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Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
20 Aug 2015, 16:17
by cockroach
I think there has been discussion before about the differently shaped Baldwin Marvins ('prototypes') used by Hank and Bruce on the Oz tour in the mid/late '60's..
Not only were the bodies differently shaped, but also the scratchplates, and they also seemed to have a different control setup- four knobs only, rather than the three knobs and selector switch used on the preceding Burns Marvins.
I was just watching a youtube review of the reissue 1962 Burns Bison, which has the four knob setup- as did the second version of the Bison which came after the original 4 pickup model.
As far as I am aware, the Bison circuit differed from the Marvin circuit, in that the four knobs were master tone, master volume, two way rotary switch to change circuits, and a four position rotary pickup selector- giving eight different settings.
I wonder whether those Oz tour guitars had Bison wiring rather than Burns Marvin?
Thank you!
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
21 Aug 2015, 13:37
by kevinr
I think that they only posed on TV with those, when I saw them in 1967 live they were using the normal Marvins.
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
29 Aug 2015, 16:58
by cockroach
Kevin,
Did you see them in Australia on that tour?
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
30 Aug 2015, 01:04
by kevinr
Yes I did John, I had my original Marvin in those days and they were playing the same.
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
30 Aug 2015, 13:05
by cockroach
Kevin
Where did you see them?
A friend of mine (now passed away) went to one of the shows here in Adelaide, and he sneaked in a small portable reel to reel recorder and mic- and he taped the show! He played it to me years ago- it was quite a good recording, considering the recorder he used!
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
31 Aug 2015, 01:01
by Tony
I saw The Shadows in 1967 both in Geelong and then a few days later in Shepparton and photos I have show them playing what look like the Original Marvins....
Kevin, you might remember The Lyric Music saloon had a display in the Civic Centre, Shepparton and on that night I played a Marvin, borrowed of course from the display stand, and I think that Guitar show was in Feb or March of 1965... wish I had bought it
Tony
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
31 Aug 2015, 09:14
by kevinr
No Tony I do not remember that,however I did not live in the area at that time! one thing I do remember is you using my Marvin at the Civic Centre in september 65!
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
01 Sep 2015, 02:07
by Tony
Yes, now I remember, I did ... how time flys and one forgets...
regards
Tony
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
20 Sep 2015, 07:45
by Bill Bowley
Seems like I came back at the right time!
The Shads did use the prototypes live, I saw them on stage at Chequers nightclub in Sydney, indeed I had a long discussion by letter about the 'single scratchplate' Marvins with Dusty Frets when he was putting 'The Burns Book' together way back when ( I still have the original letters somewhere in archives -I think).
Re: Baldwin Marvin 'prototypes' used on 67 Australian tour
Posted:
20 Sep 2015, 11:05
by cockroach
HI Bill and welcome back!!! Long time since we've heard from you!
I'd love to know if those prototypes had Bison wiring!
Cheers from Adelaide mate!