Burns Marquee User manual

Burns USA, PO Box 269, Bethel, CT 06801, USA Tel: (203) 205-0056/FAX: 203-205-9062

String Action

String action describes the height of the strings above the 12th fret. Action is measured at the 12th fret

by determining the distance from the top of the 12th fret to the center of the string. Adjusting the string

saddles on the combined bridge/vibrato system of your guitar can change the height of the string.

Neck Adjustments And The Zero Fret

Most Marquee guitars shipped after 2001 are equipped with bi-directional truss rods. The truss rod

provides the ability to adjust the straightness of the neck and is used to remove curvature caused by

string tension and/or wood expansion associated with climatic changes (temperature and humidity). The

truss rod adjustment is accessed under the small “triangular” shaped cover mounted on the headstock

just above the nut. Burns USA strongly recommends that all neck adjustments are carried out by a

skilled guitar repairperson or guitar technician.

The Marquee series of guitars are fitted with a zero fret. The zero fret, located just beneath the nut, acts

as the starting position for the strings and ensures that the strings are set at the correct height over the

fingerboard and the rest of the frets. In the event that some minor string buzzing is detected when

strumming with open strings it may be necessary to make some minor adjustment to the string slots in

the nut. When used in combination with a zero fret, the nut operates as a string guide and should not

define the string height. If the string slots are not deep enough this may cause some buzzing to originate

at the zero fret.Burns USA strongly recommends that all nut adjustments are carried out by a skilled

guitar repairperson or guitar technician.

Switch Settings

As noted in the product features section, in addition to the standard pickup volume and tone controls,

there are also two sets of pickup selection controls. The standard 5-way toggle switch provides control

of the bridge, middle and neck pickups –these are selected on the extreme settings (up for neck and

down for bridge) and the center position for the middle pickup. The intermediate positions provide out-

of-phase settings between the middle and neck and middle and bridge pickups. These out-of-phase

selections provide a unique tonal response. Additional settings can be obtained by the use of the tone

push-pull switch. If the pickup selector is in its lowest setting (bridge pickup) and the tone knob is

pulled out, this switches on both the bridge and the neck pickups. If this control is pulled out with the

pickup selector in the middle pickup setting, or the two out-of-phase settings, then all three pickups are

switched on. Both of these settings provide unique pickup selection, usually not available on other

guitars.

Burns Marquee and Marquee S

Instructions and Product Guide

Nut

Zero fret

Truss rod

cover plate

Marquee S

Rosewood Fingerboard

Marquee

Maple Fingerboard

Neck

Scrolled

Headstock

Tuners

Pickups

Vibrato

System

Body

Fingerboard

Burns USA, PO Box 269, Bethel, CT 06801, USA Tel: (203) 205-0056/FAX: 203-205-9062

Burns Marquee and Marquee S Guitars

Features (Refer to Illustration on the Front of this Document)

The Burns USA Marquee and Marquee S (Special) Guitars are designed and manufactured to exacting

specifications, characteristic of high quality professional instruments:

Neck and Body –The Marquee/Marquee S guitar body is crafted from solid alder. The Marquee has a

highly contoured body, and is available in several solid colors. The Marquee S body features white

binding on the front as well as a photoflame finish in transparent red, green or blue. The neck has a bolt-

on construction, and is made from rock maple with an antique high-gloss finish (standard Marquee).

The Marquee S continues the body color on the back of the neck and on the headstock. The

characteristic and famous Burns scrolled headstock is used on both models.

Fingerboard –Two types of fingerboard are available on the standard Marquee –figured maple and

rosewood fingerboards. The Marquee S comes with a bound rosewood fingerboard. In the maple

version, both neck and fingerboard are presented in a high-gloss antique finish.

Tuners –Both the Marquee and Marquee S come with gold-plated tuner hardware as standard. The

Marquee S tuners have a polished finish with a string locking mechanism on the front side of the tuner.

Burns London Deluxe Vibrato System –The point pivot mechanism of the Burns deluxe vibrato

system (tremolo), with a polished gold finish, assures that the guitar remains in tune at all times.

ReZ-o-Matik® Pickups –Both models feature standard single-coil Burns ReZ-o-Matik pickups,

angled for optimal tonal response.

Pickup Selector and Phase Switches–A standard five-position pickup selector switch is provided as

indicated on the pictures opposite. Additional tonal flexibility is obtained with a unique switching

feature, which is accessed by a push-pull action on the lower tone control (next to the jack socket).

Master Volume and Tone Controls –A standard configuration of a single master volume plus a pair

of tone controls is provided on all Marquee models.

Care and Maintenance

A guitar is usually out of its case and not being played when damage occurs. Chips and dents can

usually be avoided if the guitar is stored in a case when not in use. Your Burns USA dealer can provide

you with a case that will provide full protection to your Burns USA guitar when not in use and when

transported.

There are a few simple precautions that you can take while transporting your Burns USA guitar that will

minimize the chances of damage. Always remove the vibrato arm (whammy bar) before closing the lid

of the case. A convenient compartment is provided for safe storage of this arm when not in use. When

transporting the guitar in a car, always keep the case on the floor so that it will not move around inside

the car in case of a sudden stop. Also, avoid storing the guitar in the trunk of a car, where it may be

exposed to extremes of heat and cold. Always avoid freezing temperatures, as this can result in the

finish cracking. Avoid storage in direct sunlight.

Your guitar will always look and sound its best if it is periodically cleaned. A buildup of dirt and dust

can mar your guitar's finish. Your Burns USA dealer stocks an entire range of guitar care products.

Please read and follow the directions of the individual product you use.

Preparing a New Guitar

When you receive you new guitar you will probably find a thin plastic film that protects the various

cover plates and the pickguard. The presence of this filmcan be detected as a general dull, and possibly

wrinkled appearance on the surface.

Also note the location of the guitar’s serial number on the plate on the neck mounting on the back of the

guitar. Note down this number and make sure that you record it in your warranty information and on

your warranty card. Make certain that you return your completed warranty registration card to

Burns USA to ensure complete warranty coverage.

Strings

The strings used on this guitar are medium weight. The frequency with which you should change your

strings depends, of course, on how much you use your guitar. A good rule of thumb is to change your

strings after about 20 hours of actual use, and at least every month. If a wound string breaks, it is

usually best to replace the entire set.

Marquee S

Locking Tuners

Marque

Marquee S

Pickup Selector

Combined Tone Control

and Pickup Switch