What's the thickest guage low E string a Sillouette will do?

[quadrogong]

I'm a bassist, and a guitar player..I'm playing a 6 string bass tuned E-E for a song where I take an extended bass solo,I usually use a 2" nut width,or 2.02' to be precise.
I've had quite a few folks suggest a Sillouette,(as well as a Fender Bass VI)
The shorter scale concerns me,I'd also require thicker E and A strings,since I'm playing basslines..I could stand a little less nut width,but i wonder just how much room there is for thicker low strings..how thick could u go?

My 4 and 6 strings use a 100-105 now,I've experimented with both,and basically,the thicker,the better.
but I guess I'd have to compromise with the Sillouette? How thick could one go?
(without interfering with the spacing)

 

[NorM]

Right now I have the 90 on mine. It might (repeat might) be just a little looser than the other strings. I just haven't decided yet. The 90 on that neck is really taking up about as much space as there is. A couple of concerns is that I found a set of MM guitar locking tuners and put them on there. I had to drill out the Low E one to get the string to fit. If I go bigger I might have to drill it out again. Also the next size up is a 95. With us skinny stringers we get really picky about changing string sizes. Going with the 95 might also require a little nut filing action. Some of these things I might be hesitant to do because I am scared or lazy.

The lighter gauge (compared to a bass) still allow me to bend where I need to. The thicker gauge would take that away (I feel).
I play mine just like a guitar, finger picked and flat picked. There certainly is less room for slapping and popping. But those are things I don't do naturally. With some practice I bet I could develop those skillz.

Bottom line is the SiLO Bass Guitar is just fun fun fun to play. It's whole range just sounds beautiful. My favorite pup setting is the bridge single coil. With Guitars I am Humbuckers every where. But I play the SiLO Bass through my guitar amp so I need to thin the sound out as much as I can. Otherwise this thing can get to fat (for a guitar player any way) in a hurry.

I was just thinking (Here comes trouble) A double neck SiLO with guitar and bass guitar. HMMMMMMMM.

 

[quadrogong]

Thanx,Norm..
I guess that answers my question, it's not for me, Carvin has 3 different 6'ers with a 2" nut,which work for me,or I can go custom,i guess

 

[NorM]

can you try a SiLO? Is there one in NYC?

 

[mbgreene]

can you try a SiLO? Is there one in NYC?

IIRC I believe there is one at the GC on 14th Street, but it may be better to call first and check.

 

[JohnnyBoy]

I use the Ernie Ball set for my Silo bass (20 -90) - the bass is a '95 model. No probs in drilling out the tuner, since obviously the guitar tuners are made to take the thick 90 gauge E string.

Tuning - fairly easy using a digital display or even a tuning fork! Due to the short scale length - lower string tension - on the Silo bass you'll find that actually bending the lower strings slightly is possible - gets you a number of vibrato effects/"bluesy groaning" etc.

Like NorM I find the Silo bass is a revelation: cute and fun to play! It does have a sound all of its own, in fact in my last band the rest of the team insisted I just play the Silo and not longscale bass.

Their reasons for this?

On Silo you can add in licks on the the strings as you feel fit, then go back to bass lines (something they noticed me doing). So you can have double lead going on at times!

Just the sound - simply beautiful.

One of my concerns at the moment is that EBMM will stop making the Silo bass - before I can get another one. The EBMM cost is realatively high, the OLP version may still be around secondhand (lot less money).

Please Big Poppa - can we have a sterling/SUB version of the Silo bass?

After all P*S, Gret*ch, Bu*ns do lower cost versions (note: use of * to avoid outright offense to sensitivities of EBMM forum readers.

My dream? Lefthanded Silo Bass in Orange firemist with orange swirl custom scratchplate (mmm).