OLP Silhouette impression

I guess I’m not he first rambling about OLP and S.U.B guitars on this forum.
Probably not interesting for those of you who have the real thing. But I want to share this.

Last week I bought a OLP Silhouette from a lady for $150 incl. gig bag and shipping.
She had never used the guitar and the plastic on the pickguard, back plate and tuners was still on.
It didn’t come with a tremolo arm. When I asked her about it, she didn’t seem to know what it was.
I asked her for a $20 refund, but I haven’t heard from her.

I had no expectations. Read some good and some bad about the OLP guitars.
I just wanted a cheap guitar with single coils in the middle and neck position for recording Strat bits.
Had a USA Strat Deluxe and an early 90’s Japanese Squier that I sold. The squier sounded much better than the Deluxe by the way. Beautiful instrument and i miss it.
Thought I swap the pickups on the OLP for some vintage sounding single coils
in hope to get close to the sound of a vintage Stat.
Anyway, I unboxed the guitar and picked it up. I could immediately feel the quality.
The neck felt really good with nicely crowned fret ends. The weight of it was also surprising.
Not light, not heavy, just right. Goldilocks…

Probably worth mentioning that I’ve never played a $2000 Music Man or any Ernie Ball Music Man.

I plugged it into my amp, tuned it and and started playing. I couldn’t believe what I heard.
The single coils sounded sparkly and full. Everything I liked with the Squier, but a bit more of everything.

Then I did what I always do with Fenders; shorten the saddle screws so they recess into the saddle for comfort.
Swapped the stings to my favourite brand, 011 gauge.
Set it up to my liking and played it again. It hit all my Strat spots with a vengeance. Unbelievable.
I even sounds better than one of my favourite guitars, a Fender Jazzmaster. Sh!t…
I love this guitar so much. The neck is perfect for my hands, chunkier than a Strat.
How on earth does a $2000 Music Man feel and sound like. I don’t get it…
I just have to try one some day. Or maybe not…

But… not everything is bliss. The Humbucker doesn’t sounds too good in my opinion.
The pole screws are loose, you can just push them in and out. Too thin for the threads on the back plate.
It has to go. I read on the Music Man website that the Silhouette uses DiMarzio DP197 Virtual PAF.
A bit strange since DiMarzio don’t make them anymore.
They recommended the DiMarzio DP223 PAF 36th Anniversary as the best alternative.
I ordered one today for $75. I rarely use the bridge pickup on any of my guitars unless I fool around with Rock or Metal.
I believe DiMarzio is the only big brand Humbucker I don’t have. So I’m excited to hear how it rocks.

Now the worst part: It will not stay in tune. It’s the worst guitar I ever had when it comes to tuning stability.
I don’t even use the tremolo since I don’t have the arm. I’ve lubricated the nut loosened the six screws
on the tremolo. Done everything I did to the Squier and that one was perfect.
Since I don’t have the trem arm and read that a fender one will not fit, I ordered D18 Wilkinson Stainless Saddle Trem supposed to fit all Strats for $48. It’s free floating with two anchors. Just enlarge the two outermost holes and set the anchors. It will fit 53 – 62 mm spacing. It also have a tension adjustable push in arm.
Hope that’ll sort it out.
I use a locking loop when installing strings. Never failed me. So I don’t think it is in that end of the guitar.
We’ll see…

I’ll keep you updated, (if anyone shows interest)