70ies/80ies Ripper/Grabber/G-3 cases don't fit Grabber II and G-3 Tribute!

uwe · August 07, 2013, 11:52:52 AM

Denis was - no, he always is - right. I had laughed off his theory initially that the wider headstock/tuner combination of the reissued Grabber and G-3 would not fit the old cases, after all my old Grabbers and G-3s fit my Ripper cases just fine (there were no separate Grabber/G-3 cases back then, it was only "one size fits all" Ripper cases).

Well, turns out they only fit because the old G-3 and Grabber mock-Flying V style headstocks and tuners weren't as wide - their headstocks were narrower in the first place and also the tuners stuck out less. The old ones were around 6" at their widest (headstock plus tuners), the new ones are a walloping 7 1/6" and you would have to take out all the lining plus thin the shell of the case at both sides of an old case considerably to get them in and even then only under pressure/contact (which is something you don't want with a headstock).

You marvel at Gibson's talent for making life difficult for bassists: First they create the Ripper/Grabber/G-3 family in the seventies with a body so wide it hardly fits any normal case, and then, a few decades later, adding insult to injury, they reissue the Grabber (II) and G-3 (Tribute) making darn sure that now their headstocks are too wide even for the old wide body cases! Sheer brilliance.

So sorry, Denis, none of my abundant old Ripper cases would fit your G-3 Tribute! Forgive me. One should never assume anything with that Nashville brand.

Uwe

Denis · August 07, 2013, 12:23:19 PM

Damn, being right sucks!!!

Thanks for going through the chore of testing all those cases. So, that leaves G-3 owners in the awful spot of having to come up with something OR find one of the super rare and out of production hard cases for the Grabber II from a couple of years ago.

jumbodbassman · August 07, 2013, 01:04:00 PM

jack casady case may work too. it has the flared top like the case in the picture not the straight top like my G-3 case from the 70's

uwe · August 07, 2013, 05:24:34 PM

I can actually give that a try.

Wilbur88 · August 08, 2013, 12:03:38 AM

Not a hard case, but my G3 fits in a Mono bag. Mine is a double, but I'm sure the single would be fine too.

Chris P. · August 08, 2013, 01:17:37 AM

I owned an Epiphone Ripper (PJ) for a short while and I believe it fitted in the JCS case. Bodies of the G-series are almost the same size as the EB2 and JCS.

uwe · August 08, 2013, 06:32:39 AM

Quote from: Wilbur88 on August 08, 2013, 12:03:38 AM
Not a hard case, but my G3 fits in a Mono bag. Mine is a double, but I'm sure the single would be fine too.

Denis wants a hard case.

Denis · August 09, 2013, 09:39:24 AM

I do have a soft case for it, a nice one that the guy at Sam Ash gave me because the original Gibson case was lost at the store along with the paperwork for it.

The big problem with the G-3 sitting in the soft case is that the entire weight of the bass sits right on the rear strap button. One good drop and it's flattened.

Highlander · August 10, 2013, 04:52:08 AM

Just how many "redundant" cases does Uwe have, and which ex Zeppelin hanger does he have them stored in...?

Denis · August 10, 2013, 05:52:26 AM

Saw an Allen Woody case on eBay and the guy had listed inside and outside dimensions. All worked out except length. Too short.

Wilbur88 · August 10, 2013, 06:59:01 AM

Quote from: Denis on August 09, 2013, 09:39:24 AM
I do have a soft case for it, a nice one that the guy at Sam Ash gave me because the original Gibson case was lost at the store along with the paperwork for it.

The big problem with the G-3 sitting in the soft case is that the entire weight of the bass sits right on the rear strap button. One good drop and it's flattened.

I'm not a fan of soft cases either, but the best of them has to be the Mono. Loads of padding, in particular on the base.

uwe · August 11, 2013, 07:25:42 AM

Quote from: CAR-54 on August 10, 2013, 04:52:08 AM
Just how many "redundant" cases does Uwe have, and which ex Zeppelin hanger does he have them stored in...?

1. Too many!

2. In a storage cellar room of our high rise office building.

uwe · August 13, 2013, 02:51:14 PM

This should do it, Denis: Definitely wide enough for headstock and body plus the Zenith which it allegedly fits too is long scale, but do measure the length of your Grabber 3, seller says the case is 47" long ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CASE-FITS-GIBSON-EB2-EPIPHONE-RIVOLI-Triumph-II-Zenith-BASS-GUITAR-/171102839253?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item27d68621d5

Denis · August 13, 2013, 04:26:04 PM

Thanks, Uwe, I'll check it out!

Looks like the G-3 is 15" wide and 45-46" long so it will fit in the case. Maybe a little loose in around the body but that could be fixed with more padding.

Denis · August 13, 2013, 08:18:36 PM

Mmmm, wait. The G-3 is 47" long. Could be a really tight fit but could go either way.