Possible or not..?

[ernie1958]

I have finished modding my Burns Marquee except for one thing..the vibrato unit.It's a Point Classic which works outstanding after a few minor
modifications that I did to it but that aside.
I was thinking...would it be possible to mount a Rezo-tube unit that can be found on a Burns Vibraslim onto my Marquee?
Technically seen it should be in my opinion.Most Burns Marvin players say it's a vital part of the sound you hear when listening to the Shadows
numbers from the Burns era.
So I reckon I should be able to get the same result soundwise if I mount a Vibraslim Rezo-tube unit onto the Marquee.
Everything has been replaced on my Marquee...swapped the cheap pups for original Rez-o-matiks,better pots,etc.
Only the vibrato unit still...preferably the one I mentioned even though the plate is shorter than the one on the Marvin which I don't
think will make much of a difference in sound because it's all in the tubes underneath the makes it work like it does.

Idea's and comments appreciated,
Greetz,
Ernie

[mgeek]

There would be a lot of routing involved, and if you wanted to hide all evidence of the previous trem system, you'd have to fill the hole where the springs go on the Marquee, and possibly a bit by where the trem arm screws in as well, plus refinish said areas.

Nothing is impossible, but the amount of effort (either 'project hours' or cash paid to a luthier), plus the cost of the hardware would, I suspect add up to enough money that would have just bought a Marvin in the first place.

[ErikMAMS]

Hi Ernie
Interesting idea. Everything's possible, but how difficult it is depends.

You will have to consider/calculate the position of the vibraslim/re-zo unit to get the scale lenght/intonation right. Judgeing from pics only I would say there a risk you will get in conflict with at least the scratchplate, and maybe even the bridge PU (or the routing), but that need to be measured accurately to be sure. Obviously the needed routing for the rezo-unit, in relation to the present routings, will determine the need for filling/refinish on the front (if any). On the back the spring cavity could be left as is - or filled - and hidden with a custom plate covering the present routing as well as the new, if you want to avoid refinishing on the back.

With the vibraslim/re-zo trem you will certainly get a unique one off guitar (with an interesting/nice look IMO), but how it'll play/sound is obviously impossible to say, only one way to find out. With the vibraslim/re-zo trem you will obviously loose indivual height/intonation adjustments for each string, and as for the shorter vibraslim/re-zo unit sounding like the bigger Marvin re-zo unit, I'm not sure - or in fact I wouldn't think so, as I believe the springs on the Marvin trem plays an important part also (seems to me to be the case on my original april '64 Marvin).

In total - if it's worth the effort depends on how you see it. From an economical/resale point probably not - but if you like to tinker trying to improve, and (are able) to DIY and fancy a special guitar - then why not. I could easily see myself going into a project like this (done "stupid" things before)

Do you have a vibraslim/re-zo unit already (in order to measure/calculate anchoring position), or do you need to source one?

Erik

[ernie1958]

Thanks for the reply's guys...

@ Will....You're right about the effort it would take to convert the Marquee into a suitable holding for the Vibraslim Rezo-unit and
probably would be better off just buying a Burns Marvin but that's not the point I'm trying to make here.
By looking at the Rezo-unit of the Vibraslim and seeing as it COULD be possible to mount one of these to a Marquee is a challenge worth
taking I think because I've done things like this before with other Strat-like guitars and worked out fine...
It all comes down to taking great care and experience in doing a job like this and seeing as I am quite handy with wood and mechanics it
should'nt be that much trouble.
If a Marvin can sound like it does with a Rezo-tube unit why can't any other like the Marquee..? In theory of course.
I've even considered making such a unit myself out of a Strat vibrato system which is imo also possible.
Just need to design it first (drawing)and then put it into practice by making it.

@ Erik...Glad to hear you're also up for a bit of a challenge.
Yes...I'm looking for a Vibraslim Rezo...have searched the net but no results yet.
I really do think it is possible to expand on this idea and do not think it will be that troublesome to achieve.
All I need are the tools to do this and as you say "tinker" away and see what comes out of it..lol!
Mind you this will not be a "walking on thin ice" project and I will carefully think it all through before I even attempt to put it into practice.
I solemnly believe that it can be done and will not cost as much as you would have to pay for a Marvin and most of all...
I'm VERY curious of how it will sound !!
I still think the Rezo-tube sound CAN be achieved with a Marquee but because it is a low-budget instrument is why they put a cheaper Strat-like
unit on it to begin with..
I just want to try and prove otherwise...

Regards,
Ernie

[JimN]

Ernie...

AS you are probably already thinking, the cost is likely to be at least as much as buying a secondhand Anniversary Marvin (and you could offset some of that by selling the Marquee)...

JN

[mgeek]

Thanks for the reply's guys...

@ Will....You're right about the effort it would take to convert the Marquee into a suitable holding for the Vibraslim Rezo-unit and
probably would be better off just buying a Burns Marvin but that's not the point I'm trying to make here.
By looking at the Rezo-unit of the Vibraslim and seeing as it COULD be possible to mount one of these to a Marquee is a challenge worth
taking I think because I've done things like this before with other Strat-like guitars and worked out fine...
It all comes down to taking great care and experience in doing a job like this and seeing as I am quite handy with wood and mechanics it
should'nt be that much trouble.
If a Marvin can sound like it does with a Rezo-tube unit why can't any other like the Marquee..? In theory of course.
I've even considered making such a unit myself out of a Strat vibrato system which is imo also possible.
Just need to design it first (drawing)and then put it into practice by making it.

@ Erik...Glad to hear you're also up for a bit of a challenge.

I'm up for a challenge too! Currently rebuilding a completely wrecked 1960/61 Fenton Weill Super Streamline, which would seem pointless to a lot of people too, no doubt. One mans project is another man's firewood and all that

Does a Rezo tube trem really make that much difference to the sound, once it's gone down the wires and come out of an amp though...genuinely curious. My girlfriend has a VibraSlim, and I can't say I've noticed anything that I could credit to the trem (apart from the difficulty of changing strings when the broken end gets wedged in there!)

[ErikMAMS]

Mind you this will not be a "walking on thin ice" project and I will carefully think it all through before I even attempt to put it into practice.
I solemnly believe that it can be done and will not cost as much as you would have to pay for a Marvin and most of all...
I'm VERY curious of how it will sound !!
I still think the Rezo-tube sound CAN be achieved with a Marquee but because it is a low-budget instrument is why they put a cheaper Strat-like
unit on it to begin with..
I just want to try and prove otherwise...

Good luck then (also finding a vibraslim/rezo trem). Looking forward to follow your project.


Erik