Silo Special SSH Pickup Selector...

[mikeller]

I am curious about the selector switch on the Silo Special (SSH). I can get 6 distinct tones out of mine.

If the selector is all the way back I get the bridge PUP. Moving towards the neck the next position is the bridge (at least one coil) and the neck. Then there is another position - rather hard to get, but there, and that sounds like an "out of phase" Strat quack. The rest is as expected.

So my question is - are those 6 position switches or 5? Anyone else get this?

TIA

 

[robelinda2]

its pretty cool isnt it!!! When i had a HSS Silo Special i used that position plenty.

You can also get extra tones the same way with the 5 way switch on an Axis Super Sport with 2 humbuckers.

 

[mikeller]

yes - it is very cool. I wish it was intentional with a stop position so it was easier to get....

 

[kissmyaxe]

Ohh man I totally forgot about this...used to use it all the time. Yes though, it is very challenging sometimes to get the postition... anoying, your right they should just have a position set for it.

 

[candid_x]

I forgot about it too. Will have to check it out again.

 

[candid_x]

eeyep, it's a really usable tone. I think a 6 way switch would be too tricky on the fly. But mini toggle wouldn't, say in either 1 or 2 positions, overridden in the others? Wonder if the toggle would color the tone, though. Anyone here try this already?

 

[candid_x]

Had to bump this thread to say, I am seriously digging the 1.5 position! Was practicing some funk rhythms and it really snaps along.

Still curious if anyone has modded a toggle for this position, or used a 6-way switch?

 

[beej]

On my Morses I've wired up the tone control to function as a coil split (gradually grounds one coil as you roll back the tone pot, until you're left with a split coil).

If you don't use the tone control, you could do the same- works perfectly, gives you some good blend sounds, and you don't need to drill for another toggle.

 

[candid_x]

That's interesting, Beej, thanks. Never thought of that. Unfortunately, I use the tone pot a lot.

 

[threeminutesboy]

candid you can use a stack pot like you can see on some tele one for the tone the other one for upgrade beej suggested

 

[candid_x]

Hi Tmb, yes, I guess push/pull is an option, but I've never been fond of them. Thanks. It's not very difficult to catch the niche, so I'll just work with it as is.

 

[beej]

Candid- that one is a "dual concentric pot" - two pots in one, not a push/pull. I also do this on my Morse

 

[roburado]

Jason, did you do that mod yourself?

 

[beej]

Yep- I did the piezo install & the wiring myself. I like to fiddle with it periodically and added the coil split wiring afterwards.

Not that bad a job, really. The hard part was trying to get around the hiss from the preamp. I found it too noisy for my tastes and did all kinds of things (including having the vendor - Graph Tech - send out another preamp). In the end I wired up my own switch to make the mags totally passive and fully disconnect the preamp in the "mag only" position with a little 4PDT toggle.

The only goof on this job was the installation of the battery compartment- all went well, but it didn't sit right. One night later on I went back with the Dremel to route out the cavity a bit more, and (after a few beers) slipped and put a scar in the back of the Morse. Sigh. Covered it up with nail polish (went to a dozen shops to find that colour blue) and now look it as well earned battle scar.

 

[roburado]

Cool. Sounds like you've got a ton of options on top of the already large number of options with the Morse.

 

[roburado]

its pretty cool isnt it!!! When i had a HSS Silo Special i used that position plenty.

You can also get extra tones the same way with the 5 way switch on an Axis Super Sport with 2 humbuckers.

Can you get extra tones with the AL?

 

[candid_x]

Beej, now that's interesting. Are the knobs fairly tight? Push pulls ones I've tried always seemed pretty sloppy.

Second, would you stay within the same rating as the stock single pot, for the Silo mod?

 

[threeminutesboy]

Can you get extra tones with the AL?

Hi Rob, in facts it works only with a humbucker cause that intermediate position splits the humbucker and as you know only single coil on the AL

 

[beej]

Beej, now that's interesting. Are the knobs fairly tight? Push pulls ones I've tried always seemed pretty sloppy.

Yeah- it's a neat way to add another pot. They're "just right" - not too tight, not too loose. I find I can still work both in a live situation without affecting the other.

Second, would you stay within the same rating as the stock single pot, for the Silo mod?

Yes, if you like the sound I'd stick with the same pots. The Morse calls for 250k, but the pots I used were 500k. So I stuck a 500k resistor across the outer lugs of the pot to make it a 250k. (Changes the taper slightly, but it's not really noticeable.)

 

[roburado]

Hi Rob, in facts it works only with a humbucker cause that intermediate position splits the humbucker and as you know only single coil on the AL

Okay. Merci beaucoup.