More Ripper prototypes

[slinkp]

I understand from a legacy perspective that these hold some interest, but man alive, that body-shape is a bit of a dog.

I dunno, I kinda like it!

[uwe]

At what production volume does a prototype stop being a prototype? IMHO these have to be considered at least a short run. Odd how we never heard of these until a few years ago, or at least I hadn't.

I'm not aware that these ever really hit the shops (Gibson employees might have sold them off one by one), there were certainly no advertisements for that shape. The first Ripper advertisemnt I know of still had the mudbucker covers, but already the first version of the classic double-cut version as regards the shape.



http://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/adDetails/201

That said and looking at it now ...  , that shape isn't quite the first version of the double-cut version either (more elaborate bevelling than on what later came out) and it doesn't have the large routings yet either, the pg only covers the neck pup, not almost the whole bass as the final versions did.

The Greg Lakes and Peter Ceteras of this world (as the initial name players) already had the (first version) of the classic double-cut shape in the promo pics of the time.







I now understand that white suits and whimpish ballads - "C'est la if you leave me now" -  were de rigueur if you played an early Ripper. 

[Dave W]

I understand from a legacy perspective that these hold some interest, but man alive, that body-shape is a bit of a dog.

I dunno, I kinda like it!

I'm in the bit of a dog camp. The upper portion is much like a Tele, especially the bass side upper bout, grafted onto a big rounded Gibson-style lower body. It doesn't fit. It's good that they changed it.

[westen44]

If I had one and really loved playing it, I might change my mind.  But I'm currently in the dog camp, too. 

[uwe]

In real life, there is something unproportionate and even handicraft about the shape. Approaching Wishbass. 

[Dave W]

In real life, there is something unproportionate and even handicraft about the shape. Approaching Wishbass. 

Here's a Wishbass. Still think so? 

[Basvarken]

Another pre-cursor Ripper has popped up.

https://reverb.com/item/39685447-gibson-l-6-s-bass-prototype-ripper-grabber-1972-sunburst

[Granny Gremlin]

I understand from a legacy perspective that these hold some interest, but man alive, that body-shape is a bit of a dog.

Yeah, that lower horn is, like, well it makes me think the designer had a bit of a complex as well as not much frame of reference.

Well how about that , Ripper pickups under mudbucker covers . Routed for ripper size pups then?

Remember, Ripper pups are just smaller mudbuckers; both are sidewinders with single central magnet and poles.  So it makes total sense; the mkII if you will.... actually considering the very earliest EBs with the single coil sidewinder lets make that mkIII.

[uwe]

That body shape weighs a ton, hence it was ultimately discarded and only the disemboweled Rippers went into production, the outsize cavity hidden by the scratch plate. Not the most elegant solution, but there you have it.

And since the Ripper was intended as a bright sounding bass - another stab for a Gibson Jazz Bass - I'd wager to guess that they wanted to get away from the mudbucker look which after more than a decade of overdriven ooomph was hardly identified by the larger public with a transparent sound.

[Basvarken]

For the weight relief I don't think it makes much of a difference where the routing is done, front or back side. Neither does the upper horn shape make the difference in weight.
They simply selected the wrong slabs of wood to make the body from, if they're so heavy.

[ilan]

The two mudbuckers alone weigh a ton.

[uwe]

It really is heavy. Not just Gibson Victory, Gibson RD or Peavey T-40 heavy, but heavy-heavy. And that prototype body was near solid and huge.

[amptech]

So it makes total sense; the mkII if you will.... actually considering the very earliest EBs with the single coil sidewinder lets make that mkIII.

I see DP references coming... No thread without it

[uwe]

Shall I?

I hold back a lot.

[Pilgrim]

Shall I?

I hold back a lot.

You are the very model of restraint.