Burny RLG-90 (Early 1980s)

In recent years, Burny Les Pauls from around 1980 have become almost impossible to find. With Greco or Tokai, one can still obtain a guitar fairly easily as long as one isn’t too particular about the grade—but Burny models from this era are rarely seen, perhaps because so few were produced to begin with.

One day, I came across a post on another website claiming that this site had contributed to overvaluing Burny Les Pauls, causing their auction prices to soar. Since then, I’ve tried to choose my words more carefully and avoid sounding overly subjective.

That said, Burny Les Pauls from around 1980 are genuinely excellent instruments—no exaggeration. Good guitars are simply good, and this is one of them.

Although this particular guitar has no stamped serial number, several details—its lacquer finish, the shape of the truss rod cover, and the high position of the “Super Grade” logo—strongly suggest it is an early-1980s RLG-90.

Burny guitars from this period were meticulously crafted using precision machinery. As the photos show, the routing of the pickup cavities is absolutely beautiful—smooth, clean, and free of even the slightest roughness. Remarkably, even the internal construction is faithfully replicated from the originals.
If you have a copy of The Beauty of the ‘Burst, open to page 201 and you’ll understand what I mean. The electronics were also given full attention, featuring oil capacitors rather than cheaper alternatives.

The body back is a two-piece mahogany, the neck a one-piece mahogany, and the sound captures the very essence of a Les Paul—rich, powerful, and deeply satisfying.
Weight: 4.37 kg (including strings)
(Updated August 20, 2016)