NU-SONIC (1995)




Country of Manufacture UK
Introduced... 1995
Discontinued... -
   
Scale 25½ ins 
No. of Frets 22 (with zero fret)
Body Magnolia or Brazilian Mahogany
Neck Rosewood-capped Maple
Headstock Scroll
Colours/Finish White, Black, Green Sunburst, Red Sunburst, Salmon Pink, Translucent Red, Translucent Blue
Scratchplate Black
Pickups 2 or 3 Nu-Sonic single-coil pickups designed by Jim Cairns, plus BATS*
Controls Volume for Nu-Sonic pickups, Rez-o-tone rotary tone selector, 5 way selector pickup switch, push/pull tone control. BATS* volume and tone density control. (Neck pitch adjustment "gear box" located beneath heel cover)
Bridge Rezo-tube bridge unit** (fitted with 6 individual resonator tubes mounted beneath the bridge)
Hardware Gold or Chrome 
 
Notes:
1) *BATS - "Burns Active Transonic System"; mounted beneath the bridge saddles to give direct contact with the strings and an even distribution of volume and tone

2) **Rezo-tube tremolo also available (non-standard)

3) The 1996 catalogue gives the following rather confusing information:

"Nu-Sonic models available:
GB/94 = 2 pickup + 3 way selector switch = Rez-o-tone control.
GB/94 = 3 pickup + 5 way selector switch = Rez-o-tone + push pull tone control.
GB/95 2 pickups + BATS.
GB/95 3 pickups + BATS."
4) The "Steve Howe Custom" guitar (produced 1996) is a simple variation of the top line 1995 Nu-Sonic, usually fitted with one Nu-Sonic single-coil pickup and one humbucker

5) A "review" version of the GB/94 Nu-Sonic (Serial No. 0062) has surfaced with significant differences to the production item. Specifically, these are:

Three rotary controls only (Volume, Tone, Rez-o-tone selector)
Pickups designated "Ultrasonic" (as opposed to Nu-Sonic)
Strap button on the cutaway higher up the body
5-way pickup selector in a different position (lower down)
Different style "Burns London" logo


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NU-SONIC (1996)



This unusual production Nu-Sonic (S/No. 0047) was purchased in Singapore by Peter Slowik.

Details are as the NU-SONIC (1995) above, except as follows (from Peter’s email):

“Firstly, the guitar has a piezo pickup (active) and the second sliding switch (three positions) selects either it alone (1), any of the three individual pickups alone in and out of phase (2) or a combination of any pickup with the piezzo (3).
Secondly, the second sliding switch acts like an ordinary Burns/ Fender pickup selector (five positions).
Thirdly, it has a rotary tone selector (5 positions) which becomes 10 tones as it is also a push function on it.
Fourthly, the neck pitch adjustment is like on my Burns Legend and like on my original 1964 Burns Marvin except that the adjustment key is a hex key these days and it is under the heel cover plate which has the serial number etc embossed on it.
Fifthly, the remaining dials are standard tone and volume adjusters.”



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NU-SONIC (2003)


As the NU-SONIC (1995) above, except



Country of Manufacture Korea
Introduced... 2003 (Club Series)
Discontinued... 2004
   
No. of Frets 22 (NO zero fret)
Body ?
Neck Mother-of-pearl bound
Headstock Small "batwing"
Colours/Finish Blue +
Scratchplate White +
Pickups 3 x single coil (angled)
Controls 1 x Volume, 1 x Tone (incorporating push/pull switch)
Bridge/Tailpiece Rezo-tube
Hardware Chrome


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NU-SONIC (2004)


As the NU-SONIC (1995) above, except



Country of Manufacture China
Introduced... 2004 (Player Series)
Discontinued... 2005
   
No. of Frets 22 (NO zero fret)
Body ? 
Neck Bound Rosewood-capped Maple
Headstock Small "batwing"
Colours/Finish Blue, Black +
Scratchplate White, Black +
Pickups 2 x Tri-Sonic, 1 x Burns Humbucker
Controls 1 x Volume, 1 x Tone (incorporating push/pull coil tap on the humbucker). 5 way selector pickup switch
Bridge/Tailpiece Reso-tube: six-piece fixed
Hardware Chrome


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NU-SONIC (2005)


As the NU-SONIC (1995) above, except



Country of Manufacture China
Introduced... 2005 (Player Series)
Discontinued... 2006
   
No. of Frets 22 (NO zero fret)
Body Maple top on mahogany body (?) 
Neck Rosewood-capped Maple (2 dots at the 12th fret)
Headstock Small "batwing"
Colours/Finish Two-tone Sunburst, Black +
Scratchplate (Redesigned) White, Black +
Pickups 2 x Tri-Sonic, 1 x Burns Humbucker
Controls 1 x Volume, 1 x Tone (incorporating push/pull coil tap on the humbucker). 5 way selector pickup switch
Bridge/Tailpiece Reso-tube: six-piece fixed
Hardware Chrome


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NU-SONIC (2006)


As the NU-SONIC (1995) above, except



Country of Manufacture Korea
Introduced... 2006 (Club Series)
Discontinued... -
   
No. of Frets 22 (NO zero fret)
Neck 2 dots at the 12th fret
Headstock Small "batwing"
Colours/Finish Black
Scratchplate Black
Pickups 2 x Tri-Sonic, 1 x Burns Humbucker
Controls 1 x Volume, 1 x Tone (incorporating push/pull coil tap on the humbucker). 5 way selector pickup switch
Bridge/Tailpiece Reso-tube: six-piece fixed
Hardware Chrome


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