Burny LPC advice

[deforce]

Hey everyone, new here. I am looking at purchasing a Burny Les Paul Custom and need a little help with knowing what to look for.

Which year/s should I look out for?

Is there any difference between split diamond and lightning bolt head stocks? (apart from year of course)

I understand that some of these can have a mahogany top as well as back. Is there anyway of telling this without ripping the pickups out, or is this common on guitars of certain years?

 

[slapshot]

1980 to 1995(?) anything with a 2 screw TRC

but read through these http://www.fernandes.co.jp/others/catalog.html click on the RLC pages

 

[3pupLPC]

Always been my feeling that the earlier in the 80's that you go, the nicer pieces of wood you are likely to get. That's just my opinion, it's not chiseled in stone. Also, it seems most of the maple caps were on the color finished models, where most of the black beauties were all maho... but I have seen a couple of all maho tobacco and cherry bursts.. as well as a maple topped BB (lightning bolt however).

What are your plans for the pups? swap 'em or leave 'em? I like the earlier 80's pups as they typically are closer to a PAF than later, when they get hotter. Again, just my own experience.

 

[jacco]

IMO that sums it up perfectly Doug

 

[snaredrum]

i have a late '80s or early 90's burny, and was not impressed with the reissue VH-1s, so yeah, the earlier ones are better from that point of view certainly.

 

[vintageJIM]

I had one of the 'lightning bolt' inlay RLC models, in natural finish, and no, it wasn't a refinish .......... prolly should have kept that one

plain maple top, mahogany neck, and I'm not sure but the body looked like Korina
Is that even a possibility with these?
I never thought of the possibility of it being Korina lumber until after I sold it

neck was quarter sawn too

the color of the lumber & the grain in the body back looks very close to the Korina lumber in my Bacchus Korina 58V ...........

the color of the mahogany in the neck, and the color of the lumber in the body back are night & day

same color difference here in the neck & body lumber ...........

nice plain maple top .............. the buyer was raving about it when it arrived ...............

 

[deforce]

Wow. That sure is a rare beauty. Korina is usually a lighter form of mahogany so the weight should tell you. Mahogany isn't always necessarily a dark wood, it is usually always stained that way. Maybe that just has a lighter stain.

I really want to stick with a black one though. I am not fussed with the pickups and electronics as that is easy to change. I am more concerned with the playability and feel. I while ago I played a lightning bolt and wasn't too impressed with the feel of it. It was perhaps the neck. I have played a late 70's Greco before and that was great, but reading around the internet most people lean towards the Burny as the way to go for a MIJ custom.

 

[3pupLPC]

like these?

 

[vintageJIM]

out of about 30 Burny guitars I have owned, I have only one left; a black, all mahogany, 2 pup RLC

she's under 9 lb. too

she is a bit lonely ........... she used to have a few other Burnys to play with ............

 

[tonebone]

. . . , I have only one left; a black, all mahogany, 2 pup RLC

That one on the far right, the one you were never gonna sell?

 

[JamesT]

like these?

Hey 3pup, how do you like the one on the right? I've been thinking about getting one just like it...

 

[dangerdog]

I had one of the 'lightning bolt' inlay RLC models, in natural finish, and no, it wasn't a refinish .......... prolly should have kept that one

plain maple top, mahogany neck, and I'm not sure but the body looked like Korina
Is that even a possibility with these?
I never thought of the possibility of it being Korina lumber until after I sold it

neck was quarter sawn too

the color of the lumber & the grain in the body back looks very close to the Korina lumber in my Bacchus Korina 58V ...........

the color of the mahogany in the neck, and the color of the lumber in the body back are night & day

same color difference here in the neck & body lumber ...........

nice plain maple top .............. the buyer was raving about it when it arrived ...............

That totally looks like Korina to me...wow. I know how you feel because in retrospect I may have sold one just like before I was more woos savvy.

 

[dangerdog]

Hey everyone, new here. I am looking at purchasing a Burny Les Paul Custom and need a little help with knowing what to look for.

Which year/s should I look out for?

Is there any difference between split diamond and lightning bolt head stocks? (apart from year of course)

I understand that some of these can have a mahogany top as well as back. Is there anyway of telling this without ripping the pickups out, or is this common on guitars of certain years?

I have a really nice one for sale now. Earlier split diamond headstock.

PM if you want.

 

[jacco]

Rich, for comparison:

 

[vintageJIM]

That one on the far right, the one you were never gonna sell?

I sold that one about 4, maybe 5 years ago

I traded emails w/ the buyer & it's still in Canada; the buy back price = about $600 over the sale price

likely the most interesting top on any of the RLG solid tops I've owned; flat sawn & book matched maple top w/tons of birdseye & figure

slightly over 10 lb. & the neck was huge

 

[vintageJIM]

That totally looks like Korina to me...wow. I know how you feel because in retrospect I may have sold one just like before I was more woos savvy.

I believe it is very likely Korina; the grain looks identicle to the grain in my Bacchus Korina 58V

it was under 8.5 lb.; the lightest RLC I have ever owned

it also vibrated like MAD, just like my Korina V does; just so alive

the kicker is this shot, where the body back lumber is nearly as white as the maple top in the pup route (white limba?)

 

[vintageJIM]

Rich, for comparison:

yes, I have seen that one & am surprised to see it still on Mark's web-site; must have been there for a year, or more

it would be interesting to see the body back in lighting similar to what was used in the pics I have above, to compare the grain & the color of the body back

in those pics the back has a reddish tint to it & the grain is difficult to make out

weight would also be interesting to know ..........

 

[3pupLPC]

Hey 3pup, how do you like the one on the right? I've been thinking about getting one just like it...

James, it is my all around #1 go-to. I love it... very versatile.

 

[jcsk8]

vintageJIM

Do you know the year that your´s rlc was made? Mine is exactly like yours, nut color and shape, truss rod cover. I believe that the tuners on yours have been changed. I´m not sure if mine is 83 or 84, is what I belive.
Thanks.

 

[vintageJIM]

vintageJIM

Do you know the year that your´s rlc was made? Mine is exactly like yours, nut color and shape, truss rod cover. I believe that the tuners on yours have been changed. I´m not sure if mine is 83 or 84, is what I belive.
Thanks.

according to member jacco, the pot codes on mine date it to 1987

yes, I changed the tuners to some old crusty, gold Grover Pat. Pend. tuners; originals R N the case

out of about 30 Burnys I have owned, this is the only Burny I have left; all mahogany, and about 1 oz. under 9 lb. even

this one has that 'magic' as they say ..............