Burny Les Paul Custom (1983?)

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

sambo27

Active member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
Hey I'm a new chap here on the forum, :D

Here's my Burny LP Custom (1983 if I remember correctly :?) bought from Mark/Villager a while ago.

Just wanted to show off and introduce myself basically! :D

101_0133.jpg


101_0130.jpg


101_0136.jpg



Excuse the bad pictures, and honestly, I have no idea what it's doing on the grass in that last one... (that was courtesy of a numbskull acquaintance of mine! :evil: )


Sam.
 
Not a '83 but a last 80's-90's model just see the "different" "diamond" inlay,it?s not an early 80's to me.....Very light finguerboard also I prefer darker ones. I?ve never seen a blue Burny so maybe a refin?

Nice guitar however, I like it.
 
Thanks guys :)

Yeah Luis the inlay was what has puzzled me a little (as well as the odd blue finish). I'll try and dig out the e-mail Mark sent me and see if it was described as an '83.

Maybe he'll give me some money back if it turns out it isn't. :wink: :lol:


Cheers,

Sam.

Here we go:

Quote from my e-mail:

"And also, is there any form of authentication like a serial number that can 'prove' its what it is?"

Mark's response:

"burnys dont have any ser no's ..you have to rely on my expertise to tell you what it is..but i offer a 1 month exchange if it doesnt suit you...but you
will love it its a cracking guitar, the VH-1's means its a top spec burny
...and the truss cover dates it to 1982/83...
"


Have I been duped? :lol:


I love it anyway so I'm not going to be a vintage-snob and sell it or anything. Tad annoying though. :(
 
Truss rod covers can be changed very easily, so I wouldn't use them to date ANY guitar.

The headstock inlay is a better dating tool in my opinion.
 
It did seem odd when I read truss-rods were used to date a guitar. As you say, it's probably one of the easiest parts to change... so... hmm.

But I had very little knowledge of dating e.t.c. at the time I bought it.
 
First all I?m not trying to harm any sale fron any dealer operating here,that?s very far from my intention. Regading this Burny, yes TRC has been changed, the original coming with this guitar is still a bell but with different shape.I had one similar to this but in cherry sunburst and it was a good guitar with a jazzy tone I liked,but I prefer early 80's no doubt....more accurate replicas. Just check for a 3 piece body under a light,if so then the puzzle have been complete.....
 
From what I can see the back is only a 2-pc.... ?


Is there anything else that can 100% verify the date?
 
sambo27 said:
Thanks guys :)

Yeah Luis the inlay was what has puzzled me a little (as well as the odd blue finish). I'll try and dig out the e-mail Mark sent me and see if it was described as an '83.

Maybe he'll give me some money back if it turns out it isn't. :wink: :lol:


Cheers,

Sam.

Here we go:

Quote from my e-mail:

"And also, is there any form of authentication like a serial number that can 'prove' its what it is?"

Mark's response:

"burnys dont have any ser no's ..you have to rely on my expertise to tell you what it is..but i offer a 1 month exchange if it doesnt suit you...but you
will love it its a cracking guitar, the VH-1's means its a top spec burny
...and the truss cover dates it to 1982/83...
"


Have I been duped? :lol:


I love it anyway so I'm not going to be a vintage-snob and sell it or anything. Tad annoying though. :(



Many Burnys are difficult to peg a manufacture date on, because so many have no serial number.
Having said that however isn't an excuse for ignorance in the market.
This is a perfect example of WHY members of this forum should gladly loosen up their closely held catalogs, come forth, and share the knowledge of these older guitars that we all love.
Considering the knowledge base we have here, I have seen very little of it demonstrated via sharing of older catalog data.

Let's look at the Burny page by Nils-Bro Muller; linked from villager's web site.
There is no mention of any RLC model until the mid 1980s, and I am confident that the early ones had the correct style head stock inlay.
This really doesn't seem correct because I have seen the earlier 3 pickup model FLG Customs.
So, again the information we all crave is out there somewhere; it's just NOT being shared by the ones that have it :cry:

The example that you have here Sam, I would believe to be at the earliest from 1986.

I wouldn't take anyone's word as the gospel truth on these older guitars, mine included.
Buyer beware..............................................................................
 
MIJvintage said:
again the information we all crave is out there somewhere; it's just NOT being shared by the ones that have it :cry:

Most people on here generously share the knowledge they have. There are a few people who only share information when they stand to gain from doing so.

This isn't a dig at anyone specific, but I think it's a true statement anyway.

Mike
 
stratman323 said:
MIJvintage said:
again the information we all crave is out there somewhere; it's just NOT being shared by the ones that have it :cry:

Most people on here generously share the knowledge they have. There are a few people who only share information when they stand to gain from doing so.

This isn't a dig at anyone specific, but I think it's a true statement anyway.

Mike

I am specific in my reference to members sharing catalog data, and it would be great if the TF had a database of catalog info, for all members to view.
It would be even better if it were freely given.................and not as pulling teeth........

Being able to view (factual) catalog scans would be an invaluable asset, to many members

Catalogs, not conjecture & not BS..............................................

Don't get me wrong; I'm not naive enough to believe that this would end all of the questions we have here at he TF but it would go a long way in educating us on many issues................
 
Do you really think so? A lot of the catalogue scans I have seen are in Japanese, and my command of Japanese is, well, limited!

Also, catalogues often don't disclose relevant stuff. For example, I have one of the 1985 Tokai catalogues, but it's not apparent from that what the difference is between a TST40 and a TST80. I now know, from the discussions here, that differences include cheaper pickups (ceramic?) and tuners on the 40s compared to the more common 50s, and nitro lacquer on the 80s and above. None of these facts can be found in the catalogue, which is of limited help.

What would be handy would be a book listing the differences, and adding to the limited information available in the catalogues. But there doesn't seem to be such a book. Even the "Blue Book" is useless - I know more about Tokais than the authors do, and my knowledge is still very limited.
 
stratman323 said:
Do you really think so? A lot of the catalogue scans I have seen are in Japanese, and my command of Japanese is, well, limited!

Also, catalogues often don't disclose relevant stuff. For example, I have one of the 1985 Tokai catalogues, but it's not apparent from that what the difference is between a TST40 and a TST80. I now know, from the discussions here, that differences include cheaper pickups (ceramic?) and tuners on the 40s compared to the more common 50s, and nitro lacquer on the 80s and above. None of these facts can be found in the catalogue, which is of limited help.

What would be handy would be a book listing the differences, and adding to the limited information available in the catalogues. But there doesn't seem to be such a book. Even the "Blue Book" is useless - I know more about Tokais than the authors do, and my knowledge is still very limited.


Yes, most if not all are in Japanese, and that is why I stated: "Don't get me wrong; I'm not naive enough to believe that this would end all of the questions we have here at he TF but it would go a long way in educating us on many issues................"

Why don't you try & be opened minded enough to understand how a catalog would be relevent to this particular example though; Sam is attempting to date his Burny Custom & a visual would likely help in connecting the head stock logo to a year of manufacture.
I don't particularlly need to know the Japanese language to understand what I'm viewing in a catalog scan, when it's an image of a photo........
 
There Is a lot of good info 'out there' and I'm sure I know where 2% of it is!!

I've set up a thread in the General forum to pool our knowledge, not that I have much :D :

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9887
 
Thanks for your opinion on the dating Rich.


The last thing I wanted to do was start an argument of any sorts here.

All I can see is that when I bought the Burny, I was a newbie to the MIJ market (less so now, but I'm still not exactly that clued-up anyway), and I trusted the seller. Some kind of undisputed resource perhaps would have helped so that I could have checked the dating myself, instead of taking the word of the seller without question. I perhaps should have been more rigorous with my questioning, but short of being an expert in the field I don't see how I could have known if what I was being told was the truth or not.

Anyway, I guess there isn't 100% clarification on the date of my particular Burny. But it's quite concerning to know that any seller may be making claims that he is not sure of, especially when these claims can hike up the price.

I will have to talk to Mark again I suppose and see what his take on this is.



Thanks,

Sam.
 
sambo27 said:
The last thing I wanted to do was start an argument of any sorts here.

Sam.

No one here should have a problem with any of this debate; without the open & frank discussion that is the foundation of the TF, there would be much less continuing learning, and sharing of knowledge of these older MIJ gems that we all have a fancy for.............
 
Have there been any developments on this issue? I'm intrigued, having read all the different comments about the guitar.
 
stratman323 said:
Have there been any developments on this issue? I'm intrigued, having read all the different comments about the guitar.

I may be off here
 
Hi all :) , c'mon Mark {villager} i'm keen to know where you got the information to date this guitar, i have an earlie 80's RR custom and it has the correct "split diamond" inlay and i have seen plenty of these. The blue one in question is more than likely a late eighties or early nineties model, they pop up on yahoo japan all the time. Not trying to be a smart arse, i'd just like to know how you came to this conclusion.

Cheers Mick
 
Back
Top