fender vs burns

[bor64]

Well the ones Hank used on stage, had Kinmans and Sperzels ...
Nice upgrades for a guitar that cost less then £100 from factory

[hansaustria]

Well the ones Hank used on stage, had Kinmans and Sperzels ...
Nice upgrades for a guitar that cost less then £100 from factory

Less than 100 GBP - I can`t believe !!!

[David Martin]

The difference between mine and other, later, examples is that mine, in common with Hank's and Bruce's and all the very early serial numbers had scratchplates made from the original material as the replacement stuff was considerably delayed...

I do a have a set of 60s Resomatics, but they languish in a drawer here at Martin Towers and have never been fitted to my 2004...

Did you do a direct comparison from Marvin ( vintage / Legend / 2004 ) guitars side by side ? I did it with one vintage ( 1964 ) a 2004 and two very early Legends ( 1993 / 96 ) !
There are great differences in sound.

Hans

PS: my Legend has an excellent sounding neck pu, the bridge and middle pu are very good !

Yes, I was able to compare all three and even put the '60s pickups in the Legend... The result? They sounded the same. I have never played a Marvin of any age which sounded "nasal" in itself... That quality comes from the top boost circuit...

[fenderplucker]

I tried the three Burns through the same amplifier setup and the two 2004's sounded very Strat-like, but the Custom had what I called a "nasal" sound, for want of a better description. So it was not the Top Boost causing the difference in sound.

Paul.

[bor64]

I encounter so many original vintage Marvin's, that I lose count.... once 7 at the same time in the same room and one very early pre legend....aka fake (Ely area) Burns with a Baldwin serial plate.
Except the fact that only two had the same body measurements , and the build quality wasn't what we are used to now...they sounded approximately the same....
Not like a strat for sure!
I have a feeling (like I had 10 years ago, and discussed back then) the first samples have different wood and other quality rez-o-tubes and perhaps rez-o-matics too.
About the rez-o-tube bridge, my 2004 china Marvin (no62)bridge has a different feel (I'm talking about the baseplate with the signature)the metal feels like its painted that colour instead of "bare metal" duralumin of my 65 and British custom build 2004 greenburst. On top of that the signature looks in bossed instead of engraved. So maybe the metallurgy is different....
Fact is that on the 3 generations Marvin's the tubes have different levels in depth where the string end balls are anchored and the trem springs have different lengths also....
So who knows the first dozen or so guitars are different....
Except David, I don't know anyone who exchanged a genuine British build legend for a 40th Marvin as number one guitar...so his 2004 40th has to be at least or par with a legend....so far I didn't come across such sample between the higher serial numbered 40th anniversary's.
With the highest respect to CPJ ears, there was a time he wouldn't touch a Burns Marvin with a pole on stage because it wasn't used on the first album

Tin hat in place

Cheers Rob

[hansaustria]

I encounter so many original vintage Marvin's, that I lose count.... once 7 at the same time in the same room and one very early pre legend....aka fake (Ely area) Burns with a Baldwin serial plate.
Except the fact that only two had the same body measurements , and the build quality wasn't what we are used to now...they sounded approximately the same....
Not like a strat for sure!
I have a feeling (like I had 10 years ago, and discussed back then) the first samples have different wood and other quality rez-o-tubes and perhaps rez-o-matics too.
About the rez-o-tube bridge, my 2004 china Marvin (no62)bridge has a different feel (I'm talking about the baseplate with the signature)the metal feels like its painted that colour instead of "bare metal" duralumin of my 65 and British custom build 2004 greenburst. On top of that the signature looks in bossed instead of engraved. So maybe the metallurgy is different....
Fact is that on the 3 generations Marvin's the tubes have different levels in depth where the string end balls are anchored and the trem springs have different lengths also....
So who knows the first dozen or so guitars are different....
Except David, I don't know anyone who exchanged a genuine British build legend for a 40th Marvin as number one guitar...so his 2004 40th has to be at least or par with a legend....so far I didn't come across such sample between the higher serial numbered 40th anniversary's.
With the highest respect to CPJ ears, there was a time he wouldn't touch a Burns Marvin with a pole on stage because it wasn't used on the first album

Tin hat in place


Cheers Rob

I compared yesterday the tremolo plates of a vintage Marvin 64, two very early LEGENDS ( I love these guitars ) and a vintageplate which is from a 65 Marvin.The piece was purchased in the early 90`s when BURNS was present at the Frankfurter Messe and no Anniversary was in sight, the price was 450 DM, the sticker is still on it. I am sure that the tremolo plates of the four are made ( compared with my 2004 Anniversary ) from a different material. The weight is different, the material feels different if you touch. The other 4 plates are IMHO from the same material.

Regards
Hans

Here is the used vintage plate !

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[David Martin]

Guys... I've played quite a few originals, including one said to be Hank's. The old ones all felt slightly different, but not one sounded nasal... And I've played Legends and 2004's - though not many of the latter.

It doesn't really worry me as to the materials the machine is made of, all I'm concerned with is how it sounds. (Most of us have had an experience where a cheap guitar, unaccountably, sounds good despite its low rent appointments. And, equally, I've played original early 60s Strats that sound and feel, poor)

I'm telling you what I know, what I did, and what a respected third party has said about my sound - he wasn't alone, others, including Bruce, commented on the authenticity of my sound at the time.

Make of it what you will...

(But just to add a little something - I can make a Burns sound almost like a Strat, and a Strat almost like a Burns ... Live. And the "secret" is on this Forum)