Baldwin - Burns Baby Bison Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965), made in London, Orange polyester finish, sycamore body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
The Baby Bison was Jim Burns' last design for the company that bore his name, initially intended as a less expensive "export" model for the American market. When the Burns company was sold to Baldwin in September 1965, this guitar had just entered production, so "Burns"-labeled examples are almost non-existent. This guitar is the earliest Baldwin version with a split "V" headstock, long "Rezo-Tube" tailpiece, and only two small pickguard segments -- all features that would be changed by summer 1966. The Baby Bison features the same rather advanced two-pickup circuit as the Burns Virginian, with the neck PU being a stacked coil with the coils blended via a third "presence" control.
This model was offered in cherry and black and is one of the more familiar Baldwin guitars to US players, as the initial production run was mostly sent here as flag bearers for the Baldwin/Burns line. This is a trim and versatile guitar, once known as a favorite of Doobie Brother and studio ace Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. The pickups are quite powerful without losing clarity, and the sound ranges from crisp to raunchy easily.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
All original, except missing vibrato arm. Finish rather clean with some long checks; faded somewhat on front. Quite a bit of inexplicable scuffing to the metal face of the Rezo-Tube unit, and the original owner's driver's license # is scratched into the area under the bridge saddle as well as on the headstock string retainer, AND on the back vibrato cover. Obviously a fellow who'd had a few guitars stolen in his day! Overall a good example that sounds great, with a very good OHSC. Very Good + Condition.
