Anyone having expirience with a BURNS/BALDWIN/AMPEG Split Sonic Jazz?

[ohm-men]

Hi All,

I got offered the full circuit of a mid 60ties Burns Split Sonic Jazz, so 3 pu's and the weird wiring. I always liked Burns Tri-Sonic pu's, but the Split sonic is a whole other ball-game.
A single coil humbucker so to speak, well, the upper 3 pole pieces are splitable from the lower, thus 4 wires per PU. Imagine the posibilities....
Since I'm thinking of doing a Jaguar project I could use the Split Sonic pu's in it making it a 3 PU Jag....

So, anyone ever played, owned an original Burns/Baldwin/Ampeg Split Sound Jazz? If so, I would love to hear your story on this one....

[mezcalhead]

I have an old Vibrasonic bass .. it has the standard tri-sonic type pups though.

A single coil humbucker so to speak, well, the upper 3 pole pieces are splitable from the lower, thus 4 wires per PU.

Like a XII pup? Interesting!

[ohm-men]

Yes indeed. a bit like a electri XII pu. Never looked at it that way. although the Split sonic looks like a tris sonic but the pole pieces are not lined like on the tri-sonic. More in a "P" shape but still with the looks of a regular tri sonic pu.
From what I found searching the net it seam the upper 3 pole pieces for the E/A/D are a seperate coil and the G/B/F are also a seperate coil, hence the name "split-sonic" I think.
I don' know if the XII has the same, but I guess so, since they have 6 Pu's? So the Split sonic is the same but only 3 pu's.

So, how do dyou like your tri-sonics? I played a "Burns Jazz bass" once from a former bandmate who had a "62 model and quiet liked it.  I also know a lot of Brian May fans love the tri-wonic sound. Si "I guess" that when both coils are engaged you get a normal "tri-sonic" sound, but with the option of splitting the upper and lower coil to get more sound varieties.