| Adam Baboolal 13.08.2006 17:24 |
Okay, I've found quite a deal for a brand new Burns model of the red special in black. It's on clearance for just 300 pounds (no case). I was thinking it may be time to take the plunge! EXCITING!! However, as we all know, Brian took over from Burns and the headstock now reads HIS signature. So... there's a pretty simple question for the clever guitar folks here. Would I be better off with the Burns version or the newer Brian sig. version? I'm thinking there won't really be a difference, but you never know! Peace, Adam. |
| Penetration_Guru 13.08.2006 17:34 |
There's barely any difference at all in general. I have a non-Burns and it's fantastic, However this year's model (with the semicircle behind the bridge) seems to have had the switches moved in a way that I don't personally like. |
| Adam Baboolal 13.08.2006 18:25 |
They moved the switches? Why? How is it set out differently to the old Burns layout? Thanks for the info. Peace, Adam. |
| Togg 14.08.2006 04:00 |
I have an early Burns number 80 in fact, which I have had no problems with, I have heard and seen some less well construced burns models much later on. and some say they don't stay in tune, I have never had that problem. I would personally go for the Bri model just to be sure, I think they have amended the trem which is a bit of a pain frankly and the build qualty will probably be better. |
| Adam Baboolal 14.08.2006 04:16 |
Hmm... if I went for a Brian sig ver it would be £200 more. If there's just a better tremelo (something I like to use but am not too fussy about) and less loss of tuning, I'm sure I could be happy. But I would like to know more about the tuning thing. I half-remember it coming up. But I don't really remember the details about it. Did it just fall out of tune when using the tremelo? Peace, Adam. |
| Togg 14.08.2006 04:33 |
To be honest I have not had the problem, but yes some have said it falls out when using the trem. Mine seems fine, in fact it stays in tune better than my custom shop Strat!! |
| Togg 14.08.2006 04:45 |
I spoke to a guy in a guitar shop at the weekend who will not stock the older burns because he says the build quality isn't great, I have to say I have yet to see one that wasn't pretty good considering the price the go out at. OK it's not a Les Paul, but what do you expect for that kind on money. My advice would still be to go for the newer vesion, I think in the end the extra money will mean a better quality instrument they will have sorted a few niggles out. And whilst it's a pain I do think that in music you get what you pay for and rarely do you find instruments that stand up to the top gear. There is a world of difference between for example a Squire strat and a USA or custom shop model, they are just different animals all together. Same goes for amps, a good Fender or Marshall valve amp and of course Vox are simply in a different league to the lower end stuff, you only have to play for a few minutes to appreciate the difference. |
| wimba 14.08.2006 05:38 |
Hi there I'm not sure if i'm allowed to do this, and if i'm not please delete this, but i'm Andrew from a company called A Strings. A Strings is the UK and US Distributor of Optima strings, we supply Brian with his strings and as a result of this much of our stock is BM related due to requests from fans etc. We stock the New Brian May Signature Guitar. I personally own a Burn and Guild 93 model. The new Guitar is better than the burns for the following reasons - 1. Tremelo system is a LOT better 2. White switches instead of "stage blind" black switches (and they are in the same place as the old switches) 3. The finish on this new guitar is so much nicer to the Burns era finish. It's actually better/closer to the original than the Guild 4. Improved sounding pickups to the Burns. They are available on my site at £495.00 +delivery (tax to be deducted from price for non-EU sales) If there are any guitarists on here that are interested in anything on the site, please email me through the website and mention qz.com and i'll give you a 10% discount from strings. Cheers Andrew - link |
| Adam Baboolal 14.08.2006 06:42 |
wimba wrote: 4. Improved sounding pickups to the Burns. They are available on my site at £495.00 +delivery (tax to be deducted from price for non-EU sales)Interesting point. How do they sound better exactly? Peace, Adam. EDIT: And Gak have the 2006 model for £475. Which is £485 including VAT & Delivery. link |
| wimba 14.08.2006 06:47 |
Brian explained on his soapbox a few months back ... "These days I think filling up pickups with resin or glue is quite commonplace. I think Burns must do it with their new issue pickups, because they 'sing' very nicely. We use them on our Brian May Guitars issue models, and the quality is very good. My “Commercial copy” guitars have been through various incarnations ... they were first made by Guild of America, and then by Burns of England, and now we manufacture them ourselves, using workshops in Korea. We have been able to gradually improve the quality to the point where most of our We Will Rock You guitarists are now able to use them "off the shelf". Along the way we have used pickups made by top pickup manufacturers Di Mazio and Seymour Duncan, custom made to replicate the sound those original Burns jobs made. Now we have returned to Burns, since they have begun making them again ... and very good they are too ! All the new BM guitars are fitted with the recreated "Tri-sonic" pickups, and they sing just right !" link cheers |
| john bodega 14.08.2006 09:40 |
This is all no-never-mind to me, I'm perfectly happy with my Burns. The thing stays in tune no matter how hard I beat it up. (Figuratively speaking, that is). I did a great thing today by locking myself in a TAFE rehearsal room with just me, the Burns and a very very loud amp. Thank God for earplugs, but fuck it was a blast. |
| coops 14.08.2006 12:21 |
I am now just learning to play guitar and at my age, doubt I will ever be good enought o warrant purchasing the May guitar (though that new acoustic looks nice). Anyway, check out this site if you have not done so link I have some non-queen tracks for guitarists and they are great quality and fun to play along with. The tracks for vocalists sre good to. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for. By the way, anyone know what the new May acoustic guitar will sell for? Cheers |
| Legy 14.08.2006 13:23 |
Don't buy a Burns. The pick-ups are shite. I played a new BHM guitar this weekend and the difference between the old tri-sonics and the new ones are night and day. The old tri-sonics just don't sound right but the new ones are pretty good. Contact Wimba, he's a good guy and his prices are the best. I buy my strings from Andrew, and I live in Houston, Texas. Juan |
| Adam Baboolal 14.08.2006 13:28 |
Coops, please don't hijack the thread with unrelated info, please. Now, has anyone on the forum done this mod to their guitar? If so, how did it turn out? link Peace, Adam. |
| Adam Baboolal 14.08.2006 13:29 |
Thanks for that Juan. Are there any new comparisons between the old and the new guitars? Then I can really hear the difference being talked about. I'm pretty sure I'll go for the newer model now, but it would be nice to hear more! Peace, Adam. |
| Legy 14.08.2006 14:01 |
I tried Scotts modification on my Burns, since I was so unhappy with the sound I was getting. The changes are quite good actually. A little brighter sounding, but I like the changes. Juan |
| Penetration_Guru 14.08.2006 15:54 |
Page 10 of the latest Fan club mag shows the new edition of the guitar, and the switches are no longer parallel. It doesn't look like an optical illusion. |
| Adam Baboolal 14.08.2006 15:59 |
I see what you mean PG. Hmm... wonder why that is! Weird change. Peace, Adam. |
| Legy 14.08.2006 17:44 |
Comparison wise it's really the same guitar, the same feel which is great. The switches are white which is better than the Burns. They are still using the same pickguard Burns used, and the half moon near the tremolo. The tremolo is a little smoother than the old Burns. The best upgrade is the tri-sonic pickups, they have more bite and more power. |
| john bodega 14.08.2006 19:35 |
ihavenolegs wrote: Don't buy a Burns. The pick-ups are shite.You're doing something wrong. Ha-ha. Not that I doubt the new one's are better. I cannot wait to hear 'em because I've only heard good things about the improvements. |
| error 14.08.2006 20:03 |
Adam Baboolal wrote: Okay, I've found quite a deal for a brand new Burns model of the red special in black. It's on clearance for just 300 pounds (no case). I was thinking it may be time to take the plunge! EXCITING!! However, as we all know, Brian took over from Burns and the headstock now reads HIS signature. So... there's a pretty simple question for the clever guitar folks here. Would I be better off with the Burns version or the newer Brian sig. version? I'm thinking there won't really be a difference, but you never know! Peace, Adam.Forget that... Buy an Ibanez. LOL No, I'm kidding... Like someone said before, Guild guitars are better than all the other BM guitar models. I may be wrong, but I've read somewhere that Brian use, in his gigs, Guild guitars. |
| write your letters in the sand 14.08.2006 22:42 |
I have a Burns London and a Brian May, they are virtually the same guitar, and as I understand, made in the same Korean factory. I'm a hack, and no expert, but they seem to be identical except for the "Burns London" logo on the headstock. To me, they both feel the same and sound very similar. My Brian May is NOT the recently released model. The price seems a little high for a "clearance" item, but not outrageous, and maybe there aren't many new black ones to be had. You might see if they'd be willing to throw in a case or give you a deal on the case if you're feeling bold. If you want it, buy it and enjoy it. |
| Adam Baboolal 15.08.2006 04:02 |
Onikage wrote:Uhm... I have the cheaper models in my sights. That's just the way it is.Adam Baboolal wrote: Okay, I've found quite a deal for a brand new Burns model of the red special in black. It's on clearance for just 300 pounds (no case). I was thinking it may be time to take the plunge! EXCITING!! However, as we all know, Brian took over from Burns and the headstock now reads HIS signature. So... there's a pretty simple question for the clever guitar folks here. Would I be better off with the Burns version or the newer Brian sig. version? I'm thinking there won't really be a difference, but you never know! Peace, Adam.Forget that... Buy an Ibanez. LOL No, I'm kidding... Like someone said before, Guild guitars are better than all the other BM guitar models. I may be wrong, but I've read somewhere that Brian use, in his gigs, Guild guitars. Thanks for the info folks! I think today might be the day I order one. I'm just agonising between the sunburst or the cherry models. AGGGGHhhhh!! Peace, Adam. |
| Adam Baboolal 15.08.2006 06:33 |
Btw, are there any updated 2006 model reviews knocking about? If I find some, I'll post them. Peace, Adam. |
| Adam Baboolal 15.08.2006 08:20 |
OMG!! I just called a little music shop that my girlfriend works in. Why? I haven't a clue. But they said they have a couple coming in and they're the latest models. Nothing particularly exciting cause it's half-way down the country away from me! But then I asked the price... £399!!! These are brand new and the latest models. But the cheapest I'd seen was £485. Hmm... I'll see if I can blackmail my Glasgow shops to see if they'll pricematch. But damn, that's a great price for the latest model. The only downside I can think of would be the colour as I'm sure they'll just be standard vintage red. Not much of a downside, but I was leaning towards the sumburst. Peace, Adam. |
| Togg 15.08.2006 08:47 |
There you go, now you can get the guitar and the pedal ;-) You also get money back on that, they throw in a sixpence! |
| Adam Baboolal 15.08.2006 09:51 |
Actually, yeah, I was thinking that myself. Don't know if they'll have the pedal in their shop though. I'll check tomorrow anyway. Peace, Adam. |
| Adam Baboolal 15.08.2006 14:38 |
2006 reviews - link link |
| wimba 15.08.2006 17:40 |
I don't think these reviews refer to the new version as the new one has only been available for 2 months and the most recent review is from January or February. |
| NTL 15.08.2006 17:49 |
Hey Andrew, fancy matching that 399 price ?, you might have a sale. |
| Adam Baboolal 15.08.2006 17:51 |
NTL wrote: Hey Andrew, fancy matching that 399 price ?, you might have a sale.Interesting thought. How about it? Peace, Adam. |
| Adam Baboolal 16.08.2006 05:56 |
wimba wrote: I don't think these reviews refer to the new version as the new one has only been available for 2 months and the most recent review is from January or February.Yeah, I know. But if they do get reviewed, that's where it'll end up. Peace, Adam. |
| Adam Baboolal 16.08.2006 07:07 |
Dang! Called in today and he now realises they've gone up in price to £499. BUT... he recognised me from when I saw my girlfriend last time and said he'd give it to me for £439! Still the best deal, I say. It's also the vintage red like I thought. And looks like I can pick it up on Saturday when I'm down there. Ahhhh... Can't wait! Thanks for everything folks. And if anyone wants any sound clips, I'll certainly post some. Peace, Adam. |
| wimba 16.08.2006 09:08 |
Hi NTL Email me through my website if you can, link Cheers Andrew |
| john bodega 16.08.2006 09:35 |
Adam Baboolal wrote: Dang! Called in today and he now realises they've gone up in price to £499. BUT... he recognised me from when I saw my girlfriend last time and said he'd give it to me for £439! Still the best deal, I say. It's also the vintage red like I thought. And looks like I can pick it up on Saturday when I'm down there. Ahhhh... Can't wait! Thanks for everything folks. And if anyone wants any sound clips, I'll certainly post some. Peace, Adam.Enjoy the guitar buddy, I know I'm in love with mine! (So is everyone else at my TAFE, incidentally) |
| Togg 16.08.2006 09:43 |
Shame, I was sceptical about the price when you mentioned it, and wondered if they had made a mistake. If you are going on Saturday make sure the guy you have spoken to is working that day or you will have more fun trying to convince them of his offer, unless he has put one aside for you that is. |
| Adam Baboolal 16.08.2006 10:53 |
Yeah, I told him to put it aside for me. He only got one in today instead of two, so I made sure it was safe. And since my girlfriend works there, she's also gonna keep an eye on things for me. I'll see if they get the pedal in their shop as well. If so, I'll take my Hi-MD along. Peace, Adam. |
| Boy Thomas Raker 16.08.2006 11:05 |
Onikage wrote:Adam Baboolal wrote: No, I'm kidding... Like someone said before, Guild guitars are better than all the other BM guitar models. I may be wrong, but I've read somewhere that Brian use, in his gigs, Guild guitars.As a Guild owner, I'm curious as to how the Burns guitar is better than the Guild if it's a fraction of the cost? Generally with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Others have posted that the Burns has a cheap paint job, the tremolo is crap looking, and I'd imagine that the pickups, wood, strings and electronics are cheaper than a Guild BHM. If this was a car, the Burns would be a Hyundai and the Guild a high end sedan. So can someone tell me what makes the Burns a better guitar as it defies logic at the price point. |
| wimba 16.08.2006 11:10 |
I own a Guild 93, a Burns RS and played a new BM RS. I rank them 1. Guild 2. BM 3. Burns The Guild is superior in many ways - mainly the tremelo unit, but the new BM RS i would rank as some where in between a Burns and a Guild. The BM RS is actually Mahogany like the Guild! |
| Adam Baboolal 16.08.2006 12:13 |
Boy Thomas Raker wrote:Onikage wrote:I never said that! Did you put those quotes in there?Adam Baboolal wrote: No, I'm kidding... Like someone said before, Guild guitars are better than all the other BM guitar models. I may be wrong, but I've read somewhere that Brian use, in his gigs, Guild guitars.As a Guild owner, I'm curious as to how the Burns guitar is better than the Guild if it's a fraction of the cost? Generally with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Others have posted that the Burns has a cheap paint job, the tremolo is crap looking, and I'd imagine that the pickups, wood, strings and electronics are cheaper than a Guild BHM. If this was a car, the Burns would be a Hyundai and the Guild a high end sedan. So can someone tell me what makes the Burns a better guitar as it defies logic at the price point. |
| Adam Baboolal 16.08.2006 12:17 |
wimba wrote: I own a Guild 93, a Burns RS and played a new BM RS. I rank them 1. Guild 2. BM 3. Burns The Guild is superior in many ways - mainly the tremelo unit, but the new BM RS i would rank as some where in between a Burns and a Guild. The BM RS is actually Mahogany like the Guild!When you say "BM RS" are you referring to the successor of the Burns? Peace, Adam. |
| wimba 16.08.2006 12:22 |
yes. |
| Adam Baboolal 16.08.2006 12:48 |
wimba wrote: yes.Cool. That's good to know! Peace, Adam. |
| David Jones 16.08.2006 13:38 |
Was it an early Burns or a later Burns? Theres not a massive difference between the Burns and BM is there? |
| Adam Baboolal 16.08.2006 13:50 |
I remember there being stories about earlier and later Burns models differing. I believe it was the earlier ones that fared better than the later ones. And from what I'm hearing here and in a couple of other places, the BM line is more up to speed like it was originally supposed to be. Peace, Adam. |
| Penetration_Guru 16.08.2006 15:18 |
Honeyburst is the way to go. Gold hardware, not too clone-like. link and Ebay & patience will knock £100 off the price. |
| Adam Baboolal 16.08.2006 15:22 |
Penetration_Guru wrote: Honeyburst is the way to go. Gold hardware, not too clone-like. link and Ebay & patience will knock £100 off the price.Actually, that's not the one I looked at. Hmm... I wonder if I got the name wrong. It had a black edging with the sunburst on the inside of the edging. Yeah, I was hoping it wasn't the clone type! But I'm gonna like that guitar no matter what. Peace, Adam. |
| Togg 17.08.2006 03:26 |
Regarding the Guild vs Burns comments I would say IMO that the Guilds are built to a much better standard (agin mainly the older models) however, the burns get a much more accurate tone, the pick-ups do a far better job of getting the true Brian May sound. |
| Boy Thomas Raker 17.08.2006 09:28 |
Thanks Togg, I've heard the same about the old DiMarzio's in the original Guild's not being as good as the Burns at reproducing the Brian May sound. My model has the original DiMarzio's with the BHM monogram, may have to change but have been reluctant to mess with original guitar as I'm not looking to clone Brian's sound 100%. |
| Adam Baboolal 17.08.2006 09:56 |
Here's the one I meant - link link Peace, Adam. |
| john bodega 17.08.2006 23:44 |
Niiiiice, paint an f-hole on it and BAM you're playing the old Casino. |
| Adam Baboolal 20.08.2006 18:58 |
Well, I got back a little while ago and I'm here with my new Brian May guitar! Quite simply, it rocks! They (Brian co.) have done a great job with the overall feel in comparison to the Burns. I played the Burns last year and when I tried the new version, it was obvious to me that it's far improved in sound and feel. No Bri pedal in the shop, though. Shame... Also, an important note about the AD30VT amp. They had one in the shop and I asked to be hooked up to that. Turned it to the AC30 setting and tried some pickup settings. There are some definite cool sounds on this cheap little amp! I'm pretty impressed that for £135, I could own one of these. I'm actually leaning towards it as a feasible purchase. The modelling is pretty cool! Again, thanks for the advice and comments as they were most helpful! Peace, Adam. |
| Togg 21.08.2006 04:25 |
Congrats Adam How do you think it compares to the tone from your other guitar? do youthink you are getting closer to that Brian tone now? And how have they re-worked the trem? is it a screw thread now? |
| Adam Baboolal 21.08.2006 06:30 |
I'll need to spend time playing it through my amps to get a feel for the sounds between them. But my first thought would be to say it's creamier than my other guitar. I'm not familiar with the previous tremelo system really. But the new one (if it is new) has a little alan-key slot for tightening in the bar piece. Seems to work well so far. But again, I need to use it more to see how it all works! Peace, Adam. |
| john bodega 21.08.2006 07:08 |
"I need to use it more to see how it all works!" I had that exact same thought when I got mine... haha. I love the rehearsal rooms at TAFE, I don't know *what* level of decibels I'm at, but it cuts right through the soundproofing and the teachers all love the Queen and Pink Floyd that comes out. Hehe. |
| Adam Baboolal 28.08.2006 12:37 |
Getting more familiar with the guitar now. Just need to ask a quick question. The pickup's height' are not evenly set. Should I adjust them to match each other. I'm no guitar tech, so this is really something I need to ask of the BriGtr people. Peace, Adam. |
| Penetration_Guru 28.08.2006 15:34 |
I believe the idea is to get the output volume of each pickup to be the same. The height should be changed to achieve this. From there if (for example) one wanted more bridge, one would get that nearer to the strings. |
| Adam Baboolal 28.08.2006 16:40 |
The rear pickup is higher than the other two. The center is about the same as the neck. Any advice? Peace, Adam. |
| Fireplace 28.08.2006 17:23 |
"Solo" each pick up, that is, select them without selecting any other pick-ups. Play a few chords, then solo the next one strumming at about the same strength. Usually, the idea is to get them to sound about evenly loud by varying their height, but of course that's up to your own taste. I find the neck pick-up to lack a bit in volume, so on my Burns BM that one's positioned a tad higher. Be careful though, I had mine almost drop out of the guitar once. Also putting them too high increases magnetic pull ("string pull") on your strings, resulting in slight tonal imbalances. Having them at the same height may look pleasing, but is by no means a nessecity. |
| Togg 29.08.2006 07:00 |
Basically don't worry about the height of each pick up in relation to each other, it's the output level you need to worry, if you think the guitar needs professionally setting up then £30 in your local music store can be money well spent. My advice is don't do it yourself unless you know what you are doing, you can spend days trying to get it back to where you started sometimes (speaking from experience) I now always get mine set up by experts, it makes a world of difference. BTW getting a professional to set the intonation is worth it's wheight in gold when you start recoding. It's amazing how guitars go out of tune as you go up the fret board, particulaly new shop bought ones. |
| Adam Baboolal 29.08.2006 09:02 |
Thanks for the extra info folks. Yep, I'm gonna leave it because at the moment it seems fine. No problems high up or soundwise. All looking and sounding good. Now all I need to do is learn how to sweep pick. It's the one thing I've been real lazy about in all my playing years! Peace, Adam. |
| Penetration_Guru 29.08.2006 14:32 |
Adam Baboolal wrote: The rear pickup is higher than the other two. The center is about the same as the neck. Any advice? Peace, Adam.3 people have said the same thing now in a row, and (unusually) nobody has disagreed. My advice is to pick one and do what they say... |
| Adam Baboolal 29.08.2006 14:41 |
Why post that when my last post just said, I'm gonna leave it cause it sounds fine... |
| Penetration_Guru 29.08.2006 19:22 |
Hey you started it... |
| Adam Baboolal 10.10.2006 10:41 |
Okay folks, here's something that's bugging me. Just need some friendly advice here. I changed my strings today because they were getting a bit worn after some heavy use. Anyway, I put on my usual strings, Daddario 9's and when I tried the guitar out, the sound was very trebley and the sustain was down a bit. Slightly thinner sounding, too. What I was wondering about were the strings that come with the guitar. They're GHS strings (something I'd never bought before) and my question is about the gauge. Are the strings that come with the guitar a set of 10's? And also, are there any recommendations on strings, apart from the obvious optima gold 9's? And should I be sticking to a higher gauge like I'm starting to think those GHS ones were? Thanks folks! Adam. |
| Togg 10.10.2006 11:10 |
It's been a long time since I got mine but I'm pretty sure it had 10's on it, they were certianly bigger than the 9's I put on. |
| john bodega 10.10.2006 12:41 |
I don't know what is recommended for a Brian May guitar. I was pretty certain mine came with a set of 10's. I strung it with 9's once and it just didn't feel right, though the sound wasn't drastically changed. Because of the relatively shorter scale of the instrument, me brother tried to convince me to try some 11's on it. HAH - they didn't even fit through the nut! Can't help with brand advice unfortunately, I just grab the same $15 set of 10's by D'Addario. But they serve me well, and I'm a compulsive string cleaner... I keep those things usable for as long as humanly possible. |
| Bohardy 10.10.2006 17:15 |
I'm not for one minute suggesting that the Burns came with this setup of strings, but doesn't/didn't Brian use a weird hybrid guage of extra-light strings that utilises an 008 for both the top E and the B? Or am I going mad? |
| Adam Baboolal 10.10.2006 23:08 |
Bohardy wrote: I'm not for one minute suggesting that the Burns came with this setup of strings, but doesn't/didn't Brian use a weird hybrid guage of extra-light strings that utilises an 008 for both the top E and the B? Or am I going mad?You're absolutely right, I've heard that too. Then I've heard about the 9's as well. I think I'll order some 10's and try them out. I'll report back on how the sound changes. I'm really quite amazed at how drastic the change has been. This is obviously something important in my setup that needs sorted and may not affect others. But I felt it was right to post this and make people aware of my own situation. Btw, when I strung up the new set of strings, there was some fret buzz on the low E and A strings. But then I started playing to break in the new strings and it disappeared. Just something else I felt I should mention. Adam. |
| john bodega 11.10.2006 00:04 |
It is odd, when I'd just got my Burns I noticed considerable buzzing (as was outlined in the little booklet that came with the guitar) but it went away without any adjustments on my part. Funny you should mention that. |
| Togg 11.10.2006 05:02 |
I have found mine has a lot of buzz when not plugged in, however, it seems to not be present when played, so I have never had a problem. I did set the guitar up when it first arrived, but since then its only been minor tweaks. But I do still have a fair amount of buzz when just played on its own ie no amp. |
| wimba 11.10.2006 07:08 |
Brian used to use E - .008 B - .010 G - .011 D - .018 (Wound) A - .022 (Wound) E - .034 (Wound) I've been playing with .009 - .042 on my Guild for the past 4 or 5 years and last week i changed to a .008, .009, .012, .022, .026, .034 and I have to say i makes SUCH a difference. The RS is naturally thick sounding, and so when you have these super super light strings on it, the tone just completely falls into place. Bending strings is a joy and the classic BM idiosyncrasies just flow out. Lush :) |
| Wilki Amieva 11.10.2006 08:03 |
What about... E - .004 B - .008 G - .015 D - .016 A - .023 E - .042 Sorry I just cannot wait for the new season of LOST. |
| Adam Baboolal 11.10.2006 12:54 |
Interesting point about the 8's. Has anyone tried this on the Burns/latest Bri sig models? Adam. P.S. Wilki, didn't Lost Season3 start last week? I'm gonna sit down to the opening episode later. |
| Adam Baboolal 11.10.2006 15:34 |
RIGHT! Here's the result and it's 'quite' surprising. Bought some Daddario 10's today and put them on earlier. Basically, they're sounding far better and less trebley/harsh than the 9's. I'm so glad the sound isn't gone! I was starting to get a wee bit nervy about the 9's sound. So there you go. In my setup, 10's are what I needed to get the sound I liked. There's no doubt that I thought the 9's were nice and familiar to play, but really, I'm used to 10's on the Bri guitar now and to keep the sound the way it was, I have no problem with that. So, at this point, I'm starting to think about getting something Cornish sounding! Though, my SharpFX treble booster is doing a great job. A fair bit better than the Vox deacy for boosting. Warmer and smooth. If anyone's interested in one, you can find the seller on ebay. Adam. |
| tenchijin2 11.10.2006 16:01 |
Hey Adam, Just so you know for next time: if you change the string gauge, you must adjust the bridge tension. The action will change a little bit (lower) because with lighter strings the bridge pulls back much more, all the way to the body of the guitar. This also throws the intonation out. Also, new strings tune with less tension, making them a little more prone to buzzing than older strings which often feel 'tighter' after time in order to hold the tuning. Hope that helps. For the record, I remember my Burns came with .010's originally. I did like the sound but I don't like the bending!:) |
| john bodega 11.10.2006 23:59 |
See, I've been playing with 010's me whole life so I'm kind of used to 'em. Bending wise, anyway. They do put up a fair bit of resistance, but I find it helps the accuracy of the vibrato if I can't move the strings around too much (when I play on lighter gauges, I keep going too far!). It just sort of helps me fine tune my finger movements. |
| Adam Baboolal 20.10.2006 06:44 |
Just got a great deal on ebay for a Green Brian model. I saw it in the last few minutes with an included hard case and it was a recent model. Sat at £265 and got it for £312! Just got back from holiday yesterday and saw it waiting for me. I played it and it's not bad. It's been setup by a Rob Armstrong (semi-famous, I believe) and the action is really low. Also the pickups have been slanted on the higher strings' side. Good sound and am very pleased with the deal. What's also worth mentioning is that it must be somewhere between a Burns and Brian sig version as: 1) The headstock features Brian's sig. only. 2) The tremelo system is different from my 2006 model. The Bridge does not feature the grub screw point that the 2006 model does. And it feels a lot stiffer to move than my 2006 model. Just thought I'd post some helpful info. Adam. EDIT: ALSO... the switches are black and strangely, the whole guitar feels far far heavier than my August purchase. |
| Togg 20.10.2006 07:12 |
Interesting, mine was a very early model (in red) but is as you discribe. Just purchased for home use Adobe Audition M-Audio Firewire 1814 Fun times ahead and many late nights I think |
| Daniel Nester 20.10.2006 08:31 |
I have a Burns, and it's pretty fantastic--plays great, sounds great, and stays in tune. Now, I have a Brian May Signature Model Mini-May--a scale model--and, if we go by that as an indication of how the real Red Specials are going to be, they are not good. The Mini-May, simply put, is a paperweight. It's never been in tune, save for a couple seconds after electrotuning it; it plays awfully; the strings ring on the oddly lumpy fretboard (it's like a new Squier knockoff). It's neat to bring out at parties, but at 300 bucks, I wanted to play the darn thing. D |
| Fireplace 20.10.2006 09:27 |
Adam Baboolal wrote: Just got a great deal on ebay for a Green Brian model. I saw it in the last few minutes with an included hard case and it was a recent model. Sat at £265 and got it for £312! Just got back from holiday yesterday and saw it waiting for me. I played it and it's not bad. It's been setup by a Rob Armstrong (semi-famous, I believe) and the action is really low. Also the pickups have been slanted on the higher strings' side. Good sound and am very pleased with the deal. What's also worth mentioning is that it must be somewhere between a Burns and Brian sig version as: 1) The headstock features Brian's sig. only. 2) The tremelo system is different from my 2006 model. The Bridge does not feature the grub screw point that the 2006 model does. And it feels a lot stiffer to move than my 2006 model. Just thought I'd post some helpful info. Adam. EDIT: ALSO... the switches are black and strangely, the whole guitar feels far far heavier than my August purchase.Adam, Is that the translucent green one? Pictures please! |
| Adam Baboolal 20.10.2006 14:16 |
LOL Yes, I'm adding it to the BrianMayCentral.net site soon. I'll post the pics here, too. Stay tuned! Adam. |
| Adam Baboolal 20.10.2006 15:57 |
Here's the red one I bought in August... - link And here are a couple of the green one I got just yesterday... - link - link Hope that's what you were looking for! Adam. |
| Togg 23.10.2006 06:55 |
Very nice, I must say I've always liked the Green model, they look great, which plays better? |
| john bodega 23.10.2006 08:07 |
Big spender. |
| Adam Baboolal 23.10.2006 11:19 |
Bit mixed feelings on both sound and playability options. Since the Green sounds different to the Red, it's quite hard to do some of the same sounds. I'm definitely more used to the Red model's higher action and particular sound. But sometimes the speed is better on the green. Even the sound can remind me of a different type of Brian sound. However, the green's lower action can trip me up because it stops me from getting underneath the string and can lose my grip more easily, leading to possible flubs while playing. I'm used to a low action as my other Hohner RTX guitar had that setup. I like the sound of both as they're not the same. The Green is more lush sounding, while the red is more searing in tone. Interesting pair! Adam. P.S. Big spender? LOL I saw the green and couldn't stop myself. Then realised I didn't have the money and would have to sell something. So, bye-bye to the VG8 and accessories. Shame, but I have a feeling the green could be sold for more than I bought it. That's the cool thing about this purchase. Good investment. |
| john bodega 23.10.2006 13:13 |
I'm dying to put Red Special wiring into a sitar, actually :P |
| NTL 16.11.2006 16:30 |
A couple of (pretty bad) pictures of my Burns BM which I have just finished modifying. All done by hand except the Tremelo which I bought from RS Guitars. I must say that its a vast improvement on the original, it now stays in tune perfectly no matter how hard you use the trem and I routed out most of the body under the scratch plate like the original RS, which makes it far more resonant. The only real difference to the original is the scratch plate is slightly larger on order to hide where the old Trem was. See what you think.... link link I will add some better picture later. |
| Fireplace 16.11.2006 19:30 |
The Green Girl is a real beauty Adam. I'd love to get my filthy paws on her some day! |
| john bodega 16.11.2006 21:16 |
I want to steal 6 faders from someone's PA and hot-glue them to my pickup switches. |
| Brian_Mays_Wig 17.11.2006 02:26 |
NTL wrote: A couple of (pretty bad) pictures of my Burns BM which I have just finished modifying. |
| Adam Baboolal 17.11.2006 13:38 |
Nice pics there. That's a bad story there BMWig. Btw, the neck is supposed to be wide as that's how Brian made it. In fact, I think you'll find that they actually lessened its width for the line. I personally love the wider neck. I get a good grip and feeling when playing. Thin necks seem kind of lesser to me now. I'll be posting some sounds I recorded on a different board. I'll make sure and put the link up here, too. Adam. |
| john bodega 17.11.2006 22:24 |
Well I'm amazed by your bad luck there mate... I haven't snapped a *single* E string on this thing yet!!! I find I actually adapt to different neck sizes pretty quickly, the BM felt pretty wide when I first picked it up in the shop, but I'm able to sort of hop from that to a Fender pretty easy these days. "I'm in love with my guitaaaar". |
| Adam Baboolal 18.11.2006 08:56 |
Yeah, are myself and Zeb just lucky? I've had no problems at all. And the ones like the breaking strings, buzzing frets and tremelo issues seem so minor now I've experienced them. Adam. |
| john bodega 18.11.2006 10:35 |
You know.... the fret buzzing was one of the most common things I'd been warned about before I took the Burns plunge.. and oddly enough, either I'm desensetised, or it's gone by itself because I never did any adjustments to the action. I can't say enough nice things about the RS... I guess it's just a match, for me?? Hehe. My one complaint? It doesn't feel right when I play it sitting down (and I'm a big fan of sitting on my arse and playing guitar). I'm dying to put up some videos of the thing on Youtube, I want to share the love! |
| Adam Baboolal 20.11.2006 19:04 |
I posted this on the Red Special forum over at Brianmayworld.com - link (3mins at 3.24MB btw!) It actually comes from my 20 minute mess about I did to test recording with my laptop. So, this file was just to give an idea of what the SharpFX Retro booster sounded like with the Brian May guitar. Just some messing about on guitar really! Adam. |
| tenchijin2 20.11.2006 22:22 |
I've had no problems with my Burns BM model. I did adjust the action, because I changed to lighter strings and I like to mess around with the setup on my guitars! |
| Brian_Mays_Wig 21.11.2006 02:13 |
I had a bastard with the buzz on the top E and it went in to be set up a further 2 times but still kept buzzing. The guitar tech said that the buzz was no worse than on his £1300 PRS but it annoyed the crap out of me cos my £200 strat, my £400 Epiphone and £800 Jackson have never buzzed as much as that! |
| jasen101 21.11.2006 16:56 |
I got the BM version from A-Strings (wimba)...it is a great guitar. It stays in tune nicely and I have yet to break a string...those gold strings rock though!! Go for The BM sig. |
| jasen101 21.11.2006 17:01 |
And I will recommend getting some Maxima Gold Strings from Wimba (A-Strings) through his webstore on Ebay...I got really great service when I purchased my guitar from him. |
| Legy 22.11.2006 12:42 |
I buy my strings from Wimba, and I live on the other side of the pond. |
| Adam Baboolal 24.11.2006 08:00 |
Yeah, the optima stuff is great. I remember having a couple of sets and it somehow helped my playing. Even playing faster. I didn't tell anyone about it and then my brother's mate who plays bass and also bought a set of optima strings for his bass said, he felt like he played better on them, too! So, I think they're worth investing in. But they're so damned expensive. I can't really justify the cost of them at the moment, so I just stick with my usual Daddario's. I've tried ALL types on the market and I feel Optima's are 1st place while I still come back to Daddarios in 2nd place. Adam. |
| NTL 25.11.2006 16:00 |
I F***ing hate Daddarios, have just re-strung mine with a set of 9s as that was all that was available and instantly remembered how shite they are. The Optimas are great if you can afford them otherwise buy Roto's or Ernie Balls. |
| Adam Baboolal 26.11.2006 06:42 |
Each to their own. |
| john bodega 26.11.2006 09:17 |
NTL wrote: I F***ing hate Daddarios, have just re-strung mine with a set of 9s as that was all that was available and instantly remembered how shite they are. The Optimas are great if you can afford them otherwise buy Roto's or Ernie Balls.Could you elaborate? They haven't let me down yet. Have you ever done a blindfold test to see if the sound was worse when using them, things of that nature? I'm just curious, I've never seen a brand of string that one could call shite.... unless we're talking the *really* cheap ones. |
| Adam Baboolal 26.11.2006 09:47 |
Yeah, me too. |
| Brian_Mays_Wig 26.11.2006 09:58 |
Zebonka12 wrote:Ive always used Ernie Ball slinkies (9's) although on a couple of occasions I have brought Diaddarios, the ones that are shrink wrapped instead of a paper packet, and theyre great at first but I find that the go dull very quickly, Saying that, I hardly ever break strings anyway so I dont change them that often. I once brought a set of Fender 9's and broke 3 in a day, now they are pure wank!NTL wrote: I F***ing hate Daddarios, have just re-strung mine with a set of 9s as that was all that was available and instantly remembered how shite they are. The Optimas are great if you can afford them otherwise buy Roto's or Ernie Balls.Could you elaborate? They haven't let me down yet. Have you ever done a blindfold test to see if the sound was worse when using them, things of that nature? I'm just curious, I've never seen a brand of string that one could call shite.... unless we're talking the *really* cheap ones. Ernie ball all the way for moi. |
| NTL 27.11.2006 10:31 |
I dont mean the sound, I just hate how they feel, and to me they feel a little heavier than others. And that new set which I have recenly put on, well the top E has snapped within a week ! I agree each to their own, but I will never buy Daddario's again unless Im desperate. Actually when I bought them the guy at my local shop said the same thing, and said they always have Daddario's in because the kids go mad for them and he could not understand why. Each to their own. |
| Adam Baboolal 27.11.2006 11:20 |
Yeah, it's down to how they're treated by yourself and your guitar. One of the issues I'd heard about some Burns models was the snapping of the high e string. And this is something that apparently, can be fixed. I've never broken a Dadarrio string unless they've been on for months, worn and are covered in dirt! And that kind of thing has only happened 2-3 times over the last 8 years of my guitar playing. I can't just be lucky with them. I'm not sure what you mean by heavier strings. I've used lots of different makes and never found them lighter or heavier than another. Though, I think I must concur about the Fender ones. Yikes, is all I say! They're damned light! Adam. |
| NTL 27.11.2006 16:48 |
I have had my Burns since the very day they arrived in the country and have never snapped a top E, in fact I dont think I have snapped a string on more than five occasions and and two of them were Optima B strings ! |
| NTL 27.11.2006 16:50 |
NTL wrote: I have had my Burns since the very day they arrived in the country and have never snapped a top E, in fact I dont think I have snapped a string on more than five occasions and and two of them were Optima B strings ! |
| NTL 28.11.2006 16:38 |
NTL wrote: I have had my Burns since the very day they arrived in the country and have never snapped a top E, in fact I dont think I have snapped a string on more than five occasions and and two of them were Optima B strings !Just thought Id try and post this again as it was being put at the top of the page. Note the date !! |
| john bodega 29.11.2006 00:55 |
Hehe.... I'm a compulsive string-wiper, immediately after playing I scour the frigging things. I simply can't afford to spend any money on them anymore, so I make sure I keep them as long as possible |
| Adam Baboolal 29.11.2006 06:48 |
NTL wrote: I have had my Burns since the very day they arrived in the country and have never snapped a top E, in fact I dont think I have snapped a string on more than five occasions and and two of them were Optima B strings !The Optimas are definitely stronger. |
| Adam Baboolal 06.05.2007 07:31 |
Just to update something which may be worth knowing. On page 4 of this thread you can see my dismay at my guitar's sound changing so harshly with a set of 9's. Just last night, I changed my strings from 10's to 9's to check this again cause I'm curious like that! Anyway, on my newer treble booster (Electrolead RSB) it sounds pretty excellent! I think this is because there's an inherent squashing of the treble frequencies and more midrange coming through. Now, when I tried my older booster (SharpFX Retro booster) it confirmed why my original thoughts are kind of still relevant. The sound with that is very sharp (no pun intended) and treble-y. Still testing things to see how that could be tamed, but while I like the change, I'll probably go back to 10's because then both boosters will sound good. I liked that they could both be used for different things. The 9's don't show off how good the retro boost can sound. Anyway, thought it might be worth posting Ta-ta! Adam. |
