Kabuki Strength Transformer Bar Review...not a Coop Review

[ncsuLuke]

I'm really curious to see where the price point on this new Prime SSB will be. You would think that Prime would price it somewhat close to their trap bar which would be around $900 or so. While I'm sure their design will be great, I just can't see there being a large demand for this bar at that price. I personally would prefer the TB V4 with the lighter weight and more adjustments, but really tough to say without the Prime being released yet.

At this point I'm honestly just thinking the Titan SSB V2 might be the best use of funds. My interest in the Kabuki, and then the Prime, was because if I was going to get a SSB it would be cool to have one that is adjustable too. Knowing me I'd probably just leave it in one position anyway and since you don't really even like the Kabuki as a yoke that's enough to keep me away. For $230 shipped it seems hard to beat even if I do loathe Titan stuff.

[C123C]

The next thing I really liked about this bar is the portability and how easy it is to move in and out of the rack. It's 45lbs, breaks down easy and can be stored a number of different ways. For the most part, I was never a fan of moving other SSBs in and out of the rack, but I have no issues with this one at all and not having that extra 20lbs is a big deal.

I'm glad you said this. I often feel like a lazy b***h not wanting to move my Crep SSB in and out of the rack. It's not that it's really hard but just that the 20lbs extra makes me not want to do it. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

Great review BTW. Like the follow-up over time too.

[MGM711]

At this point I'm honestly just thinking the Titan SSB V2 might be the best use of funds. My interest in the Kabuki, and then the Prime, was because if I was going to get a SSB it would be cool to have one that is adjustable too. Knowing me I'd probably just leave it in one position anyway and since you don't really even like the Kabuki as a yoke that's enough to keep me away. For $230 shipped it seems hard to beat even if I do loathe Titan stuff.

Yeah, if I was just looking for just an SSB at this point, I think I would likely go that direction as well. I have the SS Yolk and got it new at virtually the same price, so I'm not complaining, but it's really hard to justify this TB if you are just simply looking for a SSB, don't really need all the settings, and can get one for $500 less than the TB.

[MGM711]

I'm glad you said this. I often feel like a lazy b***h not wanting to move my Crep SSB in and out of the rack. It's not that it's really hard but just that the 20lbs extra makes me not want to do it. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

Great review BTW. Like the follow-up over time too.

I can't tell you how many times I see pics of peoples garages and see the SSB permanently inside a rack, and it's something almost nobody ever factors in when buying one of these bars. I have used this bar at least twice a week for just about 3 months, and I've taken in and out of the rack every single time, it's very easy to move, I probably needed to highlight that point as an even bigger positive as I really do appreciate that aspect of the bar.

[Stinkape]

Hopefully Prime is priced competitively with the TB but I do find it strange that the Prime Trap bar is $775 but a more complex Prime adjustable bench is only $675
Prime still has not released info on the bar or a launch date, or pre-order
They were supposed to release info on it in July and as of today still no date to launch anything, but I still bet you could get the Prime SSB faster than the Kabuki V4

[matrix563]

i have a crepinsek and elite fts ssb, a iron mind buffalo bar, and a texas squat bar and 2 2 inch axle bars.

I think the only bar Id like to try is the marrs bar. If I had that I do not think there is another SSB one could possibly need if they had all the other bars I have. What do you think?

Does a marrs bar and my other bars cover all the variations this transformer does, but without any drawbacks?

aside from having to swap out the bar. But if you are taking time to adjust it, its probably quicker to swap out the bar. I am assuming you cannot make adjustments while it is loaded?

I can't tell you how many times I see pics of peoples garages and see the SSB permanently inside a rack, and it's something almost nobody ever factors in when buying one of these bars. I have used this bar at least twice a week for just about 3 months, and I've taken in and out of the rack every single time, it's very easy to move, I probably needed to highlight that point as an even bigger positive as I really do appreciate that aspect of the bar.

well a 3/4 open rack solves the issue of moving a bar around easily . i think any 40 inch to 48 inch full rack would offer more than enough space as well no?

nice review though A+

[Mech6]

I'm glad you said this. I often feel like a lazy b***h not wanting to move my Crep SSB in and out of the rack. It's not that it's really hard but just that the 20lbs extra makes me not want to do it. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

Great review BTW. Like the follow-up over time too.

My giant cambered bar is 75 lbs and it's even worse because of the added size.

[murphyreedus]

well a 3/4 open rack solves the issue of moving a bar around easily . i think any 40 inch to 48 inch full rack would offer more than enough space as well no?

I have a ~42" deep 3/4 rack and my SS Yoke still lives in the rack more often than not. I only need to move it to do pullups.


Obviously all of this just shows that having separate racks for squat and bench is the optimal lazy solution.

[cwcmac]

I'm glad you said this. I often feel like a lazy b***h not wanting to move my Crep SSB in and out of the rack. It's not that it's really hard but just that the 20lbs extra makes me not want to do it. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

Great review BTW. Like the follow-up over time too.

I have hitch pins on my top holes and used that as a support for my EliteFTS SSB. If I had to move it in and out it would have been resold due to lack of use. Pain in the arse.

[MGM711]

My giant cambered bar is 75 lbs and it's even worse because of the added size.

Yep, had one and got rid of it for that very reason, probably the toughest bar to move in and out.

[MGM711]

i have a crepinsek and elite fts ssb, a iron mind buffalo bar, and a texas squat bar and 2 2 inch axle bars.

I think the only bar Id like to try is the marrs bar. If I had that I do not think there is another SSB one could possibly need if they had all the other bars I have. What do you think?

Does a marrs bar and my other bars cover all the variations this transformer does, but without any drawbacks?

aside from having to swap out the bar. But if you are taking time to adjust it, its probably quicker to swap out the bar. I am assuming you cannot make adjustments while it is loaded?




well a 3/4 open rack solves the issue of moving a bar around easily . i think any 40 inch to 48 inch full rack would offer more than enough space as well no?

nice review though A+

I have a Marrs Bar coming, so I will give my thoughts once it arrives. I would say if you have the Buffalo Bar, Crep SSB, and then paired those with a Marrs Bar, you'd basically have a lot of the angles covered. I would say that there isn't any one angle that is necessary to have with the TB outside of if you have shoulder or elbow problems and simply can't get in all those positions with other bars.

[MGM711]

Obviously all of this just shows that having separate racks for squat and bench is the optimal lazy solution.

Yep, no doubt. As I gutted most of my garage and now just have the essentials with a wall mount, things like moving bars into rack spaces becomes way more pronounced. The things you take for granted and how lazy you can become when you have space for bars to just sit, almost permanently. It was easier for me to just buy an extra set of Jcups and leave my SSB on the very top of my rack rather than move it inside and out, so crazy, now I have much more spartan conditions, it feels liberating!

[MGM711]

Hopefully Prime is priced competitively with the TB but I do find it strange that the Prime Trap bar is $775 but a more complex Prime adjustable bench is only $675
Prime still has not released info on the bar or a launch date, or pre-order
They were supposed to release info on it in July and as of today still no date to launch anything, but I still bet you could get the Prime SSB faster than the Kabuki V4

They did say they needed to make a few tweaks before they could announce the release, so maybe that's the reason. They could make all this really interesting if they priced it close to the TB and Marrs Bar.

[Stinkape]

I have a Marrs Bar coming, so I will give my thoughts once it arrives. I would say if you have the Buffalo Bar, Crep SSB, and then paired those with a Marrs Bar, you'd basically have a lot of the angles covered. I would say that there isn't any one angle that is necessary to have with the TB outside of if you have shoulder or elbow problems and simply can't get in all those positions with other bars.

Oh wow you have a Marrs Bar coming, I was looking at buying one but they dont ship to Canada, was also looking at the Titan SSB but no shipping. Kabuki will ship but its about 2 to 3 months for delivery, Prime gets me my stuff in 3 days but not yet available. So I bought a Buffalo bar and its great for squats, shoulder press and bench press. Love it and its easy to move out and store.

[squat802]

Oh wow you have a Marrs Bar coming, I was looking at buying one but they dont ship to Canada, was also looking at the Titan SSB but no shipping. Kabuki will ship but its about 2 to 3 months for delivery, Prime gets me my stuff in 3 days but not yet available. So I bought a Buffalo bar and its great for squats, shoulder press and bench press. Love it and its easy to move out and store.

Just curious which Buffalo bar you bought cuz have been waiting for them to come back into stock or was it one of those Duffalo bar clone's? Thanks

[Stinkape]

StrongArmSport Buffalo Bar, Brandon Campbell reviewed it on his Youtube channel, the one he got is 29mm but the one I received is 32mm
I am able to put it on the rack and load one side at a time without it sliding off like the Titan bar does on the Coop review.

[zoom008]

Oh wow you have a Marrs Bar coming, I was looking at buying one but they dont ship to Canada, was also looking at the Titan SSB but no shipping. Kabuki will ship but its about 2 to 3 months for delivery, Prime gets me my stuff in 3 days but not yet available. So I bought a Buffalo bar and its great for squats, shoulder press and bench press. Love it and its easy to move out and store.

Where in Canada are you? I had mine shipped via a cross border shipping service

[Stinkape]

GTA, I was ripped off by a cross border shipping service in Niagara Falls, so not doing that again!

[zoom008]

GTA, I was ripped off by a cross border shipping service in Niagara Falls, so not doing that again!

i've used crossboarderpickups.ca a bunch of times without any problems. Had Matt at marrs bar ship it without the pallet so shipping charges would be a bit less

[Stinkape]

Ok good to know, will look into them, (I thought you were referring to something else) so does MarrsBar ship to them and they bring it across the boarder?
Also approximately what was the full shipping to your door? If you don't mind me asking,

[glossyMac17]

i've used crossboarderpickups.ca a bunch of times without any problems. Had Matt at marrs bar ship it without the pallet so shipping charges would be a bit less

Just out of curiosity, how was the bar packaged? On the site the shipping cost is expensive because it's delivered on a pallet. When I bought my SSB, and I assume it's the same with most specialty bars, it was wrapped in foam and thick cardboard.

[zoom008]

Ok good to know, will look into them, (I thought you were referring to something else) so does MarrsBar ship to them and they bring it across the boarder?
Also approximately what was the full shipping to your door? If you don't mind me asking,

They have a location that the item gets shipped to then they bring it over the border to their warehouse where you go pick it up. I think the shipping cost was under $100 but I did have to pay taxes on the item.

[zoom008]

Just out of curiosity, how was the bar packaged? On the site the shipping cost is expensive because it's delivered on a pallet. When I bought my SSB, and I assume it's the same with most specialty bars, it was wrapped in foam and thick cardboard.

It was packaged with cardboard and plastic wrap. It wasn't packaged as good as Mech wraps his stuff but it arrived undamaged

[caravanbrah]

Off topic but does anyone have any experience with the kabuki shoulderok? Is it worthwhile? I ordered one 6 weeks ago, its still yet to be shipped.

[Stinkape]

I have had one now only for a short period and like it. Is there better and easier ways to warm up the shoulders? Maybe, but It has other benefits for the shoulders supposedly accordingly to Duff.
I have a basement gym with 8 foot ceilings so need to go outside to use it. Takes 2 inch Olympic plates which I like, loads from the top and screw down lock is also from the top down, also like that design. I read a complaint that the weights can come loose and rattle around. I use urethane change weights so they lock in tight and no issue with coming loose.

[Donkosaurus]

I am able to put it on the rack and load one side at a time without it sliding off like the Titan bar does on the Coop review.

I have the Titan Yukon bar. If using traditional JCUPS it slides off. I have no problem with it sliding off of the rogue monolifts, and the titan sandwhich j-cups however. I hate the knurling on this bar greatly though, it might as well be smooth.

[MGM711]

Just used the SS Yolk today which I hadn't used in a good few months, let's just say the SSB experience with the SS Yolk is much better than the TB in SSB position, it's actually not even close. Still like the TB, but still not one of my first choices as a dedicated SSB goes.

Marrs Bar should be coming soon and can't wait to give that an extended trial as well. Getting the bar shipped to me has been a bit of a fiasco, but during this process I learned that Marrs isn't all that involved in the production of the bar itself and really are just a sales group more or less. I've found out who's making the bar, and they're a solid company making bars and such for many other companies. Definitely can't wait to get this bar in my possession next.

[broganoff]

I have had one now only for a short period and like it. Is there better and easier ways to warm up the shoulders? Maybe, but It has other benefits for the shoulders supposedly accordingly to Duff.
I have a basement gym with 8 foot ceilings so need to go outside to use it. Takes 2 inch Olympic plates which I like, loads from the top and screw down lock is also from the top down, also like that design. I read a complaint that the weights can come loose and rattle around. I use urethane change weights so they lock in tight and no issue with coming loose.

Similar boat. 7.5' ceilings in the garage and was wondering how well the curved bars worked for OHP. I'd like to do OHP standing in the rack, if possible.

[Stinkape]

Similar boat. 7.5' ceilings in the garage and was wondering how well the curved bars worked for OHP. I'd like to do OHP standing in the rack, if possible.

Works very well for OHP, I get shoulder pain with a strait bar on OHP but none with this one
I do my OHP seated in a rack

[glossyMac17]

Just used the SS Yolk today which I hadn't used in a good few months, let's just say the SSB experience with the SS Yolk is much better than the TB in SSB position, it's actually not even close. Still like the TB, but still not one of my first choices as a dedicated SSB goes.

Marrs Bar should be coming soon and can't wait to give that an extended trial as well. Getting the bar shipped to me has been a bit of a fiasco, but during this process I learned that Marrs isn't all that involved in the production of the bar itself and really are just a sales group more or less. I've found out who's making the bar, and they're a solid company making bars and such for many other companies. Definitely can't wait to get this bar in my possession next.

Do you mind elaborating on the shipping fiasco? I know Solid Bar Fitness manufacture and ship the bars. On the Marrs website it says delivery will take roughly 7-9 weeks. How long ago did you place your order?