"It’s full of flexibility so the artist can choose his own personal playing action as well as his personal sound with a patented sliding pickup.” – Gibson catalog, circa 1975Not entirely accurate what they say here. Mike Dirnt played a G3 and Krist Novoselic used Rippers.
The introduction of the original Gibson Grabber bass in 1973 caught the attention of bassists around the world. Its sleek design was matched ever so smoothly by its thick, heavy and well-defined tone, and thousands of players found its versatility very hard to ignore, including the likes of Gene Simmons of KISS, Mike Dirnt of Green Day and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana. The model has been out of the Gibson catalog since 1982, but it is back again — briefly — thanks to the introduction of the Grabber II, now available as part of Gibson USA’s 2009 Limited Run Series guitars. Today’s Grabber II bass stay true to the model’s production years of 1973-75 with its arrow-shaped, Flying V-inspired headstock, bell-shaped truss rod cover and Gibson-designed sliding humbucking pickup, which allows players to slide the pickup between the end of the neck and the bridge and fine-tune the frequency response of the instrument. Its 34½-inch scale length also remains identical, yielding the same low, resonant response as the original model. The large “shamrock” button tuners and chunky, three-point adjustable bridge are back as well, as is the simple one-volume, one-tone control setup. The Grabber II also emulates the original in its use of a thin maple body, as used on the first Grabbers until the change to alder wood in 1975, which contributes to the bass’ excellent tonal clarity and punch. The Limited Run Series Grabber II also utilizes Gibson’s traditional glued-in set maple neck with a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, which enhances the bass’ tonal quality and sustain. The back of the neck also sports a natural satin finish that makes it one of the fastest, most playable necks on any Gibson guitar. All in all, this “rediscovered” Gibson bass offers the heavy, rocking tones of the ’70s in an instrument crafted for 21st century playability. Each new Grabber II comes with its own Limited Series Run customized certificate of authenticity and a black Gibson hardshell case with plush white interior and silkscreened Gibson USA logo.
Very cool, expensive, no mention of the body wood?
BTW, see link above. Since when is the SG Reissue Bass called SG Standard Bass? That means you have to buy that too, Uwe. No other colour, but definately another name:)
BTW, see link above. Since when is the SG Reissue Bass called SG Standard Bass? That means you have to buy that too, Uwe. No other colour, but definately another name:)
Not only is the name changed, it's now $2419 MSRP on Gibson's site, while the Thunderbird MSRPs have dropped to $1799 for the TB IV and $2399 for the Sixx.
I noticed that they also have the Epis shown on the Gibson site, although you can separate out the Gibson USA models.
Hey Uwe, is it me or is the headstock of that SG Standard slightly wider than the SG reissue headstock? ;D
At that price, they should have issued it as "The Reamer" and stashed a tube of Preparation H in the case compartment.
Has anyone tried TB pickups on a Maple bodied bass ?
Just FYI I paid 1799 for my Nikki Sixx Mk.II...........I think any better (non-GC!) dealer is going to get you a way better price than the msrp on this bass, which BTW I really like - hard to belive, it's not a Thunderbird!
Has anyone tried TB pickups on a Maple bodied bass ?
I really wish the pickup slide length had increased. Think what this would be like if it could slide all the way from neck to bridge. Now, that would be something special!
I don't understand. Why would they re-release their cheapest bass ever (maybe not quite) at such a price. I bet they fall around laughing every time they sell one. Maybe it is just so that when they come down to 1.5k they seem reasonable.
and two sliding pickups? ;D
The concept of the black plate where the pickup is mounted on doesn't allow that much travel. If you would want the pickup to slide more towards the ncek you'd have to cut off that plate. Which would leave a gaping route once you'd slide it towards the bridge.
And vice versa.
The pickup could be on rails, and be thin enough not to need a any route. It could sit above the scratchplate and just slide along. Dan Armstrong had something similar prior to the Grabber.And the Matsumoku built Westone "The Rail" bass also employed that idea.
I still think this is a great idea - but just badly executed on the Grabber. And yeah, why not have a wah pedal controller? (ok, maybe that is going too far)Well VOX had a guitar built in the sixties which incorporated built in effects including a wah, which was operated with a palm handle.
Yeah! On a motorized track that could be adjusted on the fly - like the power windows in your car. With stored presets as well. And a coffee maker.
Has anyone tried TB pickups on a Maple bodied bass ?
But those are Bartolinis, probably from a Les Paul DeLuxe, not TB Plus pups which found use on the LP Special in their soap bar and on the LP Standard in their chrome version.
$1749.00 in today dollars isn't obscene for a new instrument
I think its a pretty cool bass, $1749.00 in today dollars isn't obscene for a new instrument, especially since its a set neck construction. That said, used vintage doesn't go for that much so.............
Also since we here tend to follow and enjoy Gibson more so than most we are perhaps a bit biased about old vs. new.
And a USA made one. Try to buy a USA Lakland for that. All that could buy is a new Skyline.
Still, it's a reissue of a lower line bass priced as a premium bass.That is the part that is ironic to me. They re-issue the Ripper as a budget Epi which was the top of the line Gibson in the G-3 series, then re-issue the budget entry level Grabber at the top of the line bracket Gibson?
Who is making these decisions?
I've found an exclusive video of Gibson's executive decision making team when they first arrived on our planet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_BPcDOjJCc
Would a limited edition Stingray be much cheaper? The Stingray has more lavish electronics, true, but also a cheaper/easier to make bolt-on neck construction.
Could be they had a shelf of LP pickups to unload.Pretty much what I was thinking !
What's next? A G3 with three TB plus Pups? ???
Maybe I should sell the G4 idea to Gibson? :mrgreen:
(http://www.superfloor.net/G4BODY.jpg)
My brethren, I have undeniably sinned - Mark shall administer the necessary and highly deserved lashes at his own discretion please - in withholding this from you: I thought it was an old Ripper refinned, but it might very well be the new model:Picture is the same location as the BFG bass, Gibson must be holding out on us :(
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/000_Grabbernat.jpg)
The regal varitone has returneth. Fall to your knees and repent if you please!
And on closer inspection they might have moved both the two pups and the controls a bit more towards the neck.
What's so much smaller about these tuners?(http://www.bass-guitar-museum.com/uploads/bass/9/250147713362-2.jpg)
HOGAN!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBn0zpORo5c&feature=related
I said it before, I'll say it again, those oversized Tuners spoil the looks here, is it really that hard to get the mini clovers that they put on the original?
(http://perso.wanadoo.es/tallent/gear/pics/sale/BG1625.jpg)
Funny, but they would have to remake those Ripper pups. They must still have the tooling for the covers.
The million dollar question on the Ripper is how much?
I can't imagine a $5,000 Ripper???
:o
I'm positve there are TB Plus pups lurking underneath these covers. It's only make believe ...;D ;D ;D
"use up what we got" has a long tradition at Gibson.That's how we ended up with the NR Thunderbirds !
the reissue Grabber II
http://www.sweetwater.com/guitargallery/bass/all/s004391403/
I think that is just protective plastic foil.
That unfinned neck in combination with a set neck construction is strange. Yet alluring.
Yeah, notice how it looks like the grain is not filled on the body?
Blackbird has by now a nice shiny sweat and grease finish all ove
it looks narrower than an old Grabber/Ripper and with more "carve" almost more SG-ish. Uwe, that looks great but i wish they painted the neck too.
hey, Uwe. do you have cases for all those? :o
I have three and Daniel/Doombass has one, no one else bought one here, right?
I wish he did. I think his Grabber sound in the beginning period from Kiss is the best sound he ever had. That is the main reason why I like the Grabber, although I never played one.
(http://www2.gibson.com/getdoc/ef7725e0-5a28-41ee-b3d3-b96e73fc1acb/BAG2SECH1-Finish-Shot.aspx)
Sound? All the bite/middish rasp of a vintage Grabber, but with more low ooomph and a trace more treble. No doubt due to a combination of now set neck, the three point bridge (rather than the flimsy Fender-rip-off of the original Grabber) and the force of the TB Plus pup which is quite versatile irrespective whether it sees traditional use in a TBird as a soapie, in an LP Standard as a guitar-size chromeling, in an SG as a faux-mudbucker or now in the Grabber II as "the slider". That said, I was still surprised how dark the bass sounded when I plugged it in considering it is all maple. It's hard to tell from the thick (handicraft-looking, but still appealing) matte finish whether the wood is really maple - that is what the Gibson site states -, to me the bass sounds more like a maho body with a maple neck would, Fenderbird lovers should be in ecstasy at their first listen (or those people who like the Yamaha Attitude sound). The greater sensitiivity/responsiveness of the sliding TB Plus pup also has the pleasant s(l)ide effect that grabbing the pup (the sliding mechanism is a lot more stable/tighter than on your father's Grabber, you need to apply some real force to move it) for a position change has a much greater influence on the sound. The bass is never muddy, but with the pup in frontal position, it does grab your manhood.
Uwe
Yes, it does. And the three point looks much better than the flimsy Fender-rip-off bridge the originals had.
After your post Uwe I went looking and found this very lovely looking beauty.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YaTFi-Dk22Y/SD2mP-MiaKI/AAAAAAAAAYo/91s4h8pIOqs/s400/04.jpg)
http://picasaweb.google.com/mlody.gniewny/GibsonLPLTD# (http://picasaweb.google.com/mlody.gniewny/GibsonLPLTD#)
I want the media alerted that today in this forum, someone actually said something good about the Epi/Gibby 3-point bridge!
Real men don't have issues adjusting a three point, girls do.
dear Antipodean
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/IMG00005-20100225-1601.jpg)
Those "coffee break sweets" are off my BFG Les Paul (which now has skull knobs). I thought they would bring out the wood character of the satin fin Mon(k)ey even more before your mutual derision tore holes into my heart ... :-\
Vates, I'm sooooooo sorry, I messed up on the origins of the posting, I'm sure you are a fine person with a healthily distanced relationship to mammals delivering wool, I wasn't insinuating anything, I swearn, not even about your ancestors being handpicked by English judges!!!
As for the sheep......... ;)
Aussie and NZ sheep are of more benign, docile nature. They bond easily with their masters. I've heard.
Aussie and NZ sheep are of more benign, docile nature. They bond easily with their masters. I've heard.
hehehehe.... this man has no idea :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
C'mon Kenny thats the saddest looking Merino I've ever seen :P ;D
(SHEARER content)
Perfect timing for another obscure Aussie brand... (I still have a dice with the brand name on all six sides, nothing else...) :mrgreen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yZYMW8GISg
Well ... :bored: how do you like it, Mark? Let those sheep go for once and tell us!
without arousing suspicion from the wife