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Burns Trisonic Pickups

KoaKoa Frets: 120
in Guitar
I have an early 60s Burns Sonic with original trisonic pickups, the pole pieces are raised for some strings and they sound fantastic. On most pics available online  there seems to be a flat black plate under the pickups chrome cover. Are there variations in Trisonics design and if so what are they?
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Comments

  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14442
    People write entire books about the details of Burns and Baldwin instruments. Probably best to trawl t'Interweb for enthusiast web sites. 
    You say, atom bomb. I say, tin of corned beef.
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  • KoaKoa Frets: 120
    Ok thanks just in case it’s of interest to anyone else here’s a description I found in a Reverb ad for a ‘62 Burns ....‘This is the high impedance Tri-Sonic pickup version, this desirable Tri-Sonic pickup version with individual round magnets.’ ....just me then 
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  • Jimbro66Jimbro66 Frets: 2430
    This is interesting. In the distant past I've had a couple of 60s Burns guitars with Trisonic pickups. I also bought some Trisonics for a project guitar in my teens but didn't use them. In fact I sold them to a vintage Burns enthusiast just a couple of years ago. All of the Trisonics I've owned have had the flat black plastic under the chromed cover holes, none have had raised pole pieces. I'd like to see a photo of those.

    One thing a bit unusual about the Trisonics is that they had very thin hookup wire compared to most pickups.

    I wonder whether any of our forum pickup makers/repairers have encountered Trisonics with raised pole pieces? @TheGuitarWeasel perhaps?
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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2412
    I have a set which have staggered pole pieces -- they are clearly made for a wound G as that is the highest.
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  • gringopiggringopig Frets: 2648
    edited July 2020
    .
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  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2412
    That's what mine look like.
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  • KoaKoa Frets: 120
    Yes mine look the same, really nice pickups. Double Six looks to be I great condition, cool guitar.
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  • dsgbdsgb Frets: 46
    Just to add that Irecently posted a 1,500 general information article on Burns Tri-Sonic pickups here:

    https://dsgb.net/faqs/trisonics/

    I have them fitted to four of my guitars which are all Brian May variants so I suppose I have a particular bias in that direction but bear in mind that Brian can obtain similar tones to various other guitars from Telecasters to Les Pauls.

    Doug
    https://dsgb.net/
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