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Hi ! There.

In the Burns era. I think that Hank used any pickups properly. For instance,
He used bridge pickup for " I wish I could shimmy like my sister Arthur" and more".
he did middle for "Rise and fall of fligenl bunt " and more.
and neck for "Stardust",and more.

Was that right ?

So sorry for my poor English.

eugene

Hi Eugene

When I played with Legend, these are the pickups I used...

Bridge: Chattanooga Choo Choo
Middle: Stardust, Evening Glow, Bossa Roo
Middle Neck: Lady Penelope, Now That You're Gone, Cotton Picking,
Neck: Flingel Bunt, The Warlord, Waiting for Rosie, In The Mood,

That is as far as I can remember!! Very little use of Bridge, mostly Neck and Neck/Middle

I hope this helps...

I believe Stardust uses the not normally available selection of neck and bridge. If you have a burns with the pull-out tone control you can get this combination.

noelford wrote:I believe Stardust uses the not normally available selection of neck and bridge. If you have a burns with the pull-out tone control you can get this combination.

And which was not on Hank's Burns either...

There is a quite a lot of similarity in tone between using front+bridge combination and alternatively using the middle pickup on it's own...especially with some twiddling of the amp tone controls.

You can hear this with Strats and Burns when using the middle pickup alone, especially with the older ones, back when they only had the old three position switch.

I read somewhere that Leo Fender didn't like the sound of two pickups switched on together (and he didn't like the sound of skinny strings on his guitars either apparently!) He was a fan of the clear strong pure harmonics from a single pickup used on its own- as with his beloved lap steel guitars. Maybe he thought that the Strat electrics gave a full enough tone range at that time (which they certainly did). There weren't too many three pickup guitars around back then either (Gibson ES 5, Epiphone Emperor, Guild Stratford etc- which all had circuits which could give most, if not all, combinations, as well as individual pickups)

I agree Mr.Leo Fender.

I also don't like the sound of two pickups swiched on together,and the system of pull-out tone controll.
Those sounds are very thin and poor.

I'd prefer thick gauge strings.
I use D'Addario,011.

1964~1968, I think that Hank's burns has only three point pickup swich.
And doesn't have pull-out tone controll.

He may used chrome strings,didn't he ?

eugene

eugene wrote:I agree Mr.Leo Fender.

I also don't like the sound of two pickups swiched on together,and the system of pull-out tone controll.
Those sounds are very thin and poor.

eugene

Sorry, Eugene, but I strongly disagree. You may not like them but they are certainly not thin and poor when used with the right amp set up and for the right tunes. I use the pulled-out position, bridge and neck, a great deal for melodic instrumentals and it sounds great.

1964~1968, I think that Hank's burns has only three point pickup swich.
And doesn't have pull-out tone controll.

No, Eugene. The switch on the originals had all 5 positions available, you will hear the 'two pickup' sound on many of the 1960's Shadows tracks. I have two 1964 originals and a '66 Baldwin Marvin that all have their original selectors to support my statement.

The key to getting the Burns to sound "right" with the combined pickup settings - and indeed the frequent use of the neck pickup - is in the setting of the Vox Top Boost...

Full bass - because of a quirk in the wiring, this sucks out middle
Treble - turn it up until it "bites"...

Use the neck pickup and play the intro to "Blue Day" and adjust Treble accordingly but leave bass as it is...

Hank's tones also modified by the use of the DeArmond 610 pedal always left in circuit in the "treble" position when not being used, but the setting above will get you very close...

No Vox? Use an Ampworks or a Tonelab... a naked other brand amp won't get you there!!

No, Eugene. The switch on the originals had all 5 positions available, you will hear the 'two pickup' sound on many of the 1960's Shadows tracks. I have two 1964 originals and a '66 Baldwin Marvin that all have their original selectors to support my statement.

Hi Bill
I believe you when you say it - but that's interesting info. What are the serial numbers on your 64 Marvins?

For other reasons I have previously done some research on the subject and the impression I got was that a 3 way switch was the norm. At least the original Marvins I could locate (with the help of a reputed collector) all had 3 way switches. I know there was a change at some point in the production between two types of switches, know as the rotary- (form not function) and the box-type, but both 3 ways I believe.

Evidently there's 5 ways versions as well, like yours - I just haven't met them (the fact that some Shads track have the "in between" sound doesn't necessarily take a 5 pos switch).

There are rumours that other - and quite different switches (and possible pickups wirings) - excists on some Marvins, so one never knows.

Erik