95ExFactor-bodyfrontThumbnail.jpeg

For sale Kubicki ExFactor

Expired
$1,500.00
Strings
4
Status
This ad has expired.

Details

95ExFactor-bodyfrontThumbnail.jpeg Now for sale on eBay with active bidding so consider this thread closed.

Didn't think I'd find myself doing this, but I'm putting one of my all time favorite basses up for sale. At this point I can't justify having a relatively high dollar bass, so this one is on the block.

Here's a 1995 Kubicki ExFactor built by Phil Kubicki himself, not the Fender Custom Shop version. It features the most stable and comfortable 32" scale neck I've ever played and has a really cool drop tuning mechanism. No detuning and transposing, just an extra 2 lower frets on the E string with the flip of a lever.

The medium scale gives you the feel and response of a full scale neck with the easy playability of a short scale. It has a super versatile 18 volt preamp with stacked volume and balance controls, stacked bass and treble boost and 6 position rotary switch providing 2 active and 3 passive modes and standby mute mode, humbucking pickups, fully shielded control cavity.

It's in great shape for a 19 year old bass, but it's a player's bass with honest playing wear. The frets are in really good condition and the neck finish is great. There are some stable hairline cracks in the ebony fingerboard at the body end that are too fine to really capture with a camera and don't really affect anything, but I wanted to point out that they're there. The finish on the body is in overall very good condition, but there is some finger wear just below the pickups that could probably be buffed out, a finish crack that runs between the pickups under the E string and another small one between the bridge pickup and the bridge. There's a scuff on the lower edge of the body and a small hole from where the previous owner added a strap button at the end just below the output jack. There is also typical superficial playing wear on the pickups that can be seen in the photos.

It weighs just under 10 pounds, but with the excellent balance it feels much lighter. The weight is centered in the body so there is absolutely no neck dive. The ExFactor basses were designed with player ergonomics in mind and you'd be hard pressed to find a more comfortable instrument.

All of the blemishes are strictly cosmetic and I tend to overstate such things, but I'd rather have the buyer be pleasantly surprised and I've taken them into account in my pricing. Even the Fender Custom Shop versions are going up in price and asking prices are generally over $2000 now. The Phil Kubicki made basses are even more expensive, so this one is an unusually good deal.

I'm asking $1500 shipped within the continental US. Sorry, but after several bad experiences I no longer ship internationally. I'd prefer payment by USPS Money Order, but Paypal is acceptable too. I'm open to trades for other 4 string basses + cash, especially medium or short scale basses, but I would need to have at least $500 cash coming my way to pay for other expenses.

It comes with the "owner's manual" which is really just a few Xeroxed pages explaining the control functions and basic adjustments and maintenance. It will ship in a rectangular plastic Fender hard shell case that is worn and the handle is kinda funky, but the case is fully functional and provides excellent protection. I'm obsessive about careful packing it will be shipped in an oversize box with plenty of padding.

I love the balance and playability of this bass, but it just doesn't have the sound I'm looking for now and I can't afford to have money tied up in a bass that isn't getting much playing time. This bass nails the modern sound perfectly, but I've turned into an old-school passive P bass fan, and that's not what the Ex Factor does best.

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Comments

Jul 30, 2010
613
2
39
These have never been for me as far as looks but they are definitely some great sounding basses! I have a buddy who has one and it will have to be pried out of his dead hands! He is a phenomenal player anyway but I have never been a fan of his tone until he started playing his kubicki! And that's thru his crappy amp! I will say that the red definitely makes the "different" look of these basses more appealing, to me anyway!

And besides, if it was good enough for Stu it should be good enough for ANYONE!
 
Feb 3, 2014
366
685
The Kubicki was the only bass I ever regretted selling.
Bills suck.
GLWTS
 

ric426

In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
Supporting Member
Mar 27, 2002
1,503
1,832
Southeast Michigan
I will say that the red definitely makes the "different" look of these basses more appealing,

I wish I had a better camera to capture the shade of red more accurately. It's a really nice crimson red, closest to the color in the shot of the full front view. I guess it's close to a Fender Dakota Red, but I'd have to see them side by side to say for sure. In any case, it's definitely my favorite red finish of any bass I've seen.

The Kubicki was the only bass I ever regretted selling.
Bills suck.
GLWTS

I know I'm gonna miss this one when it's gone too. I wish I could afford to keep it, but forced retirement doesn't allow for keeping fancy basses if I'm not making money with them.
 

73jbass

Supporting Member
Apr 17, 2004
6,045
1,105
65
Ellenwood,Ga.
Phil told me years ago the he built all the Kubicki basses. He just put their 9v preamp in it,and stamped the back of the headstock. Any interest in a fretless 5 string Bongo?
 

ric426

In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
Supporting Member
Mar 27, 2002
1,503
1,832
Southeast Michigan
Phil told me years ago the he built all the Kubicki basses. He just put their 9v preamp in it,and stamped the back of the headstock. Any interest in a fretless 5 string Bongo?

Thanks for the offer, but I wouldn't have much use for a fretless 5.

The quality of the FCS vs. non-FCS ExFactors has been debated for years. Some say the necks weren't as stable and the hardware wasn't the same quality on the FCS basses. I know that the 9v preamp used in most of the FCS basses has a 5 position switch vs. the 6 positions with the 18v, but I don't know what function was eliminated.
 
Mar 17, 2013
134
16
Brooklyn /NY
Thanks for the offer, but I wouldn't have much use for a fretless 5.

The quality of the FCS vs. non-FCS ExFactors has been debated for years. Some say the necks weren't as stable and the hardware wasn't the same quality on the FCS basses. I know that the 9v preamp used in most of the FCS basses has a 5 position switch vs. the 6 positions with the 18v, but I don't know what function was eliminated.

The "non FCS ExFactor" has a 4 position, off, two active positions and one passive. I am assuming all are the same. No question this is a fine sounding bass and easy to play.
 

Afc70

Supporting Member
Feb 2, 2004
1,934
3,344
Northeast Arkansas
Phil told me years ago the he built all the Kubicki basses. He just put their 9v preamp in it,and stamped the back of the headstock. Any interest in a fretless 5 string Bongo?


Phil absolutely did NOT build all the Kubicki basses- fender acquired the rights in 1988 to build them -(the last pre fender Kubicki was serial # 1286 dated 02-89)-therefore the first Fender Kubicki was # 1287
Phil himself resumed making post fender Kubicki Exfactors mid 1991, with serial # 3051- after the licensing deal with fender expired. I spoke personally with Phil about this. He wasn't entirely sure which serial number was fenders last Kubicki tho. Great bass btw!
 
Apr 16, 2009
876
335
killer bass, and a good deal as prices for Kubicki basses have shot up since Phil died last year :(

I had one similar to this, a 93, just a great all-around playing bass. Killer tone too.

to clarify above -

Fender Kubickis : 4 position switch 9v
Pre & Post Fender-era : 6 position switch (2 extra passives) 18v

exceptions are a number of FCS Kubickis that were made with leftover 18v pre's.
 
Mar 12, 2013
8
0
Hi, i have vintage fender pbass serial S9 all original, trade for you Bass, i offers little cash
 
Jan 8, 2013
4
0
Excellent Ex Factor! Excellent price! I bought blue 1274 03 86 in january and now sure I'll never sell it. But I've got one big problem since that happy day. Because now I just NEED a fretless one too! ;)
 

ric426

In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
Supporting Member
Mar 27, 2002
1,503
1,832
Southeast Michigan
I have a nice Gibson Les Paul(4 string) plus cash

I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass. Les Paul basses don't work well for me. With the upper strap button at about the 16th fret the reach to the first couple of frets is too far for me. With long scale basses I try to stick with ones that have it at about the 12th fret. Thanks for the offer though.
 

Afc70

Supporting Member
Feb 2, 2004
1,934
3,344
Northeast Arkansas
I would offer you a very early (first yr) modulus flea (with lane poor pickup)for trade, but it's very "modern" sounding as well. :)
 

ric426

In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
Supporting Member
Mar 27, 2002
1,503
1,832
Southeast Michigan
Yeah, as nice as those are, it's not really what I'm looking for now. Thanks for the offer though.
 

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