NGD! A Curious Silhouette Special

[Mincer]

This is a new (to me) very interesting early 1995 Silhouette Special. I have another one, a 2003, but this one is an early one. For starters, it only says 'Silhouette' on the headstock, and is 22 frets. It is pearl purple, which looks black in most light. When I got it, the bridge was rusted, and didn't move at all. I cleaned it up, and replaced the bridge with a Vega Trem. The tuners were replaced with locking Schallers before I got it. It has an early version of the Silent Circuit, with the dummy coil underneath the neck pickup instead of the later cylinder style. The neck has some good birdseye, and the alder body is nice and light. Here it is at a festival I played this week in Florida. Anyone know when the word 'special' was added to the headstock?

 

[Sweat]

Sweet and congrats, nice snag

 

[GWDavis28]

Congrats!!!! Always loved the pearl purple!!! Almost bought one a few times.

Glenn |B)

 

[DrKev]

This is a new (to me) very interesting early 1995 Silhouette Special. I have another one, a 2003, but this one is an early one. For starters, it only says 'Silhouette' on the headstock, and is 22 frets. It is pearl purple, which looks black in most light. When I got it, the bridge was rusted, and didn't move at all. I cleaned it up, and replaced the bridge with a Vega Trem. The tuners were replaced with locking Schallers before I got it. It has an early version of the Silent Circuit, with the dummy coil underneath the neck pickup instead of the later cylinder style. The neck has some good birdseye, and the alder body is nice and light. Here it is at a festival I played this week in Florida. Anyone know when the word 'special' was added to the headstock?

View attachment 58631 View attachment 58632

That is such a cool score! Congratulations!

I think the HSS 22 fret version Silhouette became the Silhouette Special in 1995. There is a red one on Reverb right now

 

[Mincer]

That is such a cool score! Congratulations!

I think the HSS 22 fret version Silhouette became the Silhouette Special in 1995. There is a red one on Reverb right now

So mine might have been right before that, earlier in 1995. Nice!

 

[mikeller]

Great one !!! Congrats

 

[Mincer]

I'd love to experiment with wiring up different pickguards on this- anyone know if modern Silhouette Special pickguards will fit something from 1995? According to this pickguard website, the 90s versions have 8 screws (mine has 9, though) and the humbucker has square corners. I don't know if this is accurate, though.

 

[beej]

No idea. I had this issue with an older Albert Lee, where the screws from the pickguards didn't line up.

 

[GWDavis28]

I'd love to experiment with wiring up different pickguards on this- anyone know if modern Silhouette Special pickguards will fit something from 1995? According to this pickguard website, the 90s versions have 8 screws (mine has 9, though) and the humbucker has square corners. I don't know if this is accurate, though.

Sounds like a customer service question to be honest.

Glenn |B)

 

[Mincer]

Sounds like a customer service question to be honest.

Glenn |B)

I sent them a message yesterday. Let's see what they say.