Gibson Ripper rescue

[Hörnisse]

So do 'bursts!



Well, it is hard to see the old see through tort 'guads on the old Ripper basses.   

[neepheid]

Sorry, not done much.  Refinish is continuing, had to get some more clear coat to finish the job but Rich is on the case.  As for me, I got a new soldering iron for Christmas from my wife, so I'm going to put it to some good use and wire it up as far as I can.

Regarding mounting the choke, I'm going to take the later approach of a bracket attached to the pot shaft like a washer and the choke attached at the other end.  I'm going to make it out of a PC expansion blanking plate - found a nice stash of 5 completely flat, unstamped ones to experiment with.  The earlier approach was to solder a bracket onto the side of the pot casing, but I have no idea if this metal will take solder, hence the mechanical coupling approach.

[neepheid]

Tonight I made the mounting bracket for the choke coil.  I took one of the aforementioned PC blanking plates:



And after some drilling, bending, cutting and filing I ended up with this:



So with it attached it looks like this:





And the choke will sit like this, with an M5 machine screw straight through the whole thing and bolted to the bracket (don't have one at the moment)





Also tided up the pots - some of them had wires soldered to them and tags soldered to the casings which needed freeing up.  I'm going to do all the wiring soon.

[sniper]

I get my stipend soon and then off to Gar for a die. I'll let you know if it turns out okay.

[neepheid]

I get my stipend soon and then off to Gar for a die. I'll let you know if it turns out okay.

Cool, looking forward to it

Did a bit of work tonight - mounted the choke and started the wiring:

[neepheid]

All wired up and no place to go (yet) - just the pickups and the bridge wire to add but I think I'll wait until assembly time for that.

[ramone57]

nice & tidy!  good job

[neepheid]

Thanks, it's amazing how much having a decent soldering iron and lovely leaden solder can improve one's soldering skills.

I just got a wee update from Rich - how's about that cherry red now?  Really darkened down a treat.



Won't be long now

[Rob]

I really like that red.

[Highlander]

Looks beaut...

[godofthunder]

Awesome job! Yeah that bass looks sweet in cherry!

[neepheid]

Well, it's finally (just about) finished.  My mate Rich had to take some time out from all his projects for various reasons but he's recently got back in the saddle and last night we put everything together for the first time.  Please excuse the lousy phone camera pics (really doesn't understand that deep cherry red very well).





Risky, given that we have no idea how long it's been since the neck had any string tension applied to it, but I'm hoping to play it tonight at a gig

Very happy with how it's turned out.  Delighted with how it sounds.  Couple of minor things to sort out.  For instance, I think I got the wrong taper for the midrange/tone pots - most of their effect is concentrated in the last 20% of the turn, so I might replace them.  Minor cosmetic issue of the selector switch plate to be addressed in the fullness of time.  But it's done, and back together for the first time in who knows how long.  From a rather sorry looking hunk of wood painted in washed out red to this.  Really happy

[drbassman]

First Ripper I can honestly say I love and would be proud to own !  Nice job!

[Pilgrim]

No kidding.  Looks fantastic!

[Highlander]

Reet braw beastie, Neep...