Another strange Burny (SG)

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larseko

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Now, I don't only have that LP in the other thread, but also bought a cheap Burny that I found on eBay. I hadn't the slightest idea what this was, but I thought it looked nice, and still thinks. This is a nice party rocker :) Anyway, I find it very strange, as I can't seem to find any Gibson it should be a copy of, and there are some things that are unlike a Burny. According to the seller this freakshow is from 1977. The strange things:

The veloute on the back of the neck/headstock. Strange, but then again I've heard it was popular back in the seventies.
Neck is laminated 3 piece (5 on headstock), grain in opposing directions, which is good.
Neck is bolt-on. Very odd.
The "custom" trussrod cover.
The tuners weren't quite up to it, with plastic housings. Could have been swapped, but they said "Japan" underneath (against the headstock surface). I swapped them for some sperzels anyway.
Multi-ply headstock binding.
Split diamond inlay on headstock (strange for a SG, isn't it?)
I don't know if the inlays are fake MOP or real.
The body has several pieces, but I'm not sure if that is unusual for an SG.

Unfortunately, someone ditched the original Burny PAFs for crappy Duncans.

That's about it. The pictures you can find here:

http://www.restless.no/Members/larseko/burny-sg77

Best,

Lars Erik
 
And some more things:
There seems to have been something on the fret edges (binding-wise), but the frets have been filed real low. Could there have been fret edge bindings that also have been filed down?

And the saddles in the T-O-M are actually plastic... :-|

Lars Erik
 
I`ve seen low end models by others makers too with the bolt on neck. multi piece necks for low ends are not uncommon. I`ve also seen the plastic saddles... all these things lead me to believe it`s not a high end model...which isn`t always a bad thing I mean any guitar should be judged on it`s own merits... low ends or high ends, same thing applies, for me anyway.
 
I have a very strange Greco in the same style:

Gibson "sandwich" style LP custom with a bolt on neck. The inlays look like real MOP too and the fretboard is ebony! I think it's from around 1976 or 77 too :)
 
About the neck. Laminated neck is actually a good thing if done right. The three pieces make for a stiff and durable neck. I also wonder if this fingerboard actually could be ebony. I'm not 100% sure, as I am no expert, but it sure is much darker than my other rosewood fingerboards. As mentioned, the frets are real low, and it could do with a fret job as the frets has been filed down without adjusting trussrod underway (as my guitartech pointed out), but it will do for a while :)

The plastic saddles/bridge I will probably swap at some stage, but the guitar doesn't really sound bad, so I'll let it be for the moment. Only thing now is pots. They're not very good and just 250Ks. My Mighty Mites should have 500Ks. (The sound is a bit dark at the moment).

All over, it is a nice looking guitar giving me compliments from others. You can see the nice mahogany grain through the laquer.

Lars Erik
 
It might be ebony. As you know, Greco and Burny were made in the same factory and if it's from the same years...

Ebony is really easy to recognize as it as a really tougher feeling than rosewood under the fingers. personnaly, I don't like too much the feeling of ebony when playing. But this guitar sounds really cool so it's ok.
 
I will know when I get my new custombuilt Shamray (check out http://www.shamray.ru) in a month, which will have ebony (PRS'ish guitar).
 
Early Grecos and Burnys were not made at the same factory in 70's then they did were made by the same factory.Grecos were Matsumoku plant made as Aria and Washburn did.
Be aware about Greco,they made a lot of models in the whole range of privces and quality as opposite to Tokai who concentrated from the first time to build quality guitars.
 
I think Greco were made in Matsumoku for only one year and Burny never. Burny were made in tokai factory for one year too.
Greco have some fantastic models, and doesn't copy only a few strat and LP like Tokai. If you are looking for something else than the basic copied models, Greco has some fantastic ones with some very high standards. I like firebirds guitars for example, and the greco ones are really the best ones ( Burny and Orville are a little behind and Tokai has only a MIK model). They also made ampeg bass copy, and Gretsch copies, and, mostly wathever can be copied.
Of course you has to investigate a little to know what you're bying but it's the same with Tokai as it's becoming more and more difficult to guess where it's made.
 
You're right Greco has an extensive catalog covering a lot of models and if you're looking for a Brian May Reds Special it's the way to go.But if you aren't an educated person I'll get Tokai hands down.And yes,Older Tokais are getting and getting very expensive,above retail which I don't like at all.I could had buying Reborns at 40.000 yen two years ago but I bought new.I don't heasitate much.I could had been some money bot It was not my intention but learning more and more.I can say as Ian and others said you never learn enough about Tokai as when you think you got the key then sometning happens and your theories gets partially down.
 
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