THE GUITARS OF JAMES ORMSTON BURNS
REFERENCE & RESOURCE PAGES:
SUPERSOUND (1958) - BURNS-WEILL (1959) - FENTON WEILL (1960-65)
ORMSTON BURNS (1960-1965) - AMPEG (1963-64) - BALDWIN (1965-69)
SHERGOLD WOODCRAFTS (1967-69) - ORMSTON (1968) - HAYMAN (1970-75)
BURNS UK (1973-77) - BURNS ACTUALIZERS (1979-82) - SHERGOLD (1975-92)
SHERGOLD 1975-1982 (-1992)
Pretty much anything you might want to know about Shergold Guitars is lovingly archived at Andrew Mannering's Shergold Guitars website and it's associated forum, but presented here are a few additional pieces of research and reference material.
Shergold Masquerader Timeline 1975-1980
Specs Upon Introduction, serial no. 3101 Nov '75:
Ornate curvy rebated Hayman headstock
Nailed-on Perspex Headstock Name-Badge (originally covering ex-Hayman logo hole)
Truss-rod cover carrying serial number by neck plate
Hayman design bridge
Hayman knobs with large brushed metal caps
2-hole Pickup Mounts
Japanese Tuners
No string-trees
Observed Chronological Spec. Changes:
Shergold-designed knobs with smaller metal insert: 3161 - Feb 76 (this guitar has later Shergold 6-saddle bridge?)
Plain Spade-shaped Headstock: from 3216 Mar 76 - (Note: 3217, 3251, 3268, 3341 still had carved & curved headstocks)
Shergold Own-Design Bridge, with single-ended intonation screws: 3489 Nov 76
Shaller Tuners & String Trees added: 7001 Aug 76 - 7102 Feb 77
CUSTOM added: 7082 Jan 77 and 7140 Mar 77 - 7328 July 77
3-Hole Pickup Mount: 7347 July 77 - 7517 Oct 77
Small Pickguard, (non-standard Small Tuner Buttons): 7588 Dec 77 - 7659 Jan 78
Intonation Screws Double-ended: 7659 Jan 78 - 7994 Sept 78
Truss Rod Cover at Head: 9001 Sept 78 - 9453 Sept 79 (still nail-on badge)
3-piece laminated bodies: From 9266 - March 79
Headstock Badge Sticker: 9497 Sept 79 - 9738 Sept 80
December 1976 GUITAR MAGAZINE feature:
Shergold Workshop 1984:
c. 1979 SHERGOLD Modulator
1980 SHEROLD Activator
Serial Number 59280
1985 Custom Masquerader Leftie
Serial Number 31485
My Visit to the Shergold factory, 19th Dec 1987
Shergold 'Burns' models
Produced via private arrangement, circa 1980s:
Two Dot Octave, truss-rod at body end, laminate body
Triple Dot Octaves, large Scrolls, mix of trussrod styles
Two dot 12th fret, Four same sized High Dots, 'urns' not filled in on Rezotube plate
Triple dot octave, High Dots same size, 'urns' not filled in on Rezotube plate
Large Scrolls, Triple dot octave, High Dots same size, 'urns' not filled in on Rezotube plate
Young-looking KW, Two-dot Marvin without Trussrod cover:
Two-dot Pus-Burst Marvin, White 'S' Trussrod cover, 21 frets but 4 dots above octave?
Keith Wastel setting up a Marvin Reproduction, mid-late 1980s:
High dots smaller:
Custom Bison with red dot inlays
Serial Number 3733
Small Scroll, Headstock Trussrod cover, Hollow 'urns'
Serial Number 3925,
Large Scroll, Triple octave dots, Headstock Trussrod cover, Milled Saddles, Hollow 'urns'
Serial Number 3945
Small Scroll, Triple octave dots, Bodyjoin Trussrod adjuster, Milled Saddles, Hollow 'urns'
"One of 22 made in 1992", internet claim?
Jack Golder Marvin with original '64/'65 pickups:
Serial Number 1152
Small Scroll, Triple octave dots, Body-end Trussrod adjuster.
Exclusive(!) Rounded corner to pickguard.
1991 SHERGOLD 'Limited Edition' Masquerader 12-String
Review from Guitarist Magazine, September 1991
1992 Shergold Black Bison '64 Custom
Serial No 3939 (Original owner born in 1939)
Believed to be the last guitar Jack Golder made.
Ordered April 1991. Final invoice in January 1992
Small scroll, Hollow 'urns', Upper-Octave dots are smaller
Leftover Burns Replica Bodies and Necks
Unfinished Bison and Marvin bodies:
Unused Bison necks:
Unused Marvin necks: