1970s Univox Hollowbody Rubber-Bridge Electric Bass Conversion

Overview: This arrived as a down-on-its luck electric guitar with a bum wiring harness, swapped-out pickups, and general malaise. I had Jake Too do a level/dress of the frets and then I set about converting it into a rubber-bridge electric bass guitar with a "pocket bass" scale length. We've made a bunch of these in the shop but I don't do many with thinline hollowbodies like this guy and I love the feel, weight, and style.

This had Strat-like pickups when it was first made but I've swapped those out with Dano-style lipstick pickups and simplified the wiring to a 3-way switch and master tone and volume with the jack on the top rather than the side and the old jack hole and second volume control hole filled. I then modded the original bridge into a rubber-saddle bridge with, of course, a big block of foam-style rubber but also a backplate that sets the string path. The tailpiece got chopped-down a bit and drilled to allow long-scale bass string mounts so you can string this with whatever standard bass sets you want to use. I like lighter-weight roundwounds because they have more of a percussive/marimba-like tone with the rubber saddle but tapewounds are also a great option.

I also made the build quite a bit sturdier by installing a 1/2" dowel that connects endblock to neckblock and runs through the small factory soundpost block fit under the bridge. It's pinned in place at the tailpiece/endblock side. Without this dowel, these old Japanese hollowbody/bolted-on-neck builds tend to fold-up a ltitle at the neckblock as they age. This improves tuning stability, too.

Repairs included: Jake Too leveled and dressed the frets and I then did the conversion work mentioned above. It's in good order, playing spot-on, and is ready to roll.

• Weight: 6 lbs 8 oz
• Scale length: 24 5/8"
• Nut width: 1 5/8"
• Neck shape: slim-medium C
• Board radius: 7 1/4"
• Depth at first fret: 0.84"
• Depth at seventh fret: 0.85"
• Body width: 15 5/8"
• Body depth: 1 7/8"
• Body wood: ply maple
• Bridge: adjustable w/rubber saddle
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: maple three-piece
• Pickups: 2x modern lipstick-style single coil
• Action height at 12th fret: 1/16” treble to 3/32" bass (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 100w-40w or close to it
• Truss rod: adjustable (maxed-out, however)
• Neck relief: straight in service
• Fret style: lower/medium

Condition notes: There's much original on this to like in terms of vibes -- the hardware is all-original save that it's been modified a bit -- and it is missing two tuners and two knobs post-conversion. The 3-way switch was non-original when it came in. It has new pickups and a fresh wiring harness with 500k pots and a Switchcraft jack. I cut-down the tailpiece (which had already been cut-up a bit). The nut is not original. The saddles are all gone on the bridge and I've replaced them with a rubber block and guideplate for the strings. It has mild-to-medium signs of use -- light scratches, scuffs, etc. throughout the finish. I will make a note that the truss rod is maxed-out but the neck is stable in service and straight. I'm not worried about it -- it had been played for years this way by the current owner as a guitar without complaint.

It comes with: Sorry, no case.

Consignor tag: JW/JM