Bass of the Week: Burns Nu-Sonic
Originally introduced in 1964, the Burns Nu-Sonic was the follow-up to the original Burns bass design. Famously, the Nu-Sonic was used by George Harrison of the Beatles during recording sessions when Paul McCartney wasn’t around.
The company reissued the Nu-Sonic after the brand was reintroduced in 1992. The short-scale bolt-on bass is built with a basswood body with a maple veneer, maple neck and Indian rosewood fingerboard. It’s neck is relatively slim, allowing for easier, faster playing.
The Nu-Sonic is equipped with a pair of Burns’s pickups with controls set up Volume/Volume/Tone in addition to a three-way pickup selector.
The Burns Nu-Sonic retails for about £799 (approx. $1,276 USD). For more info, check out the Burns Guitars website.
Burns Nu-Sonic Bass Photo Gallery:
Burns Nu-Sonic Bass Specs:
- Short Scale: 30?
- Body: Basswood
- Neck: Maple
- Fingerboard: Indian Rosewood
- Frets: 21
- Pickups: 2 x Nu-Sonic bass
- Controls: 2 x volume and one tone
- 3 way pickup selector
- Nut width: 42mm
- Bridge: top loading
- Weight: 7.7 pounds
- Finish: Polyester Cherry Red
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
1200.00 for a bass made in China? WOW!
And a basswood bolt-on one; exactly the same thing crossed my mind… “What were they thinking?!” >.>
Maybe it comes with 2 free Ipads?
I have it’s predecessor, the Sonic.It’s nice having a 1962 YOB bass, but I can’t say I play it much..
Ugly and. AGAIN, expensive. like Rob says, $1200? I would rather buy a Fender Precision Mex on CL for $100 and would probably sound just as good and definately look a HELL of alot better. Sorry, epic fail.
It looks cool and all but yeah its not 1200 dollars cool.
I would not pay that price. Probably will be collectable some day.
I could buy 2 Mexican J-basses and an good used amp for that much.
The passage about “Rain” is incorrect – Paul played his Rickenbacker bass.
Thank you for the correction. I’ve updated it to reflect that Harrison used the bass when Paul wasn’t around.