 9's, I changed it to 10's before I even plugged it.

I just slightly tightened the screws to have the trem block leveled as it was with 9's.

I wouldn't get too anal with factory set-up. It's a good guitar, not a Van Gogh. It's meant to be played and set-up to your taste.

Try it with 10's.
 

agt

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Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
1,544
Location
The grand Ball room (CA)
I use 11s on most of my EBMMs, including 3 Luke IIs. Big tone, lots of solid snap and resistance when you dig in.

10s should not be an issue.
 

jijoe

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
12
Sounds great! Feels great. I didn't even play mine with the 9's, I changed it to 10's before I even plugged it.

I just slightly tightened the screws to have the trem block leveled as it was with 9's.

I wouldn't get too anal with factory set-up. It's a good guitar, not a Van Gogh. It's meant to be played and set-up to your taste.

Try it with 10's.

Thanks Magic.

Not being precious about the reverence of 'the factory' - I usually have healthy disrespect for this and I'm quite happy to saw into other instruments. Just don't want to find that this guitar is so balanced around light strings that it's pulled out of its equilibriumm with heavier strings. I will avoid the hassle if this is the experience of others in the forum. Never had a signature guitar before -
it occurred to me that these might be tweaked by design specifically to achieve the set up of the artist - rather than being for wide use lots of different types of player.

But it sounds as though it takes 10s well - many thanks for the comments guys.
 

Magic Jason

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Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
1,253
Location
Malmedy, Belgium
I perfectly understand what you mean.
But I do NOT think I've lost the magic inherent to this guitar by changing strings. Quite the contrary.
 

Lou

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Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Messages
1,357
Location
MA
I put 10s on mine. 9s were too loose for my tastes as I use 10s on everything. I also needed to add a trem spring to get the feel where I wanted it
 

jijoe

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
12
Thanks for these comments guys - very much appreciated indeed.
10s it shall be. Looking forward to it.
 

jzeijen

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2010
Messages
1,067
Location
The Netherlands
9s where fun to play with. But 10s are my go to gauge, feels more solid for my playing. On my LIII there was only a little setup adjustment needed. Setup is always a breeze on a EBMM guitar.
 

ksandvik

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Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
600
Location
San Jose California
10s and 11s are fine, I used 9-42 as my aging fingers appreciate less friction and less wear and tear after a 5+ hour long gig or so. I doubt there's much difference in tone, there are other factors more important for that.
 

banjoplayer

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Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
2,683
Location
Ulm, Germany
the only thing that matters is the nut. If it allows you to use 10s there should be not a problem. If your guitar is well set up the only thing is a little tweaking of the truss rod - IF necessary (don´t touch the saddles). And you can always go back very easy - just the same truss rod movement backwards.
 

wynn

Active member
Joined
May 17, 2013
Messages
38
Loved my L3 when I got it, was convinced it had 9's on and didn't want to loose the mojo by putting 10's on, so when I changed strings I put 9's on, it all went wrong, turns out it had 10's on originally, back with 10's now and loving it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JasonT

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Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Messages
949
I have 10s on one of my LIIIs. No problem at all. Go for it!
 

jijoe

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
12
Well - I stuck 10s on with an extra term spring on. I think that it has brought something else out in the guitar. It sounds richer with a mixture of better sustain, harmonics and percussiveness. I have also lost a touch of a high frequency overtone that was there and was causing me to back off the tone a bit. The top end is more balanced and I can have the tone pot right up without any hint of harshness. There seems to be more usable range in the tone pot now.

Playability has not diminished at all. With the heavier gauge I can afford a slightly lower action without tone suffering in any way. Lower action with the 9s - despite not buzzing - took some life out so I was playing with a slightly higher action (very slightly in case anybody thinks I was firing arrows). Getting a tad lower has made the guitar feel slightly more plyable and elastic under the fingers - which is to be expected. But I was surprised that there is still plenty of snap and life even with the action so low. I have many good instruments that just go a bit dead at that point - just before you might get a rattle - you know where I mean.

All in all - I'm very pleased with the results. L3 continues to impress.
 

Adder

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Joined
Jan 26, 2023
Messages
83
Location
USA
I use 11s on my Luke 3. It sounds fantastic and the guitar plays great.
I have just gone from the stock 9s to 10s and love the tactile feel and the tone difference is what im after. dont think I could go to 11s but I tottaly get why you moved to heavier guage
 

Ninemile

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Joined
Mar 15, 2019
Messages
76
I was 10's for 25 years and now I am playing 9's on almost all my electrics. I'm even playing D'Addario half rounds now and absolutely love them. The feel of the strings go right along with the feel of the neck. What is the reasoning for MM to put 10's on the MM90 guitars but 9's on all the other Axis'?
 
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