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jamminjim

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May 25, 2006
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2,303
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Grand Junction, Colorado
Guys, here's my latest acquisition. It's relevant to menvafaans post too, as it's an all white Silo. It's a 1998 with the recessed neckplate. Neck is still uncleaned and has a good bit of flame. When I get it cleaned I'll take more in depth pics. Take note of the pickguard, is it an original? Looks like it could accomodate metal covers on the hummers. It also has the earlier PAFs with non-adjustable pole pieces. It came with the stock G&G case.

This next info is mainly for guys that are tempted to buy a guitar used from CL (Craigslist). (PS, Ive bought more than few this way with very postive results)

It's got some dings. The guy I bought it from in N CA is somewhat clueless about guitars and shipping them. This one was listed in Chico CL. Slingy was watching it and even posted it here. I received no pictures of it prior to buying it, even though I requested them and was told I would receive them. I was told the only ding on it was a 1/2 of a pencil eraser width ding on the lower edge of the lower horn. I was told the neck had lots of birdseye. I was told there was very little fret wear.

Here's what I found upon receiving it and inspection. It has a flame maple neck with great flame in it. It has a good size paint chip on the upper side of the neck pocket. It has the usual cracks in the paint on either side of the neck pocket. It has several unannounced dings to the body, none being too visible or large. The back of the body looks almost perfect. It has really heavy pick scratching from cowboy strumming to the body above the pickguard, a silver dollar sized area, upwards of the middle of the pickguard, and some aft of the lower pickguard south of the knobs. It saw usage of a strummer from hell obviously. It has cowboy chord fret wear, but not too bad at all, still very very playable and years of serviceability left. It had NO strap knobs, and this wasn't explained to me upfront either. I put the Dunlop locking knobs on it in the pic. It was filthy, with greasy finger marks all over and years worth of dust and grime on the hard to clean parts like the bridge and the splines of the knobs. When I opened up the case for the first time there were two trem springs, an allen wrench and the trem handle laying next to the body, and I explicitly told the idiot to WRAP UP ALL LOOSE PARTS even if they were to be in the storage pocket. There are two nice dings on the face of the headstock, one pretty significant and neither of these were disclosed by the seller. The bridge saddles were all way too far forward and the intonation was accordingly way off. The high e saddle was almost touching the lower trem bolt and was measured at appx. 25 inches from the nut. That's about it for now. Haven't had the guard up yet so I don't know what I'll discover under it. The pickguard screws were all black. I don't know if that's the way it left the factory or not, but I replaced them with stainless screws as seen in the pic. The Silo isn't too bad really. It's a pretty nice player. Here's a pic, with more coming after cleanup, restringing and setup.
102_0236.jpg
 
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Shoewax

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Jan 13, 2009
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Poland
looks nice in this photo. i love the look of old maple necks - it's like a wood with history. but what is more important, altough it has some dings and scratches, i bet that the sound is perfect
 

luv

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Dec 6, 2007
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Colorado
i'm sure once it's cleaned up and given some love...you'll be happy with it. I like the color and wood combo...that's what i'm looking for in a Silo (wht/mpl). i guarantee that once you clean that neck, the flame will pop! :D i think as long as it plays well...it's all good.

i had a recent experience with my Axis...the seller advertised a guitar stand with the guitar....I told him "DO NOT SHIP THE GUITAR STAND WITH THE GUITAR..KEEP IT...I DON'T WANT IT" . well he shoved it into the box with the guitar (guitar came with EBMM gig bag..not hard case) and one of the legs of the stand pressed up against the low e for 3 or 4 days and dented the wood b/w 5 & 6. pissed me off....but's its purely cosmetic....can't feel it.

enjoy that Silo.
 
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Jack FFR1846

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Feb 17, 2008
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2,176
Location
Hopkinton, MA
I only buy local. Bought an acoustic today. Played it for 15 minutes....admired the beach sand inside....tested the electronics, saw the case.....negotiated $20 out of the seller, took it home.

jack
 

jamminjim

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May 25, 2006
Messages
2,303
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
thanks guys - I do already like this Silo a bunch - after adjusting the neck relief and intonating it pretty close it plays itself, so easy and fast. I'm definitely going to be playing the snot out of it... :D

I'm very curious if someone has a Silo with a pickguard that looks like this, with the squarish humbucker cutouts.

I'm going to try to polish the pick scratching out of the body, but I don't want to make it worse, so it'll be done with great care..... the glossy finish is gone from the spot where it's worst...

the paint seems to have yellowed a little over time..
 

paranoid70

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Feb 9, 2007
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Long Beach, CA
Looks good to me. I guess the old adage of 'you get what you pay for' may apply. If it's a pretty good price, chances are there will be some wear and tear.
 

whitestrat

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Aug 13, 2007
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The Little Red Dot
Take note of the pickguard, is it an original? Looks like it could accomodate metal covers on the hummers. It also has the earlier PAFs with non-adjustable pole pieces. It came with the stock G&G case.

The guard does look original to me. It could be the black tape on the sides of the HBs that makes it look bigger?
 

Slingy

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Aug 15, 2007
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Fair Oaks, CA
I was skeptical of that craigslist, but for $500 bones I think you got a very nice deal. People are so careless with their guitars it does make me sick. It looks very nice now.
 

jamminjim

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May 25, 2006
Messages
2,303
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
I cleaned the Silo up this morning; murphys oil soap then 0000 steel wool and then birchwood casey gunstock oil and wax treatment to the neck. Polished the body with Kit scratch remover and polish. Cleaned and shined up the chrome, put the original black chrome screws back in the pickguard. I took photos of the pickguard guts if anyone is interested. It has two DP151 hummers and what looks like a Fen_der single coil. I would like to know what the single coil is.
Here's a front pic, more in my album. It's an original 98 Silo.

98-silo-1527.jpg
 

jamminjim

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May 25, 2006
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2,303
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Grand Junction, Colorado
Sticky - the neck is really nice and the guitar is very acoustic and reasonant. It is pretty lively... :)

I was very happy to see that the guts were untouched since leaving the factory. In fact, there were some plastic pieces under the pickguard screw heads which tells me I'm most likely the first person to take the guard up post factory. That's always cool for 10+ year old guitars.

The pick scratching to the body is not "100%" gone, but it is very well diminished and much more hidden now after a paint polish. No dull spots, and I was happy about that too.

She's no closet Queen, but maybe better... :D
 

jamminjim

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Joined
May 25, 2006
Messages
2,303
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Nice one JJ. Good job!!

Nothing like refurbing a MM huh?

Now about that avatar - what's the story?


Thanks bro - regarding the avatar - it's me last name and I love the little cars. Wish I could find my geneological coat of arms. Dont know if it would be Irish, English, Scottish or Welsh. Hope the Morris car clan doesn't mind if I use it a bit..
:)
 
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