James O. Burns has produced many guitars and amplifiers in Britain from the 1940s-1980s. More known for his guitars, Burns has many original ideas such as the 24-fret fingerboard and other features on the guitar. For a full history on Burns Guitars, refer to the Blue Book of Electric Guitars.
After making guitars for many years, Burns released his first line of amplifiers in 1961. The idea for an amplifier came from the first Hawaiian guitar that Burns made. An amplifier would be needed to amplify the sound of the guitar. In the 1950s, Burns made a number of one-time amplifiers, but nothing that went into production as a model line. In the early 1960s, Burns had become a very big name in guitars in Britain so they tried their luck with a line of guitar amplifiers. Jim Burns bought a slug of empty TV cabinets to encase his new amplifiers, which became the Tele-Amp models. The Orbit and Sonic series were released in the early to mid-1960s. In September, 1965, Baldwin, bought the Burns manufacturing facilities from Jim Burns (regarded as "the British Leo Fender"). Many amplifiers were only changed cosmetically to the name Baldwin-Burns, and later to strictly Baldwin, whereas completely new and redesigned series were introduced. The Baldwin company then began assembling the imported Burns parts in Booneville, Arkansas. Amplifier (and guitar) production ceased in 1970. When Burns revived the company as Jim Burns Actualizers LTD in the late 1970s/early 1980s four models debuted: The Steer 50 (a combo amp made for the Steer guitar), the mini Snake, the Bullfrog Bass, and the practice Bee. (Courtesy: Paul Day, The Burns Book and Per Gjorde, Pearls and Crazy Diamonds: Fifty Years of Burns Guitars, 1952-2002).
Amplifiers previously produced in England from circa 1961-1970. Baldwin-built Burns were produced from 1965-1970 in Booneville, AR. Amplifiers were produced again in England circa 1979-1983.