Univox Coily Bass

[Pilgrim]

Just in case anyone is hunting a 70's hollowbody - only has 1.5 hours left.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200594840904&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT



Very similar the the one I have: short scale, slightly neck heavy, nice looking, pickups are OK, not great. I wouldn't pay more than another $25 unless I was Jonesing for an early 70's hollowbody...I'd get an Ibanez Artcore.

[nofi]

the price inflation on old unovox stuff is silly. i played many of them when i was young and imo i don't think most of them are worth anywhere near what they are selling for.

[rahock]

It's been 40 plus years since I had my hands on anything that said Univox on it, but as I recall, they were somewhere in the same ballpark as Silvertone and Airline. Am I full of crap ,or is my memory right?
Rick

[ramone57]

beginner instruments, not the highest quality.  that's the way I remember Univox. 

[Chaser001]

I don't know too much about Univox, but in some cases you find Silvertones and Teiscos for way more than you might expect now.  My guess is that it must be about the scarcity factor and collectors.

[Dave W]

The Univox Mosrite copies sounded better than real Mosrites. That's no great accomplishment though.

[Pilgrim]

The Univox hollows are well built with nice fit and finish, and the hardware is solid.  The Matsumoku factory knew what it was doing.  IMO their biggest weaknesses were the necks (prone to warp) and the pickups/electronics.  I have a gorgeous Univox hollowbody waiting for a pair of Gretsch Filtertron pickups....and as usual with me, everything else gets in the way.

That said, I think the one in the auction had a reserve set too high.  They're a good $200 used bass, not a good $300 bass.  For that $300 you can pick up a number of the Ibby Artcores, which are very nice indeed.

[nofi]

the artcores are nice but the standard long scale model?, has the wrong pickup in the wrong place. i would have had one long ago if not for that. as always i could be wrong on the model i'm thinking of.

[jumbodbassman]

The Univox Mosrite copies sounded better than real Mosrites. That's no great accomplishment though.

+1

[ramone57]

the artcores are nice but the standard long scale model?, has the wrong pickup in the wrong place. i would have had one long ago if not for that. as always i could be wrong on the model i'm thinking of.

there was a long scale and a medium or short scale version (can't remember which).  I think the first models were 34" and the current model is shorter, but I'm not 100% on that.

[Pilgrim]

I know there were both long and short scale - I'm a bit confused as to which is which.  I played a couple and they were very nicely turned out.  I've been eyeing the AGB200 (walnut finish, single cut) models.

[Dave W]

IIRC the 34" scale Artcore came first, then the 30.3" scale.