Does anyone own EBMM Music Man guitars here (and PRSi of course?)

[ruger9]

I have a DGT, which I adore, but have been looking at the EBMM MM Luke III guitars... I'm a huge Lukather fan, and I'm looking for something a bit more "stratty" (as opposed to the DGT which is more meaty), but not a traditional strat. Just wondering if anyone here owns or has played the Luke guitars and how they compare to PRS...?

 

[bodia]

I had a Luke for about a year. I bought it from a forum member, and he regretted selling it, so I sold it back to him. It was a cool guitar. Mine was the HH version, so not very stratty. I remember the neck seemed small, but I liked it. I would own another. For the record, I do have 2 EBMM guitars right now. A 2020 JP15 and a 20th Anniversary Majesty. Build quality is fantastic.

 

[Lewguitar]

I've never owned a Luke. I've owned a couple of the Eddie Van Halen guitars and eventually felt the neck was too small for me. Not wide enough at the nut. They were extremely well made though and I loved the Dimarzio pickups. Excellent coil split sounds too.

 

[WEDGE]

Agreed on the neck, I think the Sabre has a wider neck but haven’t touched one.

 

[phillybri]

I used to have a Luke III. That thing sounded great. The pickups are top-shelf, the on-board boost is cool as hell. I sold it because the neck was a bit too thin, even for me and my tiny hands...

Here it was in action...

 

[Rider1260]

I've always wanted a Steve Morse just never pulled the trigger on one.

 

[ruger9]

Yeah, I have small hands so I wasn't worried about the neck width... until now LOL. I can play the DGT neck perfectly comfortably, but I prefer the Fender modern C. I have owned one guitar with a 1-5/8" nut, and I wasn't a fan, but I try to judge EACH guitar BY ITSELF these days... for example, how the fret ends are finished could make or break a smaller 1-5/8" nut, because it can determine whether or not you have the high E sliding off the fretboard....

 

[RickP]

I can’t help you on the Luke, but the Albert Lee is a great guitar and the custom Dimarzio pickups in the HH have a lot of snap to them. They also make a P90 and single coil version. They play really well. Also, in case you’re ever looking, nothing sounds like a Stingray bass. EBMM makes excellent instruments.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Ok so I’ve gone down a minor Rob Harris YT “rabbit hole” -

Sergio, if you haven’t watched this already, I think you’ll like it.

Pretty cool chat between Rob and Mark at the end of this one.

I don’t know if any of this helps. But Rob seems to get some “quacky” tones out of the DGT.

 

[Lewguitar]

The DGT has the best "Strat tones from a humbucker" that I've ever heard.

It's a partial split. Instead of the humbucker having one coil completely turned off, one coil is on and the output of the other coil is reduced but not completely turned off.

From what I've seen, the degree that the coil is turned "off" is different for the neck pickup than for the bridge pickup.

So the resistor to ground for each pickup would be a different value.

The DGT really gets it right.

 

[ruger9]

Well, I'm a tele guy. I own a strat, but rarely use the split positions. The 3 positions on a tele (and on the DGT) are all I need. FWIW, I don't think the splits on the DGT are convincing. In a live environment, the crowd wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a strat in-between position, a tele middle position, or a DGT split. Recording and "your own ears" are a different story... I love my DGT, but don't find the splits convincing. They are close, but they are far too weak.

 

[Lewguitar]

Well, I'm a tele guy. I own a strat, but rarely use the split positions. The 3 positions on a tele (and on the DGT) are all I need. FWIW, I don't think the splits on the DGT are convincing. In a live environment, the crowd wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a strat in-between position, a tele middle position, or a DGT split. Recording and "your own ears" are a different story... I love my DGT, but don't find the splits convincing. They are close, but they are far too weak.

Absolutely true.

The split sounds on the DGT are excellent but don't expect them to sound exactly like a Strat. Or a Silver Sky.

 

[loocnmad]

I have several EBMM but have never tried any of the Luke models. Sabre and Petrucci models will have the wider nut width. Sabre and Axis Super Sport will have a similar switching config to a Custom 24. There's a wiring diagram out there to add series/parallel switching to the Axis SS which will be brighter but not necessarily stratty. If you want to get closest to strat sounds you might lean more towards an Albert Lee or Cutlass.

The Valentine is a little close to a tele but shouldn't be discounted. Lots of thick single coil sounds and a surprisingly amount of unique tones.

 

[phillybri]

I have several EBMM but have never tried any of the Luke models. Sabre and Petrucci models will have the wider nut width. Sabre and Axis Super Sport will have a similar switching config to a Custom 24. There's a wiring diagram out there to add series/parallel switching to the Axis SS which will be brighter but not necessarily stratty. If you want to get closest to strat sounds you might lean more towards an Albert Lee or Cutlass.

The Valentine is a little close to a tele but shouldn't be discounted. Lots of thick single coil sounds and a surprisingly amount of unique tones.

This 100%. I had a Valentine and not only were the single coil tones fat as hell, but it felt amazing to play...

 

[markd21]

I have a JP15 and I played the Albert Lee HH and St. Vincent guitars before PRS. EBMM guitars are killer. I am thinking of grabbing a Mariposa at some point. From a sonic perspective, I thought the St. Vincent was the most interesting and versatile.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I played one of the HSS Luke models about 10 years ago and should have bought it on the spot. Thought about it for two days and it was gone. I knew it would be… it was an incredible guitar. It did have EMGs on it.

I own an Axis and JP12BFR. Both are FANTASTIC guitars!

 

[aphantomvaper]

I have none and wanting a St Vincent Champagne with Ebony fretboard.

 

[markd21]

You'd LOVE it

I have none and wanting a St Vincent Champagne with Ebony fretboard.

 

[El Fenix]

I have a DGT and a EBMM Steve Morse Y2D

 

[El Fenix]

I've always wanted a Steve Morse just never pulled the trigger on one.

Try one. They are cool guitars and have killer necks. Hot humbucker in the bridge.