Kubicki club, part 2

[Tom McClintock]

Which group? I'm on both. I've seen a couple instances of Phill providing either pre stamped necks with older dates, out of sequence. So it wouldn't necessarily surprise me if there were earlier made necks put on later basses.

Tom I wanted to refer you to the Kubicki FB Page. There’s a gentleman with an exotic top that claims to have a ExFactor with a serial number 3 or 4 greater than the “assumed” final one that’s listed on your chart. Definitely an interesting conflict I wanted to make you aware of. I had a brief back and forth with him.

Mark Cassidy’s post in the Kubicki Factor bass closed group. It’s not his bass. The subject comes up in the reply’s.

The post.

I have #3759 12 12 it’s a Spalted Maple. When I was at Mike Haney shop there was one left. It was a Mahogany exotic. That one may the highest number. Just not sure.

Right, so one of the basses that Mike assembled from parts left over from Phil's estate, correct?

Personally, I'm not particularly over obsessed with exact serial numbers, but generated that table to get a better feel for the production volume over the years.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Average retail price seems low - as far as I knew Factors were in the $2,500 range.

Mine, when purchased (directly from Phil, at his Santa Barbara shop) in 1986, was $1,600.00.

 

[JIO]

Mine, when purchased (directly from Phil, at his Santa Barbara shop) in 1986, was $1,600.00.

I was a grand misled... buying an '86 in '93 at roughly 1/2 price was still a bargain.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

I was a grand misled... buying an '86 in '93 at roughly 1/2 price was still a bargain.

You got one in '93 for 800 bucks?!!!

 

[David Sutkin]

Wow - needs a fret-job but would be worth it even if it doesn't have a Kubicki pre at that price

I’m looking for a Kubicki,

You got one in '93 for 800 bucks?!!!

Killing me ... just killing me

 

[JIO]

You got one in '93 for 800 bucks?!!!

I’m looking for a Kubicki,

Killing me ... just killing me

I bought 3 Factors back then, the black '86 which had serious player wear, a sonic blue FCS ('90) from GC/SF, and a black FCS fretless ('90-'91) on eBay - all for about the same price. The 80's was sooo over by the mid-90's and no-one wanted headless basses anymore. Everyone wanted trad/retro then (passive Fender P's etc) - they were 'out of style'. It took years before they started to sell of closer to $2K - (post Phil passing) He had a cult following (including me) but most players had no idea how good these basses were. The other thing that was going on was sellers dissing FCS Factors as inferior when hyping prices for Kubicki Factors. Other than the 9/18v pre difference - there was no difference. I had both and know - I actually preferred the 9v system, so a cheaper FCS Factor was ok with me. You don't see that anymore - any Factor is going for top dollar now. Too bad Phil isn't around to see that finally happening.

 

[ThomasTronics]

Hey guys new to the group. Bought a 1993 Kubicki Ex Factor.
All black with black beauties. Makes my Fenders Jealous.

Got a questions and I've read lots online so far. The guy I bought it off of jammed a wood screw for the strap in the bottom part of the body and lost the original machine screw. I've since gone to all the hardware store in Canada to find a match and I can't find anything. Me think the wood screw changed and damaged the threads.

Would you advise if it's okay to tap a fresh thread on the bridge? I want a nice clean snug fit for the strap, not some jerry rigged crap job.

Help please, would like to keep this thing and give it to my newborn child 30 years from now.

 

[zuma]

There are many smart guys on this thread who will jump in soon, I'm sure! My guess is there is some way of re-tapping to the next size up? Hopefully the hole isn't too large right now.

 

[ThomasTronics]

It's the original tap but the threads are all ruined. I'm thinking #8-32 will do it since i just bought some of those screw and they are too big. But close.

I was reading on here that there's only about 3700 kubickis in existence. Seems like a extremely low number for such a such a good bass.

 

[zuma]

If 8/32 fits through the strap button and, like you say, is a close fit in the button hole, then I say get a tap that size and go for it.

The # seems correct to me if you're combining all the "eras" of production.

 

[ThomasTronics]

Pictures. 1993 October 3200ish serial number.
I feel like the bass has turned me into a better player

 

[saltydude]

Pictures. 1993 October 3200ish serial number.
I feel like the bass has turned me into a better player

Looks nice. My 93 is a bit on the heavy side compared to my earlier ones. I’d actually need to see and examine your bass before offering advice. Good luck.

 

[zuma]

Now that's a Black Beauty!

 

[ThomasTronics]

It's true the bass is a monster. I got that extra fat strap for its weight. Makes me feel like I'm playing both my Jazzes at once.

I tried taking pictures of the strap hole but it's not like you can see the threads or anything. I don't have a high end camera with zoom just my phone camera. It's pretty straight forward. I'm missing the original machine screw for the strap pin. The original owner jammed a wood screw into the hole and the threads are all ruined. I've gone to many hardware stores to see if i could get a matching or a fitting machine screw, can't find anything. I've tried wood screws too but unless I put a 1/64 worth of Teflon tape on it, it's not snug. I also don't subscribe to using wood screws on metal.

My instinct tells me to just tap a new thread as close as possible to the existing hole so I don't have to bore anything new and that will give a nice tight machine screw fit. I'd be removing as little as possible. I don't want nightmares of the strap coming off and my black beauty hitting the floor...

Any idea or thoughts???

I also paid $2800 for the bass which I thought was a steal considering how rare they come up and the fact I was able to meet the guy in my home town and try it out before I bought it.

 

[ModuMan]

Good question... what's worse? Make the wood screw work in the existing (but FUBAR) hole or poke a new machine screw hole in there?

I've found matching machine screws (for when I added straplocks) but if those threads won't work in yours I don't think they would help.

Another option, you wouldn't be the first person to put a new strap pin in the wood section. I'd be leery of putting yet another hole in the bridge.

 

[ThomasTronics]

I'm adverse to putting a new hole anywhere, I'm with you on that. I'd be using the same hole just putting fresh threads.
I think re-threading the existing hole is a best bet, then I can always know which screws to use and it will be easily replaceable. If it fails or something bad happens then I could screw it into the wood but I don't like that idea and would be a last resort.

Def not boring a new hole into the bridge if that's what you meant as another hole in the bridge. That's a hard NO.

I'm going to be doing this after work. I'll keep yous posted.

 

[zuma]

Good Luck!

 

[ThomasTronics]

Update:

Used #8-32 fresh to retread the strap hole on the bridge. It was a tight fit and i could feel the die just lightly re-threading the hole. Almost no metal came out and my machine bit fits perfectly. I know have a perfectly working strap on the bridge.

So happy with the results. Now time to return the tap and die set

 

[zuma]

Great! Now we now the magic size to use should this happen to us -#8/32. Great work!

 

[ThomasTronics]

I've been reading the Kubicki Original Manual that's available online. Correct me if my ears are wrong...
Mine is a 1993.

The tone pot sounds like the upper knob is a bass boost and the lower knob is a treble boost. According to the manual it should be the other way around ?? Saltydude you said yours was a '93.