Kubicki owners,advice.

You've run out of travel but also could look at it as too much string for travel.

So one solution would be to start with a shorter string. Compare the overal length of the one you took off with your new one. Is the old one shorter? Might be a place to start. It's a few years since I have had my Kubicki. I got rid of it as my hair started thinning.

The other thing to do is to unwind the 'wheel' as much as possible before installing the new string. You will see that silver release moving as you unwind the wheel.

Am I making any sense?

 

What are the scale length of the strings?

and just in case you may have over looked something while stringing the Bass up.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=214358&highlight=Kubicki

 

I had the same problem with my Kubicki...I even made a similar thread here (I see Juaqo has kindly provided a link for you)

All I can say is, make sure the string going on is the same length as the one coming off. Also, you may need to wrap more of it round the bridge wheel. When taking it round the wheel, go slow. Pull the wheell a little bit, release the lever. Pull it again, and release.

 

turn the tuning knob ALL the way loose, then use as much pressure as it takes to get the the string wheel to go ONE MORE click toward being tight. I used to use the soft handle of a pair of needle nose pliars I had to push it one farther than my fingers could. Then you'll have plenty of range.

Kubikis are great, but operating them is a labor of love.

 

I emailed Phil about string changing on my bass. He gave me his phone number and said I was welcome to call him. Sadly it was not possible for me, being English, he said he could tell me how to do it in detail...and I can see that costing big $$$.

I would say that Kubicki's are a minor labour of love. Once you figure out the way to operate them, they're easy to use and absolutley brilliant basses!



Here is my Kubicki, a 1989 Fender model from before the cost cutting, it still has the orginal components of the Ex Factor, but it has the custom shop logo on the back of the headstock, serial number 1777. Perfect for those Rush and Stuart Hamm licks!

 

OK bro, here's what you do -

Take the string, cut it within 1-2 lengths of the wheel (if you cut it too short, it won't cinch - I know this for a fact). Loosen the tuner as much as possible. Put the string in the hole on the tuning wheel/gear and then hand tighten, but before you do that do NOT set it on the bridge saddle. Tighten the string as far as you can by hand pressure, then use a straight screwdriver/needle nose pliers to get one more "click". Then put the string on the saddle and tune normally. I only change my strings about 4 times a year (my sweat isn't too corrosive I guess), but I still get a great sound with this bass. PM me if you have more problems.

 

Right. You have to get the wheel to go one click farther before you start tuning. It is just that simple.

 

Never played the 5, I imagine its quite good. Another interesting thing with factors is that Phil makes 34" scale necks with no D-tuner that will retrofit onto an Ex-Factor with no modifications. If I had known that at the time I might not have sold mine.

 

do i have to post pix of my old stuart hamm kubicki number 1516 06 89 , one of the first FCS, used by stuart hamm on tour with mick jagger and joe satriani in australia...

(prepares to be shot)

 

'fraid so, Heath. I'm afraid so, because that's just how it is, period.

 

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yep - the trick I found with my kubicki is to first cut the string down to the right size (easiest to use the former string as a reference). Then plug it into the wheel, tighten with your hand. Now - When I first got the beast I had the same exact problem you did (Running out of "turning" on the wheels). So what I do is use a flathead screwdriver that is slightly wide (enough to span across both sets of teeth) and use that to get myself one more "click". You should then have plenty of room for dealing with stretch.

What sucks is if one of teh teeth on the wheel breaks - or in my case, wears down enough that it can't hold a load. This tooth will of course be the one holding hte load when you're "in tune". So when I tune up I have to make sure to start with the wheel at a certain offset.

So sad, I don't use my kubicki that much nowadays. I upgraded to an Urge II

 

Not sure if I'd call it an uprgrade Jeff, more of a sidestep...I know the Urge basses are cracking things, but I don't like them as much as Kubicki's...