New Ripper project!

[Denis]

So, I found this poor mug on Craigslist and went to look at it. It's missing the electronics and pg but everything else is there. Serial number is 968277, which I believe dates it as a very early one. Though some yahoo painted the body a hideous shade of blue, he had the sense to not mess with the neck and headstock, even taping off the neck so the grotesque blue paint didn't get on the fretboard. Classy, eh?

[Nocturnal]

Looks like a cool project. Sure you want to change the paint? 

[Dave W]

It has potential.

I'm sure I would want to change the paint. 

[Basvarken]

Congrats.
The hideous paint looks like it's gouache; easy to remove.

But I think the frets need to be dressed?

[drbassman]

Very nice potential, in pretty good condition really.  Keep us posted.

[Denis]

Thanks, guys. Hmm, goauche, eh? What's the best way to remove that? I was going to attack it with naptha, like I did with the p-bass. I just don't think I could let this thing be known as The Smurf Ripper. 
The photo of the frets is pretty deceptive. Those are marks, not indentions, on them and they are actually pretty even all the way across. I suspect it was taken pretty good care of for most of it's life, until some dingleberry got hold of it.
Questions: 1) I imagine finding the right electronics for early Rippers isn't easy but would the electronics from say, an EB-3 work? 2) Unless I luck across them, should I even bother with trying to find those pups, or should I just monster it out?

[Barklessdog]

I did a Ripper project It turned into my Blueshawk.


What pickups are you thinking of using?


Here are some pics I have collected & some done for my project-

This wasa my favorite one (not mine) A G-3 Ripper in trans Wine/ Cherry


Some really rough quick photochops I did for mine

[Iome]

Never heard too much good talking about the original Ripper P.U.'s. I think it'll be killer with the TB+ selling on the bay, those are the same as the Les paul and moneybass uses, very sweet sounding IMO.

[Basvarken]

Make it a G4! 

Greatdealz on Ebay has these pickups NOS.

[Denis]

That trans wine/cherry Ripper is beautiful and that G4 is cool as hell! Is that a Fender bridge?
I'm not sure how I'm going to approach the pup situation, although I love the way they sound in my black Ripper. A few months ago I went to see the Olympic Ass-kicking Team and one of the guys was playing a Les Paul bass and it sounded fantastic; literally shaking the concrete floor. Iome, I've seen the Tb pickups on eBay and wondered about them.
One thing I do know, I don't want to drill any more holes in the body or modify the cavities in case I come across original electronics for it. Sort of a weirdo about originality if possible...
Thoughts?

[godofthunder]

 That looks like a fun project ! Looks like you could put two mudbuckers in there !

[godofthunder]

 I would put the G3 pups in there, I always found Rippers kind of tame.

[Lightyear]

Great score!

I think that Seymour Duncan sells repro pups?  Barring that you could could easily use TB Plus pickups like Iome said and this most likely wouldn't require routing.  Repro pick guards are easy to come by as well.

[exiledarchangel]

Maybe two G3 pups and a mudbucker on the neck? Something like a Gibson version of the Tractor.

[godofthunder]

Maybe two G3 pups and a mudbucker on the neck? Something like a Gibson version of the Tractor.

Oh yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!