Grabber 2 Flying V conversion???

PhilT · January 13, 2009, 03:08:36 PM

Intriguing "collectors item" maybe?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Flying-V-Bass-not-Gibson-or-Fender_W0QQitemZ270329905902QQihZ017QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

EvilLordJuju · January 13, 2009, 05:00:56 PM

The only flying V bass. Damn, Uwe better buy it, and quick.

Dave W · January 13, 2009, 06:41:10 PM

"...as Gibson had never produced such an instrument."

Except for the ones they did. But of course the real Gibson Flying V Basses weren't "stunningly beautiful" like this one.

If this used a real Gibson neck, where's the logo?

uwe · January 14, 2009, 05:58:19 AM

Don't be so tough on him. As hacked up Grabbers/Rippers/G-3s go (what was in that shape that provoked such mass cruelty I cry?), this is one of the better ones. Too bad he did away with the sliding pup though.

I can also forgive him about forgetting about the shortlived and generally rare early eighties short scale Flying V basses of Gibson which were in essence short scale Rippers (with the exception of Tetsu of the Faces/Rod Stewart, no one ever played those things and you'll be hard-pressed in even finding a pic of Tetsu playing one). And this is a long scale after all.

That said, I'm still not interested. The Grabber has lack of ooomph even in original state (and compensates that via blaring mids), with much of the body carved away, that less than bass frequency friendly V shape and the Grabber pup moved way back to the bridge, things can only have gotten worse. No wonder the seller states nowhere that the bass actually sounds good.

Uwe

Barklessdog · January 14, 2009, 06:07:42 AM

I thinks cool as any other Frankenstein project done here.

To make a Gibson project interesting it just needs to keep it's parts in the Gibson family which it does. No harm no foul.

Dave W · January 14, 2009, 08:08:00 AM

I didn't think I was being tough on him. As frankenbass projects go, I see nothing wrong with it except that it's a Flying V.

The self-made certificate of authenticity is unintentionally funny.

lowend1 · January 14, 2009, 09:12:20 AM

Quote from: uwe on January 14, 2009, 05:58:19 AM
I can also forgive him about forgetting about the shortlived and generally rare early eighties short scale Flying V basses of Gibson which were in essence short scale Rippers (with the exception of Tetsu of the Faces/Rod Stewart, no one ever played those things and you'll be hard-pressed in even finding a pic of Tetsu playing one).

I bought this new in 1980 or 81. I didn't play it either... well, at least not the Gibson. There WAS an Ibanez with a Fender neck that I carted around for awhile, though.

uwe · January 14, 2009, 10:32:46 AM

Quote from: lowend1 on January 14, 2009, 09:12:20 AM
I bought this new in 1980 or 81. I didn't play it either... well, at least not the Gibson. There WAS an Ibanez with a Fender neck that I carted around for awhile, though.

Let me guess: Because it was such a great sounding bass?

Barklessdog · January 14, 2009, 11:47:11 AM

Great looking bass though.

lowend1 · January 14, 2009, 12:01:51 PM

In a rare moment of impulse consumerism, I purchased the worst sounding bass in recorded (and live) history

. Perhaps my judgement was clouded by hairspray fumes, but I figured, "Gibson wouldn't build a bad sounding bass - it must be the amp here in the store. It will sound awesome through the SVT". Sold my EB-3 to buy it, and ultimately traded it even up for a Kramer Pioneer P-Bass thingie. There was at least one other poor soul in my neck of the woods - he played a silverburst version in a Judas Priest tribute band.
I wouldn't equate it with the Ripper, though, Uwe - the V Bass had no varitone - that would have made a world of difference IMHO!

uwe · January 14, 2009, 12:42:23 PM

My sentiments exactly. Yes, and the Ripper is for all its flaws the better bass allround, shrinking it and pulling the body long like a piece of gum did it no sound favors.

Have fun cutting through with a Gibson "V'-Bass in a Priest tribute band! Worst possible choice. Your frequencies will be all over, just not where they are needed/where there is room for them and not where Ian "Jazz Bass, Guild (or was it Hamer?) and now Spector" Hill puts'em. And you won't even sound like KK Downing either.

lowend1 · January 14, 2009, 05:57:35 PM

Quote from: uwe on January 14, 2009, 12:42:23 PM
Have fun cutting through with a Gibson "V'-Bass in a Priest tribute band! Worst possible choice. Your frequencies will be all over, just not where they are needed/where there is room for them and not where Ian "Jazz Bass, Guild (or was it Hamer?) and now Spector" Hill puts'em. And you won't even sound like KK Downing either.

Although I've never seen him with one, the Hamer would be a logical choice, as KK and Tipton both used them at various points. When I see him without that "sunburst / maple / blocks" J-Bass, I feel a little sad. The first time I saw Priest (the opening act on a three band bill with REO Speedwagon and Starz), he had that bass and an Acoustic rig with one cab.

n!k · January 15, 2009, 02:22:39 AM

The Gibson V basses are drop dead sexy; shame about the sound.

Dave W · January 15, 2009, 08:03:58 AM

Too bad Gibson never made a short scale Ripper or a long scale V. It would be interesting to check Uwe's theory on body shape by doing a direct comparison with the body shape as the only difference. Can't do that with another brand of long scale V b/c there are too many other differences.

lowend1 · January 15, 2009, 08:53:08 AM

I think the might have been better served by using a single mudbucker at the neck, or maybe even the EB-3 config. the low end generated by the big pickup and its placement might have been tamed by the body's shortcomings, resulting in something more practical, soundwise. After all, Ripper pickups were not what one would consider high output units. Plus, look at all the bottom they got out of a skinny SG body as an EB-0.
Kinda like this red thing I used to have.