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Kubicki club, part 2

#1,781
ajkula66 said:
OK ladies and gentlemen of this classy club, hear me out pretty please...

Ever since I first saw the Ex Factor back in the '80s I wanted one. Sadly enough our paths never crossed.

Until now.

The bass is white, supposedly a '93 with the 18V circuit. Looks good in the pictures. Not much else that I can tell you.

The price is on the steep side, but I could swallow it if I liked the instrument well enough.

The problem is, I don't have the slightest idea what to look for when it comes to possible defects and points of failure.

I'll admit to not reading through the entire thread, or anywhere close to it.

Can someone give me a few bulletpoints in this respect ?

I'll be grateful for any wisdom that you may be willing to share, especially since I'd have to drive ~200 miles one way in order to view it, so I need to be armed with all the knowledge that I can possibly acquire before getting in the car...

No rush, though. I'm likely the only person seriously interested in that bass in the entire country.

Thanks in advance.
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Although it's claimed that the multi laminate neck is super stable, I still need to adjust mine for seasonal changes twice a year. Check that the nut is not seized in either direction. You can have peace of mind that if it looks a little ugly from careless adjustments that Carla can fix you up with just about any part on that bass. Most of the fasteners are cheap. The tuner/bridge frame, big toothed wheels, ratchet springs, saddle blocks, and control knobs will add up into the hundreds before you know it. Make sure the saddles haven't been run down so low that they have eaten into the frame. Points deducted for that bit of ugliness. Make sure a previous owner hasn't tried to force one more click on the wheels with a screwdriver and broke teeth on the wheels. The obvious electronics issues like scratchy pots ...if they can't be excersised or an extremely light spritz of D5 to clear it, you may be looking at a new preamp since the pots are not sold separately. I've only had 1 preamp with leaky caps and corrosion, but that was my '85, and required an extensive overhaul, recap, and circuit board repair. Check the weight. Post FCS ExFactors can be heavy. Don't get caught up in the excitement and forget that. I had a 93 briefly that was almost 11 lbs. Ask before making the trip if that's something you care about.
 
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#1,782
Relsom said:
Although it's claimed that the multi laminate neck is super stable, I still need to adjust mine for seasonal changes twice a year. Check that the nut is not seized in either direction. You can have peace of mind that if it looks a little ugly from careless adjustments that Carla can fix you up with just about any part on that bass. Most of the fasteners are cheap. The tuner/bridge frame, big toothed wheels, ratchet springs, saddle blocks, and control knobs will add up into the hundreds before you know it. Make sure the saddles haven't been run down so low that they have eaten into the frame. Points deducted for that bit of ugliness. Make sure a previous owner hasn't tried to force one more click on the wheels with a screwdriver and broke teeth on the wheels. The obvious electronics issues like scratchy pots ...if they can't be excersised or an extremely light spritz of D5 to clear it, you may be looking at a new preamp since the pots are not sold separately. I've only had 1 preamp with leaky caps and corrosion, but that was my '85, and required an extensive overhaul, recap, and circuit board repair. Check the weight. Post FCS ExFactors can be heavy. Don't get caught up in the excitement and forget that. I had a 93 briefly that was almost 11 lbs. Ask before making the trip if that's something you care about.
Click to expand...

Spot-on. Had an '86 that I sold in the early 90's.

*Neck is stable but not super-stable. 37 multi-lam was intended to provide the desired stiffness while eliminating the dreaded dead spots.

*Neck became a washboard within a couple years requiring leveling / smoothing and a re-fin. It was almost a Kubicki cottage industry and not cheap.

*5 position preamp control...I used one.

*Tip: when installing strings, run the string alongside the saddle, not thru the top groove. Once you've racheted as snugly as possible by hand, lift the string onto the saddle and tune-to-pitch.

*The intonation locking screw is backwards.

Riis
 
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#1,783
Zooberwerx said:
Spot-on. Had an '86 that I sold in the early 90's.

*Neck is stable but not super-stable. 37 multi-lam was intended to provide the desired stiffness while eliminating the dreaded dead spots;

*Neck became a washboard within a couple years requiring leveling / smoothing and a re-fin. It was almost a Kubicki cottage industry and not cheap.

*5 position preamp control...I used one.

*Tip: when installing strings, run the string alongside the saddle, not thru the top groove. Once you've racheted as snugly as possible by hand, lift the string onto the saddle and tune-to-pitch.

*The intonation locking screw is backwards.

Riis
Click to expand...
Yep, more good info. Def get all your ratchet wheel clicks with the string off of the saddle. I use a heavy leather glove to get the last click without killing my thumb. Sometimes I have to repeat the whole thing after the strings have stretched. 9"rule.... cut your strings 9" past the saddle.
 
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#1,784
I suspected that there was a lot to learn here...thank you, @Relsom and @Zooberwerx ! Priceless info !

The problem here is that I'm half way around the world and the very idea of servicing *anything* on an Ex Factor is pretty much out of the question. Sure, I could get my kids who still reside in the States to get the parts if and when needed, but getting these here intact would be a whole different ballgame.

All of the above combined with the price which is astronomical by U.S. standards but not by European ones is likely to make me forget about becoming a member of this club for the time being.

Thanks again.
 
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#1,785
ajkula66 said:
I suspected that there was a lot to learn here...thank you, @Relsom and @Zooberwerx ! Priceless info !

The problem here is that I'm half way around the world and the very idea of servicing *anything* on an Ex Factor is pretty much out of the question. Sure, I could get my kids who still reside in the States to get the parts if and when needed, but getting these here intact would be a whole different ballgame.

All of the above combined with the price which is astronomical by U.S. standards but not by European ones is likely to make me forget about becoming a member of this club for the time being.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...
You could always buy a new one, and you wouldn't have to worry about it having issues. (Disclosure: I am affiliated.)
 
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#1,787
ajkula66 said:
I suspected that there was a lot to learn here...thank you, @Relsom and @Zooberwerx ! Priceless info !

The problem here is that I'm half way around the world and the very idea of servicing *anything* on an Ex Factor is pretty much out of the question. Sure, I could get my kids who still reside in the States to get the parts if and when needed, but getting these here intact would be a whole different ballgame.

All of the above combined with the price which is astronomical by U.S. standards but not by European ones is likely to make me forget about becoming a member of this club for the time being.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...
What's "half way around the world"? I'm a bit of a renegade and only play fivers now so purchasing another Ex Factor is not in the cards. My quest was to find a 5 string which came close in terms of ergonomics and specs (headless, 32" scale, etc.)...I've come pretty durn close x 2.

Riis
 
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#1,791
Relsom said:
Yep, more good info. Def get all your ratchet wheel clicks with the string off of the saddle. I use a heavy leather glove to get the last click without killing my thumb. Sometimes I have to repeat the whole thing after the strings have stretched. 9"rule.... cut your strings 9" past the saddle.
Click to expand...
Confession time - Once I decided to use a flathead screwdriver to get that last click in. Well, that shager slipped right off and gouged the finish next to the bridge leaving a permanent reminder of how not to do it next time! Oh well, wasn't ever going to sell it anyways.
 
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#1,792
factorplayer said:
Confession time - Once I decided to use a flathead screwdriver to get that last click in. Well, that shager slipped right off and gouged the finish next to the bridge leaving a permanent reminder of how not to do it next time! Oh well, wasn't ever going to sell it anyways.
Click to expand...

I was lucky enough to know the owner of my Ex-Factor. He was a close friend and bandmate. I can't remember what he used, but I do remember we were about 16-17 years old (so about 1989) when he actually broke one of the wheels! I thought the bass would be out of commission for ages, while NASA or JPL made new parts for it. So, my buddy took it to the long defunct Nadine's Music in Hollywood, and the repair tech had it in and out in no time. Ha! 😸
 
#1,793
zuma said:
I was lucky enough to know the owner of my Ex-Factor. He was a close friend and bandmate. I can't remember what he used, but I do remember we were about 16-17 years old (so about 1989) when he actually broke one of the wheels! I thought the bass would be out of commission for ages, while NASA or JPL made new parts for it. So, my buddy took it to the long defunct Nadine's Music in Hollywood, and the repair tech had it in and out in no time. Ha! 😸
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Isn't it good to know that Kubickis are re-funct again in Santa Barbara. I like Mike, but to retool again where it originated is cool as hell.
 
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#1,798
Greetings! Well, 40 years after first playing one, I just took possession of S/N 1970, a January 1990 stamped Ex Factor. This one has the 18v, 6-position switch electronics and is in remarkable original condition. I've got some new strings coming from Kubicki (was happy to see that their nickel strings are rebranded DR Pure Blues—my favorite brand/model), and I am looking forward to giving it a deep clean/condition as well as a full setup to my liking.

A question: does anyone have one from that vintage with it's original case? The one that came with my bass looks like the old ubiquitous black hardshell, with white piping and no branding. Is that factory correct?

Thanks!
 
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#1,799
Relsom said:
This was posted about 6 months ago in the Kubicki FB Group page. I think @Jon Scott is the one to elaborate, but this is what I'm referencing... (probably won't work, but here goes...)

Facebook

www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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Good to know (thanks for posting the info link) - I have family in Carpinteria (just south of SB) and will visit their new digs (if up & running) next visit. I missed visiting Phil at his Bond St shop as he just moved back east.
 
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#1,800
paddydaddyo said:
Greetings! Well, 40 years after first playing one, I just took possession of S/N 1970, a January 1990 stamped Ex Factor. This one has the 18v, 6-position switch electronics and is in remarkable original condition. I've got some new strings coming from Kubicki (was happy to see that their nickel strings are rebranded DR Pure Blues—my favorite brand/model), and I am looking forward to giving it a deep clean/condition as well as a full setup to my liking.

A question: does anyone have one from that vintage with it's original case? The one that came with my bass looks like the old ubiquitous black hardshell, with white piping and no branding. Is that factory correct?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
That sounds like the OHSC to me. I have 4 of those from between '85 and '94. They're all pretty much the same.

When my Exfactors leave the house, they go in Carvin (Kiezel now) SC8N Ultimate Soft Cases. It would be hard to imagine a better bag for these basses. They fit perfectly, are very compact, and provide really, really good protection.
 
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