fender vs burns

[Hank2k]

Hi all

Can anyone tell me why i get a better early Shads sound from a burns rather than a strat?

Let me explain tonight at rehearsal I used my American strat into q2 and ac30 sounded great, I then swapped to the burns same setup and it was magic much more bite, mid range etc

Is it the pickup or the woods etc?

[neil2726]

Better pickups?

[Billyboygretsch]

The wood would not make that much difference. I think it's pick ups.
Fender aim their pick ups at a general market. Burns Rez o Matiks are really aimed at a Shadows Sound. It seems that many people including some on this site change pick ups on their Fenders fairly often trying to achieve a sound. You don't hear of many changing the Burns pickups or even wanting to.
It sometimes amazes me that some people pay lots of money for high end Fenders and almost immediately start customising them to improve them. Why not buy a cheaper guitar and upgrade?

[dave robinson]

The wood would not make that much difference. I think it's pick ups.
Fender aim their pick ups at a general market. Burns Rez o Matiks are really aimed at a Shadows Sound. It seems that many people including some on this site change pick ups on their Fenders fairly often trying to achieve a sound. You don't hear of many changing the Burns pickups or even wanting to.
It sometimes amazes me that some people pay lots of money for high end Fenders and almost immediately start customising them to improve them. Why not buy a cheaper guitar and upgrade?

I have got and had several 'high end ' Fenders and never needed to change pickups on those. I have though switched pickups and changed them on the Jap or Mexican versions. As for the Burns, my white Marvin always sounded to tinny on the bridge pickup, until Barry Gibson sorted out the problem after I mentioned it. I love the sound of each of my Burns Guitars, the Marvin and the Shadows Custom. In short the USA Strats have always delivered for me, only the cheaper ones have varied away from what I would have expected. That said, my Classic Vibe Squier sounded spot on.

[kevinr]

I sold my CS 57 Strat it just could not compete with my Burns Legend! I have tried many Strats over the years, however always come back to the Burns!

[JimN]

The characteristic sound of a Burns Marvin, and also the final version of the original Burns Bison, is produced by the sheer mass of the alloy bridge/trem assembly.

To be honest, the pickups and controls are very similar to those of a Stratocaster. The (usually, but not always) light wood used for the body is a bit different, but the neck is more or less the same because maple and sycamore are closely related. There is some difference on the top three strings with respect to tension because of the headstock configuration, but for the lower strings, the main difference is made by the resonance of that idiosyncratic trem/bridge.

[hansaustria]

The characteristic sound of a Burns Marvin, and also the final version of the original Burns Bison, is produced by the sheer mass of the alloy bridge/trem assembly.

To be honest, the pickups and controls are very similar to those of a Stratocaster. The (usually, but not always) light wood used for the body is a bit different, but the neck is more or less the same because maple and sycamore are closely related. There is some difference on the top three strings with respect to tension because of the headstock configuration, but for the lower strings, the main difference is made by the resonance of that idiosyncratic trem/bridge.

My vintage Marvin and my very early Legend both have a neck made from beech.
I have a 2004 Anniversary which is not on par ( sound / dynamics ) with the other
ones. Sounds not as good !

Hans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcToh6zHID8

[JimN]

My vintage Marvin and my very early Legend both have a neck made from beech. I have a 2004 Anniversary which is not on par ( sound / dynamics ) with the other
ones. Sounds not as good !
Hans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcToh6zHID8

It is true that some (a few) 1960s Burns Marvin necks were made of beech (rather than sycamore), which can be identified by the generally slightly darker colour of the wood and the very tight grain patterns.

I didn't know that any of the Barry Gibson era Burns guitars had beech necks; I thought they were all maple, if not rock maple.

Beech is as stable as sycamore or maple (obviously, subject to correct timber choice, cutting and reinforcement).

[hansaustria]

You are right, my mistake ! I`ve to correct. Only the vintage
Marvin has the beech neck.

Hans

[bor64]

I've 4 Burns Marvin's a 65 a 80 and 2x 04.
When I compare the "other 3" with the original... sound wise ,the 04 British build greenburst Marvin sounds like the original only louder...
The one from 80/82 sounds slightly different , but the one who takes the biscuit of sounding different is the 04 40th anniversary Marvin....that's the one that sounds the most as a strat....
Cheers Rob