Sils Vs Ibanez

[ibanezrocker]

EBMM Sil Vs Ibanez

Right now I play an Ibanez S470, but im lookin into the sil's. Could someone tell me the pros and cons to the new sils over my current guitar?

 

[peter71]

I am not the most qulaified person to answer your question, but I figured I would shime in a little bit. Others more sopfhisticated and knowledgable will hopefully offer you better advice.

I was a long time Ibanez Guy. Then I switched to Godin basically because I wanted to try something different, liked the midi capabilities and Godin makes some pretty nice guitars.

When I first tried a sil, the one I own now, it blew them all away. Mostly the neck. I couldn't believe how much better I played with it. You know when you go to a guitar store, grab that $2500 Gibson or PRS or whatever and play it, and you sound better than you ever did at home? That is how this was for me. My fingers seemed to fly around this neck, and I really couldn't stop playing it.

So from an ex Ibanez and Godin guy, I think you would be wise to at least try a Sil for a while and see what you think. I have never played the Ibanez you have, so I can't compare, but I rarely find anything that compares to my sil.

 

[Jimi D]

I played Jems and RGs for years until I found Ernie Ball guitars, and the Silhouette is - for me - a significantly superior animal... The necks are quite different, of course, but if you like the Silhouette neck, the build quality and consistency is definitely better than all but the very best that Ibanez offers (and I've owned a couple Jems that wouldn't rate compared to a Sil)... Silhouettes with the HSH pickup config have the same pickups in them as all the early Jems (777s and 77s) - a pair of PAF Pro humbuckers with a custom wound single coil. Of course, if you go over to Jemsite and ask them which the better guitar is, you'll very likely get a different answer, but the bottom line is that Music Man guitars are in a completely different league than Korean Ibanez guitars... You really should try them for yourself...

 

[ibanezrocker]

So the neck just has all around better feel and playability, or is it faster? or just superior? I just figured i'd ask you guys since you guys have all played one. Unfortuanaly, the Guitar Works + IRC I live by doesnt even carry ebmm guitars. and are there any sil's with the HH configuration or are they discontinued? Thanks for your help.

 

[ibanezrocker]

This is my current guitar http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=S470

seeings how im no expert maybe you guys could compare the two and tell me what you think.

 

[scottie]

Hello IbanezRocker,

Here's my $0.02:

I was a real big fan of Ibanez and am currently in the market for a new guitar as well. I was looking at the S series but I have decided now that I want an Ernie Ball.

As everybody here will tell you, it is a superior product. I'm still trying to figure out which model suits me best and am trying to find each model and try it out before I make my final decision.

So far, I've played a Petrucci and Axis, still trying to find places near me with other in stock.

Anyway, the Petrucci is probaby most like the Ibanez model you're used to and maybe you give it a shot. After all, Petrucci used to be an Ibanez kinda guy, right?

Hope this helps,
--scottie

 

[lock-ny]

the petrucci feels like a custom shop ibanez with an ernie ball feel, I currently have and axis, a silhouette and an Ibanez SA160QM, very similiar to your guitar, and the ernie balls are really a different league or craftmanship. If you like what you have alot you should check out the petrucci, it has a floating bridge like your S, and it has a thin widish neck with 24 frets, if you want something different then try the silhouette, it has a thin neck as well, and very easy to play, and you can change the pups to get it to sound like anything you want it to. the axis has a fatter neck but the fretboard feel thinner and its one of the coolest guitars on the planet, but it doesnt have the body contours that the silhouette has, the silhouette is comfy like a strat, ther axis feels more like playing a tele but its way smaller and thus more comfy, you really need to play a few and see what you like but you will be happy with any of them once you figure out what you want out fo your next guitar, IE: body wood, floating bridge or fixed, floyd or MM trem etc...-

 

[puppiesonacid]

Hi, my name is puppiesonacid and im a former ibanez player. "HI puppiesonacid" hahhaha


yeah ... i can attest to the fact that Ernie Ball is better in feel, looks, ergonomics, electronics, etc...

I have 3 ibanez guitars... and while they have served me well.. and i have had them since i started playing., i am not scared to say that there are better guitars out there, EB being at the top of my personal list.

The S series that you have is a pretty decent guitar. i like the zero resistance trem for double stops staying in tune and the like... but i started hating ibanez's trem systems after a while. They just never felt right to me. I hate lock nuts too. They are cool for breaking off headstocks and still being able to play in tune, but other than that... they are just a hassle to deal with.

EB trems( with thier locking tuner counterparts)... no matter what guitar ive tried ( except for a poorly setup Axis) have stayed in tune better and longer than any floyd rose type trem ive had. they drove me nuts so much i stopped playing lcok trem guitars because they never worked the way they were supposed to.

EB trems are just like vintage strat trems but they stay in tune. I tried a couple Sillohettes and Petrucci's out before i decided to go with EB. i beat the frick out of them and the tuning remained pristine. i had to give it up there... i knew i had found my ideal guitar... a "play all day" neck... great finish, great customer support, an unobtrusive trem system that doesnt have the look that makes you want to play with it... and play with it.. and play with it... its simple and works like its supposed to, and amazingly innovative body designs.




God bless,

Tony

 

[NorM]

I sold an Ibanez JS 100 to help finance my teal Sil. Never regretted it once.

 

[ibanezrocker]

thanks guys!

 

[Jimi D]

Hi, my name is puppiesonacid and im a former ibanez player. "HI puppiesonacid" hahhaha

Ibanez Anonymous? Maybe EB/MM have a basement they can hold meetings in?

 

[ibanezrocker]

that jimi is a funny man

 

[Derek]

Great stuff here guys. Its really cool to see the enthusiasm for our products. The Silhouette was offered from 85 till 93 with four pickup combinations.

HSH
HSS
SSS
HH

Of course now you can only order with the HSH
configuration.

I do see the old HH Sils pop up on e-bay now and again.

D

 

[Hookpunch]

Everyone here is of course going to rave about the Silhouettes, but for an objective view check this link. If you look around the site of this pro-shop you will notice they also carry Fender, Paul Reed Smiths and Parker Flys,


http://www.12fret.com/new/ernie_ball_music_man_silhouette.html

As far as I am concerned my Silhouette is a bargain, quality on par or better than PRS and Parker for not nearly the price.

 

[zabba]

The day I came home with my Silo, I played it for six solid hours.
NormallyI would be tired after 2 hours on my Strat.
The difference is in thee smoothness of the underside of the neck,rThe silo is highly polished wood , no laquer or paint and much less drag aas the hand moved up and down the neck

Secondly the frets were filed and polished much more carefully, there are no sharp edges or protruding frets, making the hand motion much freeer.

Thitd The Silo has great action, the string height was well adjusted at the factory, so well adjusted that my playing area moved down between frets 12 to 20 simply because the strings were close enough to the frets to make playing in that area easy.

The Silo because of the high qualoty keys for tining, stayed in tune the entire time , in dact it barely needed any tuing at all
dor 2 weeks when I put on new strings.

 

[peter71]

This may be ironic considering the last reply I made was about pickups, but for me, the pickups are secondary. I mean I want a certain sound and tone, but if the neck isn't there, I will still find myself making pleasant sounding crap when I play.

The neck of the Sil is really what has sold me. I have a 1995 with custom pickups that aren't my favorite, but it is so fun and easy to play because of the neck and the body style as well, that I just can't put it down. I have not found that in any other guitar I have played.

Anyway, that is my additional 2 Cents at no extra charge! What a deal!

:|

 

[mesavox]

I've played Ibanez for years and I have no doubt that the EB is exceptionally higher quality throughout.

My Ibanez JPM is very nice. Definately doesn't feel or play cheap. However, my EBJPM is so much easier to play and it has 10s over the Ibz' 9s. I litterally used the 7 string the other day to record a part on a non 7 string song because it was so much easier to nail the part on the MM. Even with the much wider neck.

I have no doubt that I would chose a Silo over an Ibanez now except for the Petrucci because I like the switching system and pickups so much. I am now working at getting a 6 string MMJPM. I will keep my Ibz JPM because the pickups are slightly different(I especially like the neck pickup in the IBZ a bit better than the customs on the MM... It's spankier.)

The JPM necks on the Ibanez and the MM are not typical of Ibanez necks. They are way narrower and they are thicker. I don't think any of Ibanez' endorser's like those ultra thin wizard necks. Vai has a rounder, thicker, narrower neck as does Satch. Maybe Paul Gilbert plays the Wizards.

Definately try a Silo or a JPM. Actually, just try them both.

 

[ibanezrocker]

I definately will try them both thanks for the insight

 

[PurpleSport]

Aww, hell...count me in as an Ibanez Anonymous member as well (have a trio I've owned for over 10 years, all of which have seen zero playtime thanx to the MM-90 Sport).

I currently own a 540S-LTD (signed by Satch), an '89 JEM (ditto), and one of the very first Loch Ness Green JEMs signed by Vai (and one of the very few he's re-signed). The latter played great, the middle had a different neck and tone for supposedly being a production model of the same guitar, and the former I played until I got totally tired of it and it's thin Wizard neck.

They were all good in their own ways, but the Axis neck DESTROYS them all in the comfort department alone - read my other posts about the great MM-90 sound. Definitely worth trying if there's one around with the JPs and Silos. I really dig that unique cool feel of the offset neck contour, and wish they could offer it with an AL body, even tho the AL neck is damn good too.

Be forewarned, ya might get addicted if you don't have or tried one already...

(Funny how many Ibanez refugees there are here in EBMM-land...must be the tendonitis kickin' in in our old age or somethin'! )

 

[JDouglee]

Judging by your Ibanez link, and your Linkin Park avatar, I'd say definitely try the JPM. Won't be as radical a change in neck shape from what you're used to. Plus the Petrucci pickups are great for heavy rock...hot output, but lots of definition.

Good Luck