Burns Vibra Artist - HELP!

[burnsbonkers]

Hi all!
Ive been seriously looking for a Burns Vibra artist - for some time!!
I have missed a couple of projects on evilbay - but was outbid in the last minutes! - i am full aware of problems these guitars can have (neck twisting) and the insane wiring system - but if anyone has one for sale - complete or not - even a body /neck carcass, something to work on, i would be over the moon to finally get one- its a dream of mine to have one of these rare beasts!.
Ive been emailing David Martin from this site about his, and he has kindly sent me a picture of his beauty!
Money wise - if there is a decent worthwile project for sale, i have £400 i can pay for that practically straight away - if there is one that is in better (more complete condition) Depending on condition, i would be prepared to pay up to around 900 - but would have to put £400 down as a part payment until ican muster up the rest!
I am 100% genuine by the way, and do have other guitarists emails that can vouch for me to prove that im a genuine buyer.
BUT....
Another route i would like to take if i cant find a decent artist is to make one myself-( i am a competent woodworker/engineer) so if anyone has one that they would be willing to take dimensions/trace outlines- anything at all and sent them me , it would be absoloutely fantastic.
So anyone out there who can help me fulfill my dream, it would be greatly, greatly appreciated!!!
thanks!!
Pat
p.s - my email is jamfreakpoe@hotmail.com

[RayL]

Hi

It would help if you could say where you are based. The many measurements that would be required if you planned to make an accurate copy would be better done by yourself. I would be happy, for example, to let you take all the necessary measurements from my own Artist (see my avatar) as long as you came to my house to do it. It has the same body (but not the neck) as the Vibra Artist although (as you can see) it has been modified for stereo, pickups in series, phase-reverse, etc. The neck, one of Jim Burns' early offset-contour designs, you would probably not want to copy - some people find it too strange to be playable!

In addition I have an original scratchplate/electronics plate (1962 Vibra-Artist style) which I bought some time back but have never used and might sell, which would solve a lot of problems in a new-build.

I live in Carshalton, Surrey

Ray L

[burnsbonkers]

thanks for the reply Ray - the scratchplate + other bits would be a great help!
I live in Nottinghamshire by the way , sorry for not stating that.
I have heard of the strange contoured necks as well - ( if i was to build one ) an idea would to buy a ready built 24 fret neck - then "Fuse" it to the body by gluing/bolting it, then filling it to make it appear like how the originals were - then adding wood to the headstock, and shaping it the same as an artist headstock.
-so not a 100% faithful replica but a very close "homage" to the original.-Probably easier to play as well-? !
obviously unlike many other artists, it would need to be painted flat red+black to hide the difference in design - but fender dakota red +black would be lovely!
like yours- maybe fitting a bigsby would be cool (and easier) than finding a burns item. as for the bridge - im sure i could find (or make) something that would
Pass.
However - even if i build one - i still intend to search for an original!! - no matter what state its in!.
Also thanks for the offer to come round and take measurements - i dont have a car, but i would be happy going on a mission on the train one weekend!!

Even so, just a fairly accurate tracing of the headstock, rough length, shape, body tracing/thickness would be enough to go on - doesnt need to be spot on ,i can do the rest + the scratchplate that you could provide, would be more than enough to build the "Homage!!"
anyway thanks a lot for the reply! - its appreciated!!!
Pat

[RayL]

Hi Pat

Happy to supply a tracing of the body shape. The later Vibra-Artist was often a little thicker than mine. I hope you've got a copy of Paul Day's The Burns Book because that, unlike the later Pearl s and Crazy Diamonds, has dimensions in it. From there you'll see that the V-A neck is 23 3/8 scale - very short despite having 24 frets. You might have considerable diffiiculty in finding such a neck, so making it might be the only option. If you used a longer scale neck, the vibrato unit might overhang the edge of the (small) body.

Paul has mentioned to me that in the early days Jim Burns would buy the mahogany counters from pubs to use for guitar bodies. At the rate at which pubs are closing these days you might be able to pick up a 'well-seasoned' bargain! My Artist is made of a dark red wood, almost certainly mahogany.

The Bigsby on my Artist is rather curious. It was already fitted when I bought the guitar in May 1963. However, the short-lived Artist model was not fitted with a tremolo, so my guess is the Bigsby was 'factory fitted' as a special order since Jim Burns had yet to produce his own tremolo unit. This is born out by the lack of screw holes in the body for the 'standard' fixed tailpiece. On that basis, a Bigsby might be considered as an 'authentic' Burns fitment, even though there is only one example!

Among other 'bit's and bobs' that I have are an authentic 'Rhythm/Solo' slider switch and sections of the original electronics plate (the only version in cream that I have ever come across) showing how the nuts for the pickup mounting screws are held in place with little mounds of Araldite.

If you decide to go ahead with this project, please consider doing a stage-by-stage 'write-up' (with pics) for this Burns forum. There would be a lot of interest and, who knows, you might encourage others to build their own guitars as well.

Ray

[burnsbonkers]

Hi, thanks alot for that info.
I dont have pauls book but I will be searching for it.
Doing a body/headstock tracing (with peg hole positions) would be fantastic, I have a lot of pics aside for the project also.
It seems Jim Burns was being eco friendly all them days ago.
There is an old woodyard not far from my workplace, I think they will have something there for me. If not - down the pub with a hacksaw! .
As for the neck, I think a normal generic neck will do - see how it goes.
I didnt realize the artist had a short scale 24 fret neck! -Bonkers.
I am going to treat this project as a learning curve, and will be posting up pictures and build progress as I go along.
As for the electrics - ill leave that until the body is made! ! !
Ill pm you my details if thats ok Ray.
Thanks!
Pat.

[ErikMAMS]

Hi Pat
I've been I a somewhat similar situation only my desire was the Burns Nu-Sonic. I managed to find an original body and some part - sourced the missing part or made them myself.

Regarding the neck. The Nu-Sonic had a short scale 22 fret neck and I bought a Fender licensed unfinished neck and reshaped the peghead. I don't know if that would be a solution for you. The shortscale Fenders are Mustang and Jaguar - and maybe others which I can't remember right now. Using a prefab neck like this you may need to adjust the position of the bridge on the body somewhat, but I think it should be possible - especially if you do the body yourself - and look OK, if you can live with just 22 frets.

Erik

[burnsbonkers]

Hi Erik,
I think that is the route that I am going to take regarding the neck.
I dont play that high up the fretboard, so the necks you stated, seem the best idea!.
I also had a nu sonic that needed re finishing - that was complete, but I took ALL the dimensions/outlines/scratchpate . In the hope of making one myself another time! (The one I had was in bad shape)
So im glad I did that.
Id love to see the pics of your nu - sonic.
Thanks !
Pat

[mgeek]

I saw one a few months ago on Denmark street for £599...seemed like a good price for that region, but I reckon with patience one will turn up online...

Not sure there's much point in making a replica with a bought, bolt on neck...if you're going to go to the effort of making one, may as well go the whole hog!

You can get pre slotted fretboards pretty easily, and really, cutting the fret slots accurately is the hard bit.

Sounds like it'd be a fun project!

[David Martin]

Sadly, the bolt on neck just won't do... the Burns is very short scale... and a-symetrical...

D

[dusty fretz]

Only the early examples employed an asymmetric neck profile, later Vibra Artists came with a more conventional cross-section.