Goldtop RLG-60 '56 Model

Have any of you guys owned or currently own one of these? Just curious about frets mostly... if they used vintage thin-style frets, or if they were just like the jumbo's on the '59 models...
They are incredibly rare... I have only seen 1 on ebay in the past year or two, and theat was from Mustangaxeslinger in Japan... I remember he had for a long time at $899 not moving it, then he dropped it a bit and it went immediately.

A few weeks ago I received this extraordinary guitar from a buddy of mine. He bought it in Japan. He asked for identification ?cause there is NO headstock-logo and he allowed to sand off the black paint on the refinished headstock (no veneer!). Knowing that BURNY headstock-logos are inlays I slightly started sanding with 2000 grid-paper, ending on the pure wood without a result. The neck-tenon looks Burny-style, the electronics too (especially the capacitors), not sure with the insulation of the PU-wires. I believe it?s a BURNY. What do you think?

I have never seen a Burny gold top with P-90 type pickups but that doesn't mean they do not exist; I just do not know.

Ralf, concerning the photos:

One thing is for sure, I have never owned a Burny humbucker type without a head stock inlay.

AFA my knowledge it's really difficult to say if it?s a Burny, or not.

First, I have never owned a Burny with P-90 type pickups so, I have never seen an example of the Burny P-90s.
In this regard I am at a big disadvantage.

There are several things that do look like Burny yet these items are generic, and could be almost any maker.

The one item that got my attention is the pick guard.
If you notice the small/corner end at the neck pickup it is not cut flat but has the molded in slight angle.
Actually, Burny LP pick guards are molded, not cut from a sheet like most others are.
Burny pick guards have that characteristic but I do not know if these were used by another maker.
They were not (to my knowledge) used by other makers but I am not 100% sure.
It is curious to me that it has this characteristic, yet is obviously cut for the P-90 type pups.

I see the case is tagged ARIA.
Interesting, as I have seen the pick guard detail I mentioned on an Aria humbucking model in a photo, although I have never owned Aria myself.

THANX Rich!
Maybe the pickguard isn?t original ?cause the owner is a Aria pro II-collector and evtl. added it to the Goldtop-LP.
The Aria pro II -case belongs to me. I bought it for my Aria pro II LS-600 P (a P-90s LP witch has the same pickguard like the ?Burny? Goldtop). Took it as a decoration. Sorry for upsetting you. I?d mention this particulary.

no upset here

hope you can find out what the gold top is

my guess is Aria, as I have seen several (carved top) Arias with the P-90 type pups but have yet to see a Burny with them

During the days the 'nameless' Goldtop was at my place I compared this guitar to all my mij-LP?s. Aria is probably out of the race ?cause of 4 different points:

- the top-carving of my Aria pro II is more detailed than the flatter carvings of the Goldtop

- the Aria pro II shows a flatter headstock-angle

- the Aria pro II has a different PU mounting-system. The Aria P-90 is screwed on a punched mounting-plate

- the Goldtop-tenon is slightly displaced into the left direction

mojoburst said:

During the days the 'nameless' Goldtop was at my place I compared this guitar to all my mij-LP?s. Aria is probably out of the race ?cause of 4 different points:

- the top-carving of my Aria pro II is more detailed than the flatter carvings of the Goldtop

- the Aria pro II shows a flatter headstock-angle

- the Aria pro II has a different PU mounting-system. The Aria P-90 is screwed on a punched mounting-plate

- the Goldtop-tenon is slightly displaced into the left direction

Click to expand...

well there ya go Ralf; I think you're on to something .............

Good thing my "guess" was not a bet :lol:

Here is the Burny '56 from the 1985 catalog. This is the one I'm looking for......

3pupLPC said:

Here is the Burny '56 from the 1985 catalog. This is the one I'm looking for......

Click to expand...

looks like it has the Burny inlay & a gold silk screen type logo too .......

If you can locate one of those you will have found a **** rare bird IMO

good luck; you will need it .......

Anyway, THANX for kickin?my butt to do some more research! :wink:

MIJvintage said:

3pupLPC said:

Here is the Burny '56 from the 1985 catalog. This is the one I'm looking for......

Click to expand...

looks like it has the Burny inlay & a gold silk screen type logo too .......

If you can locate one of those you will have found a **** rare bird IMO

good luck; you will need it .......

Click to expand...

Yep, I've seen ONE during my MIJ frenzy the past 2-3 years.

Meanwhile I?d like to believe that the 'nameless' Goldtop is a Burny prototype- or transition-model. The features and specifications of the well known brands like Tokai, Greco and on are totally different. This poly-finished guitar is definitely an end?80s - early ?90s model.

mojoburst said:

Meanwhile I?d like to believe that the 'nameless' Goldtop is a Burny prototype- or transition-model. The features and specifications of the well known brands like Tokai, Greco and on are totally different. This poly-finished guitar is definitely an end?80s - early ?90s model.

Click to expand...

Tokai made Burny's as well and this leads me to believe that this one could be a Tokai made Burny, the left side offset tenon is a characteristic of Tokai guitars. Just thought i would throw a spanner in the works...

Mick

mojoburst said:

Meanwhile I?d like to believe that the 'nameless' Goldtop is a Burny prototype- or transition-model. The features and specifications of the well known brands like Tokai, Greco and on are totally different. This poly-finished guitar is definitely an end?80s - early ?90s model.

Click to expand...

Maybe someone had an idea to "Gibsonize" it by sanding off the original Burny inlay and Super Grade decal? And only got as far as repainting the face? Maybe?
Also, I would think Burny only had a single non-dog-earred type p-90... maybe if someone has a shot of the backside of the pups from a mid-late 80's LP SP Rock n Roll version, you could compare them with yours?
Regardless, Burny or not, it's a beautiful '56 repro. Congrats on it!
Now you just have to decide what to do with the headstock :wink:

I Burny '56 model with P90's is pretty much my dream guitar at this point. But, I would definitely need the Logo and script in tact. Anyway, cool guitar(s). Enjoy!!!

hi
i got a burny sg from 83 .... it has a serial on the head so i know it is from 83 ,,, it has the same wire from the pickup .... black with a white stripe .... i bet the pots are the same as in my sg ..... 250 k ohm .... nobel pots ....
so i am thinking that it could be a burny from the early 80s
all the best
otto

Hi muccax,
that?s a great info! The wiring of the Goldtop is all original, so your news assert my supposition. Do you remember the caps of your SG? I?ve seen that kind of caps only in Burny guitars.

THANX for helping!

hi
try this link ..... you can see the control cavity off my sg here ..
http://forum.japanaxe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1473

and try this link too
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=12542&highlight=burny+pots

here are some info about my burnys
all the best
otto

Perfect!!

YESSSSS!!! The caps are the same type!
Here?s a shot of the eletronic-cavity of my Fernandes-BURNY LP FLG-70 from ?76, showing the original pots & caps:


THANX again, muccax!!

Ralf

hi
i got a burny firebird and a burny lp ?jr and a flg 90 from the early 80 ,,,,, they all have 250 k ohm pots
i think the older burny did use 250 k ohm pots ..... but only time will tell if i am right
all the best
otto