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c.1961 BURNS 'Defiant' Archtop Prototype?

 

Golden Sunburst Finish, Non-Cutaway Thin-Bodied Archtop, with internal 'BURNS' Label

Label reads "DEFIANT - BURNS LONDON - SERIAL NO: 00722"

 

It is unclear whether this was an Imported Acoustic re-branded as a Burns, or an early experimental model made by Burns

Bridge position does not align with the centre points of the soundholes, traditionally a point of honour from an experienced maker(!)

 

Unusual neck-angle shim, indicative of non-mass-production origins. Inexperience, or experiment?

 

 

Weird taper to depth of the Headstock, with open-backed Tuners of similar appearance to early Van Gents

 

 

Distinctively-shaped Bound Soundholes, reminiscent of the horns of a Burns Bison

- or - Soundholes from the later Upright Bass Prototype pictured above)

 

 

Polished Brass 'DEFIANT' name-badge with grey-painted highlights on tailpiece

 

 

Hand-Painted model name on headstock

Featuring neck-mounted bar-magnet pickup and soundhole-mounted control panel (knob is a later addition)

 

Correspondence with Bob Pearson (Later Burns Associate) regarding this guitar;

Thanks for your E-Mail regarding your acoustic cello guitar. I searched through my archives of guitar catalogues and books but could not find any reference to the particular model you sent me photographs of. I know that Jim Burns did experiment with manufacturing acoustic guitars at his Romford factory but never in any great volume and only at a prototype level. Jim, like many other companies in the sixties, was taking delivery of guitars in batches from Europe and re-labelling them.  Your particular model certainly has the look of a European vintage, probably Western Germany as you suggested. The need to mark any imports with the country of origin was not enforced in those days.  The name DEFIANT certainly rings a bell in my memory of being a Vox Amp but I could not find any reference to it in my old leaflets. I hope this information is of some help! Best Regards, Bob Pearson

In regard to your question on the Burns applied serial numbers, I can only presume that like other companies i.e. Vox, it was a requirement not only for guarantee purposes but a necessary part of accountancy law to prove how many guitars were produced within a time frame and as a record of actual turnover for tax purposes and company audits etc. as I never worked for Burns I do not know the full details of how they applied this, but when working for Vox and Hayman we used to produce the serial numbers from a Master Ledger and then either number stamp or engrave them. I joined Dallas Arbiter in 1967 and, as the Burns Book says, I first met Jim Burns when he was introduced to me 1969 by Ivor Arbiter as a consultant for the company, and from having conversations with him, Jim, and the people working around him (I learned that) they had been experimenting with Acoustic Prototypes but never went into production with them.

I hope you find the information of interest.

Regards, Bob Pearson

 

Correspondence with Norman Houlder (Burns Worker 1962-65) regarding this guitar;

This guitar was not made in my time (at Burns), I know there were some queer ones when I started, acoustics with no heels, (whose) scratchplates were very plain, but it all changed to production models. (Note - Norm was responsible for rationalising the previously hand-built guitars with more efficient mass-production techniques).

Nice to hear from you any time I can help give me a shout.

Norm

 

If anyone has any further information or opinions about this guitar, please email info@blackguitars.com!