325 conversion parts
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Tuck_Hersey
Great pic Nick, that's the original Burns knob from the 60's! That leads me to think Lennon's knobs might not be Burns or might be ones from the previous period. Having examined Lennon's 325 in person twice at the JL Museum, I'm sure his knobs look different from either version that Nick posted. They have a slighly wider tapered rim than the one that came off an early 60's 12 string, but not as wide as the reproduction shown in the pic. I've bought many different versions of repro Burns style knobs and I'm 100% sure that Wes' knobs are the closet to Lennon's that I've seen.
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Nick_Thiel
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Tim_Fletcher
Nick, I doubt those aluminium knobs were original fixtures on a Burns 12-string. Their first 12-string model was the Double-Six, introduced in 1964, and by that time they'd gone through the phase of using aluminium knobs (used on certain models during 1962 & 1963) and were using conventional Fender-style skirted and calibrated knobs. Prior to 1962 most Burns guitars had bulky plastic knobs.
I've been through all my Burns stuff and I can't see any other style of aluminium knob than the one in the pics I posted. I don't know enough to say conclusively, maybe they were a rare variant, but I'd raise a question mark against the knobs on JL's 325 being Burns knobs. The guy who would know conclusively would be Paul Day who wrote the Burns Book, Peter knows him. I think Burns were unique in using aluminium knobs on guitars, but they were widely used on other products & easy to make.
I've been through all my Burns stuff and I can't see any other style of aluminium knob than the one in the pics I posted. I don't know enough to say conclusively, maybe they were a rare variant, but I'd raise a question mark against the knobs on JL's 325 being Burns knobs. The guy who would know conclusively would be Paul Day who wrote the Burns Book, Peter knows him. I think Burns were unique in using aluminium knobs on guitars, but they were widely used on other products & easy to make.
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Tim_Fletcher
PS - doing a bit of on-line research, I found that Burns UK (who make the current Burns re-issue guitars) have added a Burns Museum to their website. Check out http://www.burnsguitarmuseum.com for lots of old Burns guitars.
Nick, they have a pic of a prototype Double Six with aluminium knobs, but they are the type in my pic, not the type JL had.
Nick, they have a pic of a prototype Double Six with aluminium knobs, but they are the type in my pic, not the type JL had.
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JETGLOW
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Per_Gjsrde
The knobs is from a Burns Jazz or Jazz Split
Sound Guitar. They are hard to find today
because the new Burns London Ltd doesn«t have
that kind of knobs. If you are interested
please go to the Burns Guitar Museum.
http://www.burnsguitarmuseum.com or per@addit.se
Sound Guitar. They are hard to find today
because the new Burns London Ltd doesn«t have
that kind of knobs. If you are interested
please go to the Burns Guitar Museum.
http://www.burnsguitarmuseum.com or per@addit.se
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Tim_Fletcher
Per is writing a new book about Burns guitars, and I asked him to give an opinion on the knobs.
Per, I'm not quite sure if you're referring to the Burns knobs in the pics I posted above (which are off a Split Sonic) or the knobs which are on Lennon's 325 which can be seen at http://www.voxtalks.com/images/burnsk~1.jpg
Could you kindly clarify ?
Per, I'm not quite sure if you're referring to the Burns knobs in the pics I posted above (which are off a Split Sonic) or the knobs which are on Lennon's 325 which can be seen at http://www.voxtalks.com/images/burnsk~1.jpg
Could you kindly clarify ?
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fatrat
Lennon must have had 2 different types of non-Rickenbacker replacement knobs on his guitar. I have a book called "How They Became The Beatles" that has some great photos of the '58. Some in color, with totally different knobs than the all metal aluminum ones pictured on the site address you posted Tim(and the ones you sell jetglo). The ones in the book are bigger, chrome topped and have what looks like a black plastic ring or rubber grip around the bottom edge. Looks like a concentric tone/volume pot knob, but I'm sure they're not concentric.
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Tim_Fletcher
Between removing the original factory knobs shortly after he bought it and getting the guitar re-finished black with the Burns-style knobs, I thin he had two other sets of knobs on it - cream gold-topped Hofner/Selmer style knobs, and black or brown radio style knobs which may have had silver or gold tops which dropped off. Can't remember in which order.
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Joe_Hardman
I seriously doubt that any dealer has authentic - original Bigsby Phillips head vibrato arm studs for sale, from the 50's or early 60's, because I purchased all the vintage NOS studs the factory had left, the Monday after it was announced the company was to be sold to Gretsch. If you want an authentic Bigsby stud from the Lennon era, like Tuck did, I do have some original Bigsby studs left. However, the hole in a modern arm must be counter sunk, like vintage Bigsby arms are, in order to accommodate a vintage Bigsby stud. If you care to see an original, check out the Phillips head stud on Tuck's Bigsby unit, which can be seen on his web site.
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Tuck_Hersey
Joe is a very nice guy who knows a lot about vintage 325's. I bought an original Bigsby Phillips arm stud, slot-head screws for pickup corners and some other parts from him, which are all exact. Thanks Joe for everything.
This is how his Bigsby stud looks on my 325.
Note that those repro Burns knobs are built by Wes (a.k.a. Jetglow), definitely identical to the ones I saw on Lennon's at the JL Museum. And I shove the Bigsby saddle to make it look like a Selmer bridge.
This is how his Bigsby stud looks on my 325.
Note that those repro Burns knobs are built by Wes (a.k.a. Jetglow), definitely identical to the ones I saw on Lennon's at the JL Museum. And I shove the Bigsby saddle to make it look like a Selmer bridge.
