Questions about the Benji Madden signature

[CloseYetFar]

Back when I was 14(in 2004), and knew virtually nothing about guitars I thought Benji Madden was super cool..And since I only had a ****ty like $200 Johnson guitar, I asked for a Ernie Ball Benji Madden signature (with the white matte finish) for Christmas... I remember it costing about $1,200 or so when I ordered it from Guitar Center.. Anyway.. It came around March 2005..And I remember from day 1 thinking it really didn't sound that great. I assumed at the time, that maybe it was just my guitar playing or my amp.. In 2006 I got a $400 or so Marshall Amp for Xmas, and had advanced greatly at guitar, and still I didn't like the sound off this guitar. When I played the Johnson or when one of my friends would be over that had a $300 or so guitar on that AMP, it would sound a lot better than my $1000+ Ernie Ball Music Man..
ANYWAY...This past week, after having had this guitar for half a decade, I decided to look up reviews on it. And pretty much everything I've found, except for stuff written by people with SN's that were clearly rabid teenage Good Charlotte fans, were absolutely scathing. One review even called it "one humbucker of a travesty", and said it was like paying $1000 for a Fender Squire/that it's almost exactly the same as the $400 OLP version.

So anyway.. I was wondering is the Benji Madden Signature Ernie Ball Music Man a guitar that was skimped on... Is it truly inferior to other Music Man models?

I'm most likely going to sell it/trade it in and get an ESP LTD KH-202 or the ESP LTD M-300FM... But I just really want to know the truth on this Ernie Ball.. Because I kind of feel as though I was scammed, if it is in fact an inferior guitar.

 

[Dizzy]

Mate,

This thread won't last long, as everything about the BM model has been discussed to death (do a thread search)

You didn't get scammed - it just sounds like it wasn't for you.

It would have also come strung with 12's and tuned to C - so unless the other guitars you mentioned were set up the same they're going to sound and play a whole lot differently.

The BM is basically a 1HB Silhouette Special - a very popular guitar in the EBMM lineup, specced for Benji.

 

[TonyEVH5150]

The Benji guitar is basically a Silhouette Special with one humbucker. You didn't get scammed at all. I think the only other difference is that the Benji had a basswood body, where the Silo Special is Alder. Basswood can sound muddy sometimes, depending on the density of the wood.

I played one of these at a GC, and came really close to walking out with it. I thought it sounded great. Sounded really good with heavy gauge strings and tuned down to D or C. had alot of chug to it.

Tone is in the ear of the beholder. Some guitars just don't work for some people. Heck, if I had the money right now, I'd offer to buy it off of you.

 

[CloseYetFar]

Thanks for the info..It's good to know the stuff I read was incorrect.

I'm going to try buying 12's for it....and see if it makes any difference for me. Part of me wants to keep the guitar, since I have had it for so long and in a way it's a collectors item.. but I usually play more heavy metal type stuff, and I'm not sure I can afford to flat buy a new guitar.

Does anyone know if it's possible to switch the pickup out with EMGs?

 

[CloseYetFar]

oh and is it possible to install a wammy bar on this model?

 

[Dizzy]

oh and is it possible to install a wammy bar on this model?

Not without serious routing and mods.

 

[koogie2k]

Thanks for the info..It's good to know the stuff I read was incorrect.

I'm going to try buying 12's for it....and see if it makes any difference for me. Part of me wants to keep the guitar, since I have had it for so long and in a way it's a collectors item.. but I usually play more heavy metal type stuff, and I'm not sure I can afford to flat buy a new guitar.

Does anyone know if it's possible to switch the pickup out with EMGs?

Yes, you can put EMG's in it. Like it was stated earlier it is a Silo which is one of the most popular guitars in the fleet. It is going to sound different. Also, it you change the tunings you need to adjust the set up of the guitar. Personally, I played one before. I am just not a Silo fan. Mostly the feel of the neck. I am just a JP fanboi I guess.

Trading it for a LTD? Up to you...but...I wouldn't.

 

[brownpants69]

Doesn't Joe Walsh play a Benji? If it's good enough for Joe Walsh...

Just sell it on- someone will be glad to buy it off of you.

Also, am I right in thinking it's not an out and out "metal" pickup on that model? Maybe just a pickup swap would be what you are after? After all, its a MusicMan and its got to be a good sounding hunk of wood- never played one that hasn't been...

 

[GHWelles]

Doesn't Joe Walsh play a Benji? If it's good enough for Joe Walsh...

Yes, when they do Hotel California no less.

Basswood would be awesome on that guitar. I want one.

 

[patpark]

Not trying to derail this thread too much, but the Sterling by Music Man Silo30 is made of basswood and has a the vintage trem.

In case any of you guys were looking for a Silo w/ basswood body.

 

[TonyEVH5150]

Also, am I right in thinking it's not an out and out "metal" pickup on that model? Maybe just a pickup swap would be what you are after? After all, its a MusicMan and its got to be a good sounding hunk of wood- never played one that hasn't been...

I think it's a Dimarzio Virtual PAF on the Benji.

Not trying to derail this thread too much, but the Sterling by Music Man Silo30 is made of basswood and has a the vintage trem.

In case any of you guys were looking for a Silo w/ basswood body.

Pat, can't wait for mine to come in. Ordered one from Pete, and waiting for them to ship.

 

[ShaneV]

Not trying to derail this thread too much, but the Sterling by Music Man Silo30 is made of basswood and has a the vintage trem.

In case any of you guys were looking for a Silo w/ basswood body.

I need you to sneak into the factory and slap a maple fretboard neck on one of the white ones for me

I'd try swapping pickups on the Benji if you haven't done that yet. The right pickups can bring just about any guitar to life. Other than that, I'll keep my feelings about that model to myself.

 

[CloseYetFar]

I need you to sneak into the factory and slap a maple fretboard neck on one of the white ones for me

I'd try swapping pickups on the Benji if you haven't done that yet. The right pickups can bring just about any guitar to life. Other than that, I'll keep my feelings about that model to myself.

I'm getting ready to go right now to price out getting the pickup switched / how much id get if I traded it in.
How much approx is it worth used? Its in mint aside from a few slight nicks in the matte paint near the bottom. (Not from me but from a maid that decided my guitar belonged wedged between a piano keyboard and the wall instead of the chair I kept it on)

 

[koogie2k]

People will pay what they think it is worth. I am not sure what they go for...but...to be honest....not as much as you may think.

 

[CloseYetFar]

People will pay what they think it is worth. I am not sure what they go for...but...to be honest....not as much as you may think.

I don't have high hopes.. haha Ebay people are bidding like $50 on a Benji in a diff color.. And Guitar Center offered me $280 X_x

 

[peterd79]

I don't have high hopes.. haha Ebay people are bidding like $50 on a Benji in a diff color.. And Guitar Center offered me $280 X_x

where ya located?

 

[mwinemil]

I have some interest in a Benji, but only because I could just do the Benji what I'm about to do to my Sub 1 (new neck pup, custom per pickup switching, pick guard) the problem is for what the Benji cost I can just do the mods to my Sub1 and it will be amazing .

 

[Slav123]

USED MUSICMAN BENJI MADDEN MODEL WHT
Guitar Center Hollywood
Hollywood, California 90046
323-874-1060
Now Only
$599.99

I thought about buying it a few times in beginning of this year. It has an uncommon MH and I think it looks really cool in white with a maple board. GC Hollywood had it there for a while now and they have dropped the price a few months ago from $699.99 to the current price. It's a shame, they seem like really cool looking and playing guitars.

Slav

 

[browndog]

^^^
Nice!

Gut it, route it, new pups & p/g and you got a beauty.

 

[mwinemil]

^^^
Nice!

Gut it, route it, new pups & p/g and you got a beauty.

This brings up an interesting point I suppose I hadn't thought of. Is there anything under that pickguard other than a bridge humbucker route?