Found a Ripper, decisions, decisions

Started by Denis, June 01, 2009, 04:31:04 PM

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uwe

#45
June 10, 2009, 06:15:28 AM Last Edit: June 10, 2009, 08:29:38 AM by uwe
Well mine is a Kalamazoo too as is my 82 G-3 and my 77 G-3. Gibson left Kalamazoo in 1984, by that time Grabbers, Rippers and G-3 had all been deleted from regular production. While you can't rule out that such a thing as a one-off 1985 Ripper exists due to some celeb request, I think it's unlikely. Concentrating on Nashville, after all, fell pretty much together with Gibson returning to using mahagony as their chief guitar and bass wood again and the all-maple Ripper didn't fit that bill.

Speaking of which: Does anybody here actually own an alder body fretted Ripper? I have a 1976 alder bodied fretless Ripper and compared to its (earlier and later) all maple siblings it does not have the same depth of fundamentals, but it's always hard to compare a fretless to fretted instruments. It's a lot lighter too.

Uwe
We've taken too much for granted ... and all the time it had grown ...
From techno seeds we first planted ... evolved a mind of its own ...

aluminumcatfish

#46
June 10, 2009, 12:34:47 PM
I have an alder bodied '75 Ripper. I just don't have a maple bodied one to compare it to.

barend

#47
June 10, 2009, 03:28:14 PM
Quote from: uwe on June 10, 2009, 06:15:28 AM
Speaking of which: Does anybody here actually own an alder body fretted Ripper? I have a 1976 alder bodied fretless Ripper and compared to its (earlier and later) all maple siblings it does not have the same depth of fundamentals, but it's always hard to compare a fretless to fretted instruments. It's a lot lighter too.

Uwe

Alder Rippers were made from '75 till '76. Is that also the case with G3 basses?

I have a '76 black G3. Is that alder? and can black G3's also be maple with black finish?

My '76 G3 is a lot lighter than the '78 maple one that I have owned, that one was really (too) heavy. There was some sound difference but not that much.

SKATE RAT

#48
June 10, 2009, 11:59:56 PM
my ebony '76 is alder.
'72 GIBSON SB-450, '74 UNIVOX HIGHFLYER, '75 FENDER P-BASS, '76 ARIA 4001, '76 GIBSON RIPPER, '77 GIBSON G-3, '78 GUILD B-301, '79 VANTAGE FLYING V BASS, '80's HONDO PROFESSIONAL II, '80's IBANEZ ROADSTAR II, '92 GIBSON LPB-1, 'XX WAR BASS, LTD VIPER 104, '01 GIBSON SG SPECIAL, RAT FUZZ AND TUBES

Denis

#49
June 11, 2009, 05:37:57 AM
This is a cool website with a lot of neat information about Gibsons. I'm sure some of you have seen it though. It's been helpful to me to learn about some of these things.

http://www.flyguitars.com/

I took the Ripper over to Harry's last night and he adjusted the nut (it was hanging off the fretboard by 1/16" inch at the e string). To compensate someone had set the adjuster outside the bridge on the g string, so he fixed all that. No neck adjustment needed. The flat frets fascinated him. He loved it!
Why did Salvador Dali cross the road?
Clocks.

barend

#50
June 11, 2009, 06:09:54 AM
I think we all know about that website. It is super.

uwe

#51
June 11, 2009, 07:00:56 AM
Yes, Jules, the mastermind of that site, is a member here. Of course his site has the most glaring omissions such as the legendary 20/20 ...

Re alder/maho. I would assume that the alder years for Rippers, Grabbers and G-3s correspond. I have two alder Grabbers and one alder Ripper and they are from 1974/5 (1x) and from 1976 (2x). I always wondered what a maple body Grabber would sound like (my new Grabber II is all maple, but with its set neck, ebony board and different pup hardly a comparison to an old maple Grabber). I still will have to get one these days - I could hit myself for not pulling the trigger on a nice black early eighties Ripper with an ebony board which was on ebay years ago. Never saw another one, sigh! Those last G-3s and Grabbers that already fell into the Victory era all had ebony boards.
We've taken too much for granted ... and all the time it had grown ...
From techno seeds we first planted ... evolved a mind of its own ...

uwe

#52
June 11, 2009, 07:04:29 AM
Oooops, I meant to say "early eighties Grabber with an ebony board" of course - can't modify posts via Blackberry!
We've taken too much for granted ... and all the time it had grown ...
From techno seeds we first planted ... evolved a mind of its own ...

Dave W

#53
June 11, 2009, 09:09:04 AM
Quote from: uwe on June 11, 2009, 07:00:56 AM
Yes, Jules, the mastermind of that site, is a member here. Of course his site has the most glaring omissions such as the legendary 20/20 ...

You and all the other 20/20 owners worldwide ought to have a convention. I'm sure you can find a small elevator somewhere that will be big enough to hold all of you.  :P

Denis

#54
June 12, 2009, 09:31:35 AM
Quote from: uwe on June 11, 2009, 07:00:56 AM
Yes, Jules, the mastermind of that site, is a member here. Of course his site has the most glaring omissions such as the legendary 20/20 ...

Hahaha, yeah, I guess I should have known. It is a great site and well done.

What is a 20/20? I couldn't find a photo of one.
Why did Salvador Dali cross the road?
Clocks.

Dave W

#55
June 12, 2009, 09:41:18 AM
The 20/20 was designed by Ned Steinberger and looks very much like an 80s Steinberger. Not what you expect a Gibson to look like.

uwe

#56
June 12, 2009, 10:38:55 AM
I hear the masses clanoring for a pic ...
We've taken too much for granted ... and all the time it had grown ...
From techno seeds we first planted ... evolved a mind of its own ...

Denis

#57
June 12, 2009, 12:23:48 PM
Quote from: uwe on June 12, 2009, 10:38:55 AM
I hear the masses clanoring for a pic ...

If my "masses" you mean me, and if by "clamoring" you mean "intensely desiring" then I would have to say, yeah I'd like to see a pic!
Why did Salvador Dali cross the road?
Clocks.

Dave W

#58
June 12, 2009, 01:27:46 PM
There's a 20/20 ad up on eBay now, here.

One look at it and you won't be clamoring anymore.  :)

uwe

#59
June 12, 2009, 01:57:40 PM
How ugly you can be, Dave!
We've taken too much for granted ... and all the time it had grown ...
From techno seeds we first planted ... evolved a mind of its own ...
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