RIPPER Characteristics

[Barklessdog]

I always liked the tone in this clip

[chromium]

That Elvis Costello clip is interesting.  I agree, that's very close to a P-bass (with flats) sound.

I've read in interviews with him that the Ripper was one of his favorite recording basses.  Others being the Precisions and Hoffies, IIRC.  I really enjoyed Wolk's playing.  He always played to the song, and had tone for miles...

I thought of this clip too, but I didn't know with any certainty that the bass in the video equals what's on the recording:



The Ripper could almost double as a bowtie there!  

[jumbodbassman]

tbone was a great pop bassplayer.   He gotgreat gigs.    saw him several times backing up several huge stars at that moment in time. 

[copacetic]

Well could not hold out and had to by all means get back over and plug it in: I had to go with it. Covered all the areas you all mentioned esp. Uwe's comment 'adult'(!) bass. It responded to all the nuances of my particular playing style which actually surprised me. I remember when these came out and I could not get past the design so it held no interest for me then. I do remember when Danko used the Ripper during the later years in the Band and in his solo years for awhile. His was stock. In reference to his replacing P pick ups I think you were referring to his Ampeg. The one I got is a '74 total blond. Because of it's light weight I am thinking it has to be alder, even though my Gibson catalogue from that year states maple body and neck. The Gruhn book states alder was used after '76. In any case quite happy and surprised.Thanks guys for all the opinions, facts, great videos.

[weekend warrior]

Rumour has it.Cetera Hated his ripper.Ive had a couple of them myself.I liked them.Really versitile tone.But they are big a bulky.Probably why Cetera hated his.

[Barklessdog]

JMJ uses one regularly. I remember seeing an interview with Randy Jackson & in the back ground was a Ripper.

Got to say it again- Best neck of any bass I have played.

[uwe]

I didn't like the look of Rippers when they came out either, but today I must say it is one of the few original bass shapes that does not mimic a guitar.

[chromium]

Well could not hold out and had to by all means get back over and plug it in: I had to go with it.

Congrats!  

[nofi]

i did around 60 shows with my blonde 74. every week something broke, needed adjusting or had to be re-soldered. guess my ripper was 'special'.  it was a pain in the ass but the bass was worth the trouble. mine was tweaked to p bass mode and i played  it through a cerwin vega folded horn cab with one 15. that helped a bunch tone wise.

[SKATE RAT]

i love my alder body '76 Ripper though i put '71 Guild "sludgebuckers" in it. it had EMG's when i bought it. eeew. i took them out quick!

[jumbodbassman]

here is a few pics of the ripper i recently received in a trade....   pickups are dead - which i knew.  1 of the 4 coils still alive.  trying to decide if i have them rewired or buy the new reiisue ones..

any thoughts???

[godofthunder]

here is a few pics of the ripper i recently received in a trade....   pickups are dead - which i knew.  1 of the 4 coils still alive.  trying to decide if i have them rewired or buy the new reiisue ones..

any thoughts???

How much are the new ones ? A good rewind might cost $80-125 each. Me personally I'd go the rewind route.

[jumbodbassman]

new ones  are about 160 each.. i am leaning towards the rewind.  maybe add 10% or so to make them a little hotter.  always thought ripper pickups were too weak for a gibson bass.  made them sound like a fender....

[uwe]

"made them sound like a fender ..."

I think that was the point! In the seventies amps were becoming stronger and began to actually amplify a bass without too much distortion, simultaneously music tastes changed towards a cleaner bass signal. The Ripper was a child of its time.

[exiledarchangel]

If you can rewind them (some pups casted in epoxy are tough job for the rewinders out there), do that, you can make them hotter as you said.
But you could always replace them with those guitar size TB pups you can find on ebay and have a raunchier tone.
Sidewinder pickups are clean beasts, even if you wind them hot, you won't get much grit out of them. They have a more "single coil" character.