Burns Barracuda Baritone Guitar

[almano]

Has anyone had any experience of the Burns Barracuda baritone guitar? Will it produce a good “Man with the Golden Arm” sort of Jet Harris sound?

I’ve tried to get the right sound from my Precision Bass and Takamine Electro/Acoustic Bass – but neither of them will sound quite right. And as I don’t relish the idea of paying something like 6 grand for an authentic Fender VI, just for the sake of twanging out a few of my poorly played versions of Jet’s numbers, I was wondering if the Barracuda way was probably the best way to go?

Another guitar I’ve also considered (or put on my list) is an American import that visually resembles the Fender VI, this is the somewhat oddly named “Agile Argos Toast” – it looks the part, but does it sound right? Here’s its web address if you’d like to check it out: http://www.rondomusic.com/argustoaskbk.html

I’m not actually looking to get a baritone right away, as I’m awaiting delivery of a new Apache Noiseless Special and I don’t want another guitar to spoil the “cor, just look at that” side of the new guitar experience. But, say a month or two down the line, a baritone guitar will add rather nicely to my small guitar collection.

Any opinions or thoughts will be most helpful and welcome.

Cheers,

Alan.

[rogera]

Don't forget the Danelectro baritone.

[dusty fretz]

Hi Alan,
Despite its official description, the Burns Barracuda is actually a six-string bass in the old-fashioned sense, i.e. intended to be tuned a full octave under normal pitch. In contrast, proper baritones usually employ a shorter scale length, lighter gauge strings and are tuned down to A or B below standard, making them more of a half-way house between bass and guitar. In addition, the Barracuda has quite a beefy neck compared to most baris, so all in all, the latter are easier to play. The various Danelectro examples do offer excellent performance and value, but I feel that the Fender Jaguar Baritone Custom (the single-coil version) would better suit your needs sound-wise, and also looks more the part. It's certainly higher priced than the Danos or some others, but still FAR cheaper than ANY Fender VI, re-issue or otherwise!

As yet, the Agile brand isn't available in the UK and I haven't tried the model you mention, but I note the pickups are humbuckers and these could lack sufficient twang to go with the extra depth.

[cockroach]

Try this first- get a cheap spare guitar, or if you don't have one, buy one cheaply new, or used from a pawnshop or the internet- say a sturdy Korean or Chinese Strat copy.

Get a set of the heaviest electric guitar strings you can find- say 13-56, or look for a set made for those heavy metal style 7 string guitars- just use the bottom six strings, which should give about 14-60 approx. (i.e. the opposite from the old trick of 'understringing-creating a light gauge set from the top five of a regular medium set with a banjo top E string, but I digress!)

Re-string the cheapo guitar with these, and tune down to say, B, or A....it sounds pretty close!

Most proper six string bass guitars are really hard work to play- and yes, I have tried- I've used my bandmate's 1964 Fender Bass VI at gigs...Jet used a Jaguar detuned to D on stage years ago, so the trick has some credibility...

Oh, and you could also get one of those cheap bass practice amps, plug the guitar into your guitar amp with reverb, echo etc then take a line-out from the guitar amp and plug that into the bass amp- it gives that great deep bottom end!

That's it- these are trade secrets, as Bruce says...

[dusty fretz]

Another solution could be to buy a Morpheus DropTune pedal which, as its name suggests and courtesy of some clever electronic technology, takes overall tuning down in semitone increments to A below standard. It also includes an octave-under option, heard with or without the original signal. Although the lowest settings sound a little artificial and piano-like when listened to in ultra-clean isolation, such aural eccentricities aren't apparent when other instruments are playing along. Tracking is impressive on lead lines AND chords, but the latter can become quite messy in the deepest registers, just like the 'real thing' of course! Retailing at £159 (available for less), this pedal is super-simple to understand and operate, offering the ability to convert any existing electric into a more than passable baritone or bass at the touch of a footswitch.

[RayL]

Or how about a Shergold? (for that Burns connection)

Shergold Bass 6 Burns trem.JPG

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Ray L

[almano]

Cor, that’s a load of info to think about and consider. One thing though, Jet’s Mk VI Fender Bass has a tremolo arm – would I really need one in order to produce a useable rendition of “Man with the Golden Arm” or “Besame Mucho” in the Jet style?

I’ve just listened to both of those tracks while I am writing this – and I can’t hear any noticeable use of the “whammy bar” – so could I do without it?

If that is the case, would something like the PRS SE BARITONE MIKE MUSHOK be any good for those “deep down Jet sounds” pursuits?

I hear lots of good reports on PRS guitars – and this one is advertised as a true baritone – so, would this one come anywhere near that 60’s Jet sound?

The interesting thing, to my ears at least, is that the detuned method quite a few of you mention - actually is probably the correct way to go. On further listening, the sound does seem to resemble that sound I get when I put a new bottom E string on and start to wind it up to pitch with the amp turned on. It does go through that “flabby deep twanging” stage before it reaches pitch. This could explain why I can’t get a properly tuned and “string tensioned” bass to have that “twangy grunt” which Jet’s guitar achieves so perfectly. It’s certainly a possible explanation for me to ponder.

By the way, that Shergold looks brilliant – what a shame they’re not made any more, a new one of those would have certainly been something to consider.

Now, another question, did Jet use a Meazzi on his recordings to get the extra depth – or was it just “that detuning” and a large chunk of reverb?

Thanks for all the “insider knowledge”, its truly brilliant!

Cheers,

Alan.

[d jones]

Hi Alan you mentioned the fender vi, one has been posted on ebay it,s a skyblue reissue relic!
just a pity it's not red ,it's still something to dream and drool over
Dave

[BrianD]

I owned one of the very rare Custom Shop Barracudas a few years ago. At the time I had a greenburst Legend and a matching Double 6 (Custom Shop with the Rezotube trem). I bought the Barracuda direct from Barry Gibson and it too was a greenburst. I far preferred it to the Fender Bass VI as I found the neck suited me better and it had a similar range of tones. I kept it for about 4 years but then as I had given up playing in bands on a regular basis and only occasionally got it out I sold it.

Jim Nugent will remember me taking it to the North Kent gatherings a coulpe of time back in 2003/4 when I duetted with him playing Walk Don't Run with it and Stingray. He also borowed it off me to play something but vcan't remember what.

As far as i recall Burns UK Custom Shop only made a handful of these - possibly less than 10. Of course there are also the far cheaper far eastern made versions but I have no experience of these.

Brian

[BrianD]

And here, if I get this to work, is a photo of the three greenbursts together

Burns Trio1.jpg.JPG

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