top of page
Burns Orbit Front Grill.jpg

Burns Orbit Amplifiers

A few of these turning up these days, but not a lot of service information. They're some of the earliest mainstream transistor guitar amps, and Orbit Twos and Threes can still be had for a few hundred pounds. If you want to be pedantic, the Vibrato effect is actually Tremolo on all Burns equipment. All models except the Orbit Two have a Studio/Boost switch which cuts the drive level to the output transistors.

Just a personal opinion but, interesting as they are, these are some of the worst examples of mechanical design and assembly you're ever going to see. Think twice if someone says "I found this on eBay; can you just have a quick look at it for me." Expect multiple age and corrosion related faults, especially high resistance solder joints, and expensive, obsolete parts. As far as sound goes, the simple bass and treble controls on the Double 12 seem to be a much better arrangement than the preset selector tones on some of the other models .

60watts Peak 2.jpg

A quick word about advertised power ratings in the early days of solid state amps. Without mentioning how it was measured, manufacturers would often  quote peak power instead of rms, instantly doubling the output. Burns mention it in passing in an advert for the Orbit Three.

Adverts for other Burns models quoted power output simply as 'British', but it's not clear these days what standard they were referring to. Things became clearer when Baldwin took over and started to quote '(British rating) at less than 10% distortion'.

 

10% distortion through an early transistor amp probably isn't something most people would want to listen to.

STILL WORKING ON THIS PAGE. For Orbit Three schematics and layouts click HERE

Burns Orbit Two

880. Orbit Two

Visio-Orbit Two Logo.jpg
Burns Orbit Two Control Panel.jpg
Burns Orbit Two 2x10.jpg

Available initially as a 2 x 10" and later as a 1 x 12"

16"h x 121/2"w x 91/2"d

Orbit Two 2 x 10"

Power output: 40 watts, British rating.

Mains supply:    200 to 250v. A.C., 40/60 c.p.s., operation without adjustment. Supplied complete with 15 ft. of three conductor mains lead.

Speaker:  One 12 in. Orbital heavy duty speaker.

(Also available as a 2x10")

Channel One

  • Inputs:  Two high impedance

  • Controls:  Volume, Bass, Treble, Vibrato Intensity and Speed

Channel 2

  • Inputs:  Two high impedance

  • Controls:  Volume, Treble

OPERATION. In general, Channel One should be used for lead instruments like the solo guitar, or accordion, whilst Channel Two should be used for rhythm guitar, second accordion or microphone. The Orbit Two is not suitable for bass guitar.

Amplifier 75 gns

Catalogue details

Burns Orbit Three

Orbit Three Logo.jpg

plus

Orbit Three Logo.jpg
Visio-Double 12 Logo.jpg

Orbit Three schematics (and new layouts) have moved to HERE

881 / 885. Orbit Three Standard

Burns Orbit Three Control Panel Standard

882 / 886. Orbit Three Reverb "with extra dimensional control" if you're into that sort of thing.

Burns Orbit Three Control Panel Reverb.j

There are four versions of this unit:

'Orbit Three'  3 x 10"

  • 881 (no reverb)

  • 882 (reverb)

'Orbit Three Double 12'  2 x 12"

  • 885 (no reverb)

  • 886 (reverb)

Catalogue details:

Dimensions 21"h x 25"w x 10"d

Weight approx 37Ib

Output power 60watts ( peak)

Measured output power with a continuous sine wave is just over 30watts rms at clipping into 2ohms.

Worth noting that, although Burns advertising didn't seem too bothered, the 'Orbit Three Double 12' is not the same as an 'Orbit Double 12' (see next section).

Visio-Double 12 Logo.jpg
Orbit Three Double 12 Label.jpg
Burns Orbit Three Rear 2.jpg

882 Orbit Three 3 x 10" with reverb

Orbit Three schematic

and layout

HERE

Burns Orbit Double 12

Orbit Double 12 Logo.jpg

Channel 1 gets a rotary Bass control instead of the tone selector switch.

Orbit Double 12 Reverb

Burns Orbit Double 12 Control Panel Reverb

An amp that Bert Weedon used and spoke very highly of. His own Double 12 (right) was part of a collection sold at auction by Bonhams, London in 2012.

There doesn't seem to be any advertising available for this one, but there's a demo on YouTube at:

https://youtu.be/Le1JAENeXrk?si=hjxgdssvsLxVzwAu

Bert Weedon's Burns Orbit Double 12.jpg

Photograph courtesy of Bonhams auction house

www.bonhams.com

5-6-7-8s with Burns Double 12 .jpg

You don't often get the chance to hear an Orbit on stage, so check out the 5.6.7.8s on YouTube in 2022.

https://youtu.be/4ncsA8I94EQ?si=eKb49JwqfUMtNdTs

(Google says the guitar's a Teisco EP-1L)

Difficult to tell from the front whether it's a Double 12 or an Orbit Three Double 12. They seem to have stuck the same logo on both amps.

Burns Orbit Six

Orbit Six Logo.jpg

883. Orbit Six Standard

Burns Orbit Six Control Panel Standard.jpg

884. Orbit Six Reverb

Burns Orbit Six Control Panel Reverb.jpg

Speakers:  6 x 10" 3ohm Celestions or 3 x 12" 6ohm Fanes

Dimensions: 23"high x 331/4"wide x 12"deep

Advertised output power: 100watts (British)

Weight:  (insert large number)

Popeye.jpg
Burns Orbit Six 3x12.jpg

Orbit Six 3 x 12" with reverb

Baldwin Orbit 75

Catalogue number 610

Visio-Orbit 75 Logo.jpg
Baldwin Orbit 75 Front Panel.jpg
Baldwin Burns Orbit 75.jpg
Baldwin Orbit 75.jpg

Although there were still a lot of Burns versions around, this was the only Orbit in the Baldwin 1966 catalogue. It's a mix and match, transition model using the new Baldwin control panel styling and old Burns cabinet shape.

The speakers have moved around to what used to be the back and you can actually see the controls on stage (at last).

They can be found, now and again, with knobs from the Sonic range.

Catalogue Description

Power Output:  75watts (British Rating) at less than 10% distortion

Loudspeakers:  Two extra-high flux, heavy duty, 12 inch, 6 ohms each

Mains Supply:  200-250 volts, 40-60 cps, no adjustment required and 100-125 volts, 40-60 cps, no adjustment required

Size : -

Weight:  -

Channel 1:

  • Inputs:  Two high impedance, 200k ohms

  • Controls:  Volume, Bass, Treble, Vibrato Intensity and Speed, Reverb Dimension, Three-degree Treble Boost buttons, Studio-Power Boost button​

 

Channel 2:

  • Input:  Two high impedance 200k ohms

  • Controls:  Volume, Bass, Treble

​​General:

  • Built-in reverberation, Vibrato and Reverb footswitches

  • Mains on-off switch and neon mains indicator 

The 75 was available in the same range of colours as the Baldwin Sonics.

Saddle Tan

Jay Blue

Gold

Charcoal Grey

Silver Jet Black

Cardinal Red

Sage Green

Tangerine

Honey

White.

Also available was the Orbit Stand, catalogue number 889.

"Built from chrome plated steel tube. The top section incorporates dual friction clamps which enables the cradle to be lifted."

Semiconductor Details

1B40K20

Silicon Bridge rectifier

If:   4A

Vbr:   200V

1B40K20.jpg

NKT213

PNP Germanium

Vcb max:   32V

Vce max:   18V

Veb max:   10V

Ic:   250mA

Ptot:   200mW

Hfe:   50

TO1 Case.jpg

NKT217

PNP Germanium

Vcb max:   60V

Vce max:   40V

Veb max:   10V

Ic:   500mA

Ptot:   200mW

Hfe:   50

TO1 Case.jpg

NKT304

Vcb max:   30V

Vce max:   20V

Veb max:   15V

Ic:   2500mA

Ptot:   750mW

Hfe:   50

PNP Germanium

TO8 Case.jpg

NKT403

PNP Germanium

Vcb max:   80V

Vce max:   32V

Veb max:   40V

Ic:   10A

Ptot:   50W

Hfe:   50/150

TO3 Case.jpg

NKT404

PNP Germanium

Vcb max:   60V

Vce max:   32V

Veb max:   20V

Ic:   10A

Ptot:   50W

Hfe:   50/150

TO3 Case.jpg

NKT452

PNP Germanium

Vcb max:   36V

Vce max:   32V

Veb max:   10V

Ic:   3A

Ptot:   43W

Hfe:   30/90

TO3 Case.jpg

OC25

PNP Germanium

Vcb max:   40V

Vce max:   40V

Veb max:   10V

Ic:   4A

Ptot:   23W

Hfe:   15

TO3 Case.jpg

OC35

PNP Germanium

Vcb max:   60V

Vce max:   32V

Veb max:   20V

Ic:   8A

Ptot:   30W

Hfe:   25

TO3 Case.jpg

OC706

PNP Silicon (The only silicon transistors in the circuits, used as channel input devices)

No other data available

OC706 Case.jpg
bottom of page