Ernie Ball Music Man Silhouette HSH Hardtail 1994

A very cool early-1990s Music Man Silhouette, made in San Luis Obispo, California in 1994. This is the original Silhouette model rather than the later Silhouette Special, with the full 24-fret neck and the compact, highly ergonomic body that has always been one of the defining features of the Silhouette.

The Silhouette was the first guitar developed by Ernie Ball Music Man after Ernie Ball acquired Music Man in 1984. The first prototypes were shown at the 1985 NAMM show, with production following in 1986/87. From the beginning, the design was deliberately modern: a compact body, full 25.5" scale, 24 frets, five-bolt neck joint and an unusually accessible truss rod adjustment. It was also available with either a tremolo or a hardtail bridge.

This particular example is a 1994 HSH hardtail with a beautiful bird's-eye maple neck and matching bird's-eye maple fingerboard. The combination of the white finish and figured maple gives it a very clean, slightly understated look, while the HSH pickup configuration makes it considerably more versatile than the fairly traditional appearance might suggest.

The hardtail version is especially nice for players who prefer a direct, stable feel and don't need a vibrato. At only 3.2 kg, this is also a very comfortable guitar to wear for longer periods.

Music Man's approach to manufacturing at this point in the company's history was already quite distinctive. After the 1984 acquisition, Ernie Ball built its instruments in California with a strong emphasis on precision and modern, player-oriented construction. The Silhouette's design reflects that philosophy particularly well: it is a compact instrument, but retains the full Fender-scale length and 24-fret range. The five-bolt neck joint, Schaller locking tuners and oil-and-wax finished maple neck were all part of the design language that made these instruments stand apart from more conventional American production guitars.

The Silhouette Special would not arrive until 1995, so this 1994 guitar belongs to the earlier generation of the model.

Specifications

• Year: 1994
• Made in: USA
• Model: Music Man Silhouette
• Serial Number: 95232
• Pickup configuration: HSH
• Bridge: Hardtail
• Body: Alder
• Neck: Bird's-eye maple
• Fingerboard: Bird's-eye maple
• Finish: White
• Scale length: 25.5"
• Frets: 24
• Weight: 3.2 kg
• Condition: very clean for it's age, with just a few small scratches. Fully original
• Included: Fitting but probably non original hard case

The guitar has been fully checked and set up in our workshop and is ready to play.