Product: Baldwin Marvin
Price Paid: #198 (UK Pounds) used
Submitted
12/01/2003
at
11:29am
by
John UK
Features
:
8
It has 24 frets and is a later version of the legendary Burns Marvin. The inspection label (which I found under the scratchplate) is dated March 1967 - so if that's right it's getting on a bit now!
Based on a Strat-type shape the guitar has three Rez-O-Matic single coil pick-ups which are VERY powerful. There's a three-way selector switch. One volume and two tone controls.
The tremelo system is the classic Burns Rez-O-Tube design which is a bit bulky but works superbly (the arm itself is like a gear stick from a 1960's Bedford van!!)The plate that forms part of the tremelo system boasts "Hand-crafted for Burns London" with Hank B Marvin's signature alongside it.
The neck has a rosewood fingerboard and has a slight "V" section to the back of it. The head has three adequate tuners each side of it with a rather "flattened" revised Burns-type scroll.
The guitar is white (going a bit nicotine yellow now though) with tortoise-shell three section scratchplates - one of which has "BALDWIN" engraved on it.
Sound
:
10
Quite a versitile guitar sound-wise. The pick-ups are extremely powerful for single coils and with an echo unit it sounds more like Hank Marvin than Hank Marvin does! Some players might find it a bit limited I suppose, but it can certainly kick it out if need be.
It has a very full/rich sound and can sound very bright with the bridge pick up selected.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
The guitar needed a bit of work doing to it (after all it was about 14-15 years old when I bought it). The frets needed sorting and I had to sort the tremelo system out but now it's fine.
The paint has started to develop cracks now but that's fine after 36 years - it really adds to it's character.
The general build quality seems great.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
I used this guitar continuosly for about 5 years - 4 times a week in a club/pub band without a back-up guitar and never had any problems. It stayed perfectly in tune despite plenty of tremelo use.
The relatively light body made it a delight to "wear" for a couple of hours each evening.
I'd probably still gig with it now (it's still up for it!) but it started to attract a bit too much attention for my liking and I got a bit paranoid about it getting stolen
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
No need to contact anybody.
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been playing for 33 years and own 9 other guitars. This is definately one of the best in my collection - I love the feel,sound and look of the old girl. If it was stolen I'd never be able to find another one like this! I'd cry!!!
