PICS BELOW! PRICE DROP: $1,000 with OHSC. Shipping is a flat
$50.
I will ship internationally, but I'll need your full address so I can get a quote.
Up for sale is my beloved custom Kubicki Ex-Factor. I’ve owned this bass for more than 7 years after having bought it on eBay from the original owner. Simply put, this bass is a PLAYER. Period. It’s most definitely used (never mistreated, always carried in the OHSC), but a bass with this caliber of build quality will probably outlast all of us mere humans. It’s 21 years old and it still plays better than any bass I’ve ever played, much less owned. It was designed to accommodate advanced techniques and it shows. If you can’t pull off a lick on this bass, then it can’t be pulled off.
The reason why I’m calling this bass a custom instrument is because I installed 2 EMG 35DC’s (humbuckers, like the originals) and an EMG BTC preamp (18v) in the bass about 4 years ago. In addition to retaining that great Kubicki active growl, the bass now has a much fuller low end and a crisper, sweeter high end. A new set of roundwounds will give you the PERFECT active slap tone. The output has also increased significantly and the electronics are internally grounded producing zero noise or hum. I also moved the jack to the top of the body to allow the use of a non-angled cable with strap locks (Convenience!). It’s basically a less “80’s-ish” version of the classic Kubicki tone with modern updates/refinements.
There are two things that I must mention though. First, this is a Fender Kubicki. If you’re familiar with these basses, then you probably know a little of the history and what I’m talking about. If not, let me assure you that the ONLY difference between a Kubicki Kubicki and a Fender Kubicki that matters is the preamp. I have a friend who owns an all-original pre-Fender Kubicki and both basses play IDENTICALLY as well as one another, although we both agreed that we liked mine a little bit more because the back of the neck was more worn in. Fender designed a new preamp for the bass that some claim didn’t sound as good as the original one, but as I’ve swapped both the pickups and the electronics out, this is no longer an issue. In my opinion, the new pickups and electronics sound better than the factory ones, but that will ultimately be for you to decide.
The second thing that I must mention is that I had to rout the body to install the pickups. Albeit, I did an OK job. There is a chip of paint missing by the neck pickup, but other than that, I was happy with the results. Again, I bought this bass in “worn-in” condition, so this new chip was easily forgettable. This isn’t a bass you’re going to hang on your wall. This is a bass you’ll gig with for 20 years and wonder why it still plays (and sounds) just as well as the first day you got it. Just thought I’d mention it, though.
Also, if you're not an EMG fan, any 3.5 inch soapbar will fit in the pickup cavity. "The playability of a Kubicki with the (insert tonal characteristic) of a set of (insert brand) pickups?!? No way!" Yes way. And the hard/painful-to-watch part is already taken care of.
All that being said, the ONLY reason I’m passing this bass on (it almost feels like I’m passing a torch, haha) is because, not only my personal taste, but also the sound of the bands that I’m currently in have started lending themselves towards a passive tone. I’ve been using my Geddy Lee Jazz (with SD Antiquity II’s, great tone!) as my main bass for about 2 years now and my dear Kubicki is just sitting there (which might seem strange because the Kubicki plays SO much better). Point being: This bass doesn’t need to be sitting in a closet. It needs to be played!!!
Trade-wise, I'm looking for an American Vintage '57 P in White Blonde. Sorry to be so specific, but that's what the money from this bass will be going towards.
Bottom Line: Unbeatable playability, updated electronics, bulletproof construction.
Thanks for looking!!!
