Vibra Artist

[Graylion]

Scrap my question about posting pics! I've just found the "Gallery". It's at the top of the page, silly! Lionel

[David Martin]

You're right Lionel... a touch of brain fade on my part... multi core it is!

[Graylion]

I've just created a personal album and uploaded 4 pics of my Artiste taken a few years ago. The flash shows up the dust very well but the guitar is in excellent condition. I put the black marks on the knobs, for obvious reasons, when I was 17! I have the bridge cover, which just slides into place, (or as I prefer to put it "slide-on, fall-off"!) and is even less useful than the Fender Strat "ashtray"! Those in the know might recognise that the case is the Burns original - Black vinyl covering but some missing when shredded by our pet dog back in about 1963! Patched up properly with tape of course.
The album was intended to be a sub-album of my "main" album but I think I did it wrong. I want to have other sub-albums for different things like catalogue scans, other guitars etc., all under the main "Graylion" album. How do I do that?
Cheers, Lionel

[David Martin]

Update:

I finally got round to doing the bridge mods which work fine, allowing lower action and more downforce over the saddles; and at the other end a black friction free nut and a new zero fret. All these had to be hand modified as the Artiste (!) only measures 40mm across the neck at the nut as opposed to 43mm for most stuff. A fret dress and polish followed (all this done this morning) and she now plays really well with a more "solid" tone without rattles and "sitaring" over the zero fret...

As the following pic shows, the bridge base is a U shaped channel with slots to accept the saddles. I have slotted the back of the U so that the strings don't touch it, then removed the rear of the saddle too. These mods allow the saddles to sit lower in the front of the U, and an increase in downforce via a lowered string guide also shown...

Artiste bridge mods.jpg

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Artiste nut and zero fret.jpg

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By no means a low action but certainly playable. I resisted the temptation to refret as the last time I saw someone attempt that, they discovered that the Burns woodworkers had cut through the rosewood at every fret, just leaving unconnected rosewood blocks... I'm leaving well alone.

What an awesome noise it makes! You should hear Night of The Vampire!

[Bluesnote]

What an awesome noise it makes! You should hear Night of The Vampire!

Well? Lets hear it

[BobGreg]

"What an awesome noise it makes! You should hear Night of The Vampire!"

I'll second that - where's a sample then! Even if it's just for nostalgic reasons!

[David Martin]

Got a backing track? Or know where one is to be found?

D

[Graylion]

Thanks for the pics David. It's a while since I picked up this thread! Yours is the same as mine with the string bar below the bridge. I haven't seen another like it. Have you positive provenance for yours? Mine is within a few months either side of early 1961 - the guy who owned it passed away some time ago but his partner in the group, who also had an Artiste, is still around. Interesting how you've filed away the lower ends of the bridge pieces. Now you need to clean them up and get them plated! They'll corrode otherwise. I was thinking of getting mine nickel-plated after fettling the slots. I will almost certainly get the chromework re-plated but the paintwork will just need a little re-touching here and there (to get rid of my early efforts with Humbrol enamel!).

I intend to make a new trem arm for practical purposes - I never liked the way it wouldn't swing across the strings Strat style, making it a bit of a strain holding it with the pinkie! It will be the chance to customise it for length too. I might stamp it "Burns" as I have letter & number punches in 4mm and 7mm I think. The easiest material to make trems from is brass. It's as cheap as chips and, unless you're dive-bombing heavy metal player it'll last years! You can buy it in solid rod form for Strats or flat bar for Burns and Bigsby spares. I think I paid about £1.50 for rod long enough to make 3 Strat trem arms! Screw thread types. No probs if you prefer steel as it's even cheaper! It's not structural so mild or silver steel will do, with a bit of heat treatment for the threads. I have Strat trem arms in brass, mild steel, silver steel and stainless steel.
Good work!
Lionel