Kubicki club, part 2

[Relsom]

Only thing about a Jazz that is kind of a negative for me is the body size. I'm a smaller dude, and it's kinda big on me. Still, it was my one and only bass for nearly 10 years.

Although I have an Am Series Jazz, I feel the same way about the body size... and have never really liked a VVT setup. That's why I gravitate to the Am Deluxe '97~'04ish. Small body, 22 fret, and active preamp with Vol, Pan, B/T, Mid controls.

 

[JIO]

That is a very helpful tracing @JIO ! I have not tried a Jazz +. Don't make me spend money man.

My main Jazz is a Fender '62 RI, made in Japan around 1997. I assume it would closely follow that black line.

Yes - the black line was traced from my '66 J, so a standard Jazz bass outline. Sorry, not intending to be an enabler! I was just responding to your statement about a potentially "ideal bass". I owned one for a bit and it is a high quality US Fender Jazz bass that sounds like an Ex-Factor - it was top of the line when new.

 

[zuma]

Yes - the black line was traced from my '66 J, so a standard Jazz bass outline. Sorry, not intending to be an enabler! I was just responding to your statement about a potentially "ideal bass". I owned one for a bit and it is a high quality US Fender Jazz bass that sounds like an Ex-Factor - it was top of the line when new.

Believe me, I really want one. I remember you mentioning before, too. If you could turn off the Kubicki preamp somehow, and go totally passive for a stock Jazz sound, that would make it super versatile. That's me and my daydreams at work anyway!

 

[JIO]

Believe me, I really want one. I remember you mentioning before, too. If you could turn off the Kubicki preamp somehow, and go totally passive for a stock Jazz sound, that would make it super versatile. That's me and my daydreams at work anyway!

A passive setting of the Fender/Kubicki pre wouldn't be Jazz bass enough? Isn't the purpose of a passive setting bypassing the active pre?

 

[zuma]

A passive setting of the Fender/Kubicki pre wouldn't be Jazz bass enough? Isn't the purpose of a passive setting bypassing the active pre?

Good question! When I use my Kubicki in passive mode, it still sounds like a Kubicki to me, and that could just be the pickups and "everything else" at play. Perhaps there are passive components that still impart their own flavor whilst in passive mode?

Since you have one, can you tell us if the passive mode in a Jazz + sounds like a Jazz, or a passive Kubicki? You think it would sound quite different with single coils vs humbuckers, in passive mode. A passive Jazz bass sound in passive mode, with the Kubicki tone at the flick of a switch would be amazing. Maybe what I'm thinking of isn't really possible? I'm no electronics whiz.

 

[txhawaii]

There is room for another battery (where the foam is)

View attachment 5243715 View attachment 5243719

I jumped into the pit and read lots about the Jazz Plus and it actually seems to have had mixed reviews with hissy electronics and complaints about the lace sensor pickups. I think I might have seen one or two in the used sections of some guitar shops back in the late 90s. I see yours has SDs?

 

[zuma]

I jumped into the pit and read lots about the Jazz Plus and it actually seems to have had mixed reviews with hissy electronics and complaints about the lace sensor pickups. I think I might have seen one or two in the used sections of some guitar shops back in the late 90s. I see yours has SDs?

@ModuMan and I did a similar dive last night! We also noticed some of the used ones had replacement pickups. He also noticed that there are 5ers!

 

[txhawaii]

@ModuMan and I did a similar dive last night! We also noticed some of the used ones had replacement pickups. He also noticed that there are 5ers!

I saw that too. Rex and the bass had a good write up and Johnny Lee Long is always entertaining. I wonder if that vato knows what caca means. lol

 

[zuma]

 

[Relsom]

I got lucky in that the last 9v preamp I bought was off of Reverb and listed as a Jazz Plus preamp (cheap). If I had to though, I wouldn't think twice about ordering one from Carla. Her and Mike Haney are great to work with. Come to think of it, I may just do that now that I've put that one to use. I like having a spare.

 

[JIO]

I jumped into the pit and read lots about the Jazz Plus and it actually seems to have had mixed reviews with hissy electronics and complaints about the lace sensor pickups. I think I might have seen one or two in the used sections of some guitar shops back in the late 90s. I see yours has SDs?

No, my Jazz+ had its original pu's which were the Lace Sensors. Never had issues with them frankly. It's one of the few basses I've owned that I didn't mod - it sounded really good as-is.

 

[JIO]

Good question! When I use my Kubicki in passive mode, it still sounds like a Kubicki to me, and that could just be the pickups and "everything else" at play. Perhaps there are passive components that still impart their own flavor whilst in passive mode?

Since you have one, can you tell us if the passive mode in a Jazz + sounds like a Jazz, or a passive Kubicki? You think it would sound quite different with single coils vs humbuckers, in passive mode. A passive Jazz bass sound in passive mode, with the Kubicki tone at the flick of a switch would be amazing. Maybe what I'm thinking of isn't really possible? I'm no electronics whiz.

@ModuMan and I did a similar dive last night! We also noticed some of the used ones had replacement pickups. He also noticed that there are 5ers!

I think some players don't like noiseless singles like the lace-sensors. That was the only bass I've owned that had them and from what I recall they sounded really good - no complaints. I use Fender Super 55 split-coil J pu's in an active (Audere) J and they also sound really good. So it might just be the difference between 'noiseless"/split-coil and singles.

Ex-Factors are hum-buckers as far as I know, so yes - they will sound different than a single-coil or split coil J pu in passive mode. It all depends on how finely one splits hairs.

 

[zuma]

All in all @JIO ... I WANT ONE.

 

[Relsom]

I think some players don't like noiseless singles like the lace-sensors. That was the only bass I've owned that had them and from what I recall they sounded really good - no complaints. I use Fender Super 55 split-coil J pu's in an active (Audere) J and they also sound really good. So it might just be the difference between 'noiseless"/split-coil and singles.

Ex-Factors are hum-buckers as far as I know, so yes - they will sound different than a single-coil or split coil J pu in passive mode. It all depends on how finely one splits hairs.

And the '85 ExFactor is different yet.... humbuckers yes, but each pickup has 2 complete sets of coils...1 set to the active circuit, and 1 set to the passive circuit. That's why the Vol/Pan pot is a triple stack on the '85...separate pan pots. The Vol pot is the last thing in line before the jack. The pickups have 3 leads instead of the usual 2.

 

[JIO]

And the '85 ExFactor is different yet.... humbuckers yes, but each pickup has 2 complete sets of coils...1 set to the active circuit, and 1 set to the passive circuit. That's why the Vol/Pan pot is a triple stack on the '85...separate pan pots. The Vol pot is the last thing in line before the jack. The pickups have 3 leads instead of the usual 2.

Did not know that. So only the '85? Do you have pics of that triple stacked pot? My 1st Ex-Factor was an '86 and it had the standard set-up.

 

[JIO]

All in all @JIO ... I WANT ONE.

They come up - and are quality basses.

 

[Relsom]

Did not know that. So only the '85? Do you have pics of that triple stacked pot? My 1st Ex-Factor was an '86 and it had the standard set-up.

All but 1 of the electrolytic capacitors had leaked and the corrosion had leeched into the surrounding circuit traces. I wound up replacing all of the electrolytics and any resistor whose leads showed any signs of being involved. Note the shape of the '85 cavity rout and use of a conventional stereo jack. I've read that some of the early '86 models had this same arrangement.

I acquired the bass a week before cataract surgery and did the repair a few weeks after. Everything had to be done under a magnifier as I've totally lost my ability to see anything in detail up close. The result isn't pretty, but the integrity of the repair is reliable. Liberal use of alcohol (not the drinking kind) and flux remover was needed to clean things up as old solder can be difficult to flow through corrosion and contaminated flux. A few through the board lands had to be carefully drilled to avoid damage to the copper where the old broken off corroded component leads wouldn't budge. I didn't want to create any additional damage by overheating anything. A few jumpers were employed. My goal was to save the original arrangement rather than swap out to a modern 18v or even a 9v board on this one. If things eventually go south, I'll likely source a 9v as a replacement. It's no secret around this forum which one I prefer. Mike has already assured me that the existing 3 wire pickups can be adapted to the modern boards.

 

[zuma]

Wow, that triple stack looks nuts. Thanks for uploading those @Relsom !

 

[JIO]

All but 1 of the electrolytic capacitors had leaked and the corrosion had leeched into the surrounding circuit traces. I wound up replacing all of the electrolytics and any resistor whose leads showed any signs of being involved. Note the shape of the '85 cavity rout and use of a conventional stereo jack. I've read that some of the early '86 models had this same arrangement.

I acquired the bass a week before cataract surgery and did the repair a few weeks after. Everything had to be done under a magnifier as I've totally lost my ability to see anything in detail up close. The result isn't pretty, but the integrity of the repair is reliable. Liberal use of alcohol (not the drinking kind) and flux remover was needed to clean things up as old solder can be difficult to flow through corrosion and contaminated flux. A few through the board lands had to be carefully drilled to avoid damage to the copper where the old broken off corroded component leads wouldn't budge. I didn't want to create any additional damage by overheating anything. A few jumpers were employed. My goal was to save the original arrangement rather than swap out to a modern 18v or even a 9v board on this one. If things eventually go south, I'll likely source a 9v as a replacement. It's no secret around this forum which one I prefer. Mike has already assured me that the existing 3 wire pickups can be adapted to the modern boards.

Thanks for posting - I've seen that control cover with the dog-leg for a standard jack. My May '86 Ex-Factor had the standard set-up.

 

[zuma]

Would these early electronics also be the ones included with the super hot, non-beveled pickups, or did those with the hot pickups use yet another set of electronics?