Burns

[sir_andrew_of_left_coast]

There was similar difficulty in recognizing guitars on this forum, when someone recorded a 620, a 650, a Les Paul, and a... hmmm... I forget the 4th guitar. Perhaps it was a 330 or 360?

But it was a fun thread.

[doctorno]

So where is your solution, Andrew?

[admin]

Markus: After adjusting one of my vibratos last evening, I am convinced that if you add a spring to the American Standard that your complaint will be solved.

[doctorno]

Peter: this would certainly improve the way it works, but I have decided to sell the Strat. I cannot afford to keep both the Strat and the Burns and this is not neccessary either, because they both sound very similar, while the Burns is a little more versatile and much more comfortable to play. This Jim Burns seems to have known what he did, when Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch asked him to develop an improved Stratocaster, because that´s exactly what the Burns Hank Marvin is - an improved Stratocaster ...

[admin]

An interesting perspective Markus. I can well appreciate the need to be cost effective.

I cannot help but wonder why Hank Marvin did not replace his Burns when it was first stolen had he considered it was better than the Fender.

[doctorno]

Peter, there is a link to an interview with Hank in another thread. I think in 1970 Burns was out of business, so at the time when the guitar was stolen he did not have a chance to replace it. In the interview he said that in 1964 Bruce and he were not satified with the quality of their Fender guitars anymore. Hank said that especially Bruce Welch thought, that the Fenders were getting out of tune too quickly. This is why they asked Jim Burns to develop a similar sounding guitar with a better vibrato and better tuners, which is what Jim Burns did. After 1970 Hank Marvin returned to Fender and nowadays he prefers the Stratocaster to the Burns - one reason might be that he plays and prefers the Kinman noiseless pickups now. He also has quite a different tone nowadays than in his Burns days.

[admin]

Good points, Markus. It is difficult to purchase an instrument that isn't being made, even for Hank Marvin!

Of interest to me is your comment about Hank's tone having changed over the years. If you are interested in capture his original sound I would steer you in the direction of the Gemini III. This is a tone-shaper that, to my ear, captures Hanks somewhat thinner guitar sound very well. In fact, I use it all the time with all my guitars. It has an excellent true bypass as well.

[doctorno]

Peter, I do not really understand what the Gemini III does actually do to the sound. The technical information seems very mysterious to me. Could you give me an explanation?

[admin]

Markus: Perhaps a good way to look at it is that it is an EQ effect that limits certain wavelengths. It produces a vintage sound that is thinner and not as full as that produced by modern instruments. If you listen to the sound samples you will have a better idea of how it shapes the sound. I am not exactly sure what wavelengths that it allows through the pedal but at the push of a switch as allows for a different tone that is in keeping with Hank Marvin's early sound.

[sir_andrew_of_left_coast]

So where is your solution, Andrew?

Sorry Markus... I got "sidetracked" with some things and missed out on your guess-the-guitar thread.