Burns Double Six 12 String Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965)
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Burns Double Six Model 12 String Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965), made in London, England, serial # 10960, green/black sunburst polyester finish, sycamore body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, brown tolex hard shell case.
The Burns Double Six is one of our very favorite electric 12-strings and a true -- if slightly offbeat -- 1960s classic that has become more sought after in recent years. With its wide comfortable neck and three powerful Tri-Sonic pickups this British-made 12-string is a versatile and great-sounding instrument for many applications. It is also a supremely striking looking machine, a large solidbody guitar with a really eye-popping green/black "Martian" sunburst finish on the sycamore body and matching neck. The top on this one has some particularly nice flame figure to the Sycamore.
The Double Six is equipped with three single-coil Burns Tri-Sonic pickups giving it a clear and very powerful sound, controlled by a straight-from-the-Strat single switch and three knob wiring rig. The big nearly 2" wide neck is a treat for players who feel constrained by the typical narrow Rickenbacker-style 12 string fingerboard, and the long 25 1/2" scale offers a lot of room to get around. That long headstock mounts 12 individual covered VanGent tuners, and sort of resembles the snout of some primordial crocodile!
This particular guitar is not dated internally but has all the earlier Burns features and based on the serial number was likely assembled in late 1964 or early '65, some months before the American Baldwin company took over the London-based Burns operation in September 1965. The "Handmade by Burns, London" logo on the lower pickguard section is the larger "TV" friendly style used just around this time. The dot-inlaid rosewood fretboard has no binding, which was added around the time of the Baldwin takeover and the finish on the neck matches the body which was discontinued in 1966. The Burns logo is also stamped on the Tri-Sonic pickup covers.
The Double Six is one of the very best Burns instruments and a mucho cool guitar, one of the often eccentric company's genuine successes. It was popular in the 1960's when electric 12-strings had their shining moment, favored by some top bands since 1964 including the Searchers, The Zombies, The Troggs, and even Elvis! We feel this is still one of the best instruments of its type ever designed and are always "chuffed" to have a nice original Burns-logo example, which are much rarer than the Baldwin produced version.
Overall length is 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 15/16 in. (49 mm.)., 10 lbs.
This is a nice original example with some minor repair and restoration showing light general wear. The all-original finish still shines like it is ready to feature on "Top of The Pops" with hardly any of the heavy checking often seen on Burns instruments, retaining a very bold color to the green/black sunburst with minimal fade. It does show some wear with a scattered dings and dents, and one noticeable touched up and smoothed out deeper scrape to the back of the neck behind the 9th fret area. There is some finish chipping around the strap buttons.
There is a repaired patched-in spot to the pickguard just below the treble pickup; solid but visible. The tuners have been restored to original but most of the grommets are not the exact correct style and there are small screw holes on the back of the headstock from whatever was fitted before. Some of the pickguard screws have been changed. All other hardware is original and correct with some typical wear including the oft-missing floating bridge and the chrome tailpiece cover with its securing bolts still intact. Considering it is now 60 years old this is a generally well-preserved guitar, and an excellent player with a low, comfortable action and a powerful sound. Overall Very Good + Condition.
The Burns Double Six is one of our very favorite electric 12-strings and a true -- if slightly offbeat -- 1960s classic that has become more sought after in recent years. With its wide comfortable neck and three powerful Tri-Sonic pickups this British-made 12-string is a versatile and great-sounding instrument for many applications. It is also a supremely striking looking machine, a large solidbody guitar with a really eye-popping green/black "Martian" sunburst finish on the sycamore body and matching neck. The top on this one has some particularly nice flame figure to the Sycamore.
The Double Six is equipped with three single-coil Burns Tri-Sonic pickups giving it a clear and very powerful sound, controlled by a straight-from-the-Strat single switch and three knob wiring rig. The big nearly 2" wide neck is a treat for players who feel constrained by the typical narrow Rickenbacker-style 12 string fingerboard, and the long 25 1/2" scale offers a lot of room to get around. That long headstock mounts 12 individual covered VanGent tuners, and sort of resembles the snout of some primordial crocodile!
This particular guitar is not dated internally but has all the earlier Burns features and based on the serial number was likely assembled in late 1964 or early '65, some months before the American Baldwin company took over the London-based Burns operation in September 1965. The "Handmade by Burns, London" logo on the lower pickguard section is the larger "TV" friendly style used just around this time. The dot-inlaid rosewood fretboard has no binding, which was added around the time of the Baldwin takeover and the finish on the neck matches the body which was discontinued in 1966. The Burns logo is also stamped on the Tri-Sonic pickup covers.
The Double Six is one of the very best Burns instruments and a mucho cool guitar, one of the often eccentric company's genuine successes. It was popular in the 1960's when electric 12-strings had their shining moment, favored by some top bands since 1964 including the Searchers, The Zombies, The Troggs, and even Elvis! We feel this is still one of the best instruments of its type ever designed and are always "chuffed" to have a nice original Burns-logo example, which are much rarer than the Baldwin produced version.
Overall length is 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 15/16 in. (49 mm.)., 10 lbs.
This is a nice original example with some minor repair and restoration showing light general wear. The all-original finish still shines like it is ready to feature on "Top of The Pops" with hardly any of the heavy checking often seen on Burns instruments, retaining a very bold color to the green/black sunburst with minimal fade. It does show some wear with a scattered dings and dents, and one noticeable touched up and smoothed out deeper scrape to the back of the neck behind the 9th fret area. There is some finish chipping around the strap buttons.
There is a repaired patched-in spot to the pickguard just below the treble pickup; solid but visible. The tuners have been restored to original but most of the grommets are not the exact correct style and there are small screw holes on the back of the headstock from whatever was fitted before. Some of the pickguard screws have been changed. All other hardware is original and correct with some typical wear including the oft-missing floating bridge and the chrome tailpiece cover with its securing bolts still intact. Considering it is now 60 years old this is a generally well-preserved guitar, and an excellent player with a low, comfortable action and a powerful sound. Overall Very Good + Condition.