Steve Lukather

As for my rig, it is pretty much all analog now—no MIDI, just pedals on the floor that I can swap out and reconfigure without having to call a scientist. I run two Bogner Ectasys. In front of the amps, I have an Xotic SP compressor, a Jam WaterFall pedal I use for a wide, Hendrix-y vibrato, a TC Electronic Flashback delay set for a fast slap, and a Strymon Lex rotary speaker simulator for getting cool, Beatles-y Leslie sounds when I’m playing with Ringo.

"Love the Anadime. It is on the board forever!"

According to Strymon's pedalboard feature, Lukather uses the Custom Audio Electronics wah pedal.

Steve wears a Custom 3" Red Monkey guitar strap

Steve Lukather's signature guitar, the Ibanez RS1010SL Custom, was used by him from 1983 to 1984, as shown in a photo on Ibanezcollectors.

“I love the sweep of the Wahcko+, very vocal like and sweet! What a fantastic wah!” 

Lukather (April 2002): "I use a Roland keyboard volume pedal but it's pretty much whatever you like that feels good. The pedal is early in the chain so that when you fade out the delays keep going and you're not fading out your entire sound. You guys gotta understand, I am NOT a tech kinda guy. Bob Bradshaw designs all my stuff. He has since 1984. I am putting together a brand new rig as I write this. I tell him what I want and he does all the brain work to make it happen and he pretty much knows what I want." Amplifiers: the VHT classic power amp for the dry clean through the mid channel and the VHT stereo effects amp for the stereo effects through the left and right channels. Pre-amp: Custom Audio Electronics 3+ (CAE 3+, Bob Bradshaw) with three sound switches: clean, dirty and very dirty.

In the image, from the 80s, you can see Luke has an MXR Flanger.

From Ernie Ball’s Instagram shows a photo of Steve’s current live board and the Flashback is visible.

On Steve's official site (http://www.stevelukather.com/artist/gear.aspx) you can see his brand new pedalboard.

On Steve's official site (http://www.stevelukather.com/artist/gear.aspx) you can see his brand new pedalboard.

In this video Luke uses the Luke II from Music Man. The second generation of his Luke signature guitar. With 2 custom EMG SLV pickups and a EMG 85 in the bridge. With the non locking Music Man Vintage tremolo system

According to Strymon's pedalboard feature, Lukather uses the Strymon Ola pedal.

"Hey Steve Lukather here, checking out the new Boss gear." "...been a great fan of it since day one..."

Used on the electric guitar for Toto XIV, as mentioned by producer CJ Vanston in this March 5, 2015 Mix Online article.

The main mic preamp throughout was a Universal 6176, used for most of the vocals. “Either with a 47 or an Audio-Technica 5040,” Vanston says. “We used a Schoeps on some of the acoustic guitar tracks and also the Shure KSM44—that sounds fantastic. Then we used a 57 for the electric guitar. If Steve Lukather is happy with his guitar sound, I’m happy with it. And I have two Neve 1073s that we used a lot on the keyboards. I’ve got a Neve 8801, which is a great preamp that I like.”

In this image you can see the TU-3 in the bottom right corner of his board.

He uses 2 Optivalve, one in the main Electric pedalboard, one in his acoustic guitar rig. It's a Tube-Optical compressor/limiter based on Old studio outboard units like the Teletronix LA2

According to Strymon's pedalboard feature, Lukather uses the Dunlop DVP1 volume pedal.

Steve Lukather used a 1966 Fender Jaguar XII on his first demo with TOTO, as noted in Vintage Guitar® magazine by Wolf Marshall.

Lukather (April 2002): "I use a Roland keyboard volume pedal but it's pretty much whatever you like that feels good. The pedal is early in the chain so that when you fade out the delays keep going and you're not fading out your entire sound. You guys gotta understand, I am NOT a tech kinda guy. Bob Bradshaw designs all my stuff. He has since 1984. I am putting together a brand new rig as I write this. I tell him what I want and he does all the brain work to make it happen and he pretty much knows what I want." Amplifiers: the VHT classic power amp for the dry clean through the mid channel and the VHT stereo effects amp for the stereo effects through the left and right channels. Pre-amp: Custom Audio Electronics 3+ (CAE 3+, Bob Bradshaw) with three sound switches: clean, dirty and very dirty.

He said this is part of his collection and is one of his favorites

Used as a vocal microphone for Toto XIV, as mentioned by producer CJ Vanston in this March 5, 2015 Mix Online article.

The main mic preamp throughout was a Universal 6176, used for most of the vocals. “Either with a 47 or an Audio-Technica 5040,” Vanston says. “We used a Schoeps on some of the acoustic guitar tracks and also the Shure KSM44—that sounds fantastic. Then we used a 57 for the electric guitar. If Steve Lukather is happy with his guitar sound, I’m happy with it. And I have two Neve 1073s that we used a lot on the keyboards. I’ve got a Neve 8801, which is a great preamp that I like.”

Used for Toto XIV, as mentioned by producer CJ Vanston in this March 5, 2015 Mix Online article.

The main mic preamp throughout was a Universal 6176, used for most of the vocals. “Either with a 47 or an Audio-Technica 5040,” Vanston says. “We used a Schoeps on some of the acoustic guitar tracks and also the Shure KSM44—that sounds fantastic. Then we used a 57 for the electric guitar. If Steve Lukather is happy with his guitar sound, I’m happy with it. And I have two Neve 1073s that we used a lot on the keyboards. I’ve got a Neve 8801, which is a great preamp that I like.”

Lukather used it in his previous pedalboard, circa 2007.

I saw Steve use this prototype on Japan tour during song cruel in 1999

In the image, from 1980, you can see Luke has an MXR Graphic equaliser.

In this PDF, you can see Luke's past gear and included is the string he uses/used.

In this PDF document, you can see Steve used Ernie Balls for his Ovation acoustic on tour.

On Steve's official site (http://www.stevelukather.com/artist/gear.aspx) you can see his brand new pedalboard.

According to Strymon's pedalboard feature, Lukather uses the MXR MC-403 power distributor.

Steve Lukather shows the new finish for his LIII signature Music Man guitar.