1971 Univox Tube Head

ImmortalSix

ImmortalSix

John Mayer's Mankini
I have one that I got at a yard sale 5 years ago...

has 10 tubes, or rather 10 spots where tubes used to be.

It got dropped off a full stack cab and busted the tubes out and the fuse, and the transformer is /_/ like that from the impact.

SO, worth fixing? If this is one of those "omg holy crap you have a 71 univox lolol" amps, I'll keep it and fix it, but if not I'll return it to the amp gods via yard sale
 
Last edited:
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

well if it's not worth keeping, I'll take it off your hands to start getting into amp building, would give me a good base to start from :)
 
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

CapoFirstFret said:
well if it's not worth keeping, I'll take it off your hands to start getting into amp building, would give me a good base to start from :)
Click to expand...
I'll keep that in mind!

Do you (or anyone) know more about these amps?

fwiw, I think it's a U-1000
 
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

The Golden Boy said:
Some people really dig them. They're well made amps.
Click to expand...

[noob]will a tube amp turn on without any tubes in it?[/noob]

I want to know if the transformer or other **** is fried before I sink a billion dollars woth of tubes into it

Also if people really like em, that's good news for me, maybe I can sell it and get a sweet pickup or something.
 
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

HotSEXJ said:
[noob]will a tube amp turn on without any tubes in it?[/noob]

I want to know if the transformer or other **** is fried before I sink a billion dollars woth of tubes into it

Also if people really like em, that's good news for me, maybe I can sell it and get a sweet pickup or something.
Click to expand...

its gonna turn on but theres not gonna be sound !
 
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

OK, resident Univox-whackjob expert here. (See link in signature.)

That transformer is problematic. Is the transformer really knocked out of square, or is it just pulled partway off the chassis? Pics would help.

If the transformer laminations have slid across each other, then it's toast. (Which transformer is it, anyway - PT or OT?) Powering up a transfo that's knocked out of alignment will likely result is sparking, crackling, smoke, and another blown fuse.

The amp is restorable either way, but a transformer is going to make it more expensive. An output transformer wil be fairly common, but Univox used some weird PT in their voltage-doubler power supplies.

Here's a link to all things Univox.

Is this one of the 2-tone blue jobbies, or the related black/grey ones?
 
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Dude, I've got a 71 50 watter and it ROCKS. Jump the channels, turn everything up to ten and if you're using the proper speakers, like Celestion Greenbacks or what have you, You'll think you have a late 60s Marshall.

It's just as loud as one too, LOL. I actually use mine with a Carl Martin Plexitone and a Vox Bulldog distortion (I'm sure the SFX-03 would rule with this amp) a cab with the V30 + G12H30 X pattern and I'm in heaven.

Here's another thing to consider...I've been watching these things on ebay for years. They're starting to go up in value. They were selling for like $100 or so a few years ago, now they go for around $300 when they sell. Nobody can afford the Marshalls anymore so the Univoxes and Traynors and stuff are starting to get discovered.
 
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Yeah - I saw a set of grey teardrop-shaped Univox KNOBS sell for $25 last week.
 
Last edited:
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Rich_S said:
Yeah - I saw a set of grey teatdrop-shaped Univox KNOBS sell for $25 last week.
Click to expand...


Yep--When parts start selling for that kind of money, people are starting to see this amps for the great amps they are and try to restore them. In your opinion, how do the match up the the plexi or 70s era Marshalls? I compared mine to a 73 50 watter and they really were in the same ballpark. If you closed your eyes you'd still be able to hear the tone difference, but you would just think it was another Marshall, LOL.
 
Last edited:
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

hope this helps:

4 6L6GC -"A"
4 12AX7 -"B"
1 12AU7 -"C"
1 6AN8 - "D"

tube configuration: aaaabcbbbd

serial no. 57495

inputs:
2 channels, each with "bright" and "normal"

knobs:
ch1 vol, ch2 vol, bass, mid, treb, presence, reverb depth, tremolo speed, tremolo intensity

head, not a combo
 
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Well, here's the schematic for it.

Good news: Normal power supply & PT, and OT's for 4x 6L6 are quite common.

Bad news: 100-watt iron is never cheap.

Good news: Get it running, and you've got yourself a budget plexi.

Send pics of the damage - if we can get some assurance the iron survived, then you can populate it with some cheap Chinese tubes and see if it works.

eBay link to the Chinese 12AX7's I just bought. The word on these is pretty good tubes for the price.

'Nuther link to Sino 6L6's - four tubes for under 12 bucks. I bought some of these. Just the thing for de-bugging an amp without risking pricey tubes.
 
Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

SpeedDemon said:
That pic he posted reeaallly looks like a Sunn. Perhaps this is closer to a Sunn?
Click to expand...

It is...Univox built amps that were close to other amps of the time. They built some plexi like amps that used 6550 power tubes then they built some that were like Sunn amps...the also used 6550 power tubes (some models did use 6L6's) but the 6AN8 is a dead giveaway...the guys at Sunn LOVED the 6AN8 tube, not to mention is looks JUST like a Sunn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

brentrocks
1971 GIBSON LES PAUL
Replies
4
Views
419
ItsaBass
ItsaBass
P
Two Amps Died the Same Way — HELP!!
2 3
Replies
53
Views
4K
Punkrot
P
HyBr1d
Marshall Tsl60 Power tube Disaster :/ So sick, plz help!
Replies
9
Views
778
Darg1911
D
T
Squier Double fat strat anyone?
Replies
3
Views
903
Mincer
Mincer
S
NAD: I relapsed with Orange amps...
2
Replies
37
Views
5K
Godin15
Godin15
Back
Top