James Ormston Burns was born in 1925 in Durham, England. He played Hawaiian guitar in a number of bands and built his first electric Hawaiian steel guitar in 1944. In 1952 he built his first six-string solidbody, which he promptly sold to a local music shop. In 1959 he began producing guitars and amplifiers in earnest. Soon he began exporting guitars to America under both the Burns and Ampeg trademarks. Burns guitars have been used by such diverse artists as Hank Marvin, Elvis Presley, The Shadows, The Hollies, The Searchers, and The Troggs to name a few.

The “Jazz/Split Sound” was Burns' midline instrument; professional class but less expensive than the more dramatically styled Black Bison and Hank Marvin guitars at the top of the line. Obviously owing a lot to the Stratocaster, the JSS has three "Split Sound" Tri-sonic pickups with a rotary control giving four tone selections including the snarlingly out-of-phase "Wild Dog" and the patented "Split Sound" which combines different half-coils to accentuate bass and treble registers. The lavish Burns "Series II" vibrato system incorporates a floating bridge cradle and fully adjustable individual saddles and must rate as one of the best systems of its kind. The medium-scale neck is slim and comfortable with a slightly less round feel than a Fender. The vibrato system is also unique and quite functional.

The “Jazz/Split Sound” was made in London, features a red/black sunburst finish, sycamore body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. One of the most popular designs from the always-eccentric James Ormston Burns, The Jazz Split Sound is a 1960's classic and a very stylish guitar. All the instruments from the Burns London period (1961-65) are extremely well made, and this rates as a fine-playing guitar with tons of character and a very distinctive sound.

In England this guitar was marketed as the “Jazz/Split Sound” but in American catalogs it was the “Wild Dog EG-1S”, so named because in addition to the sensible “Split Sound”, “Jazz”, and “Treble” settings on the pick up selector dial, the fourth position reads, “Wild Dog”.

From this player’s point of view, the “Jazz/Split Sound” is one of the most usable of the many guitars Burns built, which ranged from the bland to the bizarre and hit just about every point in between.

This 1964 “Jazz/Split Sound” is in average but playable condition. The lacquer has faded considerably, especially on the front, and since the red pigments disappeared almost completely the colour has changed to a two-tone sunburst look. The vibrato system is very smooth and all the electronics work fine and weren’t modified. The very distinct sound of the TriSonic pickups really gives this guitar a unique character.

Alas at some time Grover-like tuners were fitted and the broken whammy bar was repaired somewhat crudely. The binding around the neck has shrunk and on the lower side of the neck a small piece is missing. The nut was replaced with a brass item but because of the zero fret this probably didn’t change the tone or playability. The neck cover delaminated so the engraved patent numbers and serial number are lost, but the production sticker underneath the pickguard firmly dates the production of this guitar in November 1964. Unfortunately the original case is long gone.

Specifications:

• Overall length: 39¾” (101 cm)
• Width at lower bout: 13” (33 cm)
• Body depth: 1½” (3.8 cm) measured at side of rim
• Scale length: 23¼” (591 mm)
• Nut width: 1 11/16” (43 mm)
• Production date sticker: November 5^th, 1964
• Serial Number: Unknown
• Modifications: replaced tuners, replaced nut, broken but repaired whammy bar