A kind of review.
My Vista Sonic Bass is a real '64 Burns. It has low impedance pick ups, the body's very have, it's medium scale (32") and it's just very special sounding, especially on a tube amp. I'm not a real good technical player, but if I play that bass, all bass players ask me how to get that sound afterwards. It's really fat, even on the high positions of the G-string.
Last year I had a gathering with Bart! and Basvarken and they both were really surprised about the sound.
The real Shadows bass is a different bass. Long scale, more normal pick ups, a five way switch, so a bit 'Jazz Bass + extra added neck pick up'. Unique features: The real ones were made of obeche which is a bit like mahogany, pick ups had a very wide range and they have Rez-o-Tube bridges. That means it's string through, but the strings go through special tuned metal tubes for extra sustain and sound. A bit like those strange Epiphone guitar bridges with a long and short 'fork'. If you know what i mean.
Nowadays you can order a British Burns which'll cost 3,000 euros. Totally custom shop! Or you buy a Shadows Bass for like half of that money or a bit less than half. It looks like a Shadows Bass, pick ups are great, the five way switch is accompanied with a push/pull for ALL pick up configurations. Body and neck are made in China, parts are made all over the world and it's assembled in England (*). Some parts like the pickguard are British too. Big difference is a more modern bridge, but with rez-o-Tubes and an alder body, which'll make it more 'Fender'-ish.
For the same amount of money you can buy a standard MIA Precision or an in England assembled, very good looking Burns, with three pick ups, seven pick up configurations, really beautifully made, real engraves, thick pickguard, chrome palm rest, special bridge, et cetera. Great sounding, very different than any other bass... ... and it has d'Addario Chromes;)
A really different beast than the flimsy Chinese Marquee Bass. That just looks a tiny bit like a Burns.
(*) Lakland does the same: Basses are produced in Korea, but a lot of parts are made in the US (or Canada?) and they're assembled in the US (or Canada?).
Wanna see some pics?
