Burns Hank Marvin 1980 White. Rarest of Rare Prototype. From Paul Day Personal Collection Few made

BURNS

HANK MARVIN

“Prototype”

1980

Extremely Rare

Ex Paul Day Collection

White color has faded to cream.

Jim Burns is my favorite guitar builder simply because he had imagination which gave us some of the most iconic guitar designs in the world.

Most know the history of Jim’s incredible career as a guitar designer and builder in the UK during the decades of the 1950’s through the 2000’s. His most renown design was the Burns 4 pup Black Bison in 1961. Incredible guitar. His most popular design was his “Hank Marvin” Signature guitars, most well known as “The Marvin”. In 1964. An amazingly beautiful styled guitar that sounded great and played even better.

Burns’ career as a guitar designer and builder shifted after he sold his UK company, Burns London Ltd., to the Baldwin Piano and Organ Company of the United States in the fall of 1965. He started several other companies and partnerships over the following decades including JIM BURNS ACTUALIZERS LTD. in 1979 (lasted until 1983).

Jim was excited again about designing and building guitars and this company was his vehicle for launching these new concepts which included “The Scorpion”, “The Steer”, “The Magpie 1 & 2”, and “The Bandit”. He also “reintroduced the “Bison” and the highly successful “Marvin” models.

This guitar appears to have been one of the early prototypes of the “new” Marvin guitars. It came from the personal collection of the legendary writer and guitar expert extraordinaire, Paul Day of the UK.

It is in EXCELLENT condition and does not appear to have been played.

The pups in this one are three single coils without any identifying marks on them. Neck and fretboard are lovely maple. Body appears to be Alder. It has 22 frets.

To me, this seems more like a Fender Stratocaster than the original Marvin model. It is simpler in design than the original Marvin by having new single coil pickups, tone and volume controls, and a basic 3 way switch. Knobs are round top metal. The tremolo on this guitar is “knife edge fulcrum on a Burns brass pivot block. Simple but effective. The headstock has the unique “Burns scroll” but it is not as dramatic as the original scrolls were. Tuners are no brand Schaller type. Has the usual Burns style 4 pickguards. Neck is bolt-on with name plate covering neck mounting screws.

This is a rare and beautiful guitar that plays and sounds great.

It is perfect for any Baldwin/Burns collection and is rarer of other Marvin’s of this time period because it has the Hank Marvin signature on the headstock. The application of this HM signature was discontinued in 1981 when Hank objected to its being used on the guitar.

Comes with a Burns soft case.

Comes with my “Try It Out” policy. Buyer has 72 hours receipt to try this guitar out. If not happy for any reason, Buyer can return it, or a full refund of purchase amount. Buyer to pay cost of shipping it back to me.

Ships only to continental USA. Buyers in other areas must get shipping quote from me prior to buying this guitar.

Thanks.