Guitar confirmation

[Billyboygretsch]

Can anyone confirm what this guitar is. It's a Burns and looks a bit like a short scale Jazz guitar

[JimN]

It looks like Burns parts (including the neck) on a different, possibly home-made, body.

The body shape is reminiscent of certain Fenton-Weill guitars and even of a BM "Model 707" from the early to mid sixties.

[Billyboygretsch]

The scratchplate is very interesting - it is being offered ears a Burns prototype. It is on eBay and has a Burns plate and serial number - which I thought would not be on a prototype I will post the other pics.

[Billyboygretsch]

Won't let me copy them. It has a serial no 679 !

[dusty fretz]

This six-string oldie certainly appears to be based on the original Mk.1 Jazz, as indicated by the mahogany neck and headstock, likewise the body in matching timber. The scratchplate is again correct for the Mk.1, but the selector switch and jack socket have obviously been reversed by some idiot to create a really impractical configuration. The top-stringing bridge/tailpiece is the most unusual feature, as it certainly looks feasible in terms of design, with the saddles resembling the early Jazz type, although the baseplate is unique. However, the scratchplate cut-out is oversize for this component, being big enough to instead surround the recessed baseplate employed on the vibrato version Jazz. It therefore looks ‘wrong’ here, but could equally be sufficiently correct for use on a prototype, so perhaps Jim Burns did indeed initially consider a partner fixed bridge alternative back then. The serial number has little chronological relevance, apart from the fact that the number is comparatively low, as my vibrato Mk.1 model was s/no.424.

The ‘proper’ prototype Mk.1 Jazz is pictured on P.54 of The Burns Book and I’ve subsequently seen several of this earliest type, so it obviously went into limited production before soon being significantly re-styled, but I’ve never come across a fixed-bridge equipped example, as currently up for grabs on eBay. I do still have some suspicions about it and only a much closer inspection might alleviate these, because with Burns, who knows, especially as a number of other, hitherto unknown one-offs from this maker have cropped up for sale in recent months. It’s all good grist to the mill for Volume 2 of The Burns Book of course, adding to the already staggering amount of additional information I’ve amassed since the original appeared, but I’m afraid such a further publication is no longer a practical proposition, as the interest and investment simply isn’t there any more, so alas this veritable mountain of new facts and figures will simply just go when I do!

[Billyboygretsch]

Some pics for those who have not seen

[Billyboygretsch]

[quote][/quote] It’s all good grist to the mill for Volume 2 of The Burns Book of course, adding to the already staggering amount of additional information I’ve amassed since the original appeared, but I’m afraid such a further publication is no longer a practical proposition, as the interest and investment simply isn’t there any more, so alas this veritable mountain of new facts and figures will simply just go when I do! Quote from Dusty Fretz

Paul I can fully understand the volume of work involved in producing a Vol 2 and the difficulties in publishing. It is such a shame that after amassing all the information that it will not be shared. I for one have used the Burns Book as a reference bible for Burns as I am sure have many others. If you change your mind I am sure you would get support from many of your followers over the years.

Cheers
Bill

[Billyboygretsch]

I see this went for £518. Looks authentic but something seems odd - guess that's what prototypes are about. Don't think it's a Burns Classic obviously neither did Jim Burns