History of EB MM guitars

[Smellybum]

Dargie was available over many shapes and models.... the Luke - (inc piezeo!)

 

[Smellybum]

1 of 1

and media coverage!

 

[Spudmurphy]

From the thread on the General Discussion forum

I'd love to see owners pics of the early [mid 80's] Silhouettes with the EB eagle on them - I believe they were in 4 colours - Blue, Green, Yellow and Pink? Never seen any confirmation... They had black hardware too! There's a pic of one in the book 'The Ultimate Guitar Book' by Tony Bacon [page 79]. Interested to see the trem in more detail as well as more info...

So how's about it lads?

 

[dusty fretz]

Three Silhouettes carrying the Ernie Ball Eagle came into the UK in 1988 - one blue (HSS), one pink (SSS), one yellow (HSS), i.e. corresponding to the Slinky string set colours (no green to my knowledge). I bought the blue example at the time and this is pictured in The Ultimate Guitar Book. I eventually ended up with the other two, being offered both on the same day and naturally unable to refuse! Only the yellow Silhouette carries a serial number and I've been told this is one of two made, while the pink and blue examples are apparently one-offs, although a second in blue has cropped up on here, so who knows? All employ black-plated metalwork and the Schaller-made vibrato. This trio still occupies pride of place in my Silhouette collection, which now includes quite a few other rarities, including s/n 86006 and my most recent addition: a custom one-off featuring twin MM90s and a standard single-coil in the centre, along with the eagle on the body, as I thought it'd be great to see this feathered friend take flight again!

 

[Sweat]

OK Spud cannot add history from 20+ plus years ago but have a few current history items and remember it gets better as new evolves, much better actually

Heres a nice 20th Silo from 2006 wish i liked 24 frets

The one I am pissed got away DD I Luke rare and loaded Again 2006

Limited edition Luke Sparkle back, again right at the start of the BFR phase, now belongs to MikeVT

LE 2007 Blue Dawn, sweet guitar, yea I am crazy

History?? Well Lord Bovine is EBMM royalty

Again 2007 but BFR era KOA ASS now belongs to Big Jazzer in the UK sweet axe

Stratus Blue ASS early 2000's cool guitar hot pups!!

OK more later I am tired

 

[Bluplirst]

Three Silhouettes carrying the Ernie Ball Eagle came into the UK in 1988 - one blue (HSS), one pink (SSS), one yellow (HSS), i.e. corresponding to the Slinky string set colours (no green to my knowledge). I bought the blue example at the time and this is pictured in The Ultimate Guitar Book. I eventually ended up with the other two, being offered both on the same day and naturally unable to refuse! Only the yellow Silhouette carries a serial number and I've been told this is one of two made, while the pink and blue examples are apparently one-offs, although a second in blue has cropped up on here, so who knows? All employ black-plated metalwork and the Schaller-made vibrato. This trio still occupies pride of place in my Silhouette collection, which now includes quite a few other rarities, including s/n 86006 and my most recent addition: a custom one-off featuring twin MM90s and a standard single-coil in the centre, along with the eagle on the body, as I thought it'd be great to see this feathered friend take flight again!

Pics or you're full of it

 

[dusty fretz]

I understand the need for pics to support my statement and I do have shots of a few of my Silhouettes, taken for books, magazines etc. However, I have a steam-powered computer and a brain to match, so I would really appreciate an ultra-easy, step-by-step guide as to how I post these images on here, and with the explanation couched in terms a confirmed technophobe like myself could comprehend! Otherwise, I can only indicate which reading matter to look in.

 

[straycat113]

First a beauty of a stop tail Red EVH and yes Spud those are the correct numbers.

Keith I enjoyed your slide show of off the chart creme de la creme guitars that you have parted with.

dusty someone will guide you on how to post pics, and do not feel bad as I would believe you have me beat on working a computer as I am sure you can type with more than one finger lol.

 

[Jamie M]

I have a 2001 ASS. Is this to new to put on this thread chaps?

 

[Spudmurphy]

Are you able to e mail them to me ?
Spudwales(at)googlemail(dot)com

just replace (at) with @
and (dot) with .
no spaces

I'll put them onto photobucket and posy them for you.

These are the kind of things we need to get on this thread?

 

[Spudmurphy]

I have a 2001 ASS. Is this to new to put on this thread chaps?

Hi Jamie

Well I was looking to get some kinda historical reference here, for example

"heres a picture of XYZ guitar - only 123456 were produced in 1895 and this one has the photon torpedo attachment".

So I dunno - I'll leave it to you.

 

[Phrat]

Scanned from a book on guitars I have, this must be an old and pretty rare example of a silohuette!

 

[Slav123]

Here are a few of mine and some pics for Spuds!

Here's my very special 1996 Trans-Blue Quilt top Axis (from EVH to Axis transition year, has the EVH style neck plate). She even came with the hard to find original Axis User Guide/Manual!

and no Mat, she's not for sale!!!


My 1999 Honey Burst Quilt top Axis (recessed neck plate)

and my 2000 Trans-Gold Quilt top Axis (recessed neck plate and the one that got me to love the Axis guitars again)

Slav

 

[dusty fretz]

Many thanks Spud for your kind offer to do the donkey work posting pics of some of my Silhouettes and I'll soon be sending them to you as requested, along with relevant details. Actually one of mine has just appeared on here, courtesy of Phrat. This is from the same year as the Eagle Silos (1988) and if I remember right, Dudley Gimpel told me that he achieved the abstract graphic pattern using a fork! This one-off example came to me via a contact in Germany, so it's been around a bit.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Many thanks Spud for your kind offer to do the donkey work posting pics of some of my Silhouettes and I'll soon be sending them to you as requested, along with relevant details. Actually one of mine has just appeared on here, courtesy of Phrat. This is from the same year as the Eagle Silos (1988) and if I remember right, Dudley Gimpel told me that he achieved the abstract graphic pattern using a fork! This one-off example came to me via a contact in Germany, so it's been around a bit.

wow eagerly awaiting this.

I did send Ming from Strings n Things instructions on how to use a photobucket account but at the end of the day we ended up talking over the phone to resolve the problem.

Thanks very much for this.
Spud

 

[Spudmurphy]

Ok so I got the photos from Dusty fretz and you guys are in for a treat!!!


Here's the narrative from Dusty ... ...

1. Silhouette Slinky Eagle Collection
These three were imported here in 1988. I also have a nice, 'posed' studio shot of the same trio, done for Making Music mag. If you want this I can hopefully scan it and send that too.

2. Three Silhouettes
The black example is s/n 86006 and was the first Silhouette into the UK, used for the Strings & Things literature of the time. It's quite crude in comparison to those that soon followed, but still a great guitar.
The next is s/n 89199 and one of a limited number that came into the UK featuring a natural ash body.
The third along is s/n 89133 and is supposedly one of only two finished in 'True Blue'.

3. This is the one-off custom that Dudley did for me last year, the sunburst being a blend of Sterling Silver and Ice Blue finishes, while twin MM90s bracket a straight-sided single-coil borrowed from the Steve Morse model. It's fantastic and a more than worthy successor to the earlier Eagles.

I'm afraid that's all I have photo-wise, which is a pity, as most of my Silhouette collection comprises rarities, one-offs, customs or specials.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Bit of history on my favourite guitar courtesy of BP's blog

In the middle of 1986 I went to lunch with Dudley and said “lets design something whacky…I mean Jetson’s whacky ….50’s retro space age…but make it balance like a strat. Back then before computer drafting and design you actually had to draw it. He went to work and I loved the thing on paper. Dudley finished it in time for the Ernie Ball company Christmas party where Albert and The Allstars were playing. I was so excited I showed it to Albert…..”Look what Dudley made for me!” Albert said “Oh Dear or Goodness me” and fell in love with it and I gave it to him on the spot. I owned it for 10 seconds. Dudley didn’t mind and Albert now played one of our guitars but it was called the Axis and it didn’t get put into production until 1993 as the Albert Lee model.

and here's a photo of a 93 Pinkburst- courtesy of a photo posted by coffeemug

The AL was initially introduced with SSS Pickups then later MM90's were introduced
here's a pic of my MM90 Albert Lee 2006 Limited Edition

Other options are Piezo

and Hardtail with SSS or MM90 and Piezo

(courtesy of Slav 123 -Even though the HH AL's were officially introduced/launched in 2010, there was a limited color run as a Guitar Center exclusive in December of 2009 (I believe that it [Slav's HH AL - picture in a later post] was made in November 2009). The mighty Humbucker Al was introduced to the "wider audience" in 2010

and don't forget the Big Al Bass

 

[Luc]

Ok so I got the photos from Dusty fretz and you guys are in for a treat!!!


Here's the narrative from Dusty ... ...
(....)
I'm afraid that's all I have photo-wise, which is a pity, as most of my Silhouette collection comprises rarities, one-offs, customs or specials.

Wow Spud, thanks for that post! Have been around here for quite some time but never saw these guitars before! PS There once was a french forum member with a blue eagled silo like you posted, but can't remember his nickname.

 

[Luc]

The Limited Edition of 2007 was a reissue of the (well at least on this forum) popular finish Blue Dawn.
Here's an example, a one of 70'ish Blue Dawn Luke.

 

[Slav123]

Wow Spud, thanks for that post! Have been around here for quite some time but never saw these guitars before!

+1, those are some crazy looking Silo's!

Even though the HH AL's were officially introduced/launched in 2010, I had purchased this very limited color run as a Guitar Center exclusive in December of 2009 (I believe that it was made in November 2009). Here's my Hot Rod Red HH AL:

and my 2005 Fully Loaded JP6 in the discontinued Lava Pearl (Magma!)

Love this color!