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Hello, I'm new to this forum, but an old hand with guitars. Unless I can find a suitable "carcass" of a Vibra Artist, I intend to build one from scratch. However, I'm torn between the complexity of the earlier 6 knob control system and the neater looking Deluxe 3 switch/3 knob system - the problem being that I cannot locate a Deluxe circuit diagram, to explain what each control does. In the absence of a diagram I would really appreciate an "verbal" explanation, of what the three switches do and why 2 volumes and one tone.
I'm also on the lookout for a mk1 flat tremolo unit for same.

I had a regular Burns Vibra Artiste back in the '60's.

As far as I can remember it had individual volume and tone knobs for each of the three pickups, a rhythm/solo switch, and a 3 way pickup selector switch.

It seemed that the pickup selection positions gave the neck pickup alone, all three on together (although it sounded as though the middle pickup predominated) and the bridge pickup alone.

If you left the pickup switch in the middle position, you could get any combination of single pickups, two pickups together or all three together, by mixing the individual pickup volume knobs to control each pickup level whether partly or fully on or off.

Don't know if this helps!?

I'm not knowledgeable about the DeLuxe circuit I'm afraid- I could only speculate about the functions of the three pickup switches- were they two position or three position?

I'd guess that if the switches were only two position, they would simply turn each pickup on or off.

If they were 3 position switches, they might turn each pickup off, on in series, or on in parallel, or off/on in phase/on out of phase...

Julian - I've sent you a PM

Erik

Thanks guys, I finally tracked down the 6 knob plus 3 way switch circuit via Alfons Lahaye, now it's just the Deluxe I need.

Hi , I'm currently restoring a couple of very early Burns Artistes, I can draw up some accurate plans if you need?.
It will be cool to see your build on this forum.
Please DM me if you need any help.
Cheers.

Finally got an Artist Deluxe to play with and recreated the circuit!
Very complicated switching system, a mix of series, parallel and tone capacitor options, all very illogically found via the 3 x3 way switches and further complicated by the first rotary pot. This is used as a pickup "blend" knob, then followed by a traditional volume and tone control.
It appears as though Jim Burns intended the three Trisonic pickups to be used as a single unit, and the tones to be modified by blending all three together in various ways, with some tones going through preset tone caps.
Most other guitars of the day would allow direct selection of each pickup, and that was your lot!

Is it possible to have a photo of the wiring of the switches and pots?

I've been trying to draw out a circuit diagram from the wiring diagram that has been supplied

Julesguitars wrote: a traditional volume and tone control.

However, the volume control (pot 2) only has two connections, to the slider and to the earth rail. That can't be right, surely?

Also, it looks as if the middle pickup will always be out of phase, is that correct?

Ray

Julian has drawn up a revised diagram with explanations. Very complicated though