THE GUITARS OF JAMES ORMSTON BURNS
REFERENCE & RESOURCE PAGES:
SUPERSOUND (1958) - BURNS-WEILL (1959) - FENTON WEILL (1960-65)
ORMSTON BURNS (1960-1965) - AMPEG (1963-64) - BALDWIN (1965-69)
SHERGOLD WOODCRAFTS (1967-69) - ORMSTON (1968) - HAYMAN (1970-75)
BURNS UK (1973-77) - BURNS ACTUALIZERS (1979-82) - SHERGOLD (1975-92)
BURNS LONDON
TIMELINE - PUBLICITY - FACTORY
ARTIST - SONIC - VIBRA-ARTIST-DELUXE - BLACK BISON - VISTA-SONIC
BLACK BISON III - JAZZ - TR-2 - NU-SONIC - MARVIN - DOUBLE 6
BISON - VIBRASLIM - GB65 - GB66 - VIRGINIAN - BABY BISON
AMPLIFIERS - ACCESSORIES - PROTOTYPES
MARVIN RANGE (1964-68)
MARVIN GUITAR & SHADOWS BASS
First Advertised in 22nd May 1964, the Marvin was developed over the course of two years, and more than 30 prototypes:
c.1964 publicity, source unknown
Burns Marvin timeline variations, 1964-68:
Earliest production Marvins had glued-on small pickguard sections, quickly revised to be affixed by 2, 3 or 4 screws.
Selector switch slanted at first, changed to horizontal from October 1964.
Top strap button initially situated on tip of horn, moved to rear of body mid Nov 1964.
Engraving on the Rez-o-Matik pickups started small, enlarged from January 1965.
1964 bodies were narrower and of Mahogany. Early 1965 bodies became wider and made from lighter Obeche wood.
Necks were unbound Beech until early 65 when binding and Sycamore were introduced, with the Burns Micro-tilt system in use by February 1965.
Late 1965 The top nut/string-spacer changed from inset to moulded abutted type
C. February 1966 Baldwin-branding and flattened scroll headstock style introduced.
Some 1966-1967 examples have sloping chamfered shoulders to neck-pocket enclosure walls.
In early 1967 the pickguard shape was revised with a sharply squared corner by bridge pickup and control arrangements run Tone-Tone-Volume.
1967 Control knobs change from engraved vertical lines on the sides to crosshatched pattern.
1968 Bar-o-Matik pickups substituted on late examples.
1962 Marvin Prototype
Serial No. 0041
Based on Jazz Guitar with Split Sonic Pickups, Deluxe OB headstock logo, Metal Tuners
1963 Marvin Prototype
Based on Jazz Guitar body / TR2 Neck
Serial No. 3234
Note 'MASTER' switch on bass horn, TONE-TONE-VOLUME knob order, unique 'Rez-O-Matik' pickups, Hand-made Vibrato and crazy top-horn strap-button placement!
New Musical Express 22nd May 1964
c. May/June/July 1964 Burns Marvin
Serial No 6026
Small Rezomatik engraving on pickups, 3 screws on inturned top horn, 3 on lower horn, unbound neck
Strap button on tip.
Rounded corner to pickguard. Bridge in-set into pickguard!
c.1964 advert, source unknown
New Musical Express 21st August 1964
New Musical Express 28th August 1964
c.1964 advert, source unknown
BURNS Catalogue September 1964
6th October 1964 Burns Marvin
Large (anachronistic) Rezomatik engraving on pickups and horizontal switch.
3 screws on in-turned top horn, 2(?) on lower horn, no binding, strap button on tip
12th Oct 1964 Burns Marvin
5th Nov 1964 Burns Marvin
Serial No 8167
Small Rezomatik engraving on pickups, 3 screws on in-turned top horn, 2 on lower horn, no binding, strap button on tip
19th Nov 1964 Burns Marvin
Serial No 8051
Small Rezomatik engraving on pickups, horizontal switch.
2 screws on less curved top horn, 2 on lower horn, no binding
Strap button now on rear
c. early 1965 Burns Marvin
Serial No. 8248
with neck binding? horizontal switch and large pickup engraving? Neck plate Patent Numbers in asymmetric columns?
19th Nov 1964 Burns Marvin
Serial No. 8998
Small Rezomatik engraving on pickups, 2 screws on less curved top horn, 2 on lower horn, no binding
Strap button on rear
2nd Dec 1964 Burns Marvin
Serial No. 9064
Small Rezomatik engraving on pickups, 2 screws on more curved top horn, 2 on lower horn, no binding.
Strap button on rear, Patent numbers in one column
c. late-1964 Burns Marvin
Serial No. 9066
Small Rezomatik engraving on pickups, 2 screws on less-curved top horn, 2 on lower horn, no binding.
Strap button on rear, Patent numbers in one column
c. late-1964 Burns Marvin
Small Rezomatik engraving on pickups, 3 screws on less-curved top horn, 2 on lower horn, no binding
January 1965 Burns Marvin
White Neck
Small Rezomatik engraving on pickups, 2 screws on curved-in top horn, 2 on lower horn, no binding, Patent numbers in one column
circa January 1965 Burns Shadows Bass
Serial No. 9422
circa January/Feb 1965 Burns Marvin
Serial No. 9873?
Obeche Body, LARGE Rez-0-Matik engraving, 2 screws on both horn-plates, unbound neck, patent numbers in two columns
26th January 1965 Burns Marvin
Serial No. 10358
Mahogany Body, LARGE Rez-0-Matik engraving, 2 screws on both horn-plates, unbound neck, patent numbers in two columns
BURNS Catalogue February 1965
c.1965 Burns Marvin
LARGE Rez-0-Matik engraving, 2 screws on both horn-plates, BOUND neck, patent numbers in two columns
Another c.1965 Burns Marvin
Large Rez-0-Matik engraving, 2 screws on both horn-plates, bound neck, patent numbers in two columns
late 1965 Burns/Baldwin Marvin 'S' Prototype
3- and 4- screw plates
late 1965 Burns/Baldwin Shadows/Rostill Bass 'S' Type Prototype
Serial No. 2590
c. January 1966 Burns Marvin
Serial No 13012
Large Rez-0-Matik engraving, 2 screws on both horn-plates, bound neck, patent numbers in two columns
11th Feb 1966 Baldwin Shadows Bass
Serial No. 13526
Scroll head bass, Baldwin Badges with 2 screws each
c. early 1966 Baldwin Marvin
Serial No.14329
Baldwin 2-screw plates, Bound Sycamore Scroll neck
Patent numbers in one column
17th September 1964 Burns Marvin
Serial No.14551
Seems to have a later replacement body and neck-plate/serial number?
Scroll head on unbound Beech neck, small Rez-o-Matik engraving.
Three- and four-screw plates, patent numbers in two columns
c. Feb 1966 Burns Marvin
Serial No.14657
Earliest Flattened Scroll head, three- and four-screw plates, patent numbers in two columns
c.Feb 1966 Burns Shadows Bass
Serial No 14758
Latest Scroll Head, Burns Branded plates with 4- and 5- screws!
Baldwin-Burns Marvin advert, circa end 1965/early 1966
c. Feb/March 1966 Baldwin Marvin
Serial No.15143
Latest Scroll head, patent numbers in two columns
c. 1968 Baldwin Marvin
Serial No. 17320
Restored by Jack Golder c.1991
Baromatik Pickups and pickguard shape suggest serial number is not original
31st May 1966 Baldwin Marvin
Serial No. 19346
21st Feb 1967 BALDWIN Marvin
Serial No. 20656
Note "Tone-Tone-Volume" control etching & arrangement!
Sloping chamfered shoulders to body neck-pocket enclosure walls.
20th Feb 1967 BALDWIN Marvin
Serial No. 20694
Note "Tone-Tone-Volume" control etching & arrangement!
Squared, non-chamfered shoulders to body neck-pocket enclosure walls.
c. March 1967 BALDWIN Marvin
Serial No. 20745
Sloping chamfered shoulders to body neck-pocket enclosure walls.
circa 1967/8 Baldwin Marvin
Serial No. 21340
Bar-o-matik pickups
circa 1967/8 Baldwin Marvin
Serial No. 21354
Rez-o-Matik Pickups, and 'Tone-Tone-Volume' control etching & arrangement!
Squared, non-chamfered shoulders to body neck-pocket enclosure walls.
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c. 1968 Baldwin Marvin
Serial No. 21529
Restored by Jack Golder c. 1991
c. 1968 Baldwin Marvin
Serial No. 21767
Bar-o-Matik Pickups, Bound Neck, Tortoishell rear tremolo plate
