Bought an old Silo on the internet

[Casper]

I had been on a merry-go-round over the last months trying to find a mate for my LIII. I had bought a Silo Special, but hated the pickups and let it go. Then I realized I missed it and that I could have just put new pickups in..(such an idiot)..anyway, I began to re-hunt for one. Well, I stumbled upon a 95 Silo for sale at guitarsandeffects .com. It already had 3 emg singles!Plus its a very cool metallic purple.
It looks almost new and the guy says its in excellent shape! Differences are Grover Locking Tuners, Wilkinson trem..I'll post pics when it arrives. I'm hoping it has the same neck profile as the 08 I let go of. Anybody here have older Silhouettes? I wonder if the Wilkinson and the Grovers are mods, or just what EBMM was using at the time?
Any thoughts?
Should get this baby tomorrow..

 

[DrKev]

Nice score! The Grovers and Wilkinson are most probably original. I can't wait to see the photos!

 

[Tubes4Tone]

I have 2 Silo Specials. One is a 99 & the other is a 96. My 96 model is a deep Purple with the Wilkinson vintage trem and it "did have" the Grover tuners. I absolutely HATED the Grover tuners so I ordered the Schaller locking tuners from EBMM...HUGE IMPROVEMENT !!

I really like the Wilkinson vintage trem...ALOT. So it WILL remain on this Purple Silo. My pickups are stock for the time being but if I change pickups....I will stick with DiMarzio. Love those pickups !!

I hope this helps.

 

[Metropolis777]

Here's the link. I was looking hard at that one. It was screaming David Gilmour to me. Unfortunately, I've been searching for SRV instead! Have fun! I'm sure it will be awesome.

Musicman Ernie Ball Silhouette

 

[imastratoholic]

That is a beauty! Congrats.

 

[fsmith]

I guess they didn't differentiate the 22 fret model as a Silhouette Special back then huh? Nice guitar anyhow, excellent snag.

 

[Casper]

Yep, I couln't help myself. the emgs will compete with the LIIIs pickups too, so not having to change gain staging in the rig will help. I was nervous about the Wilkinson, never had one or used one, but have heard mixed reviews. The grovers appear to be the same as on an old Anderson I had ..I still have the key somewhere! thanks for posting the link Metro!! Real time pics and player review coming soon! I believe she arrives tomorrow in time for my Friday night gig! thanks All

 

[DrKev]

Wilkinson trems are great. High quality units.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

Looks similar to a mid 90's 22 fret purple silo I posted some years ago with EMGs (HSS) for very little money. I was taking lessons at the place at the time and I still don't know why I didn't buy it.

 

[skerwo]

Nice Silo Spec! It really should be a 1995, it´s the first year that EBMM was building the Silo Spec. The Special letters on the headstock appeared in 1996. The Wilkinson trem is a great choice, seams to be a 6 point VSV. I also would change the Grover tuners into the Schaller locking tuners. They´re the best tuners around.

Let us hear how it sounds with the EMGs.

I also had a 1995 Silo Spec, I think the neck is a little beefier than the new ones. Not that much. Now I´ve got my 2006 HSH Silo, that´s the perfect guitar and the only one I play.

 

[Casper]

Man! Love this axe! I had time enough to clean-restring and replace the battery for a gig after I got it Friday! The neck does feel a little beefier than the 08 Silo Spec I had.. I like this one better. Birdseye maple with Rosewood fretboard. The emgs are a little bass-heavy, so I hope to make a few adjustments this week. Not crazy about the Wilkinson bridge either, but the guitar appeared to be intonated well. The grovers appear to be fine. I may see about replacing the bridge and tuners later. I love the emgs on this axe. the paint is good and I worked on the pick scratching with all I had, but was unable to lighten it. Still a beautiful axe. Don't know if I can get current hardare from EBMM, but I will look into it..Thanks all

 

[luv]

(ehem....lose the pearloid.)

did I type that out loud?

 

[DrKev]

Hmm, black pearl could be pretty darn awesome with that purple.

 

[luv]

^ Possibly. I'd have a hard time resisting mint green.

 

[Casper]

As good as the pictures look, they really don't do the color justice. Its a light metallic purple or deep burgundy..I would almost call it plum..and I disagree, the aged pearliod sets it off! (hey, thats why they make salt & pepper, eh?)
I will post more pics when I get this scratch remover next week and go back over it. Also, i put chrome knobs on and got rid of the plastic black ones. Changed the look alot. Now I need to get rid of the dirty nickel Wilkinson bridge..(any suggestions?) EBMM won't sell me the current and AJ isn't sure it would fit anyway. I also wish it had the compensated nut, but it plays in tune, (except for the tremolo use)..just ramblin' folks..fell free to opine further...(but the pearliod stays!!!

Shaun

 

[Spudmurphy]

I'm "late to the party".
Hey what a really nice looking guitar.

Did they build them with EMG's?

I love the staggered cut outs on the rear plate - I love the white pearloid as it is.

Leave the wilkinson trem on there too.

 

[John C]

As good as the pictures look, they really don't do the color justice. Its a light metallic purple or deep burgundy..I would almost call it plum..and I disagree, the aged pearliod sets it off! (hey, thats why they make salt & pepper, eh?)
I will post more pics when I get this scratch remover next week and go back over it. Also, i put chrome knobs on and got rid of the plastic black ones. Changed the look alot. Now I need to get rid of the dirty nickel Wilkinson bridge..(any suggestions?) EBMM won't sell me the current and AJ isn't sure it would fit anyway. I also wish it had the compensated nut, but it plays in tune, (except for the tremolo use)..just ramblin' folks..fell free to opine further...(but the pearliod stays!!!

Shaun

Shaun - also late to the party but that's a really nice original Silhouette Special you have there; sorry you need a replacement for the Wilkinson. I would search the guitar part warehouses like Stew-Mac to see if you can turn up replacement parts or a replacement trem. As others have said the Wilkinson and the locking Grovers were stock for the first couple of years of the model, and your's has to be a 1995 since it doesn't have the "Special" on the headstock decal.

I'm "late to the party".
Hey what a really nice looking guitar.

Did they build them with EMG's?

I love the staggered cut outs on the rear plate - I love the white pearloid as it is.

Leave the wilkinson trem on there too.

Spud - the EMGs would be aftermarket; the originals would have been whatever DiMarzios EBMM was using at the time. The pickguard looks pretty stock (didn't all of the early ones have pearloid pickguards or was that just an option that all the dealers added?) so I'm assuming this one started life as the SSS version, not the HSS version.

 

[Casper]

Thanks John and Spud- The emgs are awesome, had to adjust them abit as it was bass heavy, but they are dead quiet, powerful and sound fantastic through my Mesa Blue Angel. I am waiting on this "revolutionary" new scratch remover to go over some of the blemishes next week..will post pics then. The Dimarzios EBMM uses (except for my LIII, are weak in comparison and don't have a lot of sustain (to my ears). this guitaris a great match and differs from the LIII to keep my sets interesting. the Wilkinson trem doesn't stay in tune very well..I would LOVE to have a current bridge, but whatyever I replace this with will need to cover the 6 holes? Gotoh has a Wilkinson design? Any thoughts here would be great? Im need to measure the posts to start looking in the right direction. The grover tuners will be fine for me (had them on a Tom Anderson for years).. Shaunj

 

[DrKev]

If you go for a two-point design, you'll probably have to drill the guitar top to accommodate the larger posts and the remaining screw holes may still be partly visible. Wilkinson is still making great trems. Check out the WV6 or WVP6. And Gotoh make fine gear too, including some Wilkinson designs. Make sure you accurately measure the spacing of the screws and string spacing when choosing your new trem.

 

[skerwo]

Shaun, on my former 1995 Silo Spec I had the trem also changed. It was done by the former owner. I got a 2-point Hipshot Trem that worked very well. You have to drill up the outside holes, the other ones are visible, look at the pictures.

And John C and Shaun, mine also had the pearloid pickguard and I agree that the stock pups (Di Marzios) were ok, but the guitar really comes up by changing the pups.


Rainer