“Strat connoisseurs should find that the pickups deliver the tonal qualities of their dreams”: Ernie Ball Music Man Luke 4 SSS review
The EBMM x Steve Lukather collab celebrates a landmark anniversary with a triple-single coil model that is ridiculously effective and well put together
The Music Man Luke 4 SSS is truly a “Superbstrat” that’s packed with innovations and refinements of every detail to provide a wealth of first-class tones and true pro performance.
Tremolo arm may feel light to players used to heavier arms. Plus it’s expensive.
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Music Man released its first Steve Lukather signature guitar – the Luke – back in 1994, and over the years the Luke model has evolved with various Luke II and Luke III models.
To celebrate the Luke’s 30th anniversary, Music Man has introduced the Luke 4 30th anniversary model with an HSS pickup configuration similar to the original, plus new Luke 4 HH and SSS models.
The 30th anniversary version is a hot-rodded Superstrat, but the SSS model we reviewed is more of a “Superbstrat”, based on the traditional triple-single-coil ’50s standard solidbody that guitarists all know and love, but packed with a ton of high-performance upgrades, refinements and modifications.
The Luke 4 SSS has a figured roasted maple neck that has become a regular feature of Music Man guitars for a while now, made to specifications that include a 25.5-inch scale length, 12-inch radius and 1 5/8-inch nut width. The rosewood fingerboard sports 22 low profile, wide nickel frets.
A new twist is that the alder body is roasted as well to provide the lighter weight and resonance of a vintage guitar that has naturally dried over several decades. The body is finished with high-gloss polyester in a selection of Scoville Red, Diesel Blue or Bareback (natural) color options, while the neck is protected by a gunstock oil and hand-rubbed special wax blend finish.
The newly designed Music Man HT single-coil pickups were developed using technology derived from the technology behind the creation of Ernie Ball’s Cobalt and M-Steel strings, and they are voiced to provide outstanding clarity at high output while maintaining body at lower volume levels.
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(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man )
(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man )
Controls consist of a five-way blade pickup selector and master tone and volume controls, the latter featuring a push/push function that activates a built-in preamp boost circuit. Boost is set at the factory to +12dB, but a trim pot inside the control cavity allows users to adjust output between 0 and +20dB.
Internal trim pots also enable adjustment of silent circuit’s hum reduction and the balance between the blade position 1/3/5 bridge, middle and neck single-coil settings and the 2/4 parallel bridge/middle and neck/middle settings.
The vintage-style tremolo has bent steel saddles and is set up in a floating configuration. The spring tension from the factory is somewhat light, resulting in buzzy trem warble when the strings are aggressively snapped, but extra springs are provided for players who prefer less buzz. The trem arm is a little slim and light for my preference, but it seems suitably sturdy and solid.
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(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man )
(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man )
(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man )
(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man )
Most Strat connoisseurs should find that the pickups deliver the tonal qualities of their dreams. The midrange dip is right in the sweet spot to accentuate percussive treble snap and bouncy bass while still providing full body and depth. All of the classic Stratocaster tones are here, including Clapton, Hendrix, Knopfler and SRV and even Beck, with the tone knob rolled down about ¾, and you can punch it up to searing Luke leads with the preamp boost engaged.
At $3,199, the Luke 4 SSS is not cheap, but most players would need two or three Strats to cover all of the tonal nuances and character the Luke 4 provides. The materials and immaculate craftsmanship, refined playability, balance and comfort and tech upgrades like the preamp boost and adjustable silent circuit also significantly up the ante in the model’s overall value.
For players whose axe of choice is of the triple single-coil variety, the Luke 4 SSS is worth the investment as it delivers classic Strat tones with modern refinement along with playability that will satisfy discriminating players for a lifetime.
Chris is the co-author of Eruption - Conversations with Eddie Van Halen. He is a 40-year music industry veteran who started at Boardwalk Entertainment (Joan Jett, Night Ranger) and Roland US before becoming a guitar journalist in 1991. He has interviewed more than 600 artists, written more than 1,400 product reviews and contributed to Jeff Beck’s Beck 01: Hot Rods and Rock & Roll and Eric Clapton’s Six String Stories.
