1971 Univox Tube Head

[Rich_S]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

The only thing is that those Univox heads only have 9 tubes max...your's has 10...

It's weird - the Univox page describes the U-1000 as having 9 tubes, but when you count them up on the schematic, there are 10.

HotSEXJ's tube complement matches the schematic perfectly.

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

tube configuration: aaaabcbbbd

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Damn, I'm confused now!

Some say it's a Sunn made, Univox labeled amp, correct? 6AN8 is tthe tipoff?

Others say it's a U1000 with 10 tubes instead of 9 which actually adds up on the schematic...:smack:

I'll post up some pics here shortly to settle this thing :fingersx:

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Damn, I'm confused now!
Some say it's a Sunn made, Univox labeled amp, correct? 6AN8 is tthe tipoff?
Others say it's a U1000 with 10 tubes instead of 9 which actually adds up on the schematic...:smack:
I'll post up some pics here shortly to settle this thing :fingersx:

Im not saying that it is a Sunn amp, Im saying it's a Univox amp that Univox built to be like a Sunn amp, and Rich is right, after looking at the schematic it just might be the U-1000.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Hey-OOOOOOOO! Pics:

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Lots of flash-flare, but at least you can plainly see what it is that's in my basement now

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Needs some TLC but it looks for sure like a U-1000...I bet it's a beast when it's running up to par!

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

So would you say it's a 1969 U1000?

Anybody know of a serial no. lookup anywhere? I can't find one!

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

So would you say it's a 1969 U1000?
Anybody know of a serial no. lookup anywhere? I can't find one!

No way to tell for sure that I know of...I would say it's in that general area of age...late 60's early 70's.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Looks the same as the one in the 1969 catalog and definitely doesn't look like a 71, so I'll call it 69 - 70

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

And I think that the trafos are still alive
Man that thing must sound enormeous when it roars back to life!!
Defently worth trying getting up and running.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

cool - wish me luck!

trafos?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Transformators
You have just learned a Danish slang word for that...hehe

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Thanks:banana:

 

[Rich_S]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

I agree on the transformers - they look OK, other than the fact that they have been ripped halfway off the chassis.

This one's the power transformer (PT):

That design is SO bad (standing up on those bolt "legs" like that) tha it makes me think that transfomer's not original. SOmebody might have replaced a stand-up transformer with a laydown type at some point. Anyway, the transformer itself still looks square. You'll need to remove it, straighten the chassis, and re-mount the transformer. Put fender washers on both sides to sandwich the chassis sheet metal and reinforce the mounting holes.

Try to straighten those bolts without removing them. If you absolutley have to take them out to straighten and/or replace them, TAKE THEM OUT ONE AT A TIME. If you pull all four bolts out, you run the risk of knocking the laminations out of alignment, and then it'll be ruined.

Something else you might want to try is mounting that PT the way it was designed to be - laying down on the directly on the chassis, with it's lowers "end bell" recessed into a rectangular hole in the chassis. This might not be possible, depending on what's inside the chassis underneath, in the space where the end bell would have to protrude. Hard to tell from outside, but the fuse holder might get in the way.

By the way, I had a similar problem with the Bogen chassis I used to build my bogus Univox. You can see the PT in the upper left corner, with the washers I used to reinforce the chassis after it was dropped.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

If you want to see the whole amp and read about how and why I built it, here's the link.

Anyway... that leaves the output transfomer (OT):

Again, the transfo frame looks OK and square - just its little legs are bent. Just unbolt it from the chassis, straighten those legs, and bolt it back down.

After you're done re-mounting the transformers, carefully check to make sure they didn't damage and connections of interior components by pulling on their wires during the impact.

Looks like some one borrowed the standby switch - that will have to be replaced. The schematic will help you figure out what wires to connect to the new switch if its not obvious. Any good-quality full-size toggle switch will do. Doug Hoffman has them on his amp-parts site.

Oh, and before you try to power it up, replace the power cord with a modern, grounded, 3-conductor cord. Make sure the green ground wire is firmly bolted to the chassis. That's your safety, if anything else goes wrong inside the amp.

Good luck with this project - proceed carefully, and ask questions as you go. Get it running, and that amp's gonna rock.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Sweet - thanks a lot for all the good information!

I'll probably be holding on to this amp now and restoring it to glory

 

[75lespaul]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Good luck with this amp dude. I believe when you fire it up, you're going to be shocked at how good it sounds.

I talk so much about it, I figure I'll let you know what mine looks like. The one in this auction is the 100 watt guitar head. Mine is the 50 watt bass head but is used for guitar like a bass plexi Marshall. Mine is the same colors but I only have six knobs being volume, volume, bass, middle, treble, presence. I also have six sided black knobs with silver inserts, not these. Mine is the U1246B.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-60s-UNI...8QQihZ003QQcategoryZ38076QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Rich_S]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

I also have six sided black knobs with silver inserts, not these.

Dude - you gotta have the teardrop knobs. I know where to get new black ones from stock - grey ones are special order but obtainable. I settled for black on my homwbrew. PM me if you want to make that amp 'right'.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

Dude - you gotta have the teardrop knobs. I know where to get new black ones from stock - grey ones are special order but obtainable. I settled for black on my homwbrew. PM me if you want to make that amp 'right'.

Ha ha, thanks a lot man. Thing is, I'm so used to these knobs now, I can't picture it any other way. They are actually pretty good looking knobs and I think look better on the amp. I only learned they were the wrong ones early this year when I put it up for sale on ebay. Someone emailed me and asked if I had the right ones.

I am extremely lucky as I had a reserve of $300 which wasn't met. I bought it on impulse a few years ago and never used it. A day into the relist I put it on top of my Earcandy Buzzbomb, just on an urge, and used my Plexitone (which I was selling as well) and "found my sound", or at least one of them, LOL. I quickly killed both auctions and have been in heaven since. The Plexitone also sounds just incredible through my bassman and the Univox sounds killer through either the EC or my 4X12 used either like a non-master (too loud) or with the Plexitone or Vox Bulldog. More controllable, not as loud but still loud enough and SO thick. These amps are the hidden gems along with many others in my book.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: 1971 Univox Tube Head

UPDATE:

I had some fuse wars with the amp and radio shack, and I finally got the red light on the front to light up :laugh2: (tiny step in the right direction! )

Then I pulled two 6L6GC's out of another amp downstairs and put them in this amp and sure enough, they lit up! :banana:

I'm thinking all I have to do now is straighten the Power Transformer so I can fit the first 6L6 in (I couldn't squeeze one in there now with the way the P.T. is bent) and wrangle up some tubes - then there's that whole chore of building a cab...:smack: