• Ernie Ball
  • MusicMan
  • Sterling by MusicMan
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May 28, 2024
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I just found out about an incredibly rare Silhouette, made by Dudley Gimpel's team, with Dudley personally involved with the construction of this particular guitar. It's a 2003 Silhouette, finished in Petrucci's Color Shifting Paint. This guitar has never been offered in this finish, outside of Petrucci's model. Matching headstock, custom color-matching Pearlized guard. This guitar was custom ordered by Lee Dickson, Eric Clapton's long time Guitar Tech with Dudley's guidance. The guitar was built as a favor to Lee as a result of his hard work collaborating with Eric and Sterling on some potential "signature" guitars that never came to be... The guitar is mint/never played, "case queen" with two chrome covered Dimarzio Pickups, and chrome trem. All case candy, COA from Lee Dickson personally, and the chance to own a one of a kind, unplayed early 2000's Silhouette in an amazing "flip flop" finish with matching headstock. Any ideas what this guitar is worth??
 
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Joined
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I didn't know about Dudley Gimpel, and how much he'd contributed to MM. I'm now the lucky owner of this guitar, which was bequeathed to me, and I'll need to insure it. I'm not selling it, but I DO need to know how much more value does it hold over a standard Silhouette for my Policy? I'll post pictures once it arrives!
 

DrKev

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I didn't know about Dudley Gimpel, and how much he'd contributed to MM. I'm now the lucky owner of this guitar, which was bequeathed to me, and I'll need to insure it. I'm not selling it, but I DO need to know how much more value does it hold over a standard Silhouette for my Policy? I'll post pictures once it arrives!
Dudley was chief engineer for decades, his skills are in the design of just about every model from 1985 to 2016 (at least). But I don't think his "personal" involvement here (if indeed there was any) doesn't add anything in particular to the value. And Lee Dickson is an even less well known name and I don't think that brings anything to the value either. Had it been a Clapton-owned and used guitar, that would be different. But it's not.

What you'll have a is a very nice, one-off Silhouette. As a one-off it's irreplaceable but on the other hand it's possibly just a Silhouette with a non-standard paint job. There are other (reasonably well known) artists who had one-off paint job guitars made and they often don't sell for more than the standard model, unless the right buyer comes along who absolutely must have it right there and then, but that's rare. I'd suggest you look at final sold listings of other Limited Edition and BFR Silhouettes and that's your ballpark for insurance.

How does anyone else feel about that? Am I way off base?
 
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Thanks Kev! I was looking through comparables/Sold models on Reverb, and the top of the top Silhouettes are fetching right around 2K, with many selling for half of that. Dudley's signature is in the neck pocket, with a dedication "To Lee" so I know for sure Dudley was involved, as he took the order and spec'd it for Lee's personal use. It's nice to own a small piece of MM history, however insignificant
 

Sweat

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Dr Kev has a point but still most likely a one off and damn cool, not worth 10's of thousands but I likey
 

GWDavis28

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That is wicked cool and Dudley is one of the nicest guys I’ve met!!

Glenn |B)
 

tbonesullivan

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Ahh.... yet listing shows no picture of case or the COA, and still no idea what pickups are actually in the guitar. IMHO this is a guitar for playing, not for collecting.
 

DrKev

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"Custom made by Dudley with design assistance from Sterling Ball". Without COA or knowing what pickups they are it's a standard Silhouette with a paint job and no middle pickup. And he said he wasn't gonna sell. I gave him the benefit of the doubt but I shoulda known better. 🙄

Anyhoo, price is top end of the ball park of 20th Anniversary Silos and Gold Rollers. Maybe Jeff will snag it if the price comes down a little.
 
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