Univox 'Lectra
Encyclopedia
The Univox 'Lectra was a bass guitar
made by Univox
modeled originally on the Hofner
500/1 bass, popularized by Paul McCartney
in the early days of the Beatles
, and later on the Gibson EB-1
, both violin
shaped guitars. The bass was available from the late 1960s through the mid 1970's.
The 'Lectra had a 22 fret
bolt on neck
and a hollow body. The original model had two pickups, while some of the models based on the Gibson EB-1 had one. Some later models had f-holes
cut into the body as well.
Finishes ranged from sunburst
or tobacco burst to all black.
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
made by Univox
Univox
For Univox portable keyboards, see Vox In the early 1960s the Unicord Corporation, a manufacturer of electronic transformers purchased the Amplifier Corporation of America of Westbury, New York. They began marketing a line of amplifiers under the name of Univox. The company was purchased by Gulf +...
modeled originally on the Hofner
Höfner
Karl Höfner GmbH & Co. KG is a German manufacturer of musical instruments, with one division that manufactures guitars and basses, and another that manufactures other string instruments....
500/1 bass, popularized by Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
in the early days of the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, and later on the Gibson EB-1
Gibson EB-1
The Gibson EB-1 is an electric bass that was introduced by Gibson in 1953, and is the first bass in Gibson's range.- History :The EB-1, then known as the Electric Bass, was first marketed in 1953 in response to the runaway success of the Fender Precision Bass...
, both violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
shaped guitars. The bass was available from the late 1960s through the mid 1970's.
The 'Lectra had a 22 fret
Fret
A fret is a raised portion on the neck of a stringed instrument, that extends generally across the full width of the neck. On most modern western instruments, frets are metal strips inserted into the fingerboard...
bolt on neck
Neck (music)
The neck is the part of certain string instruments that projects from the main body and is the base of the fingerboard, where the fingers are placed to stop the strings at different pitches. Guitars, lutes, the violin family, and the mandolin family are examples of instruments which have necks.The...
and a hollow body. The original model had two pickups, while some of the models based on the Gibson EB-1 had one. Some later models had f-holes
Sound hole
A sound hole is an opening in the upper sound board of a stringed musical instrument.The sound holes can have different shapes: round in flat-top guitars, F-holes in instruments from the violin or viol families and in arched-top guitars, rosettes in lutes. Bowed Lyras have D-holes and Mandolins may...
cut into the body as well.
Finishes ranged from sunburst
Sunburst
Sunburst is a type of finish for musical instruments such as electric and acoustic guitars and electric basses. At the center of a sunburst-finished surface is an area of lighter color that darkens gradually towards the edges before hitting a dark rim...
or tobacco burst to all black.