Questions about "vintage" Burny's.

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Jim Jones

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Hi guys,

I'm wondering if you can share some advice on older (early 80's) Burny's. I've been doing some reading and have heard good things about their pickups (VH-1) and chunky "authentic" 50's necks. I've seen a couple that have solid maple tops as well. The only models I've seen are the 80 and 90 series - I'm wondering what you folks think is the cut-off for good quality. As a point of reference I've heard that the Super Real Greco's that are "good" are the 900 series and up. Where would say is that "cut-off" point for Burny's?

Hopefully this will give you an idea of my personal point of reference: I just bought a new Japanese-made Tokai TV Junior which lists for 60,000 Yen. I think it's a pretty good guitar for the price but I would not even consider buying a Les Paul Standard-type guitar that listed for less than 60,000 in today's currency...I know that I would not be happy with it at all. That being said, a guitar that sold for 60,000 yen in 1981 would be leaps and bounds better than the current models thanks to inflation.

I'm rambling now... :) I'm especially curious about the older Burny LP Standards - what do you think? Also, have you seen an old Burny goldtop? (I haven't yet.)

Take care!

Jim
 
I saw a nice Burny on ebay not to long ago. I think it was a 58' Paul style which is my favorite. The seller clamed it was made in the same factory as Tokai Reborn's, any one know if that's true? it was mabe about 1978-79. It looked REALY nice I should'a bought it but the funds weren't their at the time :( . I think most Burny's are gonna be good, but don't take my word for it 100% :oops: . Some one here has to own one though.
 
I owned two Burny LC Black Beauties, LC-60 and 80 models and neck profile was more 60's than 50's-thinner than Tokai LS-70(2001).I prefered Tokai,much better to me.Tokai was a little heavier than Burnys but not so much.Binding covering frets in both LCs,no serial number at all.
 
I have owned 3 Burny's. The first was a mid-late 80's supergrade which was amazing. Unfortunately it dropped during a gig. The second was a 90's Supergrade that was ****. However, the seller didn't disclose the problem of it having a warped neck, so I don't think I would fault Burny with that. The Burny I have now is a Les Paul Standard with the Fernandes Sustainer. It really rocks. The neck is very comfortable Gibson 50's style. I'd say that if your looking at the older Burny's just look out for the pickups cause while they sound pretty great they are in most cases not wax potted. This leads to tons of microphonic feedback at high volumes.Here's a link to my Burny

http://home.earthlink.net/~joebuchwald/pics/
 
Hey Joe and everyone...

Nice guitar, Joe! I appreciate all the info. I'm looking to pick up an early 80's Standard of some sort, a gold top would be ideal. I am looking for a model with a fairly substantial neck though. I don't want huge but I do want a C-shape contour kinda like my Tokai Jr.

Not having much experience with neck contours, would I be looking for a '58 style as opposed to a '59 or '60?

Thanks!

Jim
 
My twopennoth!
Got a Burny LP custom last summer. Nice price on e-bay (cost as much to get it shipped from Japan as it did to actually buy it!) No complaints about this guitar. I've got an '85 Tokai LP, and they are similar in many ways. Both beautiful guitars, V. impressed with fret edge binding on the Burny, and i think it is also solid mahogany (no maple cap on the body). I know this because it's quite badly scarred on the top. All in all a superb instrument! No idea of the year or model though as there are no serial nos. absolutely no complaints about this guitar, she rocks my world!
 
the burnys were made at fugi gen gakki same as the greco's and orville and orville by gibson, I have not seen any burnys with a nitro finish , (unlike greco superreal EGF850, mint collection EG59-70 and above, and all Orville by Gibsons.) apart from that, if the burny has fret edge binding its a good pointer as to the quality of the guitar...but not exclusively so by any means.the VH-1 pickups rock!! but at high vol watch out for banshee squeals!!
 
From the Burny's of various eras that I have played I am unconvinced of any change in quality through the years. Burny was always a bang-for-the-buck guitar to begin with, rarely venturing into the higher end guitars. Their Super Grade models from the 80's may have been nitro finished, I'm not sure. I know that many pro's use them though and feel that they are the truest representation of the older Gibsons.

I myself own a 90's Burny RLC-75 that blows my Gibson Les Paul away.
 
Thanks again for the comments guys. I have a late 70's Burny on the way so I'll know for myself soon enough. :)

You know, since I first posted here (a couple months ago), I've bought two guitars. Before that I hadn't bought a new guitar in 13 years. :)

Jim
 
Hey guys,

I got my Burny goldtop this weekend and I'm pretty darn pleased!

Mine was made in 1978 apparently and even has a serial number on the back of the headstock. It weighs slightly less than my '79 LP Deluxe and the neck is quite similar - maybe a little thicker on the Burny, but a different feeling profile. Not a huge neck by any stretch though.

It looks gorgeous but most importantly it sounds fantastic! I believe what I've read about the Burny VH-1 pickups now - excellent PAF-type tone (both pickups measure about 8K DC resistance). I only play at AC/DC-ish levels of gain so I have no problems with microphonics at all.

The bottom line is it's a fantastic sounding instrument which I got shipped from Japan for about $1200CDN less than I could get a brand new Gibson LP Classic here in town. No contest. :)

Jim
 
WTG bro. Aren't they great? Mine is my #1 axe, and I have several other guitars. I haven't really had any problems with feedback either. I also own a LP Deluxe and those pups are extremely microphonic, although sweet sounding.

Not long after I got my Burny I ran across my Fernandes (parent company of Burny) TE-1N which is their ash 52 tele copy. It's just as good as the Burny, but I like LPs slightly better. If you ever see one check it out.

Fernandes/Burny is my favorite guitar company. 8)
 
Napoleon said:
I saw a nice Burny on ebay not to long ago. I think it was a 58' Paul style which is my favorite. The seller clamed it was made in the same factory as Tokai Reborn's, any one know if that's true? it was mabe about 1978-79. It looked REALY nice I should'a bought it but the funds weren't their at the time :( . I think most Burny's are gonna be good, but don't take my word for it 100% :oops: . Some one here has to own one though.
Burny guitars have been made in the Tokai factory for a short time so it's possible :)
In fact, it's not the factory that is so important. Most have the skill to make some nice guitars.Greco were made in Matsumoku for a while, Orville were made in various factories ...
 
I have a suspect Tokai made 78-80 era high quality Fernandes/Burnys (Supergrade).I'm based upon pics observation and it's a deep feel only so I could be wrong.As i told efor I made my choose and kept Tokai but you can choose another you like best.
 
I have a Burny single cut Les Paul Special (TV finish) and a cherry SG. Both great guitars, no serial numbers. I've seen a few SGs cropping up over the last few years but never another LP Special. Anyone else out there seen or got one?
 
I have seen a Burny special and junior, both in single cut and double cut variations. On their headstocks it usually says "RocknRoll" or something to that effect. They look great but here in the states I can get a Gibson for the same price as the Burnys fetch.
 
older Burny VH-1 PU is an exact clone/copy of the Gibson '59 PAF from a '59 standard... Newer VH-1 is very similar to their older ones with different coil design.. so therefore, the tone is not quite as warm or fat...

Greco DRY PU are exact clone of the PU of 57/58 gibson LP standard series... and their new DRY II is an overwound version of their orginal DRY ..

The above 2 PU are among the very best PU that comes out of Japan...
 
I finally started having trouble with feedback with my VH1s in high gain, high volume situations. I love the pickups so much I was hesitatnt to pull them, but I decided to get some Burstbucker Pros. Since then though I think I'm just going to wax pot my VH1s. I just love them too much.
 
Hello, that's interesting. I bought a Burny Les Paul not long ago. The seller said it was a 1976 model. It has "Les Paul Model" on the headstock (thicker lines than Gibson) and a bell-shaped truss-rod cover with "Fernandes" on it.

It has a 2-piece body and top, two piece neck with 18 degree headstock and nothing marked on the PUs

Anybody knowing such a model? Is that a real Burny model or some kind of clone thing? :-?

Cheers Skywolf
 

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