60s Burns Bass

[EBBurns]

Hi everyone. I'm new on here. I've just discovered this site and am hoping someone might be able to help me. I have recently re-acquired my old bass which I last played as a teenager in the sixties. It is a Burns as shown below and still in excellent nick - the only problem is that when I got it back from my brother, he had lost the amplifier lead! You may wonder why this is a problem, but it seems that Burns used a smaller jack plug than other makers and I have been unable to find anyone who can supply one! So I have a beautiful instrument which has provoked a lot of interest, but no-one can play it! I am in Northants and any advice/offers would be very welcome!

Fingers crossed.

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by EBBurns

[DaveFry]

Maybe just swap the jack socket for a regular one ?

[uk_lefty]

I am the polar opposite of an expert but I'm pretty sure you'd be able to cheaply get someone to either make you a cable for it with an ordinary jack at the other end of you maybe able to find an adaptor somewhere... 

[AndyTravis]

Is it the slightly smaller patch bay sized ones?

[KK Jale]

I think what you MIGHT need is a 3/16" (4.4mm) "bantam" jack plug.

These are not only thinner than a normal 1/4" jack, but also shorter (which might possibly be why Jim Burns chose them, because of the shallow depth of the Sonic body). 

Found this on the net: top, 1/4"; middle, a 3/16" which fits some guy's old Burns; bottom, a modern 3.5mm.

Here's a possible source for a new plug: https://www.canford.co.uk/BANTAM-JACK-PLUGS-4.4mm-Economy or maybe https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/43-190_NEUTRIK-NP3TT-1-B-BANTAM-JACK-PLUG-Black  Can't guarantee these will fit, but maybe worth a shot? (Also, they're crimp-contact, which isn't exactly pro-audio level... but for a home-use bass there's nothing wrong with that, and it'd be nice to keep it original).

Or then again, a 3/16 to 1/4 cable... this looks good... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162673758955

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by KK Jale

[James Nada]

That's a cool looking bass!  Good luck sorting out a jack.

[EBBurns]

4 hours ago, KK Jale said:

I think what you MIGHT need is a 3/16" (4.4mm) "bantam" jack plug.

These are not only thinner than a normal 1/4" jack, but also shorter (which might possibly be why Jim Burns chose them, because of the shallow depth of the Sonic body). 

Found this on the net: top, 1/4"; middle, a 3/16" which fits some guy's old Burns; bottom, a modern 3.5mm.

Here's a possible source for a new plug: https://www.canford.co.uk/BANTAM-JACK-PLUGS-4.4mm-Economy or maybe https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/43-190_NEUTRIK-NP3TT-1-B-BANTAM-JACK-PLUG-Black  Can't guarantee these will fit, but maybe worth a shot? (Also, they're crimp-contact, which isn't exactly pro-audio level... but for a home-use bass there's nothing wrong with that, and it'd be nice to keep it original).

Or then again, a 3/16 to 1/4 cable... this looks good... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162673758955

 

Thanks KK, that looks really helpful. Will follow that up tomorrow.