Univox U1851 Ripper White 1975
Univox Ripper, white, made in Japan circa 1975. Sure, you've seen an HSS strat, but what about an HHH? HHHell yeah, that's what I reckon. Univox gutiars were made at the iconic Matsumoku factory from the late 60s into the mid 70s. The company also did amps and effects, including the now legendary Super Fuzz. The player most responsible for putting them on the map was one Kurt Cobain, who famously said at one point in the late 80s that he loved them and they were all he played. Kurt's first guitar was a Ventures-shaped Univox Hi-Flier, and he played that and a couple of other Univox instruments a lot throughout Nirvana's career. The thing that makes this really interesting is the pickups: it seems obvious, they're humbuckers in a Strat... but, they sound pretty different to a standard Gibson-style pickup. They're very open, clear and chiming, more like a P-90 than a PAF. I generally prefer a single coil on a Strat, as a humbucker can sound a little boxy and narrow, but these are different. They're so clear, it's amazing. The bridge pickup straight into a Marshall-style dirty amp is just about as perfect for punk as you could ever ask for: hairy, fat and immediate with a glistening top end shimmer and a mean, snarling midrange. The neck pickup is round and gooey, perfect for bluesy or doom stuff, and the middle pickup has a whole other snappy punch to it that's a lot of fun too. This is a seriously delicious sounding guitar, in a snarky defiant kinda way. A previous owner replaced the frets and refinished the board, so it's got a very practical set of jumbo frets and an oil finished fretboard, and is playing very smoothly indeed. The neck is a moderate D style carve, so it's not exactly fat but definitely not a skinny little thing. And, it looks funk as puck, right? HHHell yeah it does.
Model: Univox U1851 Ripper
Made: Japan, 1975 approx, Matsumoku factory
Serial: 008854
Finish: white, gloss poly
Body: maple
Neck: maple, maple fretboard, 25.5" scale, 12" radius, moderate D shape, 43mm nut
Weight: 4.230kg
Mods: re-fretted, fretboard refinished in satin oil
Pickups: Univox HumBucking x3
Accessories: original Univox hard case
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has scuffs on the end and some dimples on the edges. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor rub wear on the back and some play wear on the board only. The back has dimples around the cavity cover and on both horns and some scuffs in the elbow area, back edge and bottom corner. The sides have dimples on both horns and near the jack and some minor dents and scuffs in the elbow area. The front has some dimples near the jack, in the elbow area and on the top horn, and some play wear on the guard and horns.
Overall: very good condition (8/10)
Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/46 strings.
Fret life: 9/10, recently replaced, nice and even with plenty of height