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)

 

BURNS LONDON

TIMELINE - PUBLICITY - FACTORY

ARTIST - SONIC - VIBRA-ARTIST-DELUXE - BLACK BISON - VISTA-SONIC

BLACK BISON III - JAZZ - TR-2 - NU-SONIC - MARVIN - DOUBLE 6

BISON - VIBRASLIM - GB65 - GB66 - VIRGINIAN - BABY BISON

AMPLIFIERS - ACCESSORIES - PROTOTYPES

 

 

VIBRASLIM MODELS (1964-67)

VIBRASLIM GUITAR & VIBRASLIM BASS

 

Introduced in the September 1964 catalogue, the Vibraslim was visually very similar to the preceeding TR-2 models, but instead of the latter's carved solid construction, was a pressed laminated-wood thinline archtop, which made for a much lighter and more responsive instrument, despite having a solidly-braced top.

 

Early examples feature bound sound-holes, and a pickguard extension between the two pickups, purpose unknown. The prototype pictured in the catalogue features non-standard pickups, but production models typically featured un-bound f-holes and a revised design of Ultra-Sonics with exposed polepieces, wound hotter for a high impedence output.

 

Around mid-1966 the Ultra-Sonic pickups were changed to Bar-O-Matiks, and by 1967 the guitar was completely re-designed; the body shape and pickguard changed, the neck joint changed to a bolt-on style topped with the now-standard Baldwin flattened scroll head, and a short Rezotube vibrato unit was used.

 

The Vibraslim was discontinued by the time of the 1968 Baldwin Catalogue.

 

1964 Vibraslim prototype

original shot used for brochure, circa Aug 1964

Burns Vibraslim Guitar Prototype

 

 

 

1964 Burns Vibraslim Guitar (Peter Farrell's prototype)

Serial No. 5785

2 screw-mounted pickups

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

c. 1965 Burns Vibraslim

 

Burns Vibraslim

 

 

c.1965 Burns Vibraslim

Burns Vibraslim

 

Burns Vibraslim

 

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim

Serial No. 9642

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

 

1965 BALDWIN-Burns Vibraslim

Serial No. 10066

1965 Baldwin-Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Baldwin-Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Baldwin-Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Baldwin-Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Baldwin-Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Baldwin-Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

1965 Baldwin-Burns Vibraslim Guitar

 

 

1965 Burns Vibraslim

Serial No. 10140

1964 burns vibraslim

 

late 1965 BALDWIN Vibraslim

Excised Burns logo

 

 

early 1966 Baldwin Vibraslim

Serial No. 14380

1966 baldwin vibraslim

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

Serial No. 14395

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

 

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim

Serial No. 14434

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1966 Vibraslim Bass

Serial No. 14449

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1966 Baldwin Vibraslim

Serial No. 15066

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

Serial No. 15489

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

Serial No. 17?44

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim Bass

Serial No. 17505

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

Serial No. 18045

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

Serial No. 18199

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1967 Baldwin Vibraslim

Serial No. 18583

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim

 

Baldwin Vibraslim