Univox Restoration and Modification

This page is for any information, articles or links that can help Univox owners repair, restore or modify their equipment. This includes descriptions of what others have done and any insights into the equipment they may have gained. If you have something you can contribute, please e-mail me.

EC-80/EC-100 Echo Chamber

Replacement Tapes that need to be modified to work used to be available from Dictaphone. The model number is 0645180 (180 Sec.) and is labled "Announce Cartridge", they are $9.50 plus postage. The erase head on the tape will not make it in the slot of the Dictaphone tape cartridge ( Too Narrow) and one must remove about 1/8" piece of plastic from the side to allow the erase head to come close to the tape. If you call dictaphone at 1-877-805-5903 ask for Valerie Carlson, she is aware of what we are using the tapes for.
The EC-80A has a very short delay time by comparison to its other tape delay rivals. If you replace the "Echo Delay" potentiometer from the stock 5k Ohm to an 500k Ohm you can get a much longer delay out of the unit and still have the short slap delay like the 5k Ohm provides. - Thanks Brian Healy

hi-Flier Guitars

The tremolo arm and spring for Hi-Fliers can be replaced rather cheaply with Fender Jaguar parts ordered from AllParts.
If you don't like the three on a strip open gear plastic tuners of the sixties High-Flyer (Mosrite copy) and you don't wnat to alter your guitar in a way that can't be reversed, there is a solution. W.D Music Products makes a three on a strip chrome tuner with metal oval knobs that are shaped like the High-Flyer knobs. The closures over the gear resemble Mosrite Kluson tuners closures. And the best part is that they fit the guitar exactly. Even the mounting screws fit in the old holes. They are vastly better tuners and the old ones can always be put back on without leaving any taletale mystery holes. Thanks to Hobbes

Hi-Flier Basses

I've seen complaints about the sound of the pickups on Univox Moserite basses (farty is how I heard it described once). Well, I replaced the bridge pickup in my Univox w/ an EMG Bass Humbucker nad I can say that the sound is many times improved, I might even replace the other pickup soon.
Bill Machrone has a page on installing a new bridge in a Univox bass at http://www.billsbest.com/thbassbridge.html
Also, here's some info he sent on installing fret dots in the neck of a Univox bass:
"I've also included a photo of the side marker dots we added. Using a hobby saw, I cut thin slices off an aluminum nail, drilled holes the same diameter, and glued them in place. I smoothed them with fine sandpaper taped to small sticks of wood, then covered them with clear nail polish. Anyone trying this should be careful to cover the side of the fretboard with tape and drill through the tape in order to prevent splintering the finish or the rosewood. You need a drill press, a very sharp drill, and a jig to hold the neck vertical on the drill press table." - Bill Machrone
The Neptunes have had a double neck Hi-Flier made for them out of a white Hi-Flier bass and guitar.
If you are rewiring a Hi-flier bass, apparently a Fender Jazz Bass schematic acan be used to figure out how to connect everything.

Univox 335 Copies (Effie, Coily, Custom)

Someone has informed me that the current Yamaha 335 copies are almost exactly like the Univox ones, they appear to be built exactly the same. This means all the parts (including pickups) should be interchangable.

Amps

RadioShack has knobs that might fit well on some Univox amps.