Calling All EBMM's 10 Years Old and Up!

[ScoobySteve]

I just wanted to ask a question to ya'll with EBMMs that are over 10 years old. I don't mean to incite any arguments about 'age does/doesn't affect tone" but I just wanted to know how those of ya'll with EBMM's older than 10 years felt about the way its aged.

Long story short, I bought my MIAC Silo Spec from canucklehead John N. and it sounds great! Not that it's a surprise or anything, but its bone stock (unfortunately pre-compensated nut) and about 11 years old and man! It sounds amazing! I've played many a Silos and Silo specs, but mine sounds different!

A few people have mentioned that the stock dimarzio single coils were "lifeless" but I have to whole-heartedly disagree, they're a wonderful low output single that can capture that vintage vibe.

So what do you think? Age = tone, or no?

You guys can check out some of my noodling on it below: (please forgive the terrible playing and recording, no mixing just straight into Pro Tools)

Steve's Baby Talk Blues by leejean85 on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

 

[grumpyoldman]

Hey Steve!

Glad you are still enjoying that MIAC Silo Spec - must have had a really weak moment when I agreed to sell her to you....I always thought she was a particularly special Special...

 

[Tubes4Tone]

Yep...I think it makes a difference. I bought a 97 Purple Silo Special from John (Grumpyoldman). It's bone stock (except for the nut). I love the color. It's the ONLY Purple Silo Special I've seen so far. Thank you John ! This Purple Silo is a keeper...

My other Silo Special is a 99 3-tone Sunburst I found in a pawn shop in April 2000. This was my first EBMM guitar, I still have it !!


I only have 2 EBMM guitars and I bought them USED...I'm very satisfied !

 

[TNT]

These instruments have so much inherent quality (at ANY year built), and solid as a rock!! Like a "fine wine" - they just keep getting better with age!!

 

[mtrejo]

Great tone TNT! Keep it up.

 

[Lou]

My mystic JP is a first year production model. Holding up just fine. The quality of the. We ones is exactly the Same.

 

[mikeller]

My oldest MM is a 1998 Silo Special - all stock except bone nut. I don't have a newer SiloSpec to compare it to, but I always thought it sounded great, as do my newer MM guitars

 

[banjoplayer]

I have a `94 Albert Lee original pinkburst which I own for 4 years now. It is fantastic but I don´t think it changed in the last 4 years nor did I had the opportunity to try other ALs so I can´t compare.
But it´s super light and a 1-piece-body!
I formerly owned a `93 silo S-S-S. It was also good but I couldn´t bond that much and decided to keep the AL

 

[mtrejo]

Great tone TNT! Keep it up.

Brain fart moment. Lol. This was directed towards Steve . (I'm sure TNT has great tone as well.)

 

[D.K.]

Well - as You can see in my signature, of th 20+ EBMMs I owned the two I still have and enjoy playing are the oldies - the Morse and the Silo. They sound plain warmer and more detailed/three-dimensional than the new Morses and Silos, of which I've had a few - the tone really settles, the guitars resonate more, the PUs loose some of the sharpness/harshness. That's not to say it's better - but it's different and some folk love it.

I'm very partial to the six-bolts anyway - they just feel so well worn, classic and broken in, having all the class and playability of the newer EBMMs. And they will last another 100 years if maintained at least from time to time.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Nearly all my Axis guitars are 10 years old. I think they have got used to me over this time as much as I have got used to them! I can't remember if they sound better than the day I got them, bit they are all very comfortable to play!

 

[jakedawgwhite88]

My mystic dream jp7 was ten years old this May! such a great instrument!

 

[TNT]

lol,lol,lol,lol, - that's what i love about this forum!!!

 

[Jamie M]

My ASS is 11 years old and still sounds great, it has never had any parts and is totally standard, the neck has aged brilliantly

 

[TimSE]

My Mystic JP7 is nearly 11 years old and it sounds totally tits! I do have a BKP Miracle Man bridge pup in it too which definitely helps It sounded good even before I put that in it.

 

[joe web]

20th birthday last year

well, this transblack EVH baby turns 21 on the 24th of december this year and this baby still rocks!
yes, i played it a lot - it´s not a collectors item, it´s a players dream!
can´t tell you if sounded different in the past it´s a slow process. i think it´s the same as watching in the mirror every morning - you don´t recognize at once, that you´re getting older.
but it doesn´t matter which year a guitar has been made, as i took the Y2D PDN out of the case last week, it sounded amazing right away - as every new MM did straight out of the case.

the guitars get a bit more of character through the years, but it´s more the feeling the neck gets due to a lot of playing.
they become more and more "my" guitars. like Tim said "I think they have got used to me over this time"

 

[threeminutesboy]

I do confirm that my older EBMM have that little something special I like (can't explain Axis Sport and EVH) my main guitar for gigs it's the 25th from 2009 and I can't wait for this baby to be 10 years older

I think the wood is opening more and the guitar gets more resonant but the 25th is already extremly resonant

 

[lukather101]

Totally stock , never been set up by a tech and still the guitar i would never sell . Totally mint apart from major fret ware and it sounds freaking awesome .
Can't believe it's 21 years old

 

[alf cockle]

No doubt about it with my 2001 sil sp,bought new.It took 2 years for me to really like that guitar...now it is 11 years old,the neck behaves itself and the tones are good..it has definitely aged well.I was ready to dump it at first,then things just worked out.My 2001 axis sport was a winner from the get go..I see no improvement with age,as it was perfect to start with.I*m glad to have held on to the sil sp,as it*s my go to guitar...BUT it took time and patience.

 

[acwild]

Totally stock , never been set up by a tech and still the guitar i would never sell . Totally mint apart from major fret ware and it sounds freaking awesome .
Can't believe it's 21 years old

21 and it still looks like that? Man, you need to play that guitar more.
I'm loving the heck out of your AL! Awesome finish!