Baldwin Vibraslim Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar 1966 RARE Burns Company

Baldwin - Burns Vibraslim Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1966)

made in London, England

sunburst finish

sycamore body

maple neck with rosewood fingerboard

hard shell case.

The following explains why this particular guitar is so rare. (sourced from retrofret.com)

The original semi-hollow Vibraslim is one of the scarcer Burns guitars, and one of the most distinctive-in both looks and sound-of this eccentric but always interesting line. Introduced in late 1964, this one of Jim Burns' last designs for the company that bore his name until September 1965 when Baldwin took over the operation.

The Vibraslim was in production until the late '60's, but the design of the instrument was changed dramatically in mid-1966 when Baldwin 'standardized' the line and early Burns-style examples like this one are quite rare. This Vibraslim is the second variation of the Baldwin version of the model-this transitional guitar identical to the original Burns version except for the pickups, which are the standard 1965 "Bar-O-Matik" units in place of the earlier "Ultra-Sonic" types shared with the Bison model.

This Vibraslim is a semi-hollow electric semi-hollow guitar with a laminated sycamore top and back over a solid center block, in the style of Gibson's ES-335. The earlier Ampeg TR-2 model that is the Vibraslim's ancestor actually had a heavy solid carved top, but by 1964 this was replaced by this thinner laminated version. The neck is glued-in, the only 1965 Burns instrument with this feature (there is still a plate on the heel covering the truss rod adjustment, and a set of screws that provided extra insurance for the heel joint!)

The two "Bar-O-Matik" pickups are mated to an unusual four-knob "density' tone circuit that was one of Jim Burns' latest creations at the time. The knobs are roller controls arrayed along the edge of the pickguard, with a 3-way selector mounted above. The pickups are unusual as well, with a stacked humbucking "Bar-O-Matik" neck pickup with a blendable second coil combined with a straight single-coil at the bridge. The vibrato tailpiece is the familiar Mk. 9 unit, used on many Burns instruments and the Gretsch Jet guitars from the early 1960's as well.

Baldwin re-engineered the Vibraslim in mid-1966 into a fully hollow guitar with a bolt-on neck and the short Rezo-Tube vibrato used on several other models as well. The later guitar was made in much greater numbers and are much more common today than this version here that I have for sale. This Vibraslim is a rare combination of earlier instrument with the later pickups specific to the first half of 1966, and is a unique guitar both in sound and feel. This model is rarely seen but was once favored by Canadian fingerstylist Lenny Breau-so there is at least one serious endorsement!
 
Overall length is 41 1/4 in. (104.8 cm.), 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 9/16 in. (4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.). Very clean overall, and all original including the oftentimes-missing vibrato arm. All Original. Some minor but beautiful finish checking present but very little play wear. The frets  all play well. This is a lovely example of this unique Baldwin/Burns creation. Excellent Condition. Note: The specs on the pick-guard seen in the pic are just dust that the high res camera captured. They are not chips or scratches. The guitar is in fantastic condition; one of the best we have seen.