The "Official Silver Sky" Thread

Well, I'm still having a ton of static issues with my Silver Sky, even though it's one of the ones that has the copper shielding tape between the pickup screws and the part of the pickguard that's foil-shielded.

I'm disappointed to have spent the amount of money a Silver Sky costs (even used) only to get something I am going to have to hack together a solution for before it's usable on stage... and because it wasn't technically sold as new when I bought it warranty service isn't an option, although it sounds like this is a design issue with the pickguard and not anything they can really fix per se.

(Why couldn't they just use a pickguard material that won't accumulate static so much? Or shield the whole pickguard like Fenders have?)

I might have to have a custom pickguard made out of some other material or something... Sigh

Shame because the guitar sounds so good otherwise. I want to get it working so I can use this for all my strat tones, but it's not there yet. I wonder what John's actual guitars have had done to solve the problem?
 
Thrillhouse said:
Well, I'm still having a ton of static issues with my Silver Sky, even though it's one of the ones that has the copper shielding tape between the pickup screws and the part of the pickguard that's foil-shielded.

I'm disappointed to have spent the amount of money a Silver Sky costs (even used) only to get something I am going to have to hack together a solution for before it's usable on stage... and because it wasn't technically sold as new when I bought it warranty service isn't an option, although it sounds like this is a design issue with the pickguard and not anything they can really fix per se.

(Why couldn't they just use a pickguard material that won't accumulate static so much? Or shield the whole pickguard like Fenders have?)

I might have to have a custom pickguard made out of some other material or something... Sigh

Shame because the guitar sounds so good otherwise. I want to get it working so I can use this for all my strat tones, but it's not there yet. I wonder what John's actual guitars have had done to solve the problem?
Click to expand...
With the caveat that I don’t own a Silver Sky, I thought I read that using a dryer sheet on the pickguard was supposed to solve this problem? Can someone who does own one confirm?
 
Thrillhouse said:
Well, I'm still having a ton of static issues with my Silver Sky, even though it's one of the ones that has the copper shielding tape between the pickup screws and the part of the pickguard that's foil-shielded.

I'm disappointed to have spent the amount of money a Silver Sky costs (even used) only to get something I am going to have to hack together a solution for before it's usable on stage... and because it wasn't technically sold as new when I bought it warranty service isn't an option, although it sounds like this is a design issue with the pickguard and not anything they can really fix per se.

(Why couldn't they just use a pickguard material that won't accumulate static so much? Or shield the whole pickguard like Fenders have?)

I might have to have a custom pickguard made out of some other material or something... Sigh

Shame because the guitar sounds so good otherwise. I want to get it working so I can use this for all my strat tones, but it's not there yet. I wonder what John's actual guitars have had done to solve the problem?
Click to expand...

I notice slight static with my Silver Sky occasionally. It’s not from the pick guard. It’s the nitro finish on the neck. I had a similar issue with an Eric Johnson Strat. It was more severe on the EJ due to the nitro on the neck and fretboard. Trial and error proved it was the nitro neck: I thought it was the pick guard. I covered the pick guard and body cavities with copper tape and the static was unchanged. I re-soldered all of the ground wires and input jack. Static remained. I believe the SS is the same way. Try a dryer sheet on the back of the neck.
 
Hudman316 said:
I notice slight static with my Silver Sky occasionally. It’s not from the pick guard. It’s the nitro finish on the neck. I had a similar issue with an Eric Johnson Strat. It was more severe on the EJ due to the nitro on the neck and fretboard. Trial and error proved it was the nitro neck: I thought it was the pick guard. I covered the pick guard and body cavities with copper tape and the static was unchanged. I re-soldered all of the ground wires and input jack. Static remained. I believe the SS is the same way. Try a dryer sheet on the back of the neck.
Click to expand...

I have had strats that were staticy in that way before when it was dry, but it would be along the neck and along the body as well. With the Silver Sky it's just the pickguard. (It's also not dry yet, my Fender has no issues with static at all when swapped into my rig.)
 
WA Paul said:
With the caveat that I don’t own a Silver Sky, I thought I read that using a dryer sheet on the pickguard was supposed to solve this problem? Can someone who does own one confirm?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the dryer sheet trick might alleviate it for a moment, but the next time you drag your finger over the pickguard it will still begin static-ing again.

I haven't tried covering the underside of the pickguard with Bounce as others have suggested yet, but really... should we have to do that... ? o_O
 
Thrillhouse said:
Yeah, the dryer sheet trick might alleviate it for a moment, but the next time you drag your finger over the pickguard it will still begin static-ing again.

I haven't tried covering the underside of the pickguard with Bounce as others have suggested yet, but really... should we have to do that... ? o_O
Click to expand...

I would never cover the inside of the pick guard with Bounce. If you think it’s the pick guard, you should apply copper shielding. As mentioned before, my Eric Johnson Strat has a nitro lacquer neck and fretboard. I installed copper shielding, I re-soldered all of the ground connections and input jack to eliminate the possibility of a ground issue from the factory. Those steps had ZERO impact on eliminating or reducing the static. The static was generated from my hand sliding on the nitro neck while playing. It literally charged the entire guitar - neck and body with static electricity. I found others with a similar issue on Gibson Les Pauls with nitro finished necks. One theory is it is due to the lacquer curing process. It will eventually go away over time as the lacquer ages and wears. In the meantime try rubbing a Bounce sheet on the back of the neck before plugging it in to your amp.
 
Hudman316 said:
I would never cover the inside of the pick guard with Bounce. If you think it’s the pick guard, you should apply copper shielding. As mentioned before, my Eric Johnson Strat has a nitro lacquer neck and fretboard. I installed copper shielding, I re-soldered all of the ground connections and input jack to eliminate the possibility of a ground issue from the factory. Those steps had ZERO impact on eliminating or reducing the static. The static was generated from my hand sliding on the nitro neck while playing. It literally charged the entire guitar - neck and body with static electricity. I found others with a similar issue on Gibson Les Pauls with nitro finished necks. One theory is it is due to the lacquer curing process. It will eventually go away over time as the lacquer ages and wears. In the meantime try rubbing a Bounce sheet on the back of the neck before plugging it in to your amp.
Click to expand...

I'll give that a try, thanks.
 
Hi all, first post on the forum which Ive just discovered. Went to see John Mayer last night in Dublin and see he was playing a Silver Sky in what I could only describe as Burgundy Mist. Does anyone know if this is a planned release or does Mayer just get custom colours (Im thinking the purple one as well from earlier in the tour) that us mere mortals cant have. As this is my first post here I cant post a link but you can see clear pics at "hotpress". Maybe this colour has appeared before but I hadn't seen it. Any help/knowledge appreciated.
 
MayerMayeronthewall said:
Hi all, first post on the forum which Ive just discovered. Went to see John Mayer last night in Dublin and see he was playing a Silver Sky in what I could only describe as Burgundy Mist. Does anyone know if this is a planned release or does Mayer just get custom colours (Im thinking the purple one as well from earlier in the tour) that us mere mortals cant have. As this is my first post here I cant post a link but you can see clear pics at "hotpress". Maybe this colour has appeared before but I hadn't seen it. Any help/knowledge appreciated.
Click to expand...
There has been mention in this thread by Shawn that John has received a number of custom color Silver Sky guitars from PRS that are unlikely to ever be released - it's his sig model, so if he wants a color, he gets it!
 
Thanks @shinksma, much appreciated. I just saw a post (I probably should have scrolled back a bit before posting, but 135 pages!?) where Shawn says "never say never" when asked about this very colour, so I live in hope. I need a SS in my life, and especially after Wednesday night. This colour would be the one, as it would be nice to have the one he used when I saw him, but failing that it would have to be Gold...........or both?? :)
 
MayerMayeronthewall said:
Thanks @shinksma, much appreciated. I just saw a post (I probably should have scrolled back a bit before posting, but 135 pages!?) where Shawn says "never say never" when asked about this very colour, so I live in hope. I need a SS in my life, and especially after Wednesday night. This colour would be the one, as it would be nice to have the one he used when I saw him, but failing that it would have to be Gold...........or both?? :)
Click to expand...
The strong move is to grab a gold now and then pounce on the next cool colour to be released.
 
Have any of you noticed the feel of the neck changing as the finish on it breaks in? I've heard that PRS Guitars are like this, but I know on my Fenders with a nitro finish, even on those with a lot of miles on them it takes a long time.
 
Thrillhouse said:
Well, I'm still having a ton of static issues with my Silver Sky, even though it's one of the ones that has the copper shielding tape between the pickup screws and the part of the pickguard that's foil-shielded.

I'm disappointed to have spent the amount of money a Silver Sky costs (even used) only to get something I am going to have to hack together a solution for before it's usable on stage... and because it wasn't technically sold as new when I bought it warranty service isn't an option, although it sounds like this is a design issue with the pickguard and not anything they can really fix per se.

(Why couldn't they just use a pickguard material that won't accumulate static so much? Or shield the whole pickguard like Fenders have?)

I might have to have a custom pickguard made out of some other material or something... Sigh

Shame because the guitar sounds so good otherwise. I want to get it working so I can use this for all my strat tones, but it's not there yet. I wonder what John's actual guitars have had done to solve the problem?
Click to expand...


Have you contacted PTC yet , they are VERY helpful even if your product is out of warranty ( at least for me ) I have 2x Silver Skys and do not have any static issues so it is by no means universal to every player or guitar.
you can also try this as I have on other guitars https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Shielding/Pickguard_Shielding_Foil.html
 
Anyone know what the exact size of the frets are on the SS? Do they compare with medium jumbo on Fenders or are they smaller?
 
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