The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Denis on June 01, 2009, 03:31:04 PM
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Found a guy who has a black '80 Gibson Ripper with the original case for $600. Someone talk me out of it. Or into it...
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/ripper097.jpg)
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If I had $600 to spend on a bass and I had a line on that bass it'd already be sold. Go for it! Even if you don't like it you should easily get your money out of it when you flip it. $600 for a nice black Ripper is a great price.
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Buy it, play it and see if you like it. I've never been much of a Ripper advocate here, but they have started growing on me of late. Subtle authority. I have an 81 Ripper just like that (plus three earlier models from 73 and 76), and the 81 Ripper is the one most impeccably built.
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If the cash is to hand, why not...!
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Going to look at it Saturday definitely, maybe earlier if possible. It's been stored for 15 years and comes with the original case.
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Going to look at it Saturday definitely, maybe earlier if possible. It's been stored for 15 years and comes with the original case.
I'd be camping out on his front porch...
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I call dibs if you don't like it...
(or else)
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They're sturdy beasts. Check whether the pups and the varitone works and whether the truss rod adjustment nut looks ok. Other than that, you're set.
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I call dibs if you don't like it...
(or else)
But of course, Badger.
They're sturdy beasts. Check whether the pups and the varitone works and whether the truss rod adjustment nut looks ok. Other than that, you're set.
Will do, Uwe!
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Did you buy it? Tell us!!
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Thats a great deal ! Snap it up.
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I had a black one . It seemed to be made for me . It fit like a glove. The guys I played with thought I was nuts. Had orig case with some purple/blue fur& some buckle wear. I sold it and wish I hadnt.
GO FOR IT ,u can always sell it!
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He got it yesterday and I saw it today. Rather nice and seems to be in great shape. Needs a little neck work but otherwise a lot lighter than mine...
And I got first dibs...
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I hope no serious neck problem.
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Yep, picked it up Saturday. I love it!
I would say it's in pretty darn nice shape for being 29 years old. It's not nearly as heavy (to me) as it looks or as I expected it would be. The neck has a really cool shape too, more rounded than the Cowpoke or T-bird and is very similar to that on my Danelectro. It fits me well.
Personally, I think it's a badass bass and I don't regret spending the $600 it. Came with the original case too! I'll take a few photos and post them tonight or tomorrow. I'm happy!
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Fat-bottomed girls make the rocking world go round!
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:toast: I'm with you there!
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Purely for the sake of scientific accuracy:
The Abstract (http://www.jebruner.com/Queen.htm)
The Rebuttal (http://www.jebruner.com/Queenstatement.htm)
:mrgreen:
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Rebuttals? Assumptions? Tidal lickings? Rarely before have Dave's scientific contributions been more compelling and to the point.
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Rebuttals? Assumptions? Tidal lickings? Rarely before have Dave's scientific contributions been more compelling and to the point.
Nice to see I have this kind of effect on our esteemed Moderators.......... ;D
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Nice to see I have this kind of effect on our esteemed Moderators.......... ;D
Yes Mark, we have all rectified our problems and assimilated. We have seen the error of our ways, crawled out of the deep dark hole of ignorance and no longer make you the butt of tasteless jokes. Can you ever forgive us?
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Hahaha, here's the new Ripper. The previous owner did not rip me a new one.
Nick always has to check out the new basses in the house.
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05039a.jpg)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05040a.jpg)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05041a.jpg)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05042a.jpg)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05045a.jpg)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05048a.jpg)
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That really does look nice for its age. Not mint but very clean. Good deal.
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Thanks, Dave. It's definitely not mint and although I think it was gigged a long time ago, it's been stored for the past 15 years.
I'm still trying to get the hang of photographing these things...
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That one looks very good!!
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Very nice!
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Like mine! Congrats!!! Mine has 80701047 as the serial no, what is yours?
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And please post the pic below at the 'cats & basses' thread!
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Very nice bass!
I had a '74 ebony Ripper myself. Sold it. But every time I see one I still have GAS.
Can you post some soundclips? Somehow I still don't have a clue what a typical Ripper sound is. Even though I had one myself.
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Depending on one's taste a Ripper is either a very natural sounding or nothing to write home about! ;D I used to think the latter, but I've slowly come round. If you prefer a bass sound that jumps at you and goes for your throat, other basses will make you happier.
The bass has authoritative lows, audible mids and gentle, but clear treble and presence, yet it favors none of these frequencies, it is very even sounding. It is not a middish grinder like a Grabber or an attack-happy snapper like a G-3 nor a sub-woofing monster like an EB. With its balanced core sound, it is actually pretty versatile (as it was intended to be) and much is down to what amp you use and how you play. You can get a Ripper to growl (like Mel Schacher and Gene Simmons did), have it just sound nice (like Peter Cetera did), have it clank in Ric mode (like Greg Lake did) or have it warm and fuzzy (like Rick Danko with The Band preferred).
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That's the exact kind of Ripper I've wanted for ages. You did good!
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But you had a Ripper pickguard once before bequeathing it to someone else, I remember! If you had been more patient, it might have grown into a complete one.
Which reminds me: How is that truss rod of that SB 300 doing? Has it repaired itself yet?
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That pickguard went to Aussie Mark. I have a plank of an Ibanez Ripper (which had a tort guard and two rusted green mudbuckers) awaiting rehab though. The maple is discolored in a few areas on the neck so I'm not sure what to do with it.
As for the SB400, with a slightly lighter set of strings the neck settled down and, satisfied with the action, I moved on to other things. I still don't know whether the truss rod is actually broken or only that it can't be adjusted any tighter (two washers already having been installed). I'll eventually get around to painting and customizing the bass (new bridge, but the pickups stay; I like how they sound), but the EB3L gets the Les Paul treatment first (pickups and bridge off eBay a few years ago, along with a cool headstock overlay off eBay even longer ago). I'm thinking the Warwick bridge might not work though. On a short scale it'd fit, of course, but on the long scale I don't know that there would be any room left for the tail piece at the end of the body. If not, I'll get a the chrome Hipshot 3 point replacement.
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Didn't that pickguard go to Steve Barr first and then he sold the thus refurbished Ripper to Aussie Mark? I seem to remember that vividly.
Speaking of Steve (and not wishing to turn this into a Dudepit thread), what's he doing now?
Could also be the trussrod anchoring on your SB by the sound of the symptoms. I had an SG-Z like that, the wood was so soft, the anchoring would eat its way through the neck as you added washer after washer. Had to have the board taken off and a biflex rod installed eventually, heck of a repair that was, especially as the trussrod channel had hardly a curve angle (which probably caused the problem with the torn out anchor in the first place).
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Speaking of Steve (and not wishing to turn this into a Dudepit thread), what's he doing now?
That is a question I always wanted to make.
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Didn't that pickguard go to Steve Barr first and then he sold the thus refurbished Ripper to Aussie Mark? I seem to remember that vividly.
I think you're right. That does sound familiar... My brain is filled with so much useless information that there's no room in there for actual memories or helpful knowledge.
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Aussie Mark is a member here if you want to PM him, just don't ask him about anything that involves Steve Barr. IIRC he sold many of his basses including his Gibsons when he moved back to Oz.
There are certain subjects we should just let rest to avoid controversy, and Steve is one of them.
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Denis- you cleaned up on that Ripper! Awesome score.
Black has always been my favorite color on those... 8)
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Great score on a nice bass! I had a black one years ago that I sold to Shadowcastaz.
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I knew we had some dealings in the past. Great memory. That bass was awesome . I am a sizeable person , to say it in a polite way.( I guess) It felt right and looked right. I liked the sound with the TI flats.
I had to thin the herd.Which reminds me, I need to thin again . This unemployment is gettin old and gettin thin,(GULP)
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Congratulations! Good deal 8)
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Like mine! Congrats!!! Mine has 80701047 as the serial no, what is yours?
Mine is 80161043.
Thanks for the kind remarks all! I've been playing around with the selector switch and combining it with the pickup adjustments, the ole Ripper sure can put out many different sounds and tones. I'm really looking forward to experimenting with it more and seeing what I get out of it.
Honestly, the Ripper is one of the only basses or guitars I like in all black.
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Cool! January 16, 1981 Kalamazoo made bass. Like Uwe, I like the later dated Rippers although I really did love my old '73.
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I have a 73/74 early Ripper too. If truth be told, I like that even better than my 1981, but that is not down to overall quality but certain characteristics such as maple board (which adds attack to the Ripper's otherwise docile nature) and a Daniel/Doombass inspired mod (one pos of the varitone now features the neck pup in solo mode, something not available on a stock Ripper).
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Cool! January 16, 1981 Kalamazoo made bass. Like Uwe, I like the later dated Rippers although I really did love my old '73.
Hey, that's cool to know! I was wondering if it was made in Kalamazoo, so thanks for looking that up. Were all Rippers were made in Michigan?
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Well mine is a Kalamazoo too as is my 82 G-3 and my 77 G-3. Gibson left Kalamazoo in 1984, by that time Grabbers, Rippers and G-3 had all been deleted from regular production. While you can't rule out that such a thing as a one-off 1985 Ripper exists due to some celeb request, I think it's unlikely. Concentrating on Nashville, after all, fell pretty much together with Gibson returning to using mahagony as their chief guitar and bass wood again and the all-maple Ripper didn't fit that bill.
Speaking of which: Does anybody here actually own an alder body fretted Ripper? I have a 1976 alder bodied fretless Ripper and compared to its (earlier and later) all maple siblings it does not have the same depth of fundamentals, but it's always hard to compare a fretless to fretted instruments. It's a lot lighter too.
Uwe
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I have an alder bodied '75 Ripper. I just don't have a maple bodied one to compare it to.
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Speaking of which: Does anybody here actually own an alder body fretted Ripper? I have a 1976 alder bodied fretless Ripper and compared to its (earlier and later) all maple siblings it does not have the same depth of fundamentals, but it's always hard to compare a fretless to fretted instruments. It's a lot lighter too.
Uwe
Alder Rippers were made from '75 till '76. Is that also the case with G3 basses?
I have a '76 black G3. Is that alder? and can black G3's also be maple with black finish?
My '76 G3 is a lot lighter than the '78 maple one that I have owned, that one was really (too) heavy. There was some sound difference but not that much.
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my ebony '76 is alder.
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This is a cool website with a lot of neat information about Gibsons. I'm sure some of you have seen it though. It's been helpful to me to learn about some of these things.
http://www.flyguitars.com/
I took the Ripper over to Harry's last night and he adjusted the nut (it was hanging off the fretboard by 1/16" inch at the e string). To compensate someone had set the adjuster outside the bridge on the g string, so he fixed all that. No neck adjustment needed. The flat frets fascinated him. He loved it!
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I think we all know about that website. It is super.
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Yes, Jules, the mastermind of that site, is a member here. Of course his site has the most glaring omissions such as the legendary 20/20 ...
Re alder/maho. I would assume that the alder years for Rippers, Grabbers and G-3s correspond. I have two alder Grabbers and one alder Ripper and they are from 1974/5 (1x) and from 1976 (2x). I always wondered what a maple body Grabber would sound like (my new Grabber II is all maple, but with its set neck, ebony board and different pup hardly a comparison to an old maple Grabber). I still will have to get one these days - I could hit myself for not pulling the trigger on a nice black early eighties Ripper with an ebony board which was on ebay years ago. Never saw another one, sigh! Those last G-3s and Grabbers that already fell into the Victory era all had ebony boards.
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Oooops, I meant to say "early eighties Grabber with an ebony board" of course - can't modify posts via Blackberry!
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Yes, Jules, the mastermind of that site, is a member here. Of course his site has the most glaring omissions such as the legendary 20/20 ...
You and all the other 20/20 owners worldwide ought to have a convention. I'm sure you can find a small elevator somewhere that will be big enough to hold all of you. :P
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Yes, Jules, the mastermind of that site, is a member here. Of course his site has the most glaring omissions such as the legendary 20/20 ...
Hahaha, yeah, I guess I should have known. It is a great site and well done.
What is a 20/20? I couldn't find a photo of one.
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The 20/20 was designed by Ned Steinberger and looks very much like an 80s Steinberger. Not what you expect a Gibson to look like.
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I hear the masses clanoring for a pic ...
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I hear the masses clanoring for a pic ...
If my "masses" you mean me, and if by "clamoring" you mean "intensely desiring" then I would have to say, yeah I'd like to see a pic!
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There's a 20/20 ad up on eBay now, here (http://cgi.ebay.com/1987-Gibson-20%2f20-Bass-Guitar-Ad_W0QQitemZ270392007756QQcmdZViewItem).
One look at it and you won't be clamoring anymore. :)
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How ugly you can be, Dave!
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Get that red beauty down from her windowsill, Herr Bass-Meister... ;D
After Tony's (Tubehead) treat I only need another 95% and I can have one too... YEAAAAAHHHHHH (add Fozzie Bear type sound here)
Serious question here, Uwe... how many were made and what do they go for these days...?
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How ugly you can be, Dave!
Not as ugly as that 20/20!
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I'm currently in London and can't post pics via Blackberry.
How many were built? A few hundred according to one (unverified) source, but you really see them too seldom for that. Unless they have all ended up with Ned Steinberger fans, which is a pet theory of mine. Because paddle bass enthusiasts (yes they do exist) actually know and appreciate that bass, which balances well though it has a chunker of a neck (adding tone) and also innovative details like a nut that can raised and lowered via allen screws for optimal action around the first fret. How many other basses had that back in 1988?
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There's a 20/20 ad up on eBay now, here (http://cgi.ebay.com/1987-Gibson-20%2f20-Bass-Guitar-Ad_W0QQitemZ270392007756QQcmdZViewItem).
One look at it and you won't be clamoring anymore. :)
Somehow I think Devo could have made use of that bass.
I can't get me no, Satisfaction
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innovative details like a nut that can raised and lowered via allen screws for optimal action around the first fret. How many other basses had that back in 1988?
Now that sounds like a good idea.
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A lot of paddle basses feel like toys to me and don't hang well, buoying (spelling?) around aimlessly. Not the 20/20 though. It is not as light as you might think, szays anchored and has a its modernistic look belying fleshy neck. Once you play it standing up, you forget that it is a paddle. That said, the sound hasn't aged very well. Akin to an RD Artist it has lots of low fundamentals and gleaing highs and presence, yet nothing in between. But you will get heard with that "clank-a-woof" sound.
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I played Uwe's 20/20 (*) and I quite liked the sound!
(*) It is still strange Holland won from England last week in a game of a new sort of cricket called 20/20.... The guy inventing the game must have had a 20/20 cricket bat in mind.
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But you will get heard with that "clank-a-woof" sound.
Now that was funny!
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Even if you like the sound, the styling just had limited appeal. I'm surprised that the Steinbergers had as much success as they did, and not at all surprised that it didn't work as a Gibson.
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Would a Thunderbird (or a Ripper) still sound like a Thunderbird if you cut off all the surplus material...? (HERESY...! THROW HIM FROM THE BALUSTRADES... STONE HIM... Oh come now, offer him a nice cup of tea, I'm sure it's just a touch of sunstroke, my dear...)
All a steinberger was was an exercise in minimalism, not saying that I'd want one, and even when I went down the "headless" route in the 80's it was for one with a "body", and not a paddle-clone... there were some interesting sounds made with them...
Never having played a 20/20, nor having had the patience to "play" with a pup from one (though it definitely came in handy!) would I have dumped the actives (as I did with my RD) and try to make one "roar"... it is unlikely that I will ever get the opportunity to own one to find out... some may consider that a blessing... ;)
And just in case anyone was thinking it, no, I have no radical plans to do any "major" alterations to my girls...
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Changing the mass will have an effect. Will it still sound like a TBird? If I owned one, I wouldn't want to be the one to test it.
At least you might have better upper fret access. ;D
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Okay, okay, so the 20/20 is weird looking...
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I bought an old Ripper some years ago. It was a wreck, with P-bass pickup, plus a Jazz at the bridge. That stuff went out, and in went a black T-bird pup. I would say the sound is a lot T-birdish, though with some extra brutality on the top. (I do not know whether it's got something to do with the body, or if it's completely a matter of PU.) The other guys in the band loves it, but as I don't want to spoil them, I've started using my new Bluebird instead. But, and on this you must believe me, they are still completely satisfied! And so am I! Can't it ever go wrong? (Here is some space left out for stories directly from the heart...)
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/DCP_0017.jpg)
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So thats your "weirdwall" Uwe? ;D
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The black RD is hot!
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And it looks good in use as well
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/Musicians/duderd.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/Musicians/dave102.jpg)
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Yes it does! It's a lot larger than I expected.
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I hear that from women all the time. :-X
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The head on your shoulders, right? ;D
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Yes, I think a lot.
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Now I'm having trouble with my head...
Uwe... that's a silver (?) 20/20...
Did I see a red 20/20 in Chris' pics when he visited you, or am I going bananas...? not that you'd ever have more than one of a kind... ;) and you have 3 RD's?
And what is that natural coloured Gibson semi in the foreground...?
... and for that matter, my ("Exiled") Greek comrade... RD = wierd...? :o
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I think that's the only 20/20 he owns.
The natural finish bass in the foreground is his EB-750.
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... and for that matter, my ("Exiled") Greek comrade... RD = wierd...? :o
That was (mostly) for the 20/20 and that strange curvy dark bass on the bottom. RDs are not wierd, not much wierder than a pee bass.
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I've never seen a redish 20/20, only know it from the historic ad Dave has linked to.n Who knows whether they actually ever hit the market that way. Blue Book mentions only one color, but it is often inaccurate. The standard color was the gold/silver of mine.
The curvy strange bass is a an Epi Scroll bass from the late seventies. It was one of the first models with which they started making decent instruments again. Sounds Grabberish.
Uwe
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Nope, only the grey one was at my pictures, but I think you're confused by this one:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k165/chrispdekker/b1bf_1.jpg)
An add to buy this add was/is on eBay for a while and posted here.
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It does look good in red, I have to admit. Not that it would have saved the model from having somewhat less than stellar sales!
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Darth Vader: "This is a horny red 20/20. Try it if you dare, young Skywalker".
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And then the EB-1 says with a growly tone to the beaten 20/20: "I am your father!"
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;D
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I get easily confused... I just call it "tangential thinking..."
Uwe... ta for the info but the one I was curious about was the Gibson standing upright next to the red "diamond"...?
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Ken, I found an EB-750 for you, and it's in the UK: Sunburst EB-750 (http://www.andysguitarnet.com/component/option,com_adsmanager/page,show_ad/adid,116/catid,8/Itemid,1/)
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Ta for that, Dave... EB750... used to drool at a variety of instruments in Andy's back in the day... they did the final finishing on my RD when she went permanantly fretless... they have a couple of interesting bass's on line - there's a blond 1959 EB2 up for $12,427 :o :o :o I'd be interested in a '59, just for the same vintage as myself, but no sign of the lottery win... :sad:
At the present exchange rate here that EB750 comes in at $6213.38 ... I might be able to spare the 38 cents... :sad:
I will probably look out for an EB2/EB3L/Epi T'bird copy, or something similar, once I get some cash together... I live in hope that I can find some decent "junk" to sell on... cutting an extra (tighter) hole in the (financial) belt now we have an overtime ban...
I'm supposed to be stripping my old shed out at the moment... I'm asking for a skinning... :o
I'm getting depressed... :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: ( ;))
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Oh, wow, Dave, where did you dig that one up? First sunburst EB-750 I've seen in my life! Only a small fraction of the seventy or so EB-750ies built had that fin. :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
Here's another shot of mine, right beside its big sis:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/DCP_2187.jpg)
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too bad you don't collect for fins, Uwe. ;) that sunburst EB-750 would look very nice sandwiched by those blondes, no?
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Do not tempt me! I must abstain from sin.
Truth of the matter is that the EB-750 is the bass that was almost great. If they had done away with the sustain block and given it some natural passive electronics with perhaps just a piezo in addition, then Gibson might habe been really on to something.
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Do not tempt me! I must abstain from sin.
Truth of the matter is that the EB-750 is the bass that was almost great. If they had done away with the sustain block and given it some natural passive electronics with perhaps just a piezo in addition, then Gibson might habe been really on to something.
To quote Maxwell Smart "missed it by that much" ;D
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I always find those tear shaped burst fins ugly.
To me it looks like the guy with the spray gun was to lazy or insecure to follow the shape of the guitar.
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I love those on LP Jrs and Ripper/Grabbers!
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I just found it while looking for a better pic of an EB-750 to show Ken, since yours was partially hidden in the earlier pic you posted. I wasn't trying to tempt you.
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How you lie! ;D
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How you lie! ;D
:vader: :vader: :vader:
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It looks so much richer in that finish. What the heck Uwe, you only live once. Make them a low ball offer, who knows?
A better investment than that Daimler Chrysler stock.
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No way, one EB-750 is quite enough. I don't do that many lounge jazz gigs to warrant two of them!
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I like them... visually... ta gents...
Nugent's Byrdlands were jazz instruments, but he did alright with them...
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Truth of the matter is that the EB-750 is the bass that was almost great. If they had done away with the sustain block and given it some natural passive electronics with perhaps just a piezo in addition, then Gibson might habe been really on to something.
You do have a mighty fine luthier, Uwe. I'm sure he could whip that sunburst into shape exactly as you describe... :vader: