wintoid

Does this take double ball end strings?  Looks like it might be single, but just wondering what the process is for fitting new strings in that case, as the ball obviously goes at the tuner end.

D'oh, silly me, I've already been in touch with this gentleman via BC.  Thanks so much Cuzzie.

10 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

There is a Steinberger L2 on FB selling groups up in Leeds I think if anyone is interested 

Thanks Cuzzie, I don’t use Facebook unfortunately. What price is it?

Better and better, I was thinking about Bogart lately. Thanks for another interesting post!

5 minutes ago, Chris2112 said:

This is a subject that is of considerable interest to me as I've been fascinated with the old but hi-tech instruments since I was 15 and discovered Stuart Hamm. I've owned and played quite a few of the instruments that are notable in this field. 

When I was 16, I bought a white 1989 Kubicki Ex-Factor (I later also owned a red 1989 model). Both were stamped with the Fender Custom Shop logo on the back of the headstock, though both were 18v models (with the original preamp which was, IIRC, 6 position). There is a lot of misinformation about these basses out there that has persisted for years, so as a quick summary:

Phil Kubicki had never sold his company to Fender. He was an ex-Fender employee, having worked in their R&D department in the 70's (he worked on some very interesting projects for them in the 70's, worth reading up on if you want to know how forward-thinking a seemingly conservative company like Fender could be with their prototypes). At the end of the 80's, he went into a deal with Fender and the 'Fender era' began. There was obviously some crossover between parts as both my old basses (#1777 and #1859) were 18v models. The deal was effectively a distribution deal, as it allowed Kubicki to get their instruments into the Fender dealer network and removed some of the logistical and sales burden from the Kubicki workshop. The preamp was simplified to 9v at one point and IIRC two modes were removed - probably ones that Phil had found were rarely used. The original preamp architecture was reinstated when the Fender era ended in 1994. I personally only ever used the bass in two positions for 95% of the playing I did on them, usually active/flat or active/mid scoop for slap.

Phil had chosen the multi-laminate neck after concluding that graphite was too expensive to work with. There was a brief deal with Moses Graphite to produce carbon fibre replacement necks, though few were made and they were expensive. I saw the other day that there is one for sale on Reverb right now. The profile was really smart, being a round C at the nut that will be familiar to any jazz bass owner, moving to a slightly thicker feel in the middle and transitioning to a flat-backed 'D' at the higher end. It was a really smart, fast neck to play on. 

I could writer chapter and verse on the Kubicki design, suffice to say it remains to me the absolute masterwork of ergnomic design in the bass world. All of the hi-tech solutions and ideas that Phil had were well implemented and well reasoned. The tone is just utterly exceptional to me, completely unique. Nothing else has ever replicated the sound of a Kubicki. They were and are easy instruments to own. Phil himself was always on hand back in the day to offer advice via email or telephone and StewMac.com carried loads of replacement parts including the bridge springs and clips. Today, they are still in production even though Phil himself died a few years ago. 

In my next post, I'll talk about my experience with Status Graphite. 

Thanks Chris, all this is very useful to me.  Looking forward to the Status chapter.

1 hour ago, BassBus said:

If you're talking about the two on Reverb. The bass that's been through Jeff Babicz' hands will be of the highest quality. Whether I'd pay £3100 is another matter. The other one looks OK and he is open to offers so might be worth offering something lower. That would be you choice.

No I meant the one on eBay which is in the UK. Wasn’t sure if linking was appropriate

There seems to be a 5 string XL2 on that auction site at the moment.  Wondering if anyone has any opinions on condition and/or value?

Just now, bnt said:

Guy Pratt has just posted a video about his work with Kirsty McColl, and he's playing a bass discussed in this thread:

 

Ooh, handy, thank you!

Fantastic!

1 minute ago, Happy Jack said:

So @wintoid, are you planning to buy one of each or just see which Wanted ad gets a reply first?

Haha, yeah the latter.  I've been oogling the Bogart basses too.  I'm not in any hurry, so it's just whatever comes up when.  I treated myself to a £6 strap for my Hohner, and that's keeping me entertained for now

2 minutes ago, 40hz said:

Victor has got a fabulous outlook on playing bass and is always an interesting guy to listen to. Sadly I can't stand his actual music 😂

Haha in a nutshell

Woot £9000 discount!

Seems we're in agreement.  The best thing I've seen from him is a clip of him playing Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely with an echo pedal.

I agree with what he says, but I put Victor into the category of amazing players whose music I don't actually enjoy that much.  It's just too clever for me.  There are not many are amazing players whose music I also enjoy.

51 minutes ago, ped said:

Just thought I’d post some pics for no reason. Other than love graphite. Wonderful stuff when used correctly and responsibly. 

Very beautiful!

This is what's niggling away at me:  https://www.bassic.de/kleinanzeigen/phikip-kubicki-exfactor-made-in-usa.10419/

I've seen the Synapse, which I think is wooden.  Also the NS Designs CR4 or 5 could be a possibility, but it's getting bulky for me.

A very good question.  This all started (20+ years ago) with wanting something really compact, and having always wanted a Steinberger.  I'd had a Warwick Thumb NT and frankly hated it.  I have kept my Hohner B2A for decades because it was cheap and compact, but I don't really like it that much.  In some ways the bass I've enjoyed the most was my old Westone (?) Rail.

I'm very much interested in stuff that works and keeps working.  Something like a Precision would appeal on the basis that you can keep those things running forever because you can always change the parts, but the Precision doesn't really sound how I like it.  The Steinberger appeals because if the neck is straight, the neck should stay straight, and if they're still working since the late 80s, they will probably keep working.  The Status appeals because the company is around to help, and is in the UK.  The Kubicki gives me the willies slightly because it's weird and might be hard to keep alive for decades.  I only really want to do this once.  I confess I am seduced by the futuristic looks of Steinberger, Status and Kubicki, and I like headless for that reason.

I do still want it compact, and I really like that sustained sound, which to me seems to come from graphite.  However, the Kubicki is the best sounding bass I've heard, at least based on the various youtube things I've found.

So I guess headless comes first, sustainy pianoish tones comes next, and graphite in third place.  Compact is a nice to have.

On the Kubicki I read that the thing to look at is whether it's 9V or 18V.  There's one available at the moment, pre-fender, but over 2k.  I guess if a nice XL2 came along for under 2k, I'd struggle to resist.

I believe his son still makes them.  I have enquired, but I'm expecting it to be out of my price range.

Do you think how unique the Kubicki is, the parts might be a bit of a problem in the future?  I know the Steinbergers have this issue with the string claws, but it seems like someone has solved that.  I imagine the Kubicki is less common than the Steinberger.

Terrible gas here!  I will only buy one bass, and would hope to keep it for a long time.  I really do love the sound I've heard from the Kubicki, but a nice Steinberger feels like it might be easier to maintain.  Needless to say, I've been rather put off the Status idea due to the reports of various issues. 

Hey Ash, welcome along.  I'm new here myself but the natives are friendly

Just back to the Kubicki for a moment, and showing my ignorance, but it's not a graphite neck is it?  It still seems to have that piano-ish sound I associate with graphite.

Apart from Basschat and eBay, where would people look for a nice XL2 or Kubicki?

I'm definitely being swayed towards a Steinberger, but then I've been down the 80s rabbithole the last few days, and found some videos of people playing the Kubicki Ex Factor, which is a bass I always fancied.  Wow that thing has the best sound I've heard.

But yeah, probably an XL2 if one comes up at a good price.

Yikes!  500 quid, that's ridiculous!