i have an univox hi-flyer that i buy in VERY BAD condition (one pickup missing, bruises everywhere) that it's currently in repair. we refinished it and also aded a dimarzio model one pickup (one of the few pickups that fit there, it's like a guitar humbucker but with 4 polepieces). pics coming soon.
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UNIVOX lover's club
- Thread starter Pilgrim
- Start date
Glad you like it! Those only show up a few times a year on Ebay, and I'd say you bought well.
Although I don't think the Univox guitars and basses will become highly collectible, I've seen prices nearly double on Ebay over the past 12-18 months. They used to sell under $150 a lot. I don't think I'd change pickups in one without a powerful reason.
But then, I enjoy playing a 30+ year old bass in its original condition and getting the sound it was designed to have.
I've added member numbers in Post #1....
I found a Degas on there but the add got pulled. (of course) I'm watching a 335 copy now just for smiles and giggles.
L.A.
L.A.
I've got an old Univox bass amp from 1965. It's been modded to be a guitar amp now, but it's by far the grumpiest amp I've heard.
Maybe I'll dig it out and take some pics later.
Maybe I'll dig it out and take some pics later.
My first bass was a sunburst Precisely Pbass copy in 1974.I still got it,hell I still play it.I'll try to get some pics up.. Finally,here it is !
Saturday and DLEE are now on the list - but seriously, you guys owe us photos ASAP.
I'd love to see both!
I'd love to see both!
I started on my dads old Univox P-Bass copy from the 70's. I can't seem to find the model on that site since all of the P-Basses have rosewood fingerboards. My dads is a lot like the Naked model but his has a maple fingerboard. Theres too much sentimental value in that bass to ever sell it.
i recently got this little baby off ebay
these pick ups rule! was hoping to find a standard scale version but i couldnt pass this one up. its in such good condition.
i also have an old viola bass that i believe is a univox. i picked it up in a thrift store for $30 and am currently restoring it.
these pick ups rule! was hoping to find a standard scale version but i couldnt pass this one up. its in such good condition.
i also have an old viola bass that i believe is a univox. i picked it up in a thrift store for $30 and am currently restoring it.
This makes BAW #11 - and what a lovely looking Hi-Flyer THAT one is!! I hope you got a great buy and it sounds wonderful!
i recently got this little baby off ebay
these pick ups rule! was hoping to find a standard scale version but i couldnt pass this one up. its in such good condition.
i also have an old viola bass that i believe is a univox. i picked it up in a thrift store for $30 and am currently restoring it.
And here's the Lyle, which is a Matsumoku product so it's the same as a Univox - built in the same factory to the same standards. It's a dark walnut finish so it appears darker than it is. Note the semi-Fender headstock design.
Here's my Lyle. Weird how yours has a Fenderish headstock and mine doesn't.
Someday I'm going to get around to taking some decent pics of it.
Another "my first bass was a Univox Hi Flyer" posting here.
The neck pickup broke and I eventually gave the bass away. I wish I still had it.
I had a mid-70's version with the humbucking pickups.
I also had one of the little 15-20w head+cabinet amplifiers, same vintage. Little tiny amp head that came with a single 1x15 cab. I still have the head around here somewhere. The cab was particle board and disintegrated long ago.
What's funny is I remember being really disappointed that my parents got me a Univox. I really wanted a Fender Musicmaster bass.
I played the Univox for probably 5-6 years until I could afford to buy a Fender product (a MIJ Squier Bullet bass).
The neck pickup broke and I eventually gave the bass away. I wish I still had it.
I had a mid-70's version with the humbucking pickups.
I also had one of the little 15-20w head+cabinet amplifiers, same vintage. Little tiny amp head that came with a single 1x15 cab. I still have the head around here somewhere. The cab was particle board and disintegrated long ago.
What's funny is I remember being really disappointed that my parents got me a Univox. I really wanted a Fender Musicmaster bass.
I played the Univox for probably 5-6 years until I could afford to buy a Fender product (a MIJ Squier Bullet bass).
I've got a Naked Bass that I bought for $199.99 about 12 years ago. The pickups were noisy, so I replaced them with Antiquities. I also put on a Fender '62 (reissue) pickguard. Oh yeah, and real Precision knobs. 
Fortunately, none of the Naked was damaged during any of this, and I still have all the original parts that came off.
Anyway, the neck is wonderfully straight, the frets, neck/pocket, etc. are perfect, and even though the body looks like it might be plywood or something, it's light and resonant! (What kind of wood did they use, anyway? The Univox website doesn't go into that kind of detail.) The bass records beautifully, too.
I also had one of those little piggyback amps (bought it new, ca. 1972). Actually a really nice sounding amp.
Fortunately, none of the Naked was damaged during any of this, and I still have all the original parts that came off.
Anyway, the neck is wonderfully straight, the frets, neck/pocket, etc. are perfect, and even though the body looks like it might be plywood or something, it's light and resonant! (What kind of wood did they use, anyway? The Univox website doesn't go into that kind of detail.) The bass records beautifully, too.
I also had one of those little piggyback amps (bought it new, ca. 1972). Actually a really nice sounding amp.
Ill always have a soft spot in my heart for the Univox Hi Flyer. When I was a kid I spent a summer living with my cousin. We collectively decided we needed to learn to play an instrument so we headed out for a local flea market to find something, maybe bass. The first (and cheapest) instrument we came across was a Hi-Flyer. Neither of us knew anything about instruments, but it was in great shape and pretty cheap. My cousin ponied up some cash and bought it and we spent the summer playing the piss out of it, hooked up to whatever stereo system was available. To this day I still credit that bass with starting my life as a bass player. About a year later he gave it to me and it became my first bass. A few years after that I passed it on to a friend who was just starting to play bass. Even though it was my first bass, I never considered myself its owner. It was an instrument that was meant to be passed along from person to person to jump start lives as bass players. Oh yeah, somewhere in that timeline I heard about this Jaco guy so wherever that Hi Flyer is now
its also fretless.
I have a Univox beatle bass, no pics yet. It sounds great, but I need to adjust the intonation, and I'd like to get some flats for her too
I highly recommend Labella Hofner Custom flats. That bass requires a medium scale string (32") and those strings are made for it. It's a short scale bass, but it MUST have medium scale strings due to the design of the bridge and tailpiece. This is true of all "beatle bass' models I know of, regardless of brand.
