The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: dadagoboi on July 03, 2013, 05:59:30 AM
-
Been looking for a Grabber. I bought this one June 15 but it had some problems so I returned it. Loved the neck, it sounded great but the whole bass was sticky and smelled of cheap car freshener. Plus no case, bridge cover or knob pointers and the saddle screws were all buggered. The store staff at Willie's was very easy to deal with and I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them again, I'd just ask more questions. I did a measured drawing of the body before I sent it back...you never know!
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/willies_zpsbd992ef3.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/willies_zpsbd992ef3.jpg.html)
'Won' this one yesterday (Tuesday) AM, it will be here Friday. Looking forward to the Gibson 'Fender'.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/Encased_zps51018a4d.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/Encased_zps51018a4d.jpg.html)
I like the all natural maple finish and the single pickup as opposed to the G-3 black headstock/3 pickup configuration. Hope it smells and feels better than the first one. I'll post pix, hopefully not requiring smell-o-vision.
-
This is not he first smelly grabber - mine smells really weird too.
Got it from my uncle in '91 , he claimed that their drummer puked in the guitar's case in the early 80's.
I always thought that story was made up, smells more like an old hooker - a fine blend of wet basement,
unwashed panties and cheap perfume.
The case has been washed thoroughly many times after, but it's still a quite funky grabber to this day.
Nice player, though..
Good luck with a fine bass!
-
I've never heard of them smelling odd before. Could be that the finish was slightly decomposing after all these years and off-gassing caused the smell.
-
I've never heard of them smelling odd before. Could be that the finish was slightly decomposing after all these years and off-gassing caused the smell.
I'm guessing nicotine caused the stickiness as well as the smell someone tried to cover up with air freshener. That combined with six saddle screws with broken slots made returning the bass the best option.
-
I´ve smelled a similar ripper too - been thinkin of the finish ageing, or the glue used for the lining..
As for the cover i bought one off ebay by someone who makes a decent nickel repro.
Had a couple of broken saddle screws. At the age of 14, with the Grabber being my first real bass,
I started fingerpicking near the neck quite soon. Keeping your right hand anywhere near the bridge on an
uncovered grabber is lethal! This is the bass they should have named the ripper!
-
Mine just smells a little musty, just old which is cool by me.
-
I have never had a Grabber, G3 or Ripper with a funky smell. I think if the bass smells bad it's how and where it was stored not how it was made. Congrats on the Grabber Carlo! When these first came out I thought them gimmicky, even with Gene Simmons playing one they couldn't convince me that it was the bass for me. These days I think The Grabbers is the best of the lot, simple, ballsy and loud! I have a Black '81 Grabber and a '75 G3 at the moment and have owned various Rippers over the years.
-
I have never had a Grabber, G3 or Ripper with a funky smell. I think if the bass smells bad it's how and where it was stored not how it was made. Congrats on the Grabber Carlo! When these first came out I thought them gimmicky, even with Gene Simmons playing one they couldn't convince me that it was the bass for me. These days I think The Grabbers is the best of the lot, simple, ballsy and loud! I have a Black '81 Grabber and a '75 G3 at the moment and have owned various Rippers over the years.
I remember when they came out, I had absolutely no interest. They were about 20 years too late. In '55 they could have seriously given Fender a run for its money considering Gibson's better name recognition and dealer network. The chunky wide neck feels very similar to a first gen P bass and soundwise it's in the ballpark. Even the sliding pickup would have made sense in those times.
Neck pocket gap was laughable on the one I sent back, imagine it will be the same on the incoming. That is really difficult to understand considering how tight the tolerances have to be on a set neck compared to bolt on.
-
Most neck pockets on the G series I have always found to be pretty tight, especially compared to Fender of the day.
-
Most neck pockets on the G series I have always found to be pretty tight, especially compared to Fender of the day.
Functionally side gap doesn't matter as long as the bolts are tight and there's good contact with the bottom of the pocket. Visually it looks sloppy. Nice to know they fixed it with the G-3.
-
No gaps on the new G-3s! ;D
-
No gaps on the new G-3s! ;D
Ha! Jolly joker.
-
No gaps on the new G-3s! ;D
Just two too many pickups for me. I won't even mention the three point. Oh wait, I did.
-
Ha! Jolly joker.
;D
-
Just two too many pickups for me. I won't even mention the three point. Oh wait, I did.
A vintage G-3 was the first Gibby bass I ever played that I liked. Leave the three point alone! It's better than that abominable Warwick tailpiece.
-
... I won't even mention the three point. Oh wait, I did.
Ah... sarcasm... nearly a forgotten art... ;)
-
I saw Gov't Mule yesterday (opening for Deep Purple, but Warren Haynes joined the headliner on stage for a Smoke on the Water jam too) and the bassist initially played a Grabber II which sounded great with lots of attack and bite as well as just enough clanky snap to be nicely heard without ever being obstrusive. What can I say, but that all changed when he switched to a modern P Bass halfway through the set which compared to the Grabber II sounded obnoxious, less full ... less tone, more clank, all the warmth had gone.
-
the bassist initially played a Grabber II which sounded great with lots of attack and bite as well as just enough clanky snap to be nicely heard without ever being obstrusive.
... how did it smell?
curious ;D
-
It was an open air - any smell must have been diluted quickly! Besides, the new ones don't smell!
-
It was an open air - any smell must have been diluted quickly! Besides, the new ones don't smell!
Which is funny because my new NR came in a HSC which has a real funky smell; a combination synthetic materials and chocolate. Weird.
-
Been too busy with bass #50 to take pix of the second Grabber. Neither it or the OHSC are malodorous. Took a while setting it up and it looks, sounds and plays great. Pix probably by the weekend.
-
Which is funny because my new NR came in a HSC which has a real funky smell; a combination synthetic materials and chocolate. Weird.
The new Explorer bass I had for a couple months had a vanilla smell inside the case. Kinda went with the white fur I guess. ???
-
Here it is after a slight cleanup, minor fret dressing and tuneup. Plays great, weighs 8lbs, sounds xlnt with flats.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/P1040607_zpsa53bc85f.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/P1040607_zpsa53bc85f.jpg.html)
Neck pocket says January '75, divot taken out of it but gap is even on both sides and not too bad. Bass was originally sold by a music store in Winter Park Fl, I got it off EBay out of NC
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/P1040453_zps18553f18.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/P1040453_zps18553f18.jpg.html)
After '75 they used a plate instead of these...things
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/Ferrules_zps9173f2c6.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/Ferrules_zps9173f2c6.jpg.html)
My solution is stainless dress washers, cheap at the local ACE.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/P1040619_zps85f3b0cc.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/P1040619_zps85f3b0cc.jpg.html)
Headstock is clean and decal intact
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/P1040608_zps36f1acb2.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/P1040608_zps36f1acb2.jpg.html)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/P1040616_zps25a4c9b6.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/P1040616_zps25a4c9b6.jpg.html)
Case and bass smell good and no stickiness. I'm really digging this Grabber which still surprises me. Definitely a keeper. I can see gigging it without worrying about breaking or dinging it.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/P1040621_zps043ab925.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/P1040621_zps043ab925.jpg.html)
-
A musical shim!
-
Here's the rest of it, nice to know exactly where the bass came from. They're still in business, 2 locations in Central FL and an Ebay store according to the Google. I wonder if they still use business cards for shims.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/GRABBER/P1040452_zpse0145415.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/GRABBER/P1040452_zpse0145415.jpg.html)
-
That looks like a nice one ! Congrats Carlo!
-
Thanks, Scott!
-
That's really sharp, Carlo!
-
Thanks, Denis! Wasn't something I was interested in at all when they were introduced in '74 but I like the sliding pup concept and all natural maple now.