Burns Bison mods

[pete1951]

Some time ago I was searching for a Burns wiring diagram, well in these days of not much to do and nowhere to go, I have found one and wondered if anyone out there has had, or has a Burns Bison? These have a rather complex switching system ( the pickups are low impedance so it also has 3small transformers) If you have had one, did you find the treble settings too treble? I love the tone of the neck pickup, but the other 2 each go through a capacitor that blocks bass frequencies.
.

As the tone pot is not original I intend to replace it with a push-pull one so you can get the original tone, or the new minus-cap tone.
Pete

Unusually the pickups have 6 individual coils, this also creates a problem for string benders as the string travels across the pickups signal strength varies, I think I have a solution for the problem, but more of that later!

[mitchfit]

"are you pondering what i'm pondering?" *

if so these must be much cheaper there than in the US.

mitchfit

* SEE: pinky and the brain.

[mitchfit]

just re-read above post again and the need arises to make intent clear.

quote was supposed to be Pete (brain) pondering a PUP mod and asking pinky the question.

sorry for poorly worded posting.

still wondering if UK resale Bison guitars command high values as [imported] models for sale as here in the US.

reverb.com/marketplace?query=burns%20bison

keep up the good work Pete1951,
mitchfit

[pete1951]

As with most of my guitars, I got the Bison in bits, with bits missing which I have had to make, so it won’t get top dollar. I guess I my get half the price you would get for a complete example.
We will see
Pete

[Pickers Ditch]

The first electric solid I played live on stage was a Burns Sonic in 1962. It was lent to me by one of the soldiers in the show because my guitar was too quiet!

It seemed to me to be tiny with a huge baseball bat neck, strung with flats and a wound G string.

After playing a Framus Black Rose jazzer for a few months previously it was a pig but, amped up, Twist and Shout sounded great.

Just had a look at the price of a good'n today - WOW!

[obrienp]

I know this comment is off the main topic but I see from Pete’s picture that the scratchplate has shielding foil on it. Was that original? Quite impressive for an older instrument, if it was. Pat

[pete1951]

Jan 23, 2021 17:47:08 GMT obrienp said:

I know this comment is off the main topic but I see from Pete’s picture that the scratchplate has shielding foil on it. Was that original? Quite impressive for an older instrument, if it was. Pat

No, I did that when I got the guitar 10-15 years ago.
It it back in one piece and (I think) the mod to the wiring is a great improvement.
Pete

[mitchfit]

have never even seen one in person. pretty scarce here in US. as such, just guessing from Pickers Ditch's review. would those familiar feel it was reasonable to equate the brand as being sorta like UK's valco? [did they make amps also?]

seems tone was better in the crowbar simple tech instruments? or easier to get repeatable results?

can understand the improvement of eliminating the dead spot between PUP poles, esp. as a player. a 6 holed magnetized bar overlaid on top?

tune in next week for the finished product.

and the demo video, hopefully.

mitchfit

[pete1951]

Jan 24, 2021 1:46:22 GMT mitchfit said:

have never even seen one in person. pretty scarce here in US. as such, just guessing from Pickers Ditch's review. would those familiar feel it was reasonable to equate the brand as being sorta like UK's valco? [did they make amps also]

mitchfit

Jim Burns is often called ‘the British Leo Fender’ , I think he is more like a British Fred Gretch ( not my idea, can’t remember where I read it). Most of his guitars were over complicated,and some of the sounds not very usable.
The Bison ( and a few others) had a ‘split sound’ setting, which gave you the bottom 3 strings on the bass pickup and the top3 on the treble.
Wild Dog is also the name of a setting on many Burns guitars, this was just (on the Bison) 2 pickups together, on some models 2 close together pickups were put out of phase, which gave a very thin weedy tone
His 1964 TR2 had active pickups and an onboard 9volt battery

There are lots more innovative things,

Pete

[mitchfit]

so the exact opposite of the "crowbar simple" analogy...

now that home project has past will be looking into this brand in depth.

thanks for bringing me up to speed on a previously unknown guit pioneer.

mitchfit

[pete1951]

He was very much a flawed genius, many great ideas but often some that didn’t work well.
Pete

I met him in the late 70s/early 80s.....he still owes me money

[Stevie]

I played a Burns something (I think it had a scroll headstock) back in the seventies- a best mate's younger brother's guitar. It was obviously far superior to my Rory-fied Columbus Strat like excuse for a stage prop (I have seen those go for north of 300 Sovs on eBay which tells us something about the rabid pursuit of old "stuff" for "old stuff's" sake) He was really chuffed with it so I had to ooo and coo, but I really didn't like the "feel" of it at all. Seemed to be a heavy guitar too. It kind of reminded me of that idiosyncratic "feel" of a Rickenbacher. Of course, fifty years on, I now understand that a great deal is in the set up, but such prejudices can be difficult to shake off?

The guy that took over Burns (or at least the rights to use the name and sell Burns-like objects?) used to live next door to a very dear friend of mine about ten years ago. He was building them in his garden building (posh shed!) I know he has moved on and I don't know whether my friend has forwarding contact details. I will ask him although since such things are proprietry I wouldn't hold my breath too long.

"It's hard to find a blade of grass some b4st4rd doesn't own". ("Boxing Day"- Robb Johnson)

e&oe ...

[obrienp]

I’ve never played one but I have heard good things about the Burns Bison bass in terms of sound options. I am not sure if this is the original 60s incarnation, or the more recent revival versions. Views seemed to be more mixed on playability. Apparently it is very heavy and extra long gauge, so better suited to big, fit people: definitely not for me therefore! I always liked the looks though: a very overgrown Stratocaster (3 single coils) gone gothic, with lots of bling.
Stay safe folks! Pat

[blinddrunk]

About 15 years ago, I was gifted a Burns Marvin 40th anniversary limited edition signature model (No. 47). It is a copy of a guitar that was custom built for Hank Marvin in 1964. It's clearly a quality instrument and, if I was into Shadows type music, I've no doubt it would be excellent. Unfortunately I'd rather sound like Rory Gallagher. It is very resistant to overdrive - I need to crank the amp right up to even get a modicum of distortion. It looks great, though.

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[pete1951]

The Marvin is an easier guitar to play than the Bison, not least because of switch. The Bison has 2 rotary switches, rather than the Strat style one on the Marvin, they are very hard the see their settings without tipping the guitar up . To get some of the available tones you need to turn both, not ideal in the middle of a song!. I think the body is solid maple on The Bison, and it is a large guitar, so very heavy.

Pete

I will do a (short ) video of my electric mods later