Burns

[Chris P.]

Any vintage Burns owners outhere?

[PhilT]

Never appealed, even though i was a huge Shadows fan when aged 11.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yaa4kwsGBI&feature=related

[Barklessdog]

Kevbo has one for sale, had my eye on it. A strange Baldwin one

http://www.goodguysguitars.com/inventory/basses.htm

[chromium]

Here's an old Bison in action, with Andy Leigh of Spooky Tooth:

   

Do you still have that Vista Sonic, Chris?

[Chris P.]

I still have the Vista Sonic and I love it. Nothing to do with modern 'Burns' basses. This one has low impedance humbuckers like a Gibson LP Signature, Recording or Triumph. And it doesn't sound like any other bass.

I'll post some pics soon!

At the moment I have a lim ed Shadows Bass at home. Really handcrafted in the UK. It's a very good copy of the real '64 Shadows Bass. it's a real good lokker, but soundwise it's more like a Jazz with extra added neck pick up. But compared to the cheap Marquee Bass it's gorgeous!!!!

[PhilT]

Kevbo has one for sale, had my eye on it. A strange Baldwin one

http://www.goodguysguitars.com/inventory/basses.htm

From what I've read, Baldwin aren't held in quite the same esteem.

[Barklessdog]

http://cgi.ebay.com/BURNS-SHADOWS-CUSTOM-BASS-GUITAR-DISCOUNTED-PRICE_W0QQitemZ310019069385QQihZ021QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m122

Anyone ever check out these custom reissue's?

Pricey

[Dave W]

Anyone ever check out these custom reissue's?

Pricey

Keith Patterson of The Conquerors plays one of the early custom shop reissues. I happened into Encore Music in Minneapolis when he had first got it and brought it in for a little adjustment, he handed it to me and I got to play it for a few minutes. Cool bass. But that was maybe 7 years ago, can't remember much about the tone.  There are some shots of him with it in their photos http://www.myspace.com/theconquerorsminneapolis 

[Chris P.]

Burns are worth more money. I tested the Burns Shadows bass thouroughly and I'll post some results and pics soon!

[JimmyBond8]

I was just noticing that you had one of those Shadows basses listed under your profile Chris P so I went and checked it out. I'll be looking forward to seeing the pics and hearing what you think of it. I hadn't seen or heard of one before today (only seen the old burns basses occasionally mentioned or up for sale on Ebay). I think they look awesome!! But I'm a sucker for unique looking guitars and basses.

[Chris P.]

I'll post a complete review later. Do you have MySpace? I posted a lot of pics at:

www.myspace.com/chrispdekker

Otherwise I'll post some here!

[Chris P.]

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?

[JimmyBond8]

Nice! Thanks for the info/review. Most appreciated. And I checked out the pics on your myspace. Now I'm gonna be waiting to play one if ever I get a chance to come across one. Maybe I will in a few weeks when I visit Portland, OR. Theres usually cool music shops in bigger cities with more selection than what I get locally (though I am lucky to have an Eastwood dealer in my town).

[Chris P.]

Okay, no thanks! Good luck and I'll make some pics of both basses together soon!