Silhouette Special - SO many different beasts in just a single model...

[Axilla]

Oh boy,

had a first rehearsal with the boys yesterday after 6 weeks of recovering from 7 broken ribs in a modabike accident. I gave my 3 Silo Specs a little care and new strings and took them with me to our rehearsal place.
It happens quite rarely that I have more than one of my Silos with me. Man was I fascinated when comparing them at "stage"-volume side by side. Incredible just HOW different they sound.

For example, my Pearl Purple and my Pearl Lavender both feature a maple neck/maple fretboard, a trem, and even the same pickups in the neck and middle position. While the Lavender one sound twangy and vibrantly alive in sort of a good old vintage Str@t tradition, the Pearl Purple one shares its long sustain but apart from that sounds just so COMPLETELY different - more modern, although she is many years older and has seen 13 years of excessive abuse.

Then again, my Candy Red one has a rosewood fretboard and a hardtail. Here again - same Kinman AVn '56 singlecoils in the neck and middle position, but tonally also a completely different beast. More warmth, less snap, great sustain and a cutting midrange to rock away on it...

...I'm psyched - what a world of sounds out of one guitar model (remember - PUs are the same...).

This is sort of a love declaration to what I believe is one of the greatest instruments ever issued to guitarists. What a versatility in tones ! ! !

I'm sold...

...and after years as a Siloist - I'm still in love

 

[PugNinjas]

That's great when you can try out each of your guitars in a live setting. It just goes to prove that although they might be the same model, the tonal differences are bound to be apparent.

 

[candid_x]

Ax, first it’s great to hear that you’re recovering on schedule and are back to playing with your band.

Like Pug said, it’s cool to test your Silo Specials and interesting the discoveries you make about each one in real world performance conditions.

When I play with the idea of getting a third Music Man, they’re all intriquing to me, some naturally more than others. But I wind up coming back to another version of a Silo Special. I’d still like to set a SSS one up with either Fralin blues specials or vintage hots, to get closer to actual vintage Strat tones. Think I’d stay with a trem, even though I lock ‘em up with 5 springs.

Maybe it’s just me, but I think perception of this modern classic is undergoing a bit of revolution, in the sense of seeing them as a great foundation for personal modifications, rather than a purest approach of keeping it original factory equipped. I'm sorta guessing that may have been the original plan in the first place.

One thing is for sure: I'll always keep a stock SSS Silo Special around. I really like the signature Silo Special sounds which comes from these pickups.

 

[Axilla]

I'm absolutely with you, Candid - Silo Spec is a fantastic platform for customization, but yeah - me too, I kept 2 of the original S/S/S pickguards that came with my Silos.
The cool thing is the "hot-swap" changeability of the pickguards using the quick-connects.

What a guitar if you love to fool around with different configs - like me...

 

[Roubster]

They definitely are amazing guitars that will outperform almost anything out there. I am loving my Silo Special more and more. The one thing I am really waiting for is the BFR Silo Special...I really hope that one comes into being at some point. I love tinkering around with my guitars as well to make them my own. Of course nothing drastic, but it is true that it is really easy to change the pickguards and pups. Plus swapping a pickguard will give you a totally different looking guitar if you only have one and want a change.

 

[Axilla]

The one thing I am really waiting for is the BFR Silo Special...I really hope that one comes into being at some point.

Oh yeah - most definitely ME TOO ME WANT ONE

 

[fogman]

my next may be a SS.
still weighing the SSS 2 SSH thing.

 

[Axilla]

my next may be a SS.
still weighing the SSS 2 SSH thing.

Oh Foggy, no problem on this behalf !

You just choose H/S/S and I will be happy to send you my second spare original EBMM S/S/S pickguard equipped with completely original EBMM electronics & PUs for your invaluable service to our community here.
No joke, pal - should you decide to buy a Silo Special, PLEASE drop me a line or PM. I'll be really happy to send you the stuff you need to temporarily change from H/S/S to S/S/S as I have 2 complete sets of those and only need one for swapping.

Cheers

Axel

 

[robelinda2]

Yep I agree, the silo special is a beast! I always take a few guitars to gigs to try out, usually a SSS Silo Special, and a HSS silo special. Funny with the different options they sound different.

 

[whitestrat]

...and after years as a Siloist - I'm still in love

That's a cool term! Siloist... Thanks man! I'm proud to proclaim myself one too!

Are the single pups on your lavender and the purple one the same?

P.S. Glad to know your recovery is on track...

 

[the24thfret]

I gotta grab one. Nice write-up, and congrats on three nice natty stocks!

 

[Axilla]

That's a cool term! Siloist... Thanks man! I'm proud to proclaim myself one too!

Are the single pups on your lavender and the purple one the same?

Hey whitestrat,

thou shall be called "WhiteSiloist" from now on

Yeah, the single coils in my 3 Silo Specials are all the same. They are those awesome "AVn '56" models from Chris Kinman (Fender guitars, Noiseless Single Coil Pickups). Beautifully rich vintage strat tone, not so easily overdriven (I play a Diezel high gain amp, so caution here...), and COM-PLE-TE-LY humfree. The reason they might not be looking the same is that Chris offers a variety of branded and non-branded covers in different colors/finishes.
The fun thing is, that they actually standup against high gain really well. Had my pearl lavender one (S/S/S in that config) with me last weekend and ran it on the bridge PU in ultra high gain. Cool sound and didn't even cut off my ears
...downside as with all good equipment: They're expensive.

Cheers

Axel

 

[whitestrat]

Yeah, the single coils in my 3 Silo Specials are all the same. They are those awesome "AVn '56" models from Chris Kinman (Fender guitars, Noiseless Single Coil Pickups). Beautifully rich vintage strat tone, not so easily overdriven (I play a Diezel high gain amp, so caution here...), and COM-PLE-TE-LY humfree. The reason they might not be looking the same is that Chris offers a variety of branded and non-branded covers in different colors/finishes.
The fun thing is, that they actually standup against high gain really well. Had my pearl lavender one (S/S/S in that config) with me last weekend and ran it on the bridge PU in ultra high gain. Cool sound and didn't even cut off my ears
...downside as with all good equipment: They're expensive.

AVn56s? The Traditional MKII set? Kinmans? Hahahaha... Yeah. I used to have every set that Chris makes. My favourites were the Hank Marvin FV-HMS sets. Those were beautiful! The Woodstocks were nice... way too wild for me to tame. That HX85 pup he makes is killer. Heh... You didn't order them with his K7/K9 harnesses?

But ever since I've tried the Fender CS69s, I never looked back. Combine those with the EBMM Silent Circuit, and I've got my perfect tone... I sold every Kinman set I had. The 69s were my holy grail in single coils... I've never found another set I liked more.

 

[Axilla]

Yepp, the lavender Silo has the complete Traditional MKII set, the two others just the AVn 65 PUs in neck & middle.
I don't know the 7ender CS sets, but I rather stick to my Kinmans for I love their sound in my Balls and am completely happy with the "humfreeness" compared to other PUs I tried. I just love them

 

[whitestrat]

Yepp, the lavender Silo has the complete Traditional MKII set, the two others just the AVn 65 PUs in neck & middle.
I don't know the 7ender CS sets, but I rather stick to my Kinmans for I love their sound in my Balls and am completely happy with the "humfreeness" compared to other PUs I tried. I just love them

Yeah... problem with the kinmans, were that after a while, I began noticing somethin very sterile about them. Like they weren't as dynamic as they should have been...

So the CS69s really caught me with my pants down...