Long time no post! Silver Sky vs American Vintage II 1961 Strat?

[jeanjoun]

Hey y'all! It's been a while since posting here and I thought this would be a great place to ask this questions!

I have been itching for a more vintage sounding strat without paying custom shop prices and have landed on either a Silver Sky or the new Fender American Vintage II 1961 Strat. Only problem is both models are practically unplayable in store where I am, I've been EVERYWHERE and haven't been able to try either model.

Does anyone happen to have both or have tried both and can tell me their thoughts? The Vintage II seems to have more chime and high end from videos I've watched but audio compression on youtube really messes things up.

I know the Silver Sky will be better in terms of QC, fit and finish, fretwork, and all of that. But I just want to be sure it has that "sparkle" and "chime" that the 61 strats seem to have.

Would love to hear from you guys! Thanks so much.

 

[pete55rock]

I own a 65 Strat from the first American Vintage Serie (2012-2017) and an original 1965 Strat. The only difference is that the original one sounds a little bit more dynamic but that’s normal for a guitar which has been played more than 50 years. If the second AV series is as good as the the first series you would come very close to the sound and feel of the originals.

 

[Broseph]

Isn’t it kind of hard to overlook the better fit, finish, fretwork, and qc? I feel that a large reason some of us came to PRS.

As for sparkle and chime: silver sky is modeled after a 63/64 strat. I feel it has a nice warmth to it. Different than say a fat 50’s from fender that has a lot more chime/sparkle/brightness to it

 

[Tucson Thump]

I haven't found that "clean as a bell" sound with my Silver Sky yet, that sound of surf music. As mentioned, it is a warmer sound. While an unfair comparison, my 1963 Strat has that claity, but my Eric Johnson Strat also does ..... both of the Strats have a more pronounced "quack" in the second and fourth blad positions. I'm considering a Vintage II Strat because I want to see what the slab board does to the sound.

However the Silver Sky is far easier to play, to feel at one with. Starting from my 1985 mahogany PRS I find that ease of play, that sense of everything being in the "right place", is for me a hallmark of PRS guitars. The newer versions of the Silver Sky may have that quack and clarity but I haven't played one to see.

 

[Lewguitar]

Isn’t it kind of hard to overlook the better fit, finish, fretwork, and qc? I feel that a large reason some of us came to PRS.

As for sparkle and chime: silver sky is modeled after a 63/64 strat. I feel it has a nice warmth to it. Different than say a fat 50’s from fender that has a lot more chime/sparkle/brightness to it

That's all true, except that PRS has changed the sound of the 63/64 pickups in the Silver Sky at least twice.

Maybe three times. So which version sounds most like a 63/64 pickup?

Some say they're warmer and slightly lower in output now than they were in 2018 although every Silver Sky I've played was a great guitar.

You almost need to try them from three different years and pick the flavor that appeals to you.

But I'd choose a Silver Sky over a Fender.

 

[Vesper12]

I just got both. The QC on the fender is pretty bad. That aside, the pickups are muddier and less defined/clear vs the SS. If I could only have one it would be the SS without question.

 

[Lewguitar]

The SE Silver Sky is, IMO, the best value in a new guitar in today's market.

Meaning you get a lot of guitar for your money. They're great and only about $850 new.

My advice is to do what I did: buy an SE Silver Sky and spend another $300 on a set of your favorite boutique pickups and put them in it.

My SE plays as well as any of the USA made Silver Sky guitars I've played. I prefer the flatter fingerboard and taller frets of the SE. The stock SE pickups sound really good too...but there are some I like better: Those on the USA Silver Sky, Duncan Antiquity Surfers and Chubtones out of Austin, TX.

I put a set of Chubtone '61 pickups in my SE and loved it SO MUCH that I bought a second SE Silver Sky and put Chubtone El Gordos in it. They're just a little stronger than the 61's.

For less than the price of a Core Silver Sky, I have two Silver Skys that sound slightly different from each and sound and play as good as any vintage Strat I've owned.

 

[László]

The SE Silver Sky is, IMO, the best value in a new guitar in today's market.

Meaning you get a lot of guitar for your money. They're great and only about $850 new.

My advice is to do what I did: buy an SE Silver Sky and spend another $300 on a set of your favorite boutique pickups and put them in it.

My SE plays as well as any of the USA made Silver Sky guitars I've played. I prefer the flatter fingerboard and taller frets of the SE. The stock SE pickups sound really good too...but there are some I like better: Those on the USA Silver Sky, Duncan Antiquity Surfers and Chubtones out of Austin, TX.

I put a set of Chubtone '61 pickups in my SE and loved it SO MUCH that I bought a second SE Silver Sky and put Chubtone El Gordos in it. They're just a little stronger than the 61's.

For less than the price of a Core Silver Sky, I have two Silver Skys that sound slightly different from each and sound and play as good as any vintage Strat I've owned.

As Strat style guitars go, the SS is a phenomenal instrument, and an excellent value, especially compared to the Andersons, Nashes and Suhrs that to me are the SS' only competition (not including vintage stuff).

 

[Rod/]

I haven't found that "clean as a bell" sound with my Silver Sky yet, that sound of surf music. As mentioned, it is a warmer sound. While an unfair comparison, my 1963 Strat has that claity, but my Eric Johnson Strat also does ..... both of the Strats have a more pronounced "quack" in the second and fourth blad positions. I'm considering a Vintage II Strat because I want to see what the slab board does to the sound.

However the Silver Sky is far easier to play, to feel at one with. Starting from my 1985 mahogany PRS I find that ease of play, that sense of everything being in the "right place", is for me a hallmark of PRS guitars. The newer versions of the Silver Sky may have that quack and clarity but I haven't played one to see.

Have you tried adjusting your amp differently? You should be able to get a great surf tone out of any Strat or SS..

 

[Rider1260]

Love my Silver Skys , for me the best SSS guitar I have ever owned.
The difference to my ears between my Strat and the SS is the neck and bridge pickups are less extreme the bridge pickup is more refined and not as sharp / bright and with the added tone control its just a great sound . The Neck to me has a bit less low end making it clearer overall than many Strat Neck pickups
2/4 have a somewhat muted quack compared to current strats but much like what I remember before the 5 way switch was available
the SS middle pickup is second to none best single coil mid EVER , I have never had a middle pickup I have used his much

 

[Tucson Thump]

Have you tried adjusting your amp differently? You should be able to get a great surf tone out of any Strat or SS..

The Rhino Records history of surf music compilation "Cowabunga" shows the breadth of surf tone for four decades

I've had the Strat and the SS plugged in to the same '66 BF Pro Reverb to compare. Listen to the Blue Hawaiians' "Savage Night" album for the tone I'm looking to get; glassy, airy ,,,, probably eq'd and compressed (it was recorded in the 90s) but I'm closer to "it" with the Strat after fiddling around.