Help! EBMM 93‘ Silohuette, I need to make sure that its authentic

[jjunnell]

Hello dear fellow colleagues and friends,

I‘m so close to pull a trigger on a 93‘ Silohuette (Pictures are in the link below) but I have questions regarding the authenticity. It has an HSS with Floyd Rose configuration but I searched up its serial number (94360) on the EB Site and it says that it should be an HSH Trem. The Seller (who is a really nice guy) told me that he bought it as it is now.
My next question is: I was told that only the Specials should have 24 frets and an HSS confguration but that modell clearly stats that it‘s just an Silouhetteand still has 24 frets. Were there just Shilouette at that time and the Specials got introduced later on?

I‘d love to buy that guitar but I need your validation. I would be so thankful for any advice! Thanks in advance!

Pictures:
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Cheers Jill

 

[DrKev]

Looks fine to me and (except for the pickup config) the guitar appears to match the serial number. Floyd Rose trem was available then. Noting the difference in color between the backplate and the pickguard (and assuming it's not some sort of camera artifact) that suggests the possibility that the pickguard is not original and the pickups have been changed from the original HSH config.

And yes, as far as I recall the 22 fret Silhouette Special became its own model a few years later but HSS Silhouettes were available before that.

I would be happy to pull the trigger on this one.

Welcome to the forum family!

 

[GWDavis28]

So those old Silo's were routed with a swimming pool to allow for SSS, HSS and HSH pickup configurations. It looks like it's been well taken care of. Good luck if you make the purchase.

Glenn |B)

 

[John C]

That's a nice looking 1993 Silhouette - I think maybe the bridge pickup has been replaced as I don't recall EBMM using a covered humbucker on the Silhouette back then, but I could be wrong on that.

The original Silhouettes were 24-fret and available in SSS, HSS, HSH, and HH configuration from the factory, plus EBMM sold the loaded pickguards in all configurations so owners could swap them in and out - they are attached by a molex plug connector. Until 1991/92 they had the 6-bolt neck attachment, a finished neck, and either a hard tail bridge or a Schaller tremolo that had roller saddles, fine tuners, and a behind-the-nut string lock. After the EVH model had been out a while the Silhouette got updated with the 5-bolt neck, oil-and-wax neck finish, and the Floyd Rose replaced the Schaller tremolo.

If I'm remembering correctly the Silhouette Special came out in 1995 - they were 22 fret, only available in SSS or HSS configuration, had the Silent Circuit, and either the hard-tail bridge or a Wilkinson vintage tremolo with Grover locking tuners. In 1996 they changed to the EBMM Vintage tremolo and Schaller locking tuners. I may be off by a year - they might have come out in 1996 and the changes were 1997.

After the Silhouette Special had been out for a few years Silhouette changed to HSH configuration only, and the Floyd Rose was dropped, replaced by the EBMM Vintage tremolo. I'm think that was 1998 or 1999 when that occurred.

 

[DrKev]

Thanks John. Yes, as far as I can tell, 1993 was the first year of the 5-bolt neck and sculpted heel. Silhouette Special was a 1995 release. The Wilkinson trem survived into 1998 (there is a green Silo Special with Wilkinson trem on ebay right now, SN says March '98).

 

[John C]

Thanks John. Yes, as far as I can tell, 1993 was the first year of the 5-bolt neck and sculpted heel. Silhouette Special was a 1995 release. The Wilkinson trem survived into 1998 (there is a green Silo Special with Wilkinson trem on ebay right now, SN says March '98).

Thanks DrKev; didn't realize that the Wilkinson survived quite that long, but I do recall that the EBMM Vintage Trem was on the Axis Sport first before it was used on other models - I'm old; I also remember that the revised Luke with the Vintage trem and tone knob added was briefly called the "Luke II" although the headstock decal stayed "Luke".