Early Rippers bolt-on???

[PhilT]

Just seen this post on the Gibson forums from someone described as "Customer Service Team". I've never seen a reference to a bolt-on Ripper before. Can this be true? (I'm guessing not).

The Ripper model started out under the name "L9-S back in 1973. It had a bolt-on neck in the early years. In 1974, the name L9-S was replaced with the "Ripper" name. From 1975-1982 this model had a glued-in set neck.

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/72292-ripper-owner/page__p__990925#entry990925

[Basvarken]

I don't think so. Never seen any pictures. Nor heard about it.
Uwe has a prototype Ripper which is set neck. That makes it even more unlikely the first Rippers were bolt on.

[uwe]

I've heard that too more than once, but I've never seen one. But my hunch is that it is probably right. My prototype is already set neck, but it wasn't the first one and they made loads of them trying to figure things out. But the bolt-on-version was certainly never a regular series model even in the early days. All catalogs feature the set neck version as did the first advertisements.

We know from Jules that the prototype Victories were set neck so I am not discounting the opposite with the Ripper. They were consciously emulating Fender at the time, the Ripper should do what the TB IV had failed to do 10 years earlier: cut a share from the Jazz Bass market.

Maybe that is how the Grabbers came into existence, they reserved the set neck for the upmarket Ripper and made the Grabbers bolt-ons.

[Dave W]

It's possible though I wouldn't accept their word without seeing a pic. Jules' page on Ripper variations doesn't mention it.

[EvilLordJuju]

Prototype RDs were the bolt-ons - but I know you meant that.

The Victory was initially considered for a set neck, but I don't think a set-neck one was ever built. Dave Kiswineys early custom shop one is bolt-on

It had a bolt-on neck in the early years

Another example of Gibson's customer service not having much of a clue IMHO.

I have seen no evidence that a bolt-on Ripper 'prototype' was ever built. Bill Lawrence may or may not have had a bolt-on 'plank' that he used for electronics devlopment (just like Bob Moog had for the RD Artist), but we would be talking about one instrument never intended for sale, not something available for 'years' as Gibson customer service claim