1981 Phil Kubicki Express
Maker
Philip Kubicki Technology
(American, founded 1978)
Maker
Phil Kubicki
(American, 1943 - 2013)
Date1981
ClassificationsMusic
Description1981 Phil Kubicki Express guitar, serial number 071 additionally signed and dated "Phil Kubicki / 12 - 81'", in natural finish. The short-scale guitar features solid maple construction, a single Seymour Duncan Strat pickup, with a volume and tone knob. In a gig bag.Luthier Phil Kubicki (1943-2013) began his career working for Fender in 1964 - which piqued his interest after touring their Fullerton, California factory. Kubicki was a part of the design team responsible for some of Fender's unique instruments of the late 1960s and 1970s, including the Thinline Telecaster, George Harrison's rosewood Telecaster, and Jimi Hendrix's last Stratocaster. In 1973, Kubicki left Fender and started Philip Kubicki Technology, where he designed and built acoustic and electric instruments. With this company, Kubicki built an acoustic guitar and dulcimer for Joni Mitchell and a baseball bat style guitar for John Fogerty.
From 1981 to 1985 Kubicki produced short-scale travel guitars under the "Arrow" and "Express" model names. Kubicki made a total of 157 of the "Express" and 118 "Arrow" guitars, 275 total guitars. This "Express" guitar was built in December 1981, and was the 71st of 157 made.
In 1983, Kubicki introduced the Factor bass, his best known instrument design. The first production model Factor bass was sold in January 1985, and the instrument quickly gained popularity through its use by John Taylor of Duran Duran during a performance on Saturday Night Live in February of that year. Bassists Stuart Hamm and Vail Johnson (Kenny G) also adopted the Factor, which further increased interest in the instruments. From 1988 to 1991, Kubicki licensed the manufacturing of Factor basses to Fender to increase production due to high demand. After 1991, Kubicki continued building the Factor bass and its variants in-house.
Phil Kubicki passed away in 2013, but Philip Kubicki Technology continues to produce the Factor bass as of 2023.
