Interesting Gibson Ripper-Esque Bass FS

[peterkidd]

Hello


I am pretty sure this is an early Copy of a Ripper bass, in that it has no serial number or any indication of a Gibson logo on the headstock. When I got it, it was a body and neck, w/ what appear to be tarnished nickel tuners, string-through ferrules
and the three sockets for the bridge.

I happened to have an old DiMarzio Model One pickup, and an even Older DiMarzio Model One pickup, and a 3-point bridge kicking around. I forget where I ordered the pick-guard from, but it was aftermarket. The controls are pickup-toggle / Volume /Volume and Tone. I may have gone overboard on shielding, but it is very Quiet. Seems to have once had some fingerboard separation in 1st position, long since repaired and touched up.

As you may expect, the 2 Model Ones make it sound Huge. Bass all day, but surprisingly bright w/ the bridge pu soloed.
Comes pretty close to 'School days'...

The pickups are mounted to the guard, no height adjustment, save for the individual set-screws, but they are pretty much where you'd want them.

Neck is straight, action low, and surprisingly well balanced, but maybe the 16" wide body factors in that.

Chips, scratches, checking, losses, you bet, see pictures, but looks sharp. Weighs in at a bit under 10 pounds, bathroom scale.

I'm pretty well settled in w/ 5-strings, and kinda broke, so off she goes.

If you need more pictures, OK by me.

Not interested in trades at present.

No case, but Superior packing and Insured Shipping.

$400.00 & $40.00 shipping to the lower 48 United States.

[peterkidd]

Heyas

An anonymous source form the internet says:

"Dear peterkidd50,

Then it very well could be Gibson. Very few copies had a brass nut on the t rod. However it might be a copy. Or an employee guitar. Since it looks like a Gibson and has all the markings except headstock decal n serial. My guess is it was an employee guitar. Bc I've never seen a ripper spot on like that."

F.w.i.w.

I still gotta go w/ copy, but a set-neck real m.o.p. position marker copy.

[dozicusmaximus]

Crap. Where were you 2 weeks ago bump.

[NKBassman]

Very cool looking bass! I'm interested, but unfortunately the lady would have a fit.
Best of luck with the sale.

[peterkidd]

Two weeks ago, let's see...

Sitting in front of the computer in my bathrobe, looking at pictures of kittens.

[dozicusmaximus]

[Timxrose]

Hey Peter
if you look at the headstock, the very top and how its been cut out and compare it to a real ripper you can see a big difference. the ripper has a much deeper and rounded cut than yours....Im no expert but I think this is a copy. what throws me off is that its not a bolt on neck....Im baffled and tempted at the same time....

[peterkidd]

Yeah, I'm sticking w/ it being a copy, but a Deluxe copy.

That is for sale...<g>

Best,

Peter

[dozicusmaximus]

Is the scale length 34.5" ?

[peterkidd]

I'm getting about 34 5/16" scale. Good call!

I'd never measured it, assuming it was a plain 34".

Thanks!

(and thanks for the kitten, as well..)

[dozicusmaximus]

No problem. My step dad has a Ripper. I don't think he'll ever sell it. I've been wanting one more and more the past few years.

[peterkidd]

And something you Cannot see in the pictures, in the pickup routes, there were 2 screw holes in each, that seemed to be in the position the stock pickups would have used. So I suspect one could redo this w/ more stock electronics, but at the time, I had a pair of DiMarzios hanging around, so in they went. You'd probably need a new pg, varitone control, and pickups.

Regards

[diptixon]

Nice copy... those aren't Gibson tuners, so...

[danzigdan]

At first I thought it might be an Ibanez or Greco, and then I thought about other Japanese companies that made great copies and I found this:

http://www.muzbass.ru/product_info.php?products_id=102


How about Matsomoku? Aria! Looks like pretty much the same bass with a rosewood board and a different switch. That's a quality copy then.

[peterkidd]

Good morning.

Thanks for all the research into whatever the heck this is.

Also had a few concerns Re: non-adjustable pickup height.

The pickups are mounted Directly on the top of the pick-guard. The holes in the pick-guard for them are sized for the windings and such, the metal top-plates are larger than the holes. The allen-screw pole pieces adjust upwards of 1/4" from the strings, closer on the neck pickup. Which is close enough, at least for me. If you Did want them to be adjustable, a simple 3 step process.

1: Enlarge the hole to accommodate the top plate.

2: Find 8 screws and springs (or foam..)

3: Build a surround, as the windings portion and some screw would be exposed (unless you prefer the industrial look..) 1/4 " ebony strips would look cool, but it's a bit splintery.


Best,

Peter

[Fly Guitars]

There are lots of GREAT ripper copies - labelled as Shaftesbury (UK only?), Cortez, and more. Most are really nicely made Japanese basses, and not easy to tell from the real thing unless you look up close. This is one of those copies. I'm not surprised Gibson were annoyed by this direct copying. But there is no denying they were well made.

Good luck with the sale.

[peterkidd]

On Hold Through This Weekend, Pending Payment.

[peterkidd]

Sold Through here.

$400.00