Great interview with Steve Lukather...

[ruger9]

It's not active is it? Does it need a battery?

Has Luke already given up on the Dimarzio Transitions?

As I recall, the pickups are not active (thank God), but you do need a battery to power the onboard boost, which is activated by a push/push in the volume knob...

https://www.guitarworld.com/reviews/ernie-ball-music-man-luke-iii-review

The Transitions and the new EBMM pickups are both passive. The older Luke III's and the newer EBMMs both use the same active system to balance not only the pickups, but the built-in boost level (push-push pot on the volume knob, gives you like a 15db volume boost or something). The system does require a 9V battery.

THE BOOK:
For those who do audiobooks, Luke narrates it. It's just like the interview above, it's written the way the speaks, and he narrates it. It's like sitting down with him and letting him tell you the stories.

 

[ruger9]

If I may give you a piece of advice, go for the HSS. More tonal flexibility and it has the circuit that keeps the volume level the same no matter what pickup combination you're using.

At first glance, yes. The 2HB model also has a 5-way switch, but I'm a not fan of the 2&4 positions on it. The problem with the HSS is, I hate middle pickups; I hit them with my pick. On my HSS strat I have the middle pickup lowered a bit (not down to the pickguard or anything) to keep it out of my way. You can't adjust the height on the Luke pickups: they are screwed directly into the wood. But I also saw a poster on another forum say they aren't close to the strings, as per Luke's request. But IDK; I've never seen one in the flesh, and I never will unless I buy one to try it, no one around here stocks EBMMs, let alone Luke III's.

 

[Lewguitar]

So I bought Luke's book: The Gospel According To Luke. Terrific read! Polished it off in two nights.

What a life. A life I could never live.

All the drinking, drug use and partying and all that's apparently expected of you in order to fit in with a touring rock n roll band.

Guess that's one reason I bowed out 40 years ago and became a furniture maker and designer, and furniture store owner instead.

But I super enjoyed the book.