Ampeg Wild Dog EG-1S Jazz Split Sound Solid Body Electric Guitar, made by Burns (1964)
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Ampeg Wild Dog EG-1S Jazz Split Sound Model Solid Body Electric Guitar, made by Burns (1964), made in London, England, serial # 6753, red/black sunburst Polyester finish, sycamore body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original blue tolex hard shell case.
The most popular design from the always-eccentric James Ormston Burns, the Jazz Split Sound is a 1960s classic and a very stylish guitar. This is the American export version of this British-made guitar with the Ampeg logo on the pickguard, available in the US for around two years between 1963 and early '65. Ampeg was looking for an electric guitar line to complement their popular amplifiers. A deal was struck to import a limited selection of re-branded Burns instruments, but the price in the US after transport and duties proved to be a major drawback. Ampeg's catalog listed this guitar listed at $399.50 in 1964, plus $45 for the blue-checked case; a sunburst Strastocaster ran $289.50, plus $52.50 for the case. Geuss which one most folks went home with!
The "Jazz Split Sound" was re-named the "Wild Dog EG-1S" in Ampeg catalogs, but the nameplate on the actual guitar remained unchanged. Ampeg advertised the guitars as "Exciting Wild Dog" models, but in the crowded US market the guitars were not much of a success; this model is by far the most commonly seen of the very rare line and was the only one imported in any quantity at all. This one is dated 13 July 1964 under then pickguard, so dates to that Beatle-crazed summer when any electric guitar was as good as gold. By the time the Burns company was purchased by Baldwin in late 1965, the agreement had already lapsed.
The Jazz Split Sound was Burns' midline instrument; professional class, but less expensive than the more dramatically-styled Black Bison and Hank Marvin signature guitars at the top of the line. Obviously owing a lot to the Stratocaster, the JSS has three "Split Sound" Tri-sonic pickups with a rotary control giving four tone selections including the snarlingly out-of-phase "Wild Dog" and the patented "Split Sound" which combines different half-coils to accentuate bass and treble registers. "Jazz" is the surprisingly deep sounding neck pickup, while "Treble" is the bridge pickup alone, probably the most generally useful sound.
The lavish Burns "Series II" vibrato system incorporates a floating bridge cradle and fully adjustable individual saddles and must rate as one of the best systems of its kind. The medium-scale neck is slim and comfortable with a slightly less round feel than a Fender. This particular guitar has an amusing anomaly; the logo plate on the headstock is mounted upside down from standard. This was likely a random factory error and the assembler or inspector thought; "Oh bother, it's going to America anyway"! Despite this oddity in general instruments from the original Burns London period (1961-65) are extremely well-made, and this rates as a fine-playing guitar with tons of character and a very distinctive sound.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 23 3/8 in. (594 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a very clean example, complete and original except for a repro trem arm with a white plastic tip instead of the customary black. The original finish shows some dings, dents and a couple of scuffed areas but none of the heavy checking common to these English-made guitars, and the red color in the sunburst is very strong with virtually no fade. The often missing tailpiece cover and securing bolts are intact. The original frets show little wear and this is very nice playing and sounding Ampeg/Burns guitar, with the "Wild Dog" ready to growl! It is complete in the original blue-checked Ampeg case, a bit dirty but very solid and a match to their classic amps. Overall Excellent - Condition.
The most popular design from the always-eccentric James Ormston Burns, the Jazz Split Sound is a 1960s classic and a very stylish guitar. This is the American export version of this British-made guitar with the Ampeg logo on the pickguard, available in the US for around two years between 1963 and early '65. Ampeg was looking for an electric guitar line to complement their popular amplifiers. A deal was struck to import a limited selection of re-branded Burns instruments, but the price in the US after transport and duties proved to be a major drawback. Ampeg's catalog listed this guitar listed at $399.50 in 1964, plus $45 for the blue-checked case; a sunburst Strastocaster ran $289.50, plus $52.50 for the case. Geuss which one most folks went home with!
The "Jazz Split Sound" was re-named the "Wild Dog EG-1S" in Ampeg catalogs, but the nameplate on the actual guitar remained unchanged. Ampeg advertised the guitars as "Exciting Wild Dog" models, but in the crowded US market the guitars were not much of a success; this model is by far the most commonly seen of the very rare line and was the only one imported in any quantity at all. This one is dated 13 July 1964 under then pickguard, so dates to that Beatle-crazed summer when any electric guitar was as good as gold. By the time the Burns company was purchased by Baldwin in late 1965, the agreement had already lapsed.
The Jazz Split Sound was Burns' midline instrument; professional class, but less expensive than the more dramatically-styled Black Bison and Hank Marvin signature guitars at the top of the line. Obviously owing a lot to the Stratocaster, the JSS has three "Split Sound" Tri-sonic pickups with a rotary control giving four tone selections including the snarlingly out-of-phase "Wild Dog" and the patented "Split Sound" which combines different half-coils to accentuate bass and treble registers. "Jazz" is the surprisingly deep sounding neck pickup, while "Treble" is the bridge pickup alone, probably the most generally useful sound.
The lavish Burns "Series II" vibrato system incorporates a floating bridge cradle and fully adjustable individual saddles and must rate as one of the best systems of its kind. The medium-scale neck is slim and comfortable with a slightly less round feel than a Fender. This particular guitar has an amusing anomaly; the logo plate on the headstock is mounted upside down from standard. This was likely a random factory error and the assembler or inspector thought; "Oh bother, it's going to America anyway"! Despite this oddity in general instruments from the original Burns London period (1961-65) are extremely well-made, and this rates as a fine-playing guitar with tons of character and a very distinctive sound.
Overall length is 39 1/2 in. (100.3 cm.), 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 23 3/8 in. (594 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a very clean example, complete and original except for a repro trem arm with a white plastic tip instead of the customary black. The original finish shows some dings, dents and a couple of scuffed areas but none of the heavy checking common to these English-made guitars, and the red color in the sunburst is very strong with virtually no fade. The often missing tailpiece cover and securing bolts are intact. The original frets show little wear and this is very nice playing and sounding Ampeg/Burns guitar, with the "Wild Dog" ready to growl! It is complete in the original blue-checked Ampeg case, a bit dirty but very solid and a match to their classic amps. Overall Excellent - Condition.