Continuing saga of the Ultramaster

[Jack Hanson]

I recently acquired a basketcase 1948-1951 Ultratone that's in poor condition. The body has been butchered and major components have gone missing:



My usual preference would be to make the instrument as close to original as possible. Since this is not a collectible instrument due to its damage, it produces an opportunity for some customization. The three existing holes for the volume and two tone controls would allow some flexibility.

Since it needs a pickup anyway, which option would you choose?

[Erv Niehaus]

I think I'd use it for a canoe paddle.

[George Piburn]

Interesting --- That Looks Like Particle Board --
I entertained the Eye Deer of using that or MDF and decided against it for the grand possibility that it would do as the photos describe -- Crumble .

GeorgeBoards Manufacturing can make you a custom laser cut Pickguard to cover all of that destruction
that you could hang a Strat Shaped Pickup or any other unit that would Hang.

I could also cut a hole in it for a mounted P90 or what ever.

I also have a variety of New Nuts and Bridges at low cost that would bring it back to playability quickly.

Please take this addition to the thread as constructive Help - Not some Big Sales Pitch.

[Jack Hanson]

I think I'd use it for a canoe paddle.

I had originally considered that option, Erv. But there's just too damn many holes in it! Besides, I left my canoe back in Minnie.

[Jack Hanson]

Please take this addition to the thread as constructive Help - Not some Big Sales Pitch.

I have always found your posts to be constructive and informative, George.

Interesting --- That Looks Like Particle Board --

It sure does appear that way in the photos... wonder why? Perhaps a reflection from the flash?

In any event the body is definitely hardwood, most likely maple. The big chip on the back of the headstock was likely an accident, so it's understandable, if not excusable. The material around the pickup rout appears to have been gouged out with a Phillips screwdriver or similar. Same with the holes behind the bridge. No excuse for that, besides incompetence.

[Erv Niehaus]

It looks like the work of a rabid woodchuck!

[James Phillips]

Could you post a pic of the whole body? ...& wut kind of sound are you going for?
(& you may have carpenter ants 😅)
Thanks!

[Ron Simpson]

Second generation Ultratones had mahogany bodies. I don't know about the first generation white instruments.

[David M Brown]

Other (please explain)

Use whatever pickup you have around...and whatever parts. Fix it up on the cheap and I bet you'll have lots of fun with it.

However if you can use any parts from folks like Georgeboards, it will be all the better

[Erv Niehaus]

I fixed up an old car at one time.
I saved the radiator cap and drove a different car under it.

[Lee D Kaiser]

From pictures I've seen of Gibson Ultratones, you don't have much room to put in two single coils, unless you start cutting up the fret board.

I'd vote for a single coil, wound with a short and fat coil around six rod magnets, like on a Fender Jazzmaster, which is kind of like what the original Ultratone pickup looks like.

[Jack Hanson]

Could you post a pic of the whole body?

Okay James, here you go:

Above are a couple pix of the instrument as received. A previous owner converted this top-of-the-line 7-string Ultratone to a 6-string by installing a chopped down mounting plate, pickup, and bridge from a Gibson Skylark student model (a really crappy-sounding lap steel guitar, in my opinion).

My plan is to return the instrument to its original 7-string configuration. Because of the poor condition of the body, I do not consider it a crime against humanity to patch it up, re-rout the pickup cavity to accommodate a different style of pickup (or pickups), and refinish it.

A 7-string Ultratone finished in Les Paul Gold, Gibson Cherry Red, or Pelham blue, or whatever (insert your color preference here), may be quite appealing.

[Ron Simpson]

Good luck with the restoration. I love to see a great guitar come back to life.

Ron

[James Phillips]

Hey ,that's a great base for a restoration! Look into the Fishman Fluence Classic alnco pup. I use it in two of my laps, and I adore the sound. It requires a 9 volt, but it is a very versatile pickup.

[C. E. Jackson]

Jack, a 7 string restoration sounds great. You can consider using a 7 string A6 tuning. I really like the 7 string A6 tuning.

C. E.

[Michael Maddex]

YES! That looks like a great Head Start. Since you are soliciting opinions, I would go with a P-90 style p'up if available/feasible and the Cherry Red Finish, natch.

Thanks for the photos and good luck with the project. Please keep us all posted.

[Andy DePaule]

If it was mine I's restore as much as possible, but if you have to route to install better pick up theres nothing wrong with that.
I didn't know they had a 7 string in that one. Nice, wonder if they also did them with 8 strings?
I really like that modern design.
Good luck with the project.

[Jack Hanson]

From pictures I've seen of Gibson Ultratones, you don't have much room to put in two single coils, unless you start cutting up the fret board.

I believe that's a correct observation, Lee. I already have a spare Ultratone fret-board that's broken off above the bottom screw hole. I believe it would be possible to cut it back just enough to squeeze two single coils into the space. I'm not crazy about the idea of cutting up that fret-board however, even though it is broken.

Good luck with the restoration. I love to see a great guitar come back to life.

Thanks, Ron. That's the plan -- bring it back to life.

Hey ,that's a great base for a restoration! Look into the Fishman Fluence Classic alnco pup.

I'll check out the Fishman, James. In my last three rehabs I installed Sentell pickups, which all sound wonderful.

Jack, a 7 string restoration sounds great. You can consider using a 7 string A6 tuning.

That's the tuning I had in mind for it, C. E. I like to play A6 with the "E" on top on my 6-string guitars, but miss not having that low "A."

I would go with a P-90 style p'up if available/feasible and the Cherry Red Finish, natch.

I'm leaning in the direction of a P-90, but still haven't ruled out a pair of single-coils. With three factory-routed holes for controls, it would be easy to install volume, tone, and mixer/blend controls, ala Stringmaster.

I've yet to decide whether to slap it back together as is, or do a total refin. I agree that the guitar would look great finished Gibson cherry red, Michael.

I didn't know they had a 7 string in that one. Nice, wonder if they also did them with 8 strings?
I really like that modern design.

I'm a sucker for the postwar Ultratone's design too, Andy. Gibson produced both a 10-string Century, and an 8-string Skylark. Most Gibson consoles and pedal steels were 8-strings.

Thanks to everyone for their interest and encouragement. I'm just finishing my current project, and need to start thinking about how best to proceed on this Ultratone-7. I waver back and forth daily. I'll update the post as the project evolves.

[Andy DePaule]

I knew about the console having 8 strings, but not these other models.
Anyway, it looks like a great project.

[Bill Creller]

Repairing the bad areas in the wood, can maybe be done by routing those out & making new wood pieces for that.

Last one I did was a late 30s Gibson EH- something, 7 string, which fell apart in a wet basement !

[Andy DePaule]

Just my opinion, but 7 String A6th would be fine for me.
I have it on two 8 string guitars and almost never use the 8th string.
This way for 7 string; E C# A F# E C# A high to low and you still keep the E on top.

Well, that my 2¢ worth, but maybe only worth a penny?

[Jack Hanson]

An update on the U-7 "Ultramaster" project. A beautiful new custom-made Gibson-style bridge with special wide string spacing has been procured:



I made a new nut out of aluminum barstock that has the same wide spacing as the 6-string Gibson nuts:


A pair of 7-string Stringmaster-style pickups are currently being fabricated by Sentell Pickups. Updates will follow.

[Larry Carlson]

That's going to be nice when you are done.
As a hobby I buy and restore old lap steels to playing condition.
If they can be put back to what I call "as original as possible" I do that.
If I get a basketcase I let my little brain have it's way and have a bit of fun with it.
With yours I would give my brain the lead.
Excellent bridge and nut by the way.
I really would like to see the finished product.

[Jack Hanson]

If I get a basketcase I let my little brain have it's way and have a bit of fun with it. With yours I would give my brain the lead.
Excellent bridge and nut by the way. I really would like to see the finished product.

That's the plan. The only original Gibson parts will be the body, fretboard, and the control cavity coverplate. It will have a Stringmaster circuit with a pair of 7-string single-coils with volume, tone, and blend controls. The nut took a couple hours with a thin-bladed saw, a mini belt/disk sander, a mill bastard, and a set of nut slotting files. The beautifully polished aluminum bridge is from Forumite Dave Peterson.