My experiences with 2 Soviet classical guitars have given me newfound confidence on instruments from the Union. I know they're old and often entry-level, but this one's so cheap that I could just flip it for a profit! And here it is:
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NBD - Ural 510
- Thread starter Iristone
- Start date
The stock D string (presumably Svetlana) is broken. The other 3 are quite old so they thump quite dull. I'll try it with Thomastik flats later today - its classic European construction with silk winding inside should be similar to the Svetlana's (Svetlany?) with copper winding inside.
The bass itself isn't quite bad. The rear cover lacks a few screws, but I should be able to sort it out. The beech neck has got a bit too much relief, but I should be able to dial it in. The neck itself is actually very comfortable: narrow but chunky, not unlike an Epiphone VP Thunderbird.
I'll measure its pickup and try its sound later today, after I rewire its output jack. I've read a schematic (will post it later) of it, and the 3 buttons are neck on / bridge on / neck high pass (similar to Rickenbacker vintage cap). The 3 knobs are neck volume, bridge volume, and master volume, in a similar wiring to a Gibson or Gretsch guitar. The pots are interestingly only 68k ohms ea - I wonder if the pickups are Low-Z, or if they'll get loaded down?
The bass itself isn't quite bad. The rear cover lacks a few screws, but I should be able to sort it out. The beech neck has got a bit too much relief, but I should be able to dial it in. The neck itself is actually very comfortable: narrow but chunky, not unlike an Epiphone VP Thunderbird.
I'll measure its pickup and try its sound later today, after I rewire its output jack. I've read a schematic (will post it later) of it, and the 3 buttons are neck on / bridge on / neck high pass (similar to Rickenbacker vintage cap). The 3 knobs are neck volume, bridge volume, and master volume, in a similar wiring to a Gibson or Gretsch guitar. The pots are interestingly only 68k ohms ea - I wonder if the pickups are Low-Z, or if they'll get loaded down?
Looks like a fun little project! If they are low impedance pickups, you'll need a transformer or preamp.
Is that a standard 5 pin DIN connector? You could run a midi cable from the bass to an impedance matching transformer
Do you have an adaptor cable for din to 1/4"?
Can always wire in a normal jack also, the ural 510l doesn't use any of the extra stuff din offers, just spits out a normal mono signal from my memory
Can always wire in a normal jack also, the ural 510l doesn't use any of the extra stuff din offers, just spits out a normal mono signal from my memory
I've always had a soft spot for 70's/80's Soviet design ever since I came across a vintage USSR Naval Officer watch at a thrift shop in high school. There's something very earnest and just a little bit off about all of it.
Flip it for profit? Not very comrade of you... J/K
That's a cool bass. I love funky things like that.
That's a cool bass. I love funky things like that.
I've been kind of itching to get one of those as a project, too. There's something oddly appealing about the visual for me.
Thank you all for the interest! I still need to fix it up a bit, since the truss rod is a bit weak and may need some shims under its adjustment wheel. Acoustically it sounds quite good with the Thomastik flats, almost with a hollow-body thump, but the action is still high due to neck curvature. Why hasn't it got the ultra-stable neck like their classical guitars?
Obvious answer is that I could flip it. The not-so-obvious ones are that I like the history, plus it looks like a Les Paul Junior Single Cut!
That's true! It's a very tall coil pickup, and very art-deco.
Yeah, it's like the old German recording deck. I'll likely just convert it to standard 6.35 mm jack, and do other mods as needed.Looks like a fun little project! If they are low impedance pickups, you'll need a transformer or preamp.
Is that a standard 5 pin DIN connector? You could run a midi cable from the bass to an impedance matching transformer
I use to wear a WW2 commemorative watch from them, too. It's slightly less accurate than a modern Shanghai, but I like its vibe!
Of course! It now wears Thomastik Jazz Flats.Awesome. I would change out the strings though
Interesting thing is that the Soviet engineers were more into balanced tension than gauge numbers. The stock strings have got a hugely fat E with small A and D. Likewise their classical guitars have got skinny high E strings - but I changed to modern unbalanced ones that make the guitar sing louder.
I love the aesthetics. If you can get it set up and playing/sounding good it's a cool project.
Unknown fact: These things developed as a part of GULAG system as a torture tool for ones who listened capitalist music.
