Pickups Hank used with Burns.

[JimN]

Hi Geoff
I had a Bison with two switches, the Marvin type of Bison and I never could work out what they did!! You certainly couldn't - or at least I couldn't - get anything like a Marvin tone out of it. So, after purchasing a Marvin, in 1968, I rewired the Bison exactly the same, using only one switch!! Bingo!!
Regards
Stuart

Hi, Stuart,

Roberto Pistolesi had one of those late-model (Baldwin) Bisons in his workshop and once explained to me what the two switches did. I can't recall all the details (I wish I'd made notes), but there were various combinations of pickup not available on a Marvin or Strat, both in and out of phase.

A good way to rewire a two-switch Bison is with both switches doing the same thing in parallel. Hank had that arrangement on the black Strat after 1977, when it was fitted with single-coil pickups again. It allows easy selection of any two pickups without having to physically "hunt" for the in-between sound and with one switch in an in-between position (eg, middle and bridge) and the other in a complementary position (eg, neck), you can get all three pickups on together. Of course, as a modification, it can also be done to any single-switch guitar.

Best wishes,

JN

[StuartD]

Hi Jim

Thanks for that. Roberto would be the one to know. He was amazing. I remember Hank's Strat with that combination of switches. I also saw a John Birch Strat in Carlsbro, in Mansfield, in about 1972 and that had two switches for the very reason you mentioned. Wish I have know all this in 1968!!

Regards

Stuart

[Bill Bowley]

That '64 Bison switch setup, or at least a circuit diagram for it, is in 'Pearls and Crazy Diamonds'. I have had 'the use of' an original '64 Bison many years ago (we swapped guitars for a weekend, he wanted to see what a Marvin was like etc...) and whilst the sound combinations were 'unexpected' I felt that it could get very close to the basic Marvin sounds. But then again....

[cygnetshadow]

I never handled Hank's Marvin guitars but I did have the good fortune to play Bruce's green Marvin for a number of years (it was sold by the Burns shop in 1968 to a relative of mine). It had a five-way pick up switch originally fitted.

The eagle-eyed can see this guitar in the film "Finders Keepers", early in the film (I assume it was not in the case that was chucked from the roof of the train !) and also later in "My Way"

Interestingly, it had the trem backplate with the springs in place, but no trem arm. It was not even routed for the arm attachment beside the backplate (Bruce's white Marvin has the attachment, but no arm in place). It remains the only Marvin I've ever seen in this state. This was apparently at Bruce's request for a guitar that remained solidly in tune, which it did (must have been an easy job for John Rostill when he was tuning it up for Bruce!). Bruce used very heavy strings on this guitar, I suspect 12's or heavier.

It was a superb guitar to play, with a slender neck (beechwood, according to the shop staff). The headstock had a distinct elegant backward curve, more so than most if not all regular Burns. I was very sorry when it had to be sold to raise some cash.

Best wishes, Stephen

[geoff1711]

just reviving this and asking what pickups did Hank use on his recent two models, I went to their last concert in Birmingham, and the guitar was on a stand when I walked past the stage, had a quick squint they looked like Fender Noiseless.

geoff

[eugene]

Hellow everyone!

Now, I know Hank used two pickup sound on " Maroc7 "and Cliff's number," Some day ",with
Baldwin(Burns).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG_pkvoIu54

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN9Ibn6aoGk

Those are very nice sound.

Truely yours.

eugene

[bor64]

Geoff,

Hank's Marvin's where fitted with Kinman FV-HMS pu's and Sperzel tuners,during there last tour.

BTW my original March 65 Marvin (just a few numbers away form Bill's) has a rotary type (on it's side) with lever, 3 position switch