A.L. and Silo Spec. SSS comparisons anyone?

[Oldtoe]

Help a bass moe out!

Obviously I'm trying to decide on an EBMM guitar with three single coils to satisfy my cravings for a Strat-ish guitar to hang on the wall next to my Bongos. To be 100% honest, I'm also trying to make a believer out of the blues prodigy with whom I play who uses a 1960 Stratocaster almost exclusively. But I also really miss having a six-string around the house; so help me, won't you?

I have heard several songs with Mr. Albert Lee playing his signature guitar, but (understandably) it's almost all chicken-picking stuff. Can the AL get nasty if called upon to do so, or would that be more in the realm of the DiMarzio-equipped Silo Special? Can the coil-tapped DiMarzio humbuckers of the Silo and Silo Special do the job I'm attempting to describe with credible single-coil sparkle? Any and all suggestions and pointers are most welcome.

Thanks!

 

[mbgreene]

The AL is what the str*t wishes it were. It can do all the sparkly chimey and quacky stuff, the but has a plated tele style pickup in the bridge which is usually the str*t 's thinnest postion. Pickups are Duncans rather than Dimarzio's in the others.

The Sil Spec has nice classic single coil sounds neck and middle and can dirty up with the bridge humbucker. The neck on the Sil Spec is a bit thinner (finger to thumb) and I find the AL just a bit of a better fit for my personal taste.

I don't have the Silo. It does offer split positions but I can't vouch that the split coil will give you the same tone as the individual singles. Someone else may be able to chime in.

You may also want to try the AL with MM90's. It cleans up very well and gives you credible single coil sounds, they are well voiced and not quite as hot as traditional P90's, but can growl (you bass guys love that word right ) as well and is a great all around guitar to have.

 

[Oldtoe]

I should probably also mention that the kid I play with runs his '60 Strat through a 30-watt Peavey Delta Blues, which really sounds quite phenomenal. Whichever EBMM model you guys think has a good voicing for coupling with that amp will help a lot!

 

[DrBob]

I'm in the lucky position of currently owning both a SSS Silo Special and an Albert, and have had the good fortune to play quite a lot of vintage Strats over the years. My thoughts are that the Silo is a modern Strat killer whilst the Albert buries those pre CBS legends.
As your guy currently plays a 1960 strat I think you know what you have to do..........

 

[beej]

Show him the thread about Tommy selling his classic strat in favour of his Albert

 

[Oldtoe]

Noted, gents!

Thanks.

 

[SteveB]

Ben,

Albert is the way.

 

[mbgreene]

Show him the thread about Tommy selling his classic strat in favour of his Albert

I was thinkin' the same thing Beej - If it works for Tommy - it works

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17913

 

[Spudmurphy]

I can't comment (yet!) on the MM90's. However if you crank the ol' amp up and then you will get a great bluesy tone with the SSS.
If you run it through a pedalboard like I do with the POD xt, it will give you whatever you want.

The AL is one hell of a guitar.

 

[candid_x]

Just one man’s opinion.

I’ve heard it said that the SSH in the 4th position doesn’t have the same Strat-ish vintage quack as the SSS configuration. I can not agree. A lot depends which bucker you have at the bridge as to how well they split. The factory DiMarzio Virtual PAF bucker that MM is currently using in the Sil Spec is tightly focused in the upper mids, and it splits in a most pleasing way. I’ve had several SSS guitars and none have sounded more authentic in the 4th position than my split coil Sils. Since I never used the single at the bridge by itself anyway, the full on bucker is just a huge bonus. I guess if you have several guitars, it’s a mute point, but if you’re relying on just one or two, it’s the most versatile way to go.

 

[candid_x]

Also, will venture a guess, just from hearing sound clips, that at least part of the AL’s “ultra vintage” tone is a result of relatively under wound p’ups, more along the line of Fralin’s vintage variety. Then there’s the ash body and maple which adds to the vintage quality of tone.

In contrast, it “sounds” like (can’t say for sure) the Sil Spec p’ups are slightly over wound, which makes for a fatter breakup on the gain side. For me, that gets back to the greater versatility of the Sil Special. I can get clean enough, though not with the kind of bell-like-sparkle an AL can deliver, with the Sil.

S’all good though.

As an aside, my young ‘un is coming out to visit in Oct. He’s bringing his newish SG (hey, I tried to raise him right!). I told him it’s a good thing I have a woodstove, cuz he’ll want to burn it after playing my Specials.