Just saw this over at Talkbass:
https://publish.reddit.com/embed?url=https://www.reddit.com/r/gibson/comments/193cu5z/gibson_grabber_reissue_by_epiphone/
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QuoteGibson Grabber Reissue by Epiphone
I've got some exciting insider news: Epiphone is set to re-issue the iconic Gibson Grabber model bass from the 1970s, which was discontinued in the 1980s. The Epiphone Grabber bass will be available in a natural finish, and black finish. Unlike the original sliding pickup, this re-issue will sport a non-movable, mounted pickup. All this goodness will be available for a price of $999.99, and is set to be released late 2024.
I don't know wo they are quoting here.
But its too bad it won't feature the sliding pickup, which is the only thing that would make the bass a true Grabber...
Wouldn't that make it a Ripper?
I don't think so. Unless it has two sidewinder humbuckers, a set neck and a rectangular headstock.
there's also an Epiphone G-3 in the works.
Here's a pic of Mike Dirnt with an Epi G-3
(https://www.talkbass.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fwell-seems-like-epiphone-is-finally-listening-to-our-prayers-v0-52fphq84cy3d1.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D364a5265bc38d7a69459a359093c45c41c7b309b&hash=250dd02b2f307e47a04a4b6eca714a4a)
Mike Dirnt, fiftysomething fake punk in a fake punk band.
His only saving grace is that he's not quite as big an asshole as Billie Joe.
Quote from: Dave W on June 03, 2024, 11:50:34 PM
Mike Dirnt, fiftysomething fake punk in a fake punk band.
His only saving grace is that he's not quite as big an asshole as Billie Joe.
I stopped using my Grabber because of him ;D
Too many 'so you're a Greenday fan..' comments.
Was there ever an Epi G-3? Not aware of that. Only a single pup Grabber (which sounded like grab crap) and a p/j pups Ripper (which sounded good, but not really like a Ripper).
At 1.000 bucks, that new Epi Grabber is gonna be three times as expensive as the original Grabbers which were budget-priced/entry level basses by Gibson. And then not even a sliding pup because they can't be bothererd with the extra production cost. Go figure.
That's not a bad price considering $300 dollars in 1973 adjusted for inflation today would be well over $2,000. I'd hate to see what a new Grabber would cost today with a Gibson badge instead.
https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/231129416040008--epiphone-grabber-bass-natural
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024-front.jpg)
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024-head.jpg)
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024-neckplate.jpg)
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024-side.jpg)
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024.jpg)
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024-controls.jpg)
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024-body.jpg)
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024-gigbag.jpg)
(https://www.thegibsonbassbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/epiphone-grabber-2024-head-back.jpg)
Is it me, or does the neck/body angle seem inverted?
And they changed either the body shape or the pickguard (or both) because the pg does not match the body curve, like it did on the original.
Other than that looks pretty nice.
(But the real charm of a Grabber was of course the sliding pickup...)
Well, let's look at the positives first
1. It's bolt on, as per the originals, so they didn't miss the point (like Gibson did in their "reissues" making it set neck)
2. Although I can't see what bridge is on there, they haven't used a three pointer, again would have missed the point (insert point banging on about the Grabber II)
3. The headstock shape is right, even Gibson couldn't manage that in their "reissues"
4. The truss rod cover is a dead ringer for the original
5. Most of the originals had full size tuners, although the shafts of these ones stick out a bit further, this is technically correct (see picture below)
6. Clear coating the headstock instead of trad black is (mostly) correct - most Grabbers had a plain headstock, but Gibson being Gibson at the time, I'm sure some Grabbers snuck out with black headstocks.
7. Bridge cover! Useless for palm muting, but a nice touch and again, technically correct.
Negatives
1. Fixed pickup - WTF thought that would be a vote winner? Omitting the USP of the bass you are reissuing/paying homage to seems ridiculous to me. I see there's a mini toggle there, either a coil split or perhaps series/parallel. Yes, that probably does more tonally than the sliding pickup ever did, but that's by the by. Other theory - it's a coil select switch, which means the equivalent of moving the pickup about a centimetre. BOO, COP OUT.
2. Pickguard shape/positioning - yeah, it's a bit off at the bottom, should follow the curve of the body's edge more closely.
3. Pickup choice - from the mounting screw layout, looks like some kind of MM humbucker with covered poles to me. If so, point missed here, as the Grabber pickup (even though it looked chonky enough to be a humbucker) was actually a single coil.
4. No thru body stringing.
I am a weird mix of excited and disappointed.
That body/neck angle does look a little suspicious. I noticed that right off.
They
Quote from: Basvarken on June 23, 2024, 03:40:08 AM
And they changed either the body shape or the pickguard (or both) because the pg does not match the body curve, like it did on the original.
The body shape and pickguard shape look unchanged from a 70s Gibson, but the neck pocket is shorter on the Epi and they moved the guard towards where the neck ends now, so now the bottom part of the guard doesn't follow the body contour.
I actually think it looks better this way.
That's it Ilan!
Sharp eye :toast:
The body is still thin but it's ash, not maple. Just like the 70s Ibanez knockoff.
The heel is rounded. Gibson's Grabber had sharp corners there.
Never knew the Grabber pups (also thrown on the 80ies Explorer and the Q-80) were single coil, you live and learn. Never an even decent pup. And RD Standard pups that looked like single coils were stacked humbuckers - strange!
I'm not really impressed by the look. And Grabbers - unlike Rippers - always looked boring in a natural fin. It doesn't really look much different than the first Epi Grabbers of yore.
One other thing: Nearly all Gibson Grabbers (except the very early ones) had a scarfed joint between neck and headstock. Whether you see that as an advantage or a drawback, take your pick, but it allowed a greater neck/headstock angle and nut - ouch! - pressure.
The absence of a sliding pup is self-defeating IMHO, takes away all the fun. Who cares if it made sense or changed the sound much. It's what made a Grabber a Grabber and not a half-assed Precision by Gibson.
Headstock shape and tuner layout is much better than the last Gibson. But overall, not much of interest there for me.
Quote from: uwe on June 23, 2024, 02:03:10 PM
Never knew the Grabber pups (also thrown on the 80ies Explorer and the Q-80) were single coil, you live and learn. Never an even decent pup. And RD Standard pups that looked like single coils were stacked humbuckers - strange!
I knew the sliding Grabber pickup is single coil.
But always thought the Explorer and Q-80 had humbuckers
Quote from: gearHed289 on June 24, 2024, 09:25:34 AM
Headstock shape and tuner layout is much better than the last Gibson. But overall, not much of interest there for me.
Appearances, appearances! Both the Grabber II and the Ripper II were better basses than their originals, with a better, more variable sound. That Grabber II was searing hot and THERE you did hear the sliding pup affect the sound. The best one of the Reissues was however the G3 Tribute.
Quote from: uwe on June 23, 2024, 02:03:10 PM
And RD Standard pups that looked like single coils were stacked humbuckers - strange!
I owned an RD Standard for more than a decade in the previous millennium and was utterly clueless about this fact as well...
Welcome to the club, I didn't know that initially either!
https://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/parts/pickup/RDstandardhumbucker.php
They just sounded great. An RD Standard turned up sounds better than an RD Artist with its active hi-fi pups. Of course, they were trying to emulate Alembic at the time and deliver a capability statement. The Standard was only a budget afterthought.
While the bass overall looks good they pulled a "Gibson " and blew it on the details. Totally missing the point without a sliding pickup, geeze it's a cheap plastic pickup bolted to plastic sliding plate how hard could it have been? Insult to injury is it's a MM style brick, Totally fng pointless
I don't care about contours, the size of tuners, headstock shape, etc, the central aspect of the Grabber was the sliding pup, otherwise the bass was meat & potatos. Just like for a Rev TBird (or Ric) the neck-thru design is key for me. And a neck-thru P-Bass with a singel coil pup and mahogany body and neck can look as much as the real thing as it wants and depict the Fender logo 100% perfect, it wouldn't be a P-Bass for me. A replica need not copy everything slavishly, but it should capture the essence of the original.
What is worth writing home about this new Epi attempt at a Grabber that wasn't there with their (failed) 90ies attempt everybody - even here - seems to have forgotten about?
(https://preview.redd.it/can-anybody-help-identify-my-bass-i-bought-it-for-25-from-a-v0-c3eprmmfmnc91.jpg?width=1186&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da113719f9207f2e05545d09eb4239435f4ce934)
So during our little break I got to test drive one of these before they were released. In short it's a perfectly fine $500 bass but it in no way justifies the absurd $999 map, the MM style brick is a absolute wtf moment and has zero historical basis to associate it with Epiphone/Gibson product. The lack of a sliding pickup makes this bass pointless, instead of calling it the Grabber they should have called it the Disappointment.
Gibson pioneered the one piece maple neck with a scarf joint at the headstock a feature that was introduced on the 70's Grabber and later adopted industry wide yet on this release they abandon it for a three piece neck, totally baffling.
I can't be the only one who was hoping to use one of these as a parts donor for Grabbers in need of new necks I don't know at present if the new necks will fit but I doubt it as there is a small fret board extension at the bass of the neck.
Epiphone rarley misses the mark but this Grabber is a disappointment.
Perhaps the Mike Dirnt sig G3 will be more on the mark for what the traditionalists are hoping for.
Another disappointment was the return of the Victory guitar but no bass. Too bad Epi didn't throw us a bone and put out an Epi Victory.
Yeah they really missed a great opportunity here.
They should never have called it Grabber.
Curtis Novak to the rescue!
He has announced a sliding plate plus routing template to turn the Epiphone Grabber into a proper Grabber.
In his own words: for "converting the Reissue Grabber with lame stationary MusicMan style pickup"
(https://13376708-689899567947305371.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/schermafbeelding-2024-12-11-om-14-24-04_orig.png)
Good for him! The demand won't be high enough for Gibson but he can fill the need.
Quote from: godofthunder on November 07, 2024, 05:30:08 AMSo during our little break I got to test drive one of these before they were released. In short it's a perfectly fine $500 bass but it in no way justifies the absurd $999 map, the MM style brick is a absolute wtf moment and has zero historical basis to associate it with Epiphone/Gibson product. The lack of a sliding pickup makes this bass pointless, instead of calling it the Grabber they should have called it the Disappointment.
Gibson pioneered the one piece maple neck with a scarf joint at the headstock a feature that was introduced on the 70's Grabber and later adopted industry wide yet on this release they abandon it for a three piece neck, totally baffling.
I can't be the only one who was hoping to use one of these as a parts donor for Grabbers in need of new necks I don't know at present if the new necks will fit but I doubt it as there is a small fret board extension at the bass of the neck.
Epiphone rarley misses the mark but this Grabber is a disappointment.
Actually, the very last Grabbers and G-3s that limped out of production in the early 80s (most of them with CAR as a finish) did have a three-piece-neck dropping the scarfed headstock. I always took this as a Victory influence, the bass that was the new horse in the stable then. And the earliest Grabbers didn't have the one-piece-neck with a scarfed and angled back headstock either, they had a Fender type skunk stripe neck with a screw rather than a Gibson style bell nut for truss rod adjustment.