Reviews of Things I Have

Most people who are familiar with Univox tie the companies name to the infamous Mosrite copy, the Univox Hi-Flier, which several famous guitar players – including Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, are known to have played.

While the Hi-Flier maybe the now-defunct Univox’s claim to fame, they also produced really fantastic copies of other famous guitars. On a recent Craigslist adventure, I procured what has become one of my favorite electric guitars – a 1976 Univox Ripper.

This isn't mine. I can't find the USB cable for my camera today!

The Ripper is almost an exact copy of the 70′s era Fender Stratocaster. The key difference between the two is that, whereas a Fender Strat has 3 single coil pickups and a 5-way selecter switch – the Ripper has 3 humbucking pickups and a 3-way selecter switch. Aesthetically, the guitars are identical – right down to the chunky 70′s era headstock (which Fender now prevents companies from using on their Strat copies).

I’ve been lucky enough to play hundreds of different guitars in my lifetime, and will put my heavily (and naturally) “relic’d” Univox Ripper right up there with Custom Shop Relic Strats in terms of playability and aesthetic appeal. My Ripper has been played hard and tossed around by countless guitarists over the the past 30-some-odd years, and it shows! Belt-buckle rash, checking, nicks, dings, hand-oil stained maple neck and fretboard – all the signs of a well loved rock-n-roll instrument are clear and present.

The Ripper definitely has it’s own sound – and the pickups are very interesting. Between the three positions (bridge, middle and neck pickups working individually), there is an almost absurd range of tonal color. The bridge is very, very hot – and full of bite. The middle position reminds me of the neck pickup in a Telecaster. The neck pickup is so warm and “rolled-off” sounding, it reminds me of a more lo-fi take on that famous Woman Tone.

All in all, I recommend that if anyone sees one of these finely-crafted Japanese Strat copies out there – pick it up and play it! Mine is a wonderful blast from the past – I certainly wouldn’t pass up a chance to own a second one.

I remember always wanting to play guitar. By the time I was 12, I had finally convinced my mom to buy me one. She had the typical parental reservations; assuming that my interest in music was a fad and worried that I didn’t have the resolve to stick with it. Fair enough – I had spent the previous year nickel-and-diming her for art supplies to aid in my creation of a global comic book enterprise.

One day, we took a trip to the nearest music store. It wasn’t too long before my heart spotted a beautiful red electric guitar in the used section. Much to my delight, the headstock read “Fender.”

Long story short; I went home with the guitar. More than 10 years later, that Fender Mustang is still my main guitar. Sure, I’ve owned dozens of others through the years, but something keeps me coming back to the Mustang.

Maybe it’s the familiar comfort of my hand wrapping around the short-scale maple neck, fingers floating effortlessly over the rosewood fretboard. Maybe it’s the spongy, fat cleans I hear while playing through my 70′s Peavey Rockmaster or the fat, creamy tones that emerge when I push the tubes just enough. Maybe sometimes it’s just possible to make an emotional purchase without ever experiencing a single second of buyer’s remorse.

In an age of spec-sheets and unbiased online reviews, feature comparison tables and 110% price guarantees – I hope that you, too can find your Fender Mustang.