Thanks for all of the info.
That Gretsch is speaking to me...
this thread is going to be expensive
That Gretsch is speaking to me...
this thread is going to be expensive
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The Short-Scale Six-String Clubfor the original six-string basses!
- Thread starter lunarpollen
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Here are shots of the Burns Split sound 6 string Bass (guitar scale).
In one shot I'm using my first Burns in 1964, the other shot is of my current 1962 Burns in between my G&L L2500 and Stingray 5,
The Burns Split sound 6 string Bass is the rarest of all production Burns; less than 200 were made.
I used my original Burns from 63-69. the second I aquired much later.
As far as I know John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) used one of these early on in his carreer
The hardest thing is convincing people that it really is a true Bass; that is until they hear it.
The live shot shows me playing through an AC30 Vox (with the bass speaker option), note the very tasty Fender amp at the back.
I don't think that I will keep the Burns much longer as we plan to move overseas soon and space/weight is a premium.
In one shot I'm using my first Burns in 1964, the other shot is of my current 1962 Burns in between my G&L L2500 and Stingray 5,
The Burns Split sound 6 string Bass is the rarest of all production Burns; less than 200 were made.
I used my original Burns from 63-69. the second I aquired much later.
As far as I know John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) used one of these early on in his carreer
The hardest thing is convincing people that it really is a true Bass; that is until they hear it.
The live shot shows me playing through an AC30 Vox (with the bass speaker option), note the very tasty Fender amp at the back.
I don't think that I will keep the Burns much longer as we plan to move overseas soon and space/weight is a premium.
I wonder if that's what JPJ played on his version of "Baja"
That has to be the most peculiar bass I've seen. That is like pygmy-scale six-string! Is there any info you can share or direct us to about this wee bass??? What kind of strings must that use, and where can one find them? What does it sound like? How's the intonation? Gah, I am so curious about it!!!
Hio glad it stoked up a bit of interest the string gauges are as follows .090 .080 .070 .065 .040 .025, they were made by 'Newtone Strings' at 'Heanor' Derbyshire UK.
It really does sound like a normal Bass, I play through an Ashdown Pre-amp into powered cabs, the intonation can be a bit dodgy until the new strings have settled but after that it's great seeing the puzzled looks on peoples faces at gigs.
The Bass is based on the split sound guitar and was the Burns answer to the Fender VI.
The problem with this little baby is that once I got back into it it made me realise why I bought one all those years ago although it is extremely difficult switching from the standard Basses that I have. This bass is from the original 1962 batch with the first type of trem cover; for the second batch they used a Burns Bison cover.
I've attached two more shots.
It really does sound like a normal Bass, I play through an Ashdown Pre-amp into powered cabs, the intonation can be a bit dodgy until the new strings have settled but after that it's great seeing the puzzled looks on peoples faces at gigs.
The Bass is based on the split sound guitar and was the Burns answer to the Fender VI.
The problem with this little baby is that once I got back into it it made me realise why I bought one all those years ago although it is extremely difficult switching from the standard Basses that I have. This bass is from the original 1962 batch with the first type of trem cover; for the second batch they used a Burns Bison cover.
I've attached two more shots.
DALLAS,
TX, US 01/09/2008 10:21 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
My Dano is almost here. It's supposed to arrive tomorrow, but I'm getting all antsy.
TX, US 01/09/2008 10:21 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
My Dano is almost here. It's supposed to arrive tomorrow, but I'm getting all antsy.
I know the feeling. I'm waiting right now for the brown truck to deliver a Lakland 44-01. It's "out for delivery".
Sadly, I don't and have never owned one. I've played the Fender Bass VI and Dan-o's in the studio with a surfy instro band and a rock-a-billy thing.
The rock-a-billy cut was an old school C&W tune that demanded a call and response tic-tac line with the vocal track. Think Johnny Horton's "Honkytonk Man" as covered by Dwight Yoakum.
Doubling the 4 string line on a 6 can give nice "bite" to the tone.
The rock-a-billy cut was an old school C&W tune that demanded a call and response tic-tac line with the vocal track. Think Johnny Horton's "Honkytonk Man" as covered by Dwight Yoakum.
Doubling the 4 string line on a 6 can give nice "bite" to the tone.
I'm not sure I'm allowed to join, I'm a big fan of 30" six-string basses tuned E to e, but I play them like guitars most of the time, not basses. I've got three at the moment:
A black Schecter Hellcat VI
A sunburst Shergold Marathon 6
and a blue OLP MM5.
The OLP is probably going to get sold at some point soon, I don't ever play it now that I have the other two. I found it uncomfortable, the bridge is too close to the tail for me (remember, I play them like lead guitars, and I usually rest my hand on the bridge), but otherwise surprisingly good bang for the buck.
The Schecter is sweet: good range of sounds, very well made, great neck, but I'm planning on modding the electronics to get a brighter sound, more pickup options, and a humbucker/single-coil blend knob.
The Marathon has a much wider neck than the Schecter, which makes it the one most likely to be played as a bass. The wiring's been modded to switch the humbucker between single, parallel and serial (which was unavailable on the original).
The Hellcat is the one I play the most, mainly because of its versatility, but it's also the easiest to play and it sounds very nice. Once it's been modified it should be capable of a huge range of tones.
Can I be lucky #13?
A black Schecter Hellcat VI
A sunburst Shergold Marathon 6
and a blue OLP MM5.
The OLP is probably going to get sold at some point soon, I don't ever play it now that I have the other two. I found it uncomfortable, the bridge is too close to the tail for me (remember, I play them like lead guitars, and I usually rest my hand on the bridge), but otherwise surprisingly good bang for the buck.
The Schecter is sweet: good range of sounds, very well made, great neck, but I'm planning on modding the electronics to get a brighter sound, more pickup options, and a humbucker/single-coil blend knob.
The Marathon has a much wider neck than the Schecter, which makes it the one most likely to be played as a bass. The wiring's been modded to switch the humbucker between single, parallel and serial (which was unavailable on the original).
The Hellcat is the one I play the most, mainly because of its versatility, but it's also the easiest to play and it sounds very nice. Once it's been modified it should be capable of a huge range of tones.
Can I be lucky #13?
Hellboy- nice screenname! I don't see why you wouldn't be able to join.
I never did get a numbah myself.
I never did get a numbah myself.
Here's a recent shot of me at a jam night using my Burns 6 string Bass, we meet most Tuesdays with guitarist 'Russ Dennet' of the Sheffield UK techno chart band 'Human League',
I tune the Burns E A D G C F.
Several local music stores have tried to buy the Burns; the trouble is that they want it for peanuts.
I tune the Burns E A D G C F.
Several local music stores have tried to buy the Burns; the trouble is that they want it for peanuts.
I feel your pain. Since I found this thread I have been trying to figure out what I could sell on ebay to get the cash.
Gah I'm really behind in assigning member #s to the latest batch of people...I'll try and do it tonight...
Welcome, everyone and keep them coming! I'm glad to see someone with a Shergold Marathon 6 has shown up to the party!
Hmm I wish I knew a few local people with short-scale sixes to start a band with. Just 3 or 4 people with the basses plus a drummer.... We could do all instrumental stuff, rockabillyish surfy spy themes or something.... One of us could handle the bass end, one could do twangy baritone stuff, another could do rhythm/chordal stuff, another could do lead stuff in the higher register... And we could all trade duties from song to song just by flicking a couple of switches on our instruments...
Welcome, everyone and keep them coming! I'm glad to see someone with a Shergold Marathon 6 has shown up to the party!
Hmm I wish I knew a few local people with short-scale sixes to start a band with. Just 3 or 4 people with the basses plus a drummer.... We could do all instrumental stuff, rockabillyish surfy spy themes or something.... One of us could handle the bass end, one could do twangy baritone stuff, another could do rhythm/chordal stuff, another could do lead stuff in the higher register... And we could all trade duties from song to song just by flicking a couple of switches on our instruments...
I wouldn't want to do stereotypical cheesy and safe surfy/rockabillyish stuff, I'd want to do something really super raw and moody at the same time. Right now with the band I'm in, I use my sixer in a post-punk context, and although that's fun, I'd like to do something else with it too. That idea I have about a band doing retro-ish instrumental rock with a bunch of bass VI players and nothing else (but drums) is just one of many ideas I have. It's only one musical area I'd be fond of exploring.
Whoa down there Tex!!
NO insult intended to those forms of music. "good" and "interesting" was meant to convey "original music of good quality".
The fact is that I am a big fan of surf/spy music and have a very large collection of it. My band even has a few surf tunes in the regular set. I also have a decent amount of rockabilly in my CD collection as well
Regards,
Bass "Surf Love" happi
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