The "Official Silver Sky" Thread

[unretrofiedforu]

Yes I thought F CS was the end all, until I picked up a SS. Like others I had my prejudices

Now I'm currently in the process of getting rid of my F branded stuff so I can make room... no need for them around once I get my next guitar - a Silver Sky lol

 

[horax]

I'm very much loving hte SS jm-r neck carve. I have huge hands, so I prefer large, round necks. My favorite is hte American Original 50's tele U shaped. This JM version is very nice. The 12th fret carve is perfection, but the first fret COULD be larger.
I'm not comlplaining, though. Glad I got rosewood over maple just for the extra thickness...and I'm a maple fan!

Yes, I'm replying to myself.
Checked the AO50 tele...1st fret is 0.88, 12th is 0.99.
the JM-R is 0.86, 12th is 0.98.

NOT much difference after all.

 

[RallyFanatic]

Now I'm currently in the process of getting rid of my F branded stuff so I can make room... no need for them around once I get my next guitar - a Silver Sky lol

I still think there’s room for both! Granted, the Silver Sky still gets 80% play time but I quite enjoy my Ultra Strat for what it is - a fast playing, modern sounding HSS Strat. Maybe someday a version of the SS will be offered with the same features, but I have a soft spot for that Fender headstock, warts and all.

 

[unretrofiedforu]

Nice! I have a MJT parts caster that I customized to my liking that will be hanging around but that SS excites me in a way that my American Standard just can't ...

 

[John Mann]

UPDATE on the Silver Sky / String Swing issue...
The rubber material on the hangers can damage the nitro finish. The current solution is to use white cotton material over the the foam.
You could simply place a piece of material over the hanger and then place your guitar in the hanger.
I am in the process of having white cotton tubes sewn up to slid them over the foam.

 

[John Mann]

Interesting John - I've had plenty of Nitro guitars hung from my String Swing hangers and never an issue, I have an 18 and a 19 hanging from them now , no issues so far but a bit of cotton is easy
thanks for the heads up !!!

Outside of these 3 guitars, I have never had a problem either.

 

[RickP]

As far as I know the 635JM-R was introduced in 2020, so everything before should have the 635JM.

I am pretty sure it’s the other way around there. My 2018 has a rosewood fretboard. The maple boards just came out this year and are marginally (dare I say near-imperceptibly) thinner. The neck was originally called the 635JM, but there was nothing else then. It’s likely the -R was added to differentiate the original rosewood models from the new ones, although it would seem appropriate to put a -M on the new ones. Perhaps another example of why I play guitars and don’t make them!

 

[JonW]

It's confusing, I know. But 635JM and 635JM-R are actually different. A Silver Sky Rosewood Fretboard built in 2019 has a different neck profile than the same guitar built in 2020.
@Shawn@PRS Help!

 

[RallyFanatic]

It's confusing, I know. But 635JM and 635JM-R are actually different. A Silver Sky Rosewood Fretboard built in 2019 has a different neck profile than the same guitar built in 2020.
@Shawn@PRS Help!

Correct - 635JM-R is the very slight update to rosewood fretboard necks as of 2020. 635JM is pre-2020 rosewood necks, and 2020 maple necks.

I have to admit, I had a half hour with a 2020 this past weekend, I’m not sure I could really tell a difference between that and my 2019. I’d be perfectly happy with either, but since my 2019 is well ingrained with my DNA, I think I’ll keep it! Could be setup, could be mental, but I don’t think I could tell one from the other blindfolded.

 

[shinksma]

UPDATE on the Silver Sky / String Swing issue...
The rubber material on the hangers can damage the nitro finish. The current solution is to use white cotton material over the the foam.
You could simply place a piece of material over the hanger and then place your guitar in the hanger.
I am in the process of having white cotton tubes sewn up to slid them over the foam.

Thanks very much, John! I was going to ask for a follow up today, but you beat me to the punch.

OK, now on a search for a tasteful-looking solution, maybe something I could use on all hangers just to avoid accidentally putting a nitro-finish on the "wrong" hanger.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Thanks very much, John! I was going to ask for a follow up today, but you beat me to the punch.

OK, now on a search for a tasteful-looking solution, maybe something I could use on all hangers just to avoid accidentally putting a nitro-finish on the "wrong" hanger.

tasteful socks?!

 

[RallyFanatic]

tasteful socks?!

hopefully soon I can use all my cotton face masks, though that seems unlikely...

 

[shinksma]

tasteful socks?!

Actually, I have a possible low-profile tasteful solution I will be experimenting with shortly. I have ordered some inexpensive "things" that might be just the trick, they arrive tomorrow.

I will report once I know more.

 

[chuckyab]

With all the talk about what material on the hangers could be harming the nitro finish, It makes me wonder about the Nylon material in the
soft cases. I know it has to be safe since they used it, but its not the softest material... I don't think anyone would consider wrapping their wall
hangers with Nylon.. With the Nebula finish being so dark, I wonder how the finish will hold up if the guitar lives in the soft case?

 

[horax]

Ok, very strange AND interesting!

I sold my eric clapton strat cause the TBX tone control wans't to my liking.
Having some money to spend, I decided I wanted another SSS guitar. Only having around 1100.00 to spend, I knew another SS was out of the question.

I looked at some used Fender Standards, Pros, and the new performer series.
I also found a brand new, NOS Fender Classic Player 50's Strat iwth 57/62 pickups for $800.00. It was made in Mexico, but decided to play it anyway.


Initially I thought hte pro's were overrated.
I thought the performer was thin sounding.
I found the CP 50's was amazing!

I came home and played my SS and slept on it.

Went back the next day inending to get the CP50. I plugged it in, and was SHOCKED it sounded nearly the same as the silver sky!
They're based on 63 pickups, so it shouldn't be a big surprise. The feel was different, but hte sound was similar.

I plugged into a bassbreaker (what I use at home) and played all three again. I decided agains hte CP50 only becasue it would be like having two similar
sounding strat type guitars.

the performer sounded amazing thorugh the bassbreaker, so I bought one of those. VERY different guitar than the silver sky.

I'm just shocked that the 57/62 pickups in a mexican strat could sound so similar to hte silver sky.

 

[WorstBandName]

Hey all,

I'm trying to find the post where Shawn, or someone, listed out when these changed over from the previous finish to nitro. I was looking at one locally and the production date is October 31, 2019 and I'm unsure.

Thanks!

 

[Silver Sky Surfer]

Hey all,

I'm trying to find the post where Shawn, or someone, listed out when these changed over from the previous finish to nitro. I was looking at one locally and the production date is October 31, 2019 and I'm unsure.

Thanks!

From what I read it’s ones with 20 on the headstock so any one with 19 should be nitro neck and poly body.

 

[horax]

From what I read it’s ones with 20 on the headstock so anyone with 19 should be nitro neck and poly body.

I think you’re right. 2020 is when they started nitro bodies.
I got lucky.

 

[bodia]

Hey all,

I'm trying to find the post where Shawn, or someone, listed out when these changed over from the previous finish to nitro. I was looking at one locally and the production date is October 31, 2019 and I'm unsure.

Thanks!

From what I read it’s ones with 20 on the headstock so anyone with 19 should be nitro neck and poly body.

I am pretty sure that Silver Sky Surfer has it right. If it were a December build date, there might be a chance that the body would be nitro.

 

[WorstBandName]

From what I read it’s ones with 20 on the headstock so any one with 19 should be nitro neck and poly body.

I think you’re right. 2020 is when they started nitro bodies.
I got lucky.

I am pretty sure that Silver Sky Surfer has it right. If it were a December build date, there might be a chance that the body would be nitro.

Heard back from PRS today about the guitar and they seem to think it would be.

"Hi Matt,

Thanks for contacting PRS Guitars.

We switched over to the new nitro finish on the Silver Sky in the fall of 2019. This one should have the new finish.

Thanks,

Sean"