What about the signature?

[B-Arkels]

I just bought a Luke 1 (i guess). it has no tone control and the Floyd Rose license tremolo. The thing I'm curious about is Lukather's signature (autograph). It's located on front on the horn of the guitar and marked "96" next to the signature.

Is this common for this guitar or was this done after the fact?

Also, I'm curious what can be told about this guitar by the serial number including DOB.

Serial# 97874

 

[Roubster]

Can you post a picture of the whole guitar?? Looks very nice from what I can see in your avatatar. I cant help you out with the history of it though, sorry.

 

[B-Arkels]

Here's the picture from the place where I bought it

Here's the whole page http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/30U-12943.htm

 

[fogman]

Simply Beautiful!!!!!
Is that Carbon Blue Pearl or the old Pearl Blue???

 

[Roubster]

Yea, that really looks awesome, and I love that blue!! I dont know about not having the tone control though. That is like one of the most important things for me on a guitar. That is why I will probably not own a regulat Axis, but rather the A$$. Anyway, nice score man!

 

[B-Arkels]

As far as I've been told it's the carbon Blue.

As for the tone control, I was concerned, although I usually run my tone controls wide open anyway. After playing this thing for a few hours, I don't think it will be a problem, but I have a backup plan just in case. I'm making an offboard tone control in a small job box that will clip to my strap just like a wireless transmitter. I don't see why that won't work if I decide I need one. It's a nice enough axe that it would be worth the few bucks to put one together.

 

[beej]

When in doubt, you can always wire up a dual-concentric pot for a volume and tone w/o having to drill anything

For me, the catch is the Floyds. I LOVE the colours, but I much prefer the MM trems.

 

[jongitarz]

As far as I've been told it's the carbon Blue.

As for the tone control, I was concerned, although I usually run my tone controls wide open anyway. After playing this thing for a few hours, I don't think it will be a problem, but I have a backup plan just in case. I'm making an offboard tone control in a small job box that will clip to my strap just like a wireless transmitter. I don't see why that won't work if I decide I need one. It's a nice enough axe that it would be worth the few bucks to put one together.

That is not carbon blue. It's a pearl blue that is no longer in production. Nice color.

 

[fogman]

That is not carbon blue. It's a pearl blue that is no longer in production. Nice color.

Damn! I was afraid it was that. Another colour that I wish was still in production!

 

[Roubster]

I agree with you on that Foggy. I like that blue the most out of the solid colors. However I havent seen any of them in person, so I dont really know. Well I still like Carbon Blue Pearl, and that will be on my next Silo in some kind of a future purchase .

 

[B-Arkels]

Signature

So what about the signature? Does anybody know if this a production signature or a post sale autograph?

 

[Roubster]

I'm pretty sure it was probably signed after the guitar was made. UNLESS this was a one off maybe for the Casey Lee Ball Foundation auction. Anyway, it looks awesome and also looks to be pretty rare plus a signature, you did good with this one .

 

[fogman]

I would say the later.
My guess would be that a production sig. would be on the headstock in place with the decal sig normally is.

 

[koogie2k]

I would say it was signed by Luke afterwards at some point. Nice axe by the way. Beautiful color to boot.

 

[smallequestrian]

That is not carbon blue. It's a pearl blue that is no longer in production. Nice color.

Jon, When did they stop making that Pearl Blue? That kinda looks like the Pearl Blue my new SS is. It was made in 2000.

 

[B-Arkels]

The signature

Call me crazy, but after looking closer the signature appears to be under the finish, under the clearcoat. Like he would have had to have signed it at the factory. I wish I could find out what the deal is. The serial number is 97874 if anyone at MM can help.

Thanks to all of you for your responses and help.

BA

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Maybe it was laquered over after signing it?

 

[B-Arkels]

Well, from most angles it's amlost invisible. I'm not sure how they got it to photograph the way they did.

If I understand the finish..
base coat: silver metallic
Color coat(s): transparent blue
followed by clear coats...

It appears to be signed on the base coat under the blue transparent finish. In the photos it almost looks red, but I think it's actually black.

That would mean that it would have had to have been done at the factory. I'm just wondering how many were done this way.

Last night I figured out where I saw this guitar before. Lukather is playing one just like it on the Los Lobotomys DVD except the one he's playing doesn't have the "LUKE" decal on the headstock.

 

[5Stringer]

This guitar was one of 10 signed by Luke for a fund-raising event in June of 1996. It left the factory on 6/7/96.

Very cool!

Dan

 

[B-Arkels]

Very cool indeed. Thanks Dan