The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: uwe on August 03, 2009, 04:17:18 AM

Title: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 03, 2009, 04:17:18 AM: The detailed description is now on the Gibson site, Seymour Duncan custom pups and all kinds of fancy coil and pup combinations via the 6 pos varitone, not your father's Ripper then:

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Bass/Gibson-USA/Ripper-Bass.aspx

(http://www2.gibson.com/getdoc/4830b005-7e85-4fab-a573-1a39e9ec5f37/BAR2NACH1-finish-shot-jpg.aspx)
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Basvarken on August 03, 2009, 04:29:50 AM: That six way dial does make sense.
They should've done that with the orginal Ripper too...
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: ramone57 on August 03, 2009, 04:32:10 AM: the new 6 position switch sounds more useful than the original, for sure. somehow the rosewood fingerboard looks a little wrong.
I wonder how many will sell?

$3,608
MSRP as Shown
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: EvilLordJuju on August 03, 2009, 05:34:17 AM: Yeah, I was reading that a couple days back. Certainly looks a lot better than the Grabber 2... I'm keen to try one of these. Not 3K keen, but keen none the less
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 03, 2009, 07:06:04 AM: We all know the street price is going to be different. There is very little reason why the Ripper II should cost a LOT more than what the Grabber II ended up costing. Current MSRP of the Ripper II is only 300 bucks ahead of the Grabber II's MSRP and those sold at a fraction of that price.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Dave W on August 03, 2009, 07:39:40 AM: If only it were made out of multicolor birch plies... :P
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 03, 2009, 07:45:25 AM: That would be the icing on top. Together with a two point Tiltmaster bridge.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: barend on August 03, 2009, 08:06:30 AM: looks nice. But this bass has not much do with original Ripper. The rosewood fingerboard does look strange with the maple body.

The 6-way switch however is more useful than the 4-way switch on the original one. That one has only two usable sounds. But I think this new Ripper will sound good (and maybe better) but it will be a different sound than the old one.

Still curious how it will sound and feel.

What I don't understand is when they make a new version with all these 'improvements' why not put another fully adjustable bridge on it? I don't see the use/advantage for the 3 point (or 2 point bridge for that matter) bridge.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 03, 2009, 11:02:29 AM: Return of the mighty volute, don't you just love it! :mrgreen:

(http://www.gibson.com/Files/USA/Basses/Ripper-Bass/Batched/BAR2NACH1-Features-Headstock-Angle.jpg)
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: ramone57 on August 03, 2009, 11:29:09 AM: a nod to the past, no doubt. some 'traditions' are hard to break away from...
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Dave W on August 03, 2009, 11:30:44 AM: ... or snap off.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Basvarken on August 03, 2009, 11:40:48 AM: Yep, I think the volute was a both clever and aesthetic way of improving the most fragile part of a neck with angled headstock.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 03, 2009, 02:53:18 PM: Warwick does it to this day. Funnily enough, Gibson never did it with that most fragile of necks: the TBird one.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: exiledarchangel on August 04, 2009, 12:31:40 AM: And I thought that volute is some kind of sex toy.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: doombass on August 04, 2009, 12:46:01 AM: Nevertheless I managed to break one:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/doombass/break_2.jpg)
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Basvarken on August 04, 2009, 01:06:48 AM: Did the Viking in you emerge, so that you had to smack someone on the head with it?
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 04, 2009, 03:21:39 AM: I guess Daniel took Grand Funk's "Mean Mistreater" to literally when playing it!
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 04, 2009, 08:04:20 AM: I just noticed: They are no longer string-thru! Those cheats. ;D Gibson faith in the continued production of extra-long scale strings must be very weak.

Another difference is that the body is one-piece, most Rippers were three-piece, though I have a one piece 76 Grabber which speaks for the fact that some one piece body Rippers must also exist.

Just heard from my dealer that he is expecting shipment of one of those and that this will be the first one going to Germany ... guess who'll be the end consumer? Jawohl, ze gravitational force of ze kölleckshün, ze black hole of Gibson basses! :vader: :vader: :vader:
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Dave W on August 04, 2009, 09:48:04 AM: I've heard that volute-era Les Pauls suffered more headstock breaks than earlier ones. I don't see how that could be unless the volute gave owners a false sense of security.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: nofi on August 04, 2009, 10:24:51 AM: i enjoyed my 1974 alot. in fact it was the only bass i had during my playing/paying years. i think i liked it so much because to me it felt much like a ~~FENDERRRRR~~!!!!

CENSÖRED - for the benefit of our younger readers - by UWE ;D
WAR is PEACE FREEDOM is SLAVERY
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 04, 2009, 10:26:18 AM: I always wondered whether volutes make more sense on maple than on maho due to how the fibers grow?

The most pronounced volutes were always on maple necks (with basses at least, but didn't some of the seventies Les Paul guitars have maple necks too?).
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: barend on August 04, 2009, 11:13:54 AM: Hi Uwe,

I am very curious what you think of this bass when you have. I am sure you'll keep us informed.

Can't help to have some GAS for this bass. I just have the hots for Grabber/G3/Ripper shape. Everytime I see one I want it. I don't like too skinnie girls either :) although it looks like the Ripper mark 2 has lost some weight in the bottom (not sure though).
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 04, 2009, 03:49:53 PM: The Grabber II had more bevelling than its ancient prdecessors and hence did nit look as plump though it shared the same size and waistline. Gibson might have repeated the exercise on the Ripper II.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: doombass on August 05, 2009, 12:39:22 AM: Quote from: uwe on August 04, 2009, 03:21:39 AM
I guess Daniel took Grand Funk's "Mean Mistreater" to literally when playing it!

FGood guess since the last two songs I played before the break was when we recorded Grand Funk's Sin's a Good Mans Brother and Paranoid so who knows? Paranoid sinner. Guess that's me then.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 05, 2009, 02:55:11 AM: You should be a perfect fretless player by now, Daniel! Do you still play the Ripper regularly?
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Highlander on August 05, 2009, 04:30:55 PM: Another GFR fan...!

Shoulda used a Jazz for the early stuff... ;)
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: doombass on August 06, 2009, 04:01:58 AM: The Ripper has not seen as much action lately since we headed from 60's/70's rock to later 70's early 80's hard rock. On the subject playing early GFR on a Jazz I built my own Mel-bass out of some parts:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/doombass/bass/Mel-bas.jpg)

After installing a Delano Jazz pup:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/doombass/bass/MelMud.jpg)
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Highlander on August 06, 2009, 11:24:13 AM: Daniel... I've always thought I was on the wrong side of the pond... 8)

One of the primary reasons I've always wanted to get a Jazz but never had the spare readies... :sad:
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: clankenstein on August 07, 2009, 03:21:01 AM: yes that looks like the answer.. now if i could only remember what the question was.......
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Highlander on August 07, 2009, 01:24:51 PM: ;D
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 29, 2009, 10:00:06 AM: Gibson sends me a message: "Grab a Ripper II". Such clever wordsmiths, these marketing people. Grab-a, grabber hey? Works the other was around too: "Rip a Grabber II!" Not sure if they want to send that message though!
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: Dave W on August 29, 2009, 10:05:00 AM: Better than Grabber knobs and twiddle.
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: TBird1958 on August 29, 2009, 10:12:44 AM: Quote from: Dave W on August 29, 2009, 10:05:00 AM
Better than Grabber knobs and twiddle.

Somebody call me?
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: barend on August 30, 2009, 01:03:35 AM: Uwe, when does the Ripper II arrive?
Title: Re: Ripper II
Post by: uwe on August 30, 2009, 02:28:02 AM: The Grabber II was here pretty quick after Gibson had rolled it oit as being available, so I'm guessing within the next 4 weeks?