The "Official Silver Sky" Thread

JOHN-MAYER-PALLADIUM-MATTREA-020922-FBCOVER.jpg
awesome
 
Some players like to poke fun at the headstock. But I think it's an improvement. No string trees needed to hold the strings in the nut and I find the tuners easier to reach and turn. And mine stays in tune for days.

Interestingly, the Silver Sky headstock almost matches the other headstock in the area where it flares out on each side north of the nut.

So to your thumb and hand, it feels about the same.

 
NGD Picked up a mint 2018 SS frost in a trade. Gentleman was super nice and had an amazing story. He was a more traditional strat kinda guy and had toured with some fairly big acts in the 80s. This is the first 2018 I’ve had and I can definitely hear a difference in the pickups compared to the later ones I’ve played. It plays like butter. 2018 Frost
 
I have two SE Silver Skys and love them to death. I have the tremolo floating on both and they stay in tune and play and sound great.

Been keeping my eyes open for a used Core Silver Sky but I don't think I want an older one.

I'd prefer a newer one.

I hear that the pickups are improved and that the finish is nitro, which would be nice...even if it's just for bragging rights.

I did compare my SE's to a new one. I preferred the way the SE played but I thought the pickups of the Core Silver Sky sounded smoother and more authentic.
 
I have two SE Silver Skys and love them to death. I have the tremolo floating on both and they stay in tune and play and sound great.

Been keeping my eyes open for a used Core Silver Sky but I don't think I want an older one.

I'd prefer a newer one.

I hear that the pickups are improved and that the finish is nitro, which would be nice...even if it's just for bragging rights.

I did compare my SE's to a new one. I preferred the way the SE played but I thought the pickups of the Core Silver Sky sounded smoother and more authentic.
I must admit of all the ones that I’ve played, US and SE, I liked the SE neck the best and the pickups the best. I had an SE and told myself it want good enough because it wasn’t American made but I’m probably going to get another. I can’t believe how good the SE is. It broke my “I won’t buy an import” mentality. (Just with PRS though!). I don’t own any other nice guitars so I wanted a real American Silver Sky but the SE is that good!
 
I have two SE Silver Skys and love them to death. I have the tremolo floating on both and they stay in tune and play and sound great.

Been keeping my eyes open for a used Core Silver Sky but I don't think I want an older one.

I'd prefer a newer one.

I hear that the pickups are improved and that the finish is nitro, which would be nice...even if it's just for bragging rights.

I did compare my SE's to a new one. I preferred the way the SE played but I thought the pickups of the Core Silver Sky sounded smoother and more authentic.
The SS neck has always been nitro and was why some didn't like it , ( sticky neck ) To my knowledge most Strats are Poly finished and to be honest I have alway liked the PRS poly finish over most nitro finishes , Less sticky , less worry about straps and stands damaging finishes.
I tend not to overthink the specs of a guitar , guitars at most any price point and construction these days can sound killer.
Playing an SE along side my core SS the neck on the SE is not as round or big as the US model and the pickups are hotter.
The SE is a Great guitar for the $$$
 
The SS neck has always been nitro and was why some didn't like it , ( sticky neck ) To my knowledge most Strats are Poly finished and to be honest I have alway liked the PRS poly finish over most nitro finishes , Less sticky , less worry about straps and stands damaging finishes.
I tend not to overthink the specs of a guitar , guitars at most any price point and construction these days can sound killer.
Playing an SE along side my core SS the neck on the SE is not as round or big as the US model and the pickups are hotter.
The SE is a Great guitar for the $$$
My Strat (Hwy 1 2005) is a satin finish and I LOVE itI Would take it over any poly or nitro any day!! I know you said most, just putting out here an example of a Strat that does not have a poly or nitro finish!!! I tried a SS for the first time (core) in August '22 and it did not move me. The Vela I tried however did move me (after plugged in per salesman suggestion)!!!!
 
This is all coming from a long thread on GearPage about the Silver Sky and not from my own experience.

Apparently both the body and neck of the newest Silver Skys are nitro. Newest being 2022.

And apparently the frets are higher now than before.

And the pickups are 6K or even less.

Some guys prefer the older 2018 model with vintage style frets and some prefer the new taller frets.

Same with the pickups.

Some guys say the new pickups sound slightly plinky and prefer what they hear as a beefier tone from the older 2018 pickups.

And some guys prefer the new pickups and hear them as being more authentic, warmer and rounder.

I really like the neck and frets on the SE. To me it's perfect.

But I did notice the pickups on my SE were slightly hotter and brighter than those of the Core Silver Sky in the store where I compared them.

Not a lot, but noticeable if you really listened for it.

I liked the pickups on the Core model a little better. But only a little.

I love my two SE Silver Sky guitars!
 
I was reading in another thread about how (paraphrasing) "Paul no longer runs the company, because the accountants have taken over". I got a good laugh from the post, so cheers for that! Here is an example of how involved Paul is and what a stickler he is for delivering a quality product.

A customer contacted me because the volume pot on his Silver Sky was acting up. Having the guitar come back to the factory was impractical for this particular customer, so he agreed to receive a replacement pot and he'd have it installed locally. I went into our electronics room and said, "I need a replacement volume pot for a Silver Sky, where can I find one?" My coworker in the electronics area informed me that they didn't have any SS volume pots "ready to go", so she made one for me. You see, each volume pot is measured for an exact reading. The pots are 500K, but in reality they can vary from 470K - 520K. For each Silver Sky, a reading is taken on each pot and then we solder into place a uniquely valued capacitor to bring the pot to the 300K. Let me repeat that. Each Silver Sky volume pot is individually measured and then a specific value capacitor is added to make the pot read 300K. Do you know any other major guitar manufacturer that goes to those lengths to ensure consistency of quality? But Paul doesn't run the company anymore, so I'm pretty sure this was the accountant's idea. :oops::oops::oops:
A capacitor? Or a resistor? A resistor is what you meant to write I think. A 3.3M resistor.
 
Last edited:
I’m really shocked no limited edition happened this year. I thought they were onto something with the lunar ice and nebula sky. I was hoping to see a new finish this year. I have a feeling 2024 will bring maple fret se’s. And hopefully a color refresh.
 
After mucking around for a while…I finally landed a used Onyx at a reasonable price. I was worried that the setup would be terrible since it was missing a tremolo spring. I added one back in and adjusted the saddles. Perfection. No buzzing. Sounds great plugged in. I think I have finally given up on trying strats. Every single one I find issues with and seems to me every custom shop is some reliced model with the strings about to fall off the fretboard. Never with a core silver sky. Heck my SE was better than strats. The only strat that felt good was the the Ultras…but I was not keen on the noiseless pickups. I guess I could have yanked the electronics but seems silly when a used silver sky can be had.
 
After mucking around for a while…I finally landed a used Onyx at a reasonable price. I was worried that the setup would be terrible since it was missing a tremolo spring. I added one back in and adjusted the saddles. Perfection. No buzzing. Sounds great plugged in. I think I have finally given up on trying strats. Every single one I find issues with and seems to me every custom shop is some reliced model with the strings about to fall off the fretboard. Never with a core silver sky. Heck my SE was better than strats. The only strat that felt good was the the Ultras…but I was not keen on the noiseless pickups. I guess I could have yanked the electronics but seems silly when a used silver sky can be had.
Good find! I’m tempted to sell my 2018 and just get an SE because I know whenever they announce the new colors I’ll want one.
 
hiNAblE.jpg

I never realize this until getting this 2019 silver sky…the pickguard and selector ages with time. But the pickup covers and knobs do not. They are all bright white brand new. Now it looks kinda odd. I really wish they created knobs and covers that aged with the rest of the guitar. I much prefer the naturally aged pickguard look!!!
 
hiNAblE.jpg

I never realize this until getting this 2019 silver sky…the pickguard and selector ages with time. But the pickup covers and knobs do not. They are all bright white brand new. Now it looks kinda odd. I really wish they created knobs and covers that aged with the rest of the guitar. I much prefer the naturally aged pickguard look!!!
I think they changed the pickguards in the more recent years so this doesn't happen. My 2018 aged like this almost immediately but my 2021 hasn't at all
 
Yeah. And the covers and knobs seem like a hard plastic. Doubt they will age at all aside from the numbers rubbing off.
 
hiNAblE.jpg

I never realize this until getting this 2019 silver sky…the pickguard and selector ages with time. But the pickup covers and knobs do not. They are all bright white brand new. Now it looks kinda odd. I really wish they created knobs and covers that aged with the rest of the guitar. I much prefer the naturally aged pickguard look!!!
From what I understand, the USA Silver Sky pickups are somewhat traditional alnico pickups with six alnico pole pieces with the copper wire coil wound around them.

The SE Silver Sky seems to have six alnico pole pieces too, but when you remove the covers or look at them from the bottom side there are five small additional polepieces between the six large ones.

I could be hearing things, but it seems as if when I do bluesy string bends so that the string is no longer centered over its pole piece, the notes ring longer and sustain better with my SE's pickups than with traditional strat style pickups.

Anyone else experienced this?

 
Last edited:
Back
Top