Baldwin - Burns Nu-Sonic Electric Guitar (1966)
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Item #6332
Baldwin - Burns Nu-Sonic Model Electric Guitar (1966), made in London, England, reddish orange poly finish, obeche wood body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard.
The Nu-Sonic line was Burns Of London's budget instrument offering after mid-1964, introduced to replace the by-the-time rather archaic 1960 Sonic series. The model has a small, light asymmetrical double-cutaway body and was offered in guitar and bass form in cherry or black finish at around half the price of a flashy Bison or Marvin guitar. With two pickups and vibrato it was roughly the equivalent the exactly contemporary Fender Mustang, also introduced in summer 1964. Despite its budget intentions, the Nu-Sonic is a well-made guitar and at around 70 pounds in the UK was not particularly cheap by contemporary standards. Perhaps in light of this, it was one of the first models to be dropped by Baldwin after they bought the Burns company in September 1965.
The Nu-Sonics were discontinued by the fall of 1966 making the total production run rather brief at only about two years. Burns-labeled examples are quite rare, and even Baldwin examples like this only slightly less so. This particular guitar is a Burns in all but name; the "Baldwin" logo pickguard is the only difference. Fitted out with two single-coil Nu-Sonic Pickups, a 3-way switch, 2 individual volumes, a master tone and a very useful short-throw whammysystem. Overall this is a very light and comfortable guitar with a surprisingly powerful and snarly tone. A cool Burns rarity and neat little player's guitar.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 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 30 in. (762 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). Nice all-original condition overall; there is a bit of typical finish checking but very little fade and noly minor chips, scratches and dings. There are two repaired cracks to the body itself, which is made of very light African mahogany. One is in the area by the endpin, and the other to piece just behind the neck between the end of the fingerboard and the pickup, partially under the pickguard. Both are solidly glued up but the touch-up is not as neat as we would prefer so they are visible. There are markings inside the body indicating that this guitar passed through the workshop of San Francisco's Subway Guitars, home of bizarre guitar guru Fatdog, who left his signature in the trem cavity. The guitar sounds great; like every Nu-Sonic we have ever had, the switch never seems to do much but the pots work properly. A good playing example of this short-lived and fairly rare Burns creation. Very Good + Condition.
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The Nu-Sonic line was Burns Of London's budget instrument offering after mid-1964, introduced to replace the by-the-time rather archaic 1960 Sonic series. The model has a small, light asymmetrical double-cutaway body and was offered in guitar and bass form in cherry or black finish at around half the price of a flashy Bison or Marvin guitar. With two pickups and vibrato it was roughly the equivalent the exactly contemporary Fender Mustang, also introduced in summer 1964. Despite its budget intentions, the Nu-Sonic is a well-made guitar and at around 70 pounds in the UK was not particularly cheap by contemporary standards. Perhaps in light of this, it was one of the first models to be dropped by Baldwin after they bought the Burns company in September 1965.
The Nu-Sonics were discontinued by the fall of 1966 making the total production run rather brief at only about two years. Burns-labeled examples are quite rare, and even Baldwin examples like this only slightly less so. This particular guitar is a Burns in all but name; the "Baldwin" logo pickguard is the only difference. Fitted out with two single-coil Nu-Sonic Pickups, a 3-way switch, 2 individual volumes, a master tone and a very useful short-throw whammysystem. Overall this is a very light and comfortable guitar with a surprisingly powerful and snarly tone. A cool Burns rarity and neat little player's guitar.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 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 30 in. (762 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). Nice all-original condition overall; there is a bit of typical finish checking but very little fade and noly minor chips, scratches and dings. There are two repaired cracks to the body itself, which is made of very light African mahogany. One is in the area by the endpin, and the other to piece just behind the neck between the end of the fingerboard and the pickup, partially under the pickguard. Both are solidly glued up but the touch-up is not as neat as we would prefer so they are visible. There are markings inside the body indicating that this guitar passed through the workshop of San Francisco's Subway Guitars, home of bizarre guitar guru Fatdog, who left his signature in the trem cavity. The guitar sounds great; like every Nu-Sonic we have ever had, the switch never seems to do much but the pots work properly. A good playing example of this short-lived and fairly rare Burns creation. Very Good + Condition.
