Univox "Beatle Bass" Brought Back From The Dead

[@guitfidle]

That's so awesome! I didn't realize you made a new fretboard for it. I can't believe LaBella just sent you a free set, what a classy company!! (I suggested LaBella on the IG post 😁)

[@timsway]

yes! You and someone else tagged them, which is how they knew :) Thanks!

[@pauljenkins2501]

I love to watch skilful luthiers "save" dead guitars. And special credit to La Bella for helping you out..... Thank you for your video.

[@sapelesteve]

Well done Tim & I really love how you made that Bass "Come Together"! 👍👍🎸🎸😉😉

[@Phly-Boy]

I love these restoration videos. I found an $8 first act child’s acoustic at goodwill the other day, and bought it in a heartbeat. Trying to turn it into an 8 string tenor, and I’ve been thinking of your channel the whole time.

[@timsway]

fun! I've been thinking of doing some more of that type of stuff here. Instead of starting from scratch reclaimed wood, limit myself to starting with a reclaimed guitar.

[@ringsystemmusic]

Good luck!

[@dfbess]

That bass sounds awesome. and you made the fret board look like it belongs.

[@jltrem]

Remarkable restoration. You're an artist.

[@freesiaboysince]

I always enjoy to watch your video. I'm glad to use Japanese product tenderly.(I'm Japanese!!) and "Beatle Bass" says "Thank you very much to resurrect!!" God bless to Mr.Tim

[@timsway]

cheers!

[@stanthebassist719]

Awesome video! I always love seeing cool old instruments being given a new life, keep up the amazing work!

[@billstolz9587]

I received a Tim Sway notched fret ruler for xmas i have a old Hondo acoustic guitar i checked the neck it was perfect i bought a Chinese acoustic electric at a yard sale for $10 it had a broken bridge i fixed it an checked the neck had a pretty bad bow. I'm now looking for old guitars to fix it's fun to bring something back from the dead🎸🎸😎

[@timsway]

I fully support this. Let's see if we can get China to slow it's import of shitty guitars by fixing up the ones that are already here getting those in the hands of the next learners, instead of throwing them away and buying new, cheap guitars.

[@sgsax]

This was a fun one to watch, resurrecting a classic instrument. One might say that after a hard day's night or two, and with a little help from some friends, this one came together pretty nicely. Thanks for sharing!

[@timsway]

Well, it is made of pretty good, Norwegian wood. I made it Come Together, even though it was a little Helter Skelter when I got it.

[@sgsax]

@@timsway We could probably do these all day, though we'd be getting nowhere, man.

[@timsway]

yea, let's get back, get back, get back to before the bad wordplay, @@sgsax

[@pumpdumpster]

The bass sounds great, I liked the Bellas the most. 👏👏👏👏

[@_-_Michael_-_]

Also note for original Hofner wiring. Those are not pickup switches. They are tone pressets. Default is both pickup on and you make mix with volume pots. One is bass presset, that grounds bridge pickup and puts tone cap so it sounds just bassy and second is treble presset that grounds neck pickup and makes bridge thiner sounding. When both are on it doesnt work and you are grounding both pickups. That’s why there is no sound. Last one is solo rhythm switch just reduces the output pasively.

[@timsway]

right. I understood all that as I often wire tone drop switches, but the grounding out part is what surprised me!

[@piketubeman]

I just hate binding on guitars, I love what you did for the neck on this one. It's funny that the wiring is so odd.

[@samsonsotello1663]

i have that same exact bass my dad gave to me when i was a kid i restored mine too a few years ago and gave it to my nephew, l gotta say your resto is next level good job.

[@timsway]

thanks!

[@truthinesssss]

I can tell you really enjoyed this project. Good job. 👍

[@cccorlew]

I have this Univox bass. My folks bought it new for me in about 1969. It still looks new. I play it lefty. The original bridge is not at all adjustable and hard/impossible to get perfect for a lefty. I recently ordered a bridge that looks like yours, which looks to be a Hofner or Hofner copy. I don't know why it's taken me this many years to realize I could replace the bridge. Nice work on yours. Great vid.

[@timsway]

yea, Hofner did this back in the day and it works surprising well for a low-tech, intonation solution.

[@garagemonkeysan]

Great video. Cool resto. Mahalo for sharing! 🙂❤️🙏

[@kunaikai]

That’s so sick. I’d love to see you restore more vintage 60s basses. I’m a huge fan of violin basses.

[@floydlay9189]

Love it Tim,,great job!

[@gulf_coast_gypsy]

Loved this video. I love the old 60s and 70s Japanese instruments as well. Would love to see more of your collection. Keep up the good work. Your videos are always interesting and enjoyable.

[@timsway]

two more videos following this one from my stash of misfit guitars. stay tuned! :)

[@edjlxrd]

Spectacular work as always! I'm intrigued by whatever changes you had in mind, you always seem to have such amazing, unique ideas. I'm also so glad to see a classic-inspired vintage brought back out into the world. I guess I'm feeling a bit conflicted so I can only imagine how you feel🤔😄

[@sunn_bass]

Nice video. Love seeing restorations. I have an older Epiphone version and it does make you play different. The LaBella are the only strings I like for that style of bass. The interesting thing is that the first time I played a "Beatle Bass" I played "Come Together" too. Most everyone does, but Paul used a Rickenbacker 4001 from everything I've read.

[@brenan6]

La Bella, kick ass customer service!

[@cannedheat2264]

This deserves way more views

[@timsway]

It's still only a week old. tell your friends! :)

[@grantkoeller8911]

To tighten tuners, use hammer and anvil like you did, then add super glue to stop the rattle

[@davebauerart]

Nice work, keeping the flaw while making it playable.

[@Dark_LoreVT]

Had a Kaye/Teisco tulip bass back in the mid 90s. Couldn't get the correct short scale strings locally. So I put a Fender style bass tuner on the E string as the small peg broke the core. Lol. Ugly looking but it worked.

[@MangledGuitars]

Doesn't sound horrible dude. I dig it!

[@thesausage351]

I don’t play bass, I don’t even really play guitar tbh, I just pluck around and try and learn myself but I kind of feel in myself I’m more of a bassist than a guitarist, if that makes sense. I do love building and modifying and repainting etc so I don’t really classify myself as a player as much as a builder, but whatever. I would however love one of these. I’m a lefty so they’re hard to find, but one day I’ll own one. I’m not the biggest Beatles fan but I certainly appreciate their contributions. I really also would like a Rickenbacker to replicate the Born to lose - Out to lunch played by one of my heroes.

[@lrstaf6]

Hi Tim; I really do not like bincing on instrument necks. Therefore I really appreciate the way you fixed the neck on this repair. I don't kow much abour basses, but is the purpose of the tapewound strings to eliminate that zip sound when you slide yout fingers down or up the string? I noticed that sound isn't there with them.

[@timsway]

flatwounds in general remove that sound and are less bright, tapewound take it to another level. I have mixed feelings on binding, myself.

[@David-jv7ot]

The labellas are so much better

[@Herfinnur]

Could you share that wiring schematic you found? It's not that I ding know how to search for things, but though I can solder pretty well I just don't know enough about guitar electronics to know which search result to go with

[@timsway]

oh jeez. I didn't save the link. I think it was this one: www.talkbass.com/threads/hofner-wiring-diagram.119951/

[@anofsti]

I'd love to see you restore/modify a Soviet era bass into a legit good instrument. They always look so cool

[@timsway]

I did this one once: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXPLi6aIoJiEaNUsi=KYEYT5LuK5DgsMRJ

[@markgordon4368]

Great stuff, I do similar stuff as a repair guy, the Hofner gear is none sense I believe Paul Mac just set it to work and never touched them again 😂 I have a set on a resonator I made just for the looks 😊

[@timsway]

A LOT of bass players (myself included) "set and forget" their knobs. I'm certain he did, too.

[@markgordon4368]

Loving the repairs, have ended up with a set of snow ski's (resin) I hope to be repurposeing as a bass, partially inspired by your wooden ones 🙂

[@jimbecker5675]

The issue with the neck must have been "a thing". I owned a Hoffner copy many years ago (sadly it disappeared at some point) and it had a nearly identical problem to the one you just restored...a dip and a twist to my memory

[@timsway]

they are sooooo skinny, I'm sure that has something to do with it.

[@jimbecker5675]

@@timsway I agree with you...there's not a lot of "meat" there to handle the tension. Maybe some carbon fiber could help, but with "skinny" there may not be much room available to do the deed. At any rate, that's a sweet restoration. Bravo!

[@SullySadface]

That is a comically large razor blade I like the tone of the Labella's

[@timsway]

Yea, that's the gag on the razor blade. THis is the first time I've used it foranything practical. I bet it would make a good cooking utensil

[@epah9829]

differant is good, I like these!

[@GianmarioScotti]

What is violin varnish, exactly? Shellac? Or nitrocellulose?

[@timsway]

I avoid nitro-based stuff like the plague. I used the Behlen varnish on this one which a s a thick, gummy shellac-based product, but my go to for most stuff nowadays ins Natural Earth Paints: naturalearthpaint.com/natural-varnish/

[@GianmarioScotti]

They say it's "plant based", so probably a drying oil? I'll do some research. I'm a materials scientist, which is also my passion. In practice, I really like using shellac.

[@timsway]

@@GianmarioScotti I believe there is shellac in it also, but it is thinner. I think its truer to the way varnishes would have been before the industrial/chemical revolution. I personally like using shellac a lot also but feel a little guilty as ther is an expoloitive industry around it and the solvents it is usually mixed with are not the best. I feel like the NEP stuff is a good compromise that creates a good finish.

[@grantkoeller8911]

that bass is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!

[@joshuabarron8535]

Tape wound strings. I have never heard of those before.

[@bobbystereo936]

McCartney used em on the rooftop performance. Also had em on his Rickenbacker for the Abbey RD sessions.

[@johnopie5136]

I love these rad videos of just having fun working on wacky instruments! Also, what are those screw on clamp/tie things you used for the fretboard? Those are badass!

[@timsway]

Cheers. They are a Stew Mac neck clamp product. www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/types-of-tools/clamps/fingerboard-band-clamp/

[@johnopie5136]

Thank you very much, good sir!

[@FunnyHaHa420]

So did you leave the twist in the neck and compensate with the new fingerboard and nut?

[@timsway]

I relaxed it and sanded the twist out

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

Tidy job, is that string spacing a conscious choice or did the instrument dictate it? Like deployed 👍

[@timsway]

the necks are soooo skinny. Almost the same at the heel as the nut. You gotta squeeze the strings in!

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

@@timsway fair play, it's a top job, 👏.

[@timsway]

@@SSRT_JubyDuby8742 you'll also notice the strings aren't even close to the poles on the pickups! Details like this were not of concern in the 1960s FujiGen days :)

[@lezrekmohamed]

Thanks for the great video. Just a wondering: Would it had solved the problem of the neck, to make it straight with heat? And glue the fretboard while the neck is still warm, and clamp it to a straight bench top?

[@timsway]

maybe?

[@Tokolos]

Learned how to play on a Hofner bass.

[@Mr.Monster1313]

So the neck wasnt twisted then? It looked kinda twisted 😢 cool bass.. goodjob.

[@timsway]

It still has a bit more back bow in the middle but it is no where near as twisted as it was

[@bethanygresoski3126]

What the heck was that spinning thing on your drill?

[@timsway]

it's a sander ball. they sell them at harbor freight as well as the expensive stores.

[@baoboumusic]

very cool!

[@robinleebraun7739]

Here come old flat top. That’s the first bass riff I ever learned.

[@timsway]

It's the first I thought of when I held it :)

[@YellowJello57]

So did you straighten the neck?

[@timsway]

It's not perfect but much better.

[@1-eye-willy]

i used to have a double cut univox. not going to lie it wasnt a pariculary good ls pual copy

[@DoctorWhomThe1st]

What amp do you play through? Also I love this!

[@timsway]

Just a little, half-broken Ampeg BA112

[@gamblering_]

Will we ever see a Tim Sway pedal?

[@timsway]

I would like to learn more about that stuff. Here are a couple collabs I did: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKixmHqLftxrj9Esi=6FG4xl7BUT3_DMko and kzbin.info/www/bejne/inmXmn-crbuNl68si=H23ybR4_J3uKxPcj and I made a mini amp from scratch 9as well as some others) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZvQf2mjopiUZqcsi=KtBfLm2dFHmzg4O4

[@scottmatthews172]

I have a Hofner B-bass hi series and I hang it on the wall in my studio because that's all those hunks of shit are good for.

[@timsway]

thanks for bringing the positive vibes to my channel, man.

[@josephzummo9685]

Learned my "short scale strings" lesson years ago. Now they're like $60. Hate to waste bass strings.

[@lajji71]

👍

[@jadeglaze3390]

Tim, a crazy proposal: I’ll let you modify my Hofner clone any way you want for a video if I get it back afterwards. Win win? I’m serious and I’m relatively close (outside NYC) so might not have to ship it even.

[@timsway]

you may not want it back after I do what I wanna do! lol. PM me via www.newperspectivesmusic.com and we can discuss :)

[@ringsystemmusic]

The labellas sound a lot more focused imo. There’s less EQ to do to fit it into a track.

[@timsway]

I agree, a little bit, more focused. They feel a lot better, tho.

[@GianmarioScotti]

Before watching the entire viceo, I should say that warped necks don't seem to cause any problems to the player or the instrument, weirdly enough.

[@timsway]

If you can still set it up to play without buzzes, no. There's actually an "ergonomic" instrument maker out there who intentionally makes twisted necks/fingerboards. Can't remember the name. Anyone?

[@ZOOTSUITBEATNICK1]

🤓 love it 🤓

[@FunsongsMusicByPeterRahill]

20th pre-LIKE; 89th view - what could go wrong? That was fun.

[@TinkersKustomPaintball]

D'Addario strings are wack anyways. DR or LaBella for the win!

[@_-_Michael_-_]

Hope you tested the truss rod while you had fretboard removed, another way that would not be great for you later 😂

[@timsway]

lol. yes. It technically seems to "work" but not well. I almost thought about putting a modern one in while I had it open but was afraid I'd screw something up.

[@capitolemiproducer]

There is only 1 true Beatle bass: Hofner... But they are over priced and the joke in the music world is they are only good for one thing''''''To play beatle tunes. I had one and got so fed up with it, I did a Pete Townsend on it

[@timsway]

I 100% disagree. They just require a little more thought and creativity. Limitations are the catalyst of innovation and perhaps one of the reasons Paul's bass lines are so special and unique. But even with his prolificness, there are still infinite new basslines and sonic possibilities yet to be discovered on a violin bass - available to the musician willing to find them. I built an acoustic bass guitar with a floating bridge and neck inspired by these old, skinny short scales - a bigger hunk of junk by every metric. I just did a 3 hour gig on it the other night playing all sorts of music. It was inspiring and exciting, making me play songs I've played a million times differently! The musician-filled room couldn't get enough of it!