Burns Basses

[BetaFunk]

My early 1960s Burns Sonic Bass

[BigRedX]

That's nice!

Here's mine. In very unoriginal condition:

[IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/DSC01541-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/DSC01544.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/DSC01545.jpg[/IMG]

The finish had been stripped off by a previous owner (from what's left under the pickguard it was red and black like yours) who had also drilled the pickguard for a second jack socket and pot (not connected to the pickups). I replaced the bridge and machine heads because the original ones had ceased to function properly. It cost me £60 back in 1981 including a very battered but original Burns hard case and a Fender branded strap.

[BetaFunk]

That's really nice and probably a lot more playable than mine. The action is too high at the moment so i have a bit of work to do on it. There's not much else wrong it. It's next on the list after i've finished my two Vox basses.

[12stringbassist]

My Bison reissue.
Sounds more like a Rickenb***er than a Rickenb***er.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1369953996' post='2095028']
That's really nice and probably a lot more playable than mine. The action is too high at the moment so i have a bit of work to do on it. There's not much else wrong it. It's next on the list after i've finished my two Vox basses.
[/quote]

The action on mine is pretty high too. The neck although re-enforced is not adjustable so the only way I'm going to get the action lower is to have the fingerboard re-shot to contract the neck bow, which of course will mean a refret.

When you come to sort yours out can you let me know how the pickups are wired up. On mine, when I got it, the pickups were connected using a 3-way centre off switch as the selector, so the only way you can have both pickups on together is for them to be wired in series. It's a fantastic sound so I kept the wiring system the same when I replaced the components with less crackly ones, but I would be interested to know if that's how it was originally or if it was done by a previous owner because that was the only switch he could get.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1370905122' post='2107402']
The action on mine is pretty high too. The neck although re-enforced is not adjustable so the only way I'm going to get the action lower is to have the fingerboard re-shot to contract the neck bow, which of course will mean a refret.

When you come to sort yours out can you let me know how the pickups are wired up. On mine, when I got it, the pickups were connected using a 3-way centre off switch as the selector, so the only way you can have both pickups on together is for them to be wired in series. It's a fantastic sound so I kept the wiring system the same when I replaced the components with less crackly ones, but I would be interested to know if that's how it was originally or if it was done by a previous owner because that was the only switch he could get.
[/quote]
I'm taking the Sonic to my local luthier tomorrow about the action/neck so i'll let you know how i got on with it. I'll get back to you re the pickups.

[Pinball]

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1370900183' post='2107293']
My Bison reissue.
Sounds more like a Rickenb***er than a Rickenb***er.


[/quote]
Hmm I fancy one of these. I have played one in a shop and wasn't blown away but I have 3 burns lead guitars that I use regularly so it would be nice to add a bass. Anyone out there got one for swapsies?

[LeftyBiskit]

I had a Lefty version in white,the action was pretty high tho'
also had a dead spot at the 6th fret on the E string,
nice looker-always got comments on it but not practical for what i played-I just bought it coz i liked the "look"

[Pinball]

aah lefty is no good to me and I would want a "player", I put out a separate thread as I don't want to "threadjack".

Here is a vid from someone who loves them-if you can be bothered to watch for 13 mins

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O9sL4mDg9I"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O9sL4mDg9I[/url]

[Spike Vincent]

[attachment=146849:sofaburns.jpg]

[Gust0o]

That video is amazing. It really got me.