Super Grade (RLG60? P90s) in South Africa any clues?

[singemonkey]

A guy here is selling this:

Terrible pics. I can see a 2-piece light back and a bell truss-rod cover. I'm not too clued up on burnys I'm afraid.

He's talking about Burnys being made by Tokai, but that was only very early ones right? The truss-rod cover might be right for that, but it could easily be a replacement.

He's asking the equivalent of about US$850.

I've asked him what the pickups are and for the serial number. Can anyone tell anything else about this guitar from the pics?

Many thanks in advance.

**Update**

It has fret end nibs apparently. Would it make sense that this is an RLG60? Where would the model number be found? In the neck pickup well?

Is it even worth close to that money?

**Further Update (would love some ideas here)**

Are all these pics the same guitar? Am I wrong in thinking that the first pic is Burny branded and the second is Fernandes branded?

What gives?

 

[zepping]

Good eye on the logo's.

Also the controls are placed differently. The Burny on top has the tailpiece more between the two volume knobs, like the true bursts were, here's an illustration,

and the Fernandes has the tailpiece parallel with the neck vol knob.

At least two different guitars are pictured here.


Magical "now you see it, now you don't" pickguard. I want one of those, btw.

 

[singemonkey]

Cool. Thanks. I saw the pickguard but since the pics were obviously taken at different times (if you assumed they were the same guitar) I figured it had been taken off.

This guy is clearly not on the level and I'm going to report him to my forum admin.

What's the deal with the Fernandes branded RLGs? Totally different era? Different specs?

 

[singemonkey]

The guy responded with this:

Hey Monkey, couldn't find any number on the pickups or the cavity or where the pots sit. The guitar does however have the bell TRC but with wings on the sides.
The pots are pretty big and seem to be of a very high standard. The wire is not like your normal plastic wire. Will have to try post some pics a little later. One thing
I did notice though is that on the headstock it does say Fernandez but engraved is the word Burny. It's almost like all the guitars had Burny engraved on the headstock
then some they decided to paint it black and put the Fernandez logo on. Very curious. Joel from this forum came to check out the guitar and said that Fernandez were
sent to Europe and Burny to America. Thing is you can't see the Burny logo unless you really look very close at a certain angle.

So this is a much later Fernandes branded guitar. What's up with them.[/quote]

 

[3pupLPC]

Fernandes was(is?) the "company". They branded their Fender-style guitars "Fernandes", and their Gibson-style guitars "Burny"...... EXCEPT, they also did some RLG's with a Fernandes logo.

 

[zepping]

All the Fernandes LP's I've seen had 3 or 4 goofy lines of type where "Les Paul MODEL" script was usually placed. The Fernandes you've posted above has something else written. If it's "Les Paul MODEL" then I suppose it's an oldie (mid to late '70's). If it's Luper Prade, must be mid 80's, hence the winged TRC. Folks - if I'm wrong on anything I just wrote, please correct me.

But as typical with MIJ LP's, there's always something that doesn't match "conventional" wisdom. Japan built LP's are famous for guitars that don't match the published spec's.

Try to get more pics, if he's on the level, he shouldn't have a problem breaking out the camera. It's not difficult to take a few pics and send them - these days. :wink:

One of your fellow forum members checked out the guitar? This may be a good guitar. Don't give up too soon. Buying a guitar for over $800 with three crappy pics, he owes you some better pics, imo

 

[Udonitron]

I own one of these Burny GT's....killer light weight guitars.

 

[jacco]

It's still 2 different guitars in the 1st and 2nd picture.. apart from the logo; the first has a bell TRC and the second a winged TRC.

The Fernandes is a late 80s model (not 70s) for all specs (from a distance) look like it; winged TRC, amber knobs and single ring tuners.

Fernandes did make LP models with Fernandes logo AND Burny logo in late 1977, 1978 (FLG, FLC) and during the late 80s, probably late 1988 and 1989 (RLG).

 

[Udonitron]

From what I understood, the Fernandes Super Grades came out during 1985-86. I own an 86 "Burny Super Grade" branded Gold Top.

 

[zepping]

My eyeballs are buggered from trying to see if the inlays match on the two photos.

I don't think they do. Different MOP patterns/swirls.

 

[jacco]

From what I understood, the Fernandes Super Grades came out during 1985-86. I own an 86 "Burny Super Grade" branded Gold Top.

You can't find them in a catalog but every single Fernandes Super Grade from the 80s I have seen has a winged TRC so can't be earlier than 1988.

 

[Udonitron]

Actually I am pretty sure the winged TRC cover 1st appeared in late 1985 but not predominantly until later in 86. I know Nil's said 88 but it has been previously discussed about them appearing earlier than that.

 

[jacco]

Actually I am pretty sure the winged TRC cover 1st appeared in late 1985 but not predominantly until later in 86. I know Nil's said 88 but it has been previously discussed about them appearing earlier than that.

Ok, interesting.. but where do you base that on?

Fernandes has recently cleared all their vintage catalogs so dating Burny's are far less problematic now. The first time the winged TRCs are in a catalog is 1989!

 

[singemonkey]

Sorry. Been away.

So I spoke to someone who went to see the guitar and here's the score:

This kid innocently posted the first pic taken off the internet thinking it's the same guitar as his, just with the Burny logo instead of the Fernandes.

The actual guitar (second two pics) is Fernandes branded with a winged TRC.

So does anyone know about the Fernandes branded versions. Late eighties or early nineties? Are they well made? How would they compare to an early eighties RLG? Obviously not as valuable. But a good guitar?

 

[jacco]

Actually I am pretty sure the winged TRC cover 1st appeared in late 1985 but not predominantly until later in 86. I know Nil's said 88 but it has been previously discussed about them appearing earlier than that.

I recently noticed another detail;
Somewhere around 1982-83 Burny LPs got outfitted with new pointer washers. These are longer and have a less steep point angle. The older type, the shorter with 90 degree angle, was reinstated around 1988.
Look and compare pic 1 & 2!